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Antioxidant Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 November 2023) | Viewed by 9154

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Prof. Dr. Chwan-Li (Leslie) Shen

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Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Integrative Health, Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
Interests: polyphenols; bioacive compounds; chronic diseases management; obesity; diabetes; pain

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oxidative stress and inflammation both play a critical role in the initiation and progression of common chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, GI diseases, depression, and chronic pain (to name a few). Emerging evidence has suggested that dietary polyphenols or polyphenol-enriched functional foods found in vegetables, fruits, wine, spices, and herbs have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that could benefit these illnesses. The purpose of this Special Issue of Nutrients, entitled “Antioxidant Mechanism of Polyphenols and Health Benefits”, is to update the current polyphenols’ health benefits from original research (cell, animal, clinical, public health studies) to narrative/systematic reviews of the recent scientific literature in cells and animals or meta-analyses in humans. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I invite scientists to take part in this Special Issue to submit manuscripts that integrate nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic approaches with polyphenols, in order to further examine their role in human health.

Prof. Dr. Chwan-Li (Leslie) Shen
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. 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

Bioactive compounds
Bioactive compounds-rich food
Chronic diseases
Mechanisms
Metabolites (blood, urine, tissues, gut, etc.)
Metabolomics
Nutrigenomics
Proteomics
Biomarkers
Gut microbiota-tissues (brain, liver, etc.)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms of Curcumin and Its Metabolites in White Adipose Tissue and Cultured Adipocytes

by Tariful Islam, Shane Scoggin, Xiaoxia Gong, Masoud Zabet-Moghaddam, Nishan S. Kalupahana and Naima Moustaid-Moussa

Nutrients 2024, 16(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010070 - 25 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1368

Abstract

The plant-derived polyphenol curcumin alleviates the inflammatory and metabolic effects of obesity, in part, by reducing adipose tissue inflammation. We hypothesized that the benefits of curcumin supplementation on diet-induced obesity and systemic inflammation in mice occur through downregulation of white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation. The hypothesis was tested in adipose tissue from high-fat diet-induced obese mice supplemented with or without curcumin and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with or without curcumin. Male B6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 45% kcal fat) with or without 0.4% (w/w) curcumin supplementation (HFC). Metabolic changes in these mice have been previously reported. Here, we determined the serum levels of the curcumin metabolites tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) and curcumin-O-glucuronide (COG) using mass spectrometry. Moreover, we determined interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels and proteomic changes in LPS-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with or without curcumin by using immunoassays and mass spectrometry, respectively, to gain further insight into any altered processes. We detected both curcumin metabolites, THC and COG, in serum samples from the curcumin-fed mice. Both curcumin and its metabolites reduced LPS-induced adipocyte IL-6 secretion and mRNA levels. Proteomic analyses indicated that curcumin upregulated EIF2 and mTOR signaling pathways. Overall, curcumin exerted anti-inflammatory effects in adipocytes, in part by reducing IL-6, and these effects may be linked to the upregulation of the mTOR signaling pathway, warranting additional mechanistic studies on the effects of curcumin and its metabolites on metabolic health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits)

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27 pages, 5326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of a High-Protein Diet Supplemented with Blackthorn Flower Extract on Polyphenol Bioavailability and Antioxidant Status in the Organs of C57BL/6 Mice

by Vedran Balta, Domagoj Đikić, Irena Landeka Jurčević, Dyana Odeh, Nada Oršolić, Nikola Ferara, Dario Dilber, Petar Dragičević and Verica Dragović-Uzelac

Nutrients 2023, 15(18), 4066; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15184066 - 20 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1093

Abstract

The health benefits of polyphenols are based on their bioavailability, which is why a significant portion of research focuses on factors that affect their bioavailability. Previous studies suggest that the intake of polyphenols along with macronutrients in food represents one of the key factors influencing the bioavailability of polyphenols and, consequently, their biological activity in the organism. Since polyphenols in the human diet are mainly consumed in food together with macronutrients, this study investigated the in vivo absorption, metabolism, and distribution of polyphenolic compounds from the water extract of blackthorn flower (Prunus spinosa L.) in combination with a protein-enriched diet in the organs (small intestine, liver, kidney) of C57BL/6 mice. The bioaccumulation of polyphenol molecules, biologically available maximum concentrations of individual groups of polyphenol molecules, and their effect on the oxidative/antioxidative status of organs were also examined. The results of this study indicate increased bioabsorption and bioavailability of flavan-3-ols (EC, EGCG) and reduced absorption kinetics of certain polyphenols from the groups of flavonols, flavones, and phenolic acids in the organs of C57BL/6 mice after intragastric administration of the water extract of blackthorn flower (Prunus spinosa L.) in combination with a diet enriched with whey proteins. Furthermore, subchronic intake of polyphenols from the water extract of blackthorn flower (Prunus spinosa L.) in combination with a diet enriched with whey proteins induces the synthesis of total glutathione (tGSH) in the liver and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver and small intestine. The results of this study suggest potential applications in the development of functional foods aimed at achieving the optimal health status of the organism and the possibility of reducing the risk of oxidative stress-related disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits)

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17 pages, 4313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blackcurrants Reduce the Risk of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Pilot Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

by Briana M. Nosal, Junichi R. Sakaki, Zachary Macdonald, Kyle Mahoney, Kijoon Kim, Matthew Madore, Staci Thornton, Thi Dong Binh Tran, George Weinstock, Elaine Choung-Hee Lee and Ock K. Chun

Nutrients 2022, 14(23), 4971; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14234971 - 23 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3531

Abstract

Beneficial effects of blackcurrant supplementation on bone metabolism in mice has recently been demonstrated, but no studies are available in humans. The current study aimed to examine the dose-dependent effects of blackcurrant in preventing bone loss and the underlying mechanisms of action in adult women. Forty peri- and early postmenopausal women were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups for 6 months: (1) a placebo (control group, n = 13); (2) 392 mg/day of blackcurrant powder (low blackcurrant, BC, group, n = 16); and (3) 784 mg/day of blackcurrant powder (high BC group, n = 11). The significance of differences in outcome variables was tested by repeated-measures ANOVA with treatment and time as between- and within-subject factors, respectively. Overall, blackcurrant supplementation decreased the loss of whole-body bone mineral density (BMD) compared to the control group (p < 0.05), though the improvement of whole-body BMD remained significant only in the high BC group (p < 0.05). Blackcurrant supplementation also led to a significant increase in serum amino-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), a marker of bone formation (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that daily consumption of 784 mg of blackcurrant powder for six months mitigates the risk of postmenopausal bone loss, potentially through enhancing bone formation. Further studies of larger samples with various skeletal conditions are warranted to confirm these findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits)

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19 pages, 4819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ginger Root Extract Improves GI Health in Diabetic Rats by Improving Intestinal Integrity and Mitochondrial Function

by Rui Wang, Julianna Maria Santos, Jannette M. Dufour, Emily R. Stephens, Jonathan M. Miranda, Rachel L. Washburn, Taylor Hibler, Gurvinder Kaur, Dingbo Lin and Chwan-Li Shen

Nutrients 2022, 14(20), 4384; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14204384 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2516

Abstract

Background Emerging research suggests hyperglycemia can increase intestinal permeability. Ginger and its bioactive compounds have been reported to benefit diabetic animals due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, we revealed the beneficial effect of gingerol-enriched ginger (GEG) on intestinal health (i.e., barrier function, mitochondrial function, and anti-inflammation) in diabetic rats. Methods Thirty-three male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to three groups: low-fat diet (control group), high-fat-diet (HFD) + streptozotocin (single low dose 35 mg/kg body weight (BW) after 2 weeks of HFD feeding) (DM group), and HFD + streptozotocin + 0.75% GEG in diet (GEG group) for 42 days. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT) and insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were conducted at baseline and prior to sample collection. Total pancreatic insulin content was determined by ELISA. Total RNA of intestinal tissues was extracted for mRNA expression using qRT-PCR. Results Compared to the DM group, the GEG group had improved glucose tolerance and increased pancreatic insulin content. Compared to those without GEG (DM group), GEG supplementation (GEG group) increased the gene expression of tight junction (Claudin-3) and antioxidant capacity (SOD1), while it decreased the gene expression for mitochondrial fusion (MFN1), fission (FIS1), biogenesis (PGC-1α, TFAM), mitophagy (LC3B, P62, PINK1), and inflammation (NF-κB). Conclusions Ginger root extract improved glucose homeostasis in diabetic rats, in part, via improving intestinal integrity and mitochondrial dysfunction of GI health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds and Health Benefits)

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