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Nutrients
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Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Benefits
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Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Benefits

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 July 2026 | Viewed by 2839

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rita Oliveira

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. FP-BHS—Biomedical and Health Sciences Research Unit, FFP-I3ID Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Fernando Pessoa, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
2. RISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
3. Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
4. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Interests: bioactive compounds; bioactive skin delivery; nutraceuticals; clinical evidence-based healthcare; decision-making policy
Dr. Cláudia Silva

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. FP-BHS—Biomedical and Health Sciences Research Unit, FFP-I3ID Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Fernando Pessoa, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
2. RISE-Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
Interests: nutritional epidemiology; community nutrition and public health; dietary patterns and health; evidence-based nutrition
Dr. Carla Martins Lopes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. FP-BHS—Biomedical and Health Sciences Research Unit, FP-I3ID—Instituto de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento, Faculty of Health Science, Fernando Pessoa University, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
2. Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
3. UCIBIO—Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, MedTech—Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 050-313 Porto, Portugal
4. RISE—Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, Fernando Pessoa Teaching and Culture Foundation, Rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
Interests: bioactive delivery systems; lipid-based nanosystems; hybrid nanosystems; controlled delivery; multifunctional nanosystems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food-derived bioactive compounds have garnered increasing scientific interest due to their significant potential to contribute in disease prevention and health promotion. Bioactive compounds, which occur naturally in a wide variety of foods, have a broad spectrum of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and neuroprotective effects. Recent advances have also emphasized their role in modulating the gut microbiota, metabolic pathways, and immune responses.

Despite their promising biological activities, the clinical efficacy of these bioactive is often limited by challenges associated with their stability, metabolism, and, particularly, their bioavailability. As such, current research is increasingly focused on the development of innovative delivery systems and food matrix engineering strategies to enhance the bioaccessibility, absorption, and systemic activity of bioactive.

This Special Issue aims to gather high-quality contributions that address the latest discoveries on food-derived bioactive compounds, with a particular emphasis on their health benefits, mechanisms of action, and innovative approaches to improve their bioavailability. Clinical, experimental and in vitro studies, as well as reviews, and interdisciplinary studies are all welcome, especially those that bridge food science, nutrition, pharmacology, and health-related disciplines.

Dr. Rita Oliveira
Dr. Cláudia Silva
Dr. Carla Martins Lopes
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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

  • nutraceuticals
  • health-promoting compounds
  • bioactive compounds
  • bioavailability enhancement
  • delivery systems for bioactives
  • chronic disease prevention

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3788 KB  
Article
Dose-Sparing Efficacy of d-Limonene with Low-Dose Allopurinol in a Dual Model of Hyperuricemia and Gouty Arthritis in Rats
by Krishnaraju Venkatesan, Pooja Muralidharan, Durgaramani Sivadasan, Manimekalai Pichaivel, Yahya I. Asiri, Khalid A. Asseri, Nizar Sirag, Hassabelrasoul Elfadil, Mahmoud Elodemi, Kousalya Prabahar, Premalatha Paulsamy and Kumarappan Chidambaram
Nutrients 2026, 18(1), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010072 - 25 Dec 2025
Viewed by 835
Abstract
Background: d-Limonene (LIM) is a food-derived monoterpenoid phytocompound predominantly found in citrus peels, endowed with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been reported to inhibit xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in vitro. This study investigated the dose-sparing efficacy of this dietary [...] Read more.
Background: d-Limonene (LIM) is a food-derived monoterpenoid phytocompound predominantly found in citrus peels, endowed with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been reported to inhibit xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in vitro. This study investigated the dose-sparing efficacy of this dietary bioactive compound in combination with low-dose allopurinol (ALP) using a dual rat model combining potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemia and monosodium urate (MSU)-triggered gouty arthritis, thereby capturing both metabolic and inflammatory dimensions of gout. Methods: Female Wistar rats were PO-primed and MSU-challenged, then treated with LIM (50 mg/kg), ALP (5 or 10 mg/kg), or LIM + ALP. Outcomes included paw thickness, dysfunction and inflammation indices, serum uric acid, urea, creatinine, AST/ALT, cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6), oxidative stress markers (MDA, SOD, catalase, GSH), and NLRP3 immunoreactivity, supported by radiographic and histopathological analyses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. Results: LIM improved clinical and biochemical outcomes versus monotherapies. However, LIM + low-dose ALP exhibited the greatest overall efficacy. On Day 30, paw thickness was significantly lower with LIM + ALP than with LIM alone (3.25 ± 0.31 vs. 3.98 ± 0.72 mm; p < 0.001). Serum uric acid and hepatic transaminases declined most with the combination (p < 0.0001 vs. LIM), accompanied by improved renal indices (p < 0.001). Pro-inflammatory cytokines were markedly reduced, NLRP3 immunostaining was minimal, and oxidative balance shifted toward homeostasis (↓ MDA; ↑ SOD, catalase, GSH). Radiographic and histological evaluations corroborated attenuation of joint inflammation and tissue damage. Conclusions: In the PO + MSU gout model, co-administration of the food-derived compound LIM with low-dose ALP achieved additive, dose-sparing benefits across metabolic, inflammatory, and histological endpoints. While in vivo XO activity was not directly assessed, the findings are consistent with XO-pathway modulation, NLRP3–IL-1β suppression, and redox restoration. These results highlight the potential of dietary bioactives such as d-Limonene to complement standard urate-lowering therapy, warranting further pharmacokinetic and safety validation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Benefits)
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27 pages, 2672 KB  
Article
Phytochemical Profiling, Anti-Inflammatory Action, and Human Gut Microbiota-Assisted Digestion of Rheum officinale Petiole and Root Extracts—An In Vitro Study
by Oleksandra Liudvytska, Mariusz Kowalczyk, Justyna Krzyżanowska-Kowalczyk, Karolina Michaś, Maria Michalak, Aneta Balcerczyk, Weronika Skowrońska, Marcin Równicki, Agnieszka Bazylko, Monika A. Olszewska and Joanna Kolodziejczyk-Czepas
Nutrients 2025, 17(21), 3455; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17213455 - 1 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1558
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Rheum officinale, an ethnomedicinal plant, has roots widely employed in modern pharmacological formulations. However, many of its biological activities remain only partly recognized. Furthermore, the metabolome and biological activity of its edible petioles, often considered a waste product, have received [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Rheum officinale, an ethnomedicinal plant, has roots widely employed in modern pharmacological formulations. However, many of its biological activities remain only partly recognized. Furthermore, the metabolome and biological activity of its edible petioles, often considered a waste product, have received limited scientific attention. Methods and Results: The examination of anti-inflammatory properties of both root and petiole extracts (1–50 µg/mL) revealed the inhibition of the pro-inflammatory cytokine release from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, a reduction in ALOX5 gene expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and the significant inhibition (>60%) of cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase activities. Importantly, no cytotoxic effects were detected at the tested concentrations. Conclusions: The petiole extract demonstrated anti-inflammatory efficiency comparable to, or exceeding that of the root extract, suggesting that R. officinale petioles could be valuable source of bioactive compounds for future investigations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Benefits)
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