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Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems
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Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2024) | Viewed by 5274

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Luis Cruz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: anthocyanins; flavylium-based dyes; stimuli-responsive systems; smart and functional biomaterials; food biosensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, several molecular receptors and (bio)polymers have been synthesized or functionalized to enhance the selective molecular recognition and sensing of many biologically relevant metabolites (e.g., glucose, sialic acids, catecholamines) and key biomarkers of several diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. On the other hand, polyphenols present in plant-based foods have been associated with health-promoting effects due to their recognized biological properties that have been widely reported. This Special Issue intends to contribute to the development of new polyphenol-based (bio)materials (e.g., hydrogels, nanoparticles, films/membranes, polymeric micelles, liposomes, dendrimers, host–guest systems) with smart functionalities (self-healing, self-sensing), stimuli-responsive properties (pH, temperature, light), and biological activities (antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial properties) towards human health for application in the fields of theranostics, sensing, imaging, and drug/gene delivery.

Prof. Dr. Luis Cruz
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • boronic acid receptors
  • 1,2-diols
  • biologically relevant molecules
  • host–guest supramolecular complexes
  • chemical/enzymatic functionalization
  • covalent and non-covalent interactions
  • stimuli-responsive biomaterials
  • controlled delivery systems
  • colorimetric and fluorescent sensors
  • hydrogels
  • films

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3035 KiB  
Article
The Combination of Bioavailable Concentrations of Curcumin and Resveratrol Shapes Immune Responses While Retaining the Ability to Reduce Cancer Cell Survival
by Chiara Focaccetti, Camilla Palumbo, Monica Benvenuto, Raffaele Carrano, Ombretta Melaiu, Daniela Nardozi, Valentina Angiolini, Valeria Lucarini, Bora Kërpi, Laura Masuelli, Loredana Cifaldi and Roberto Bei
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(1), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010232 - 23 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 984
Abstract
The polyphenols Curcumin (CUR) and Resveratrol (RES) are widely described for their antitumoral effects. However, their low bioavailability is a drawback for their use in therapy. The aim of this study was to explore whether CUR and RES, used at a bioavailable concentration, [...] Read more.
The polyphenols Curcumin (CUR) and Resveratrol (RES) are widely described for their antitumoral effects. However, their low bioavailability is a drawback for their use in therapy. The aim of this study was to explore whether CUR and RES, used at a bioavailable concentration, could modulate immune responses while retaining antitumor activity and to determine whether CUR and RES effects on the immune responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and tumor growth inhibition could be improved by their combination. We demonstrate that the low-dose combination of CUR and RES reduced the survival of cancer cell lines but had no effect on the viability of PBMCs. Although following CUR + RES treatment T lymphocytes showed an enhanced activated state, RES counteracted the increased IFN-γ expression induced by CUR in T cells and the polyphenol combination increased IL-10 production by T regulatory cells. On the other hand, the combined treatment enhanced NK cell activity through the up- and downregulation of activating and inhibitory receptors and increased CD68 expression levels on monocytes/macrophages. Overall, our results indicate that the combination of CUR and RES at low doses differentially shapes immune cells while retaining antitumor activity, support the use of this polyphenol combinations in anticancer therapy and suggest its possible application as adjuvant for NK cell-based immunotherapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems)
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11 pages, 741 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Phenolic Acid Content and Antioxidant Properties of the Pulp of Five Pumpkin Species Cultivated in Southeastern Poland
by Małgorzata Stryjecka, Barbara Krochmal-Marczak, Tomasz Cebulak and Anna Kiełtyka-Dadasiewicz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8621; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108621 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1763
Abstract
Antioxidant properties and phenolic acid content in the pulp of five pumpkin species were evaluated. The following species cultivated in Poland were included: Cucurbita maxima ‘Bambino’, Cucurbita pepo ‘Kamo Kamo’, Cucurbita moschata ‘Butternut’, Cucurbita ficifolia ‘Chilacayote Squash’, and Cucurbita argyrosperma ‘Chinese Alphabet’. The [...] Read more.
Antioxidant properties and phenolic acid content in the pulp of five pumpkin species were evaluated. The following species cultivated in Poland were included: Cucurbita maxima ‘Bambino’, Cucurbita pepo ‘Kamo Kamo’, Cucurbita moschata ‘Butternut’, Cucurbita ficifolia ‘Chilacayote Squash’, and Cucurbita argyrosperma ‘Chinese Alphabet’. The content of polyphenolic compounds was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with HPLC, while the total content of phenols and flavonoids and antioxidant properties were determined by spectrophotometric methods. Ten phenolic compounds (protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, salicylic acid, kaempferol) were identified. Phenolic acids were the most abundant compounds; the amount of syringic acid was found to be the highest, ranging from 0.44 (C. ficifolia) to 6.61 mg∙100 g−1 FW (C. moschata). Moreover, two flavonoids were detected: catechin and kaempferol. They were found at their highest level of content in C. moschata pulp (catechins: 0.31 mg∙100 g−1 FW; kaempferol: 0.06 mg∙100 g−1 FW), with the lowest amount detected in C. ficifolia (catechins: 0.15 mg∙100 g−1 FW; kaempferol below the limit of detection). Analysis of antioxidant potential showed significant differences depending on the species and the test used. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of C. maxima was 1.03 times higher than C. ficiofilia pulp and 11.60 times higher than C. pepo. In the case of the FRAP assay, the multiplicity of FRAP radical activity in C. maxima pulp was 4.65 times higher than C. Pepo pulp and only 1.08 times higher compared to C. ficifolia pulp. The study findings show the high health-promoting value of pumpkin pulp; however, the content of phenolic acids and antioxidant properties are species dependent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems)
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15 pages, 1215 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Potential of Vine Shoots as a Source of Valuable Extracts and Stable Lignin Nanoparticles for Multiple Applications
by Ana Rita Pereira, Carina Costa, Nuno Mateus, Victor de Freitas, Alírio Rodrigues and Joana Oliveira
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065165 - 8 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1729
Abstract
Large amounts of vine shoots are generated every year during vine pruning. This residue still presents many of the compounds found in the original plant, including low molecular weight phenolic compounds and structural compounds such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. For wine-producing regions, [...] Read more.
Large amounts of vine shoots are generated every year during vine pruning. This residue still presents many of the compounds found in the original plant, including low molecular weight phenolic compounds and structural compounds such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. For wine-producing regions, the challenge is to develop alternatives that will increase the value of this residue. This work proposes the full valorization of vine shoots, focusing on the extraction of lignin by mild acidolysis for the preparation of nanoparticles. The effect of the pretreatment solvents (ethanol/toluene, E/T, and water/ethanol, W/E), on the chemical and structural features of lignin, was evaluated. The chemical analysis suggests similar composition and structure regardless of the pretreatment solvent, although lignin isolated after pretreatment of biomass with E/T showed a higher content of proanthocyanidins (11%) compared with W/E (5%). Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) presented an average size ranging from 130–200 nm and showed good stability for 30 days. Lignin and LNPs showed excellent antioxidant properties (half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50 0.016–0.031 mg/mL) when compared to commercial antioxidants. In addition, extracts resulting from biomass pretreatment showed antioxidant activity, with W/E presenting a lower IC50 (0.170 mg/mL) than E/T (0.270 mg/mL), correlated with the higher polyphenol content of W/E, with (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin being the main compounds detected. Overall, this work shows that the pre-treatment of vine shoots with green solvents can yield (i) the production of high-purity lignin samples with antioxidant properties and (ii) phenolic-rich extracts, promoting the integral reuse of this byproduct and contributing to sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems)
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