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Nutrients
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Bioactive Microconstituents from Foods, Metabolic Health and the Underlying Molecular...
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Bioactive Microconstituents from Foods, Metabolic Health and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 2399

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Charalampia Amerikanou

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Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University of Athens, 70 El. Venizelou Ave., 17676 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Interests: molecular nutrition; inflammation; oxidative stress; phytochemicals; nutraceuticals; functional foods; clinical trials; obesity; epigenetics; microRNAs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Andriana Kaliora

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University of Athens, 70 El. Venizelou Ave., Kallithea, 17671 Athens, Greece
Interests: dietary interventions; foods; nutrients; food supplements; dietary patterns; chronic inflammatory conditions; inflammatory diseases; oxidative stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chara Tzavara

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Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
Interests: biostatistics; clinical trials; pharmaceuticals; nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last years, global metabolic health has been in crisis, with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases increasing in many countries. Sedentarism, unhealthy dietary choices, stress and several environmental factors contribute to this phenomena. The medications used for metabolic disorders are expensive, poorly tolerated by patients, show adverse effects and lack sustainable effectiveness. Therefore, there is an urgent need for complementary and alternative options. Bioactive microconstituents from foods may offer a variety of benefits for human health. Although much research has been conducted on the effect of bioactive compounds on metabolic health, there is still a lot of research needed on the mechanisms that underly these activities.

This SI welcomes submissions including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Chemical and dietary characterization of bioactive microconstituents from foods with beneficial actions on metabolic health;
  • In vitro and animal studies on the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms under which bioactive microconstituents exert their benefits on metabolism;
  • Human studies, such as bioavailability, postprandial, dietary interventions with the use of these constituents on metabolic health;
  • Studies on their effects on metagenomic, metabolomic or epigenetic markers associated with metabolic health.

Original research articles, review papers and meta-analyses are welcome and we strongly encourage innovative research methods and approaches that address the sustainability aspects of bioactive microconstituents.

Dr. Charalampia Amerikanou
Dr. Andriana Kaliora
Dr. Chara Tzavara
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

  • bioactive compounds
  • microconstituents
  • metabolic health
  • molecular mechanisms
  • sustainability
  • polyphenols
  • terpenes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2188 KB  
Article
Tartary Buckwheat Peptides Prevent Oxidative Damage in Differentiated SOL8 Cells via a Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis Pathway
by Yifan Xu, Yawen Wang, Min Yang, Pengxiang Yuan, Weikang Xu, Tong Jiang and Jian Huang
Nutrients 2025, 17(13), 2204; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17132204 - 2 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1262
Abstract
Background: Under oxidative stress conditions, the increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells disrupt the intracellular homeostasis. Tartary buckwheat peptides exert their effects by scavenging oxidative free radicals, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, thereby reducing oxidative damage within cells. [...] Read more.
Background: Under oxidative stress conditions, the increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells disrupt the intracellular homeostasis. Tartary buckwheat peptides exert their effects by scavenging oxidative free radicals, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, thereby reducing oxidative damage within cells. Meanwhile, these peptides safeguard mitochondria by maintaining the mitochondrial membrane potential, decreasing the production of mitochondrial oxygen free radicals, and regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy to preserve mitochondrial homeostasis. Through these mechanisms, Tartary buckwheat peptides restore the intracellular redox balance, sustain cellular energy metabolism and biosynthesis, and ensure normal cellular physiological functions, which is of great significance for cell survival and adaptation under oxidative stress conditions. Objectives: In this experiment, a classical cellular oxidative stress model was established. Indicators related to antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial membrane potential changes, as well as pathways associated with oxidative stress, were selected for detection. The aim was to elucidate the effects of Tartary buckwheat oligopeptides on the metabolism of cells in response to oxidative stress. Methods: In this study, we established an oxidative damage model of mouse skeletal muscle myoblast (SOL8) cells using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), investigated the pre-protective effects of Tartary buckwheat oligopeptides on H2O2-induced oxidative stress damage in SOL8 cells at the cellular level, and explored the possible mechanisms. The CCK-8 method is a colorimetric assay based on WST-8-[2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodiumsalt], which is used to detect cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. Results: The value of CCK-8 showed that, when the cells were exposed to 0.01 mmol/L H2O2 for 1 h and 10 mg/mL Tartary buckwheat oligopeptides intervention for 48 h, these were the optimal conditions. Compared with the H2O2 group, the intervention group (KB/H2O2 group) showed that the production of ROS was significantly reduced (p < 0.001), the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), and the activity of catalase (CAT) was significantly increased (p < 0.01); the mitochondrial membrane potential in the KB/H2O2 group tended to return to the level of the control group, and they all showed dose-dependent effects. Compared with the H2O2 group, the mRNA expression of KEAP1 in the KB/H2O2 group decreased, while the mRNA expression of NRF2α, HO-1, nrf1, PGC-1, P62, and PINK increased. Conclusions: Therefore, Tartary buckwheat oligopeptides have a significant pre-protective effect on H2O2-induced SOL8 cells, possibly by enhancing the activity of superoxide dismutase, reducing ROS attack, balancing mitochondrial membrane potential, and maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Microconstituents from Foods, Metabolic Health and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms)
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Review

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21 pages, 868 KB  
Review
Dietary Polyphenols as Modulators of Bifidobacterium in the Human Gut Microbiota
by Corina Dalia Toderescu, Mohamudha Parveen, Svetlana Trifunschi, Alexandru Oancea, Gentiana Camelia Ciubuc (Jurj), Iulia Gabriela Cresneac, Melania Florina Munteanu, Ioana Ciopanoiu, Casiana Boru, Elena Narcisa Pogurschi, Catalin Ionite, Alina Stefanache and Ionut Iulian Lungu
Nutrients 2026, 18(5), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050782 - 27 Feb 2026
Viewed by 561
Abstract
Background: Polyphenols—bioactive compounds abundant in plant-based foods—are increasingly recognised for their capacity to modulate the gut microbiota. As the gut microbiome plays a central role in metabolic regulation, immune function, and disease prevention, understanding how specific polyphenol subclasses influence microbial diversity and functionality [...] Read more.
Background: Polyphenols—bioactive compounds abundant in plant-based foods—are increasingly recognised for their capacity to modulate the gut microbiota. As the gut microbiome plays a central role in metabolic regulation, immune function, and disease prevention, understanding how specific polyphenol subclasses influence microbial diversity and functionality remains essential. Despite growing evidence of their benefits, the precise effects of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins on gut microbial composition are not yet fully clarified. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary polyphenols on gut microbiota composition and function, with a particular focus on the abundance of Bifidobacterium, a key beneficial genus associated with metabolic and immune health. It was hypothesised that polyphenol-rich interventions were associated with increases in Bifidobacterium abundance and enhance overall microbial diversity. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Human intervention studies published between January 2015 and February 2025 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A predefined PICO framework guided study selection. Twenty-two studies were synthesised using thematic analysis, and four of these were eligible for quantitative meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was performed in R (version 4.4.1) using the metafor and meta packages, calculating standardised mean differences (SMD) under a random-effects model to account for heterogeneity. Extracted data included study design, population characteristics, polyphenol subclass, intervention type, microbiome assessment method, and key outcomes. Results: Across the 22 reviewed studies, polyphenols—particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids from foods such as berries, grape pomace, and green tea—consistently increased beneficial microbial taxa including Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and Lactobacillus. These microbial shifts were associated with improved metabolic markers, reduced inflammation, and enhancements in gut barrier integrity. Polyphenol-rich dietary patterns also showed benefits in conditions such as NAFLD, prediabetes, and depression. However, findings were influenced by interindividual variability, short intervention durations, and inconsistent methodologies. The meta-analysis revealed a significant positive effect of polyphenol intake on Bifidobacterium abundance (SMD = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.18–1.44; p = 0.0114), corresponding to a moderate-to-large effect size. Substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 77.4%) suggested considerable variation in intervention types, dosage, study design, and microbiome analysis methods. Conclusions: Polyphenol-rich diets were associated with increased Bifidobacterium abundance and favourable modulation of gut microbiota composition, supporting their potential as a nutritional strategy to enhance gut and metabolic health. However, interstudy variability highlights the need for more standardised, long-term, and mechanistically focused human trials. Future research should incorporate multi-omics approaches, personalised nutrition frameworks, and consistent microbiome analysis methods to better understand the pathways linking polyphenol intake and host health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Microconstituents from Foods, Metabolic Health and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms)
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