Search Results (3,074)

Background: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is a progressive condition predisposing to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, with prevalence rising globally. Yet effective therapies remain limited. Wuzhi Dripping Pills (WZDP), derived from Schisandra sphenanthera, possess hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, though their efficacy against MASLD remains unexplored. Methods: Network pharmacology predicted active ingredients and targets, followed by KEGG enrichment analysis. A high-fat diet MASLD rat model was established to evaluate WZDP effects on weight, liver index, and serum markers. Serum metabolomic profiling via UPLC-MS/MS, combined with multivariate statistics and KEGG annotation, identified perturbed pathways. Results: Twelve bioactive compounds and 434 WZDP targets were retrieved, of which 74 intersected with 838 MASLD-associated genes. Enrichment implicated AGE-RAGE, insulin resistance, and HIF-1 signaling. In vivo, WZDP significantly improved anthropometric and biochemical parameters. Metabolomic analysis distinctly separated WZDP-treated from model groups, highlighting phospholipase D signaling as a key differential pathway. Conclusions: This integrative approach confirms that WZDP confers therapeutic benefits in MASLD through coordinated regulation of neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, bile acid biosynthesis, phospholipase D signaling, and arginine–proline metabolism. Our findings furnish a molecular and metabolic rationale for further mechanistic studies and drug discovery efforts. Full article

Ceramides (Cer), as bioactive substances, hold significant research importance in fields such as biology, medicine, and daily chemicals. As a significant bioactive substance, Cer has garnered considerable attention in various fields in recent years. Especially in the field of daily chemicals, Cer serves as a core functional ingredient in skincare products, which ameliorate skin dryness and sensitivity and reinforce the barrier function of the stratum corneum. Among them, ultra-long-chain Cer assemble compact and ordered epidermal lipid layers to block exogenous oxidative stress, reduce intracellular ROS accumulation, and mitigate lipid-peroxidation-mediated skin barrier damage, while excess medium- and short-chain Cer disrupt the ordered arrangement of stratum corneum lipids and further aggravate cutaneous oxidative-stress imbalance. Such chain-length-dependent functional divergence reflects the core regulatory effect of structure–activity relationships on cutaneous physiological phenotypes. The acquisition of Cer is of great significance for advancing their research and applications. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews that introduce the acquisition pathways of Cer and discuss efficient preparation strategies for different methods. Cer and their related raw materials can be obtained through three main pathways: microbial fermentation, natural extraction, and chemical synthesis. This review provides a comprehensive comparison and analysis of these three approaches, focusing on recent advancements and developments in the field. The purpose of this review is to enable researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current research status of the preparation strategies for biological Cer. And the discussion of these studies will be propitious to the future improvement of green synthesis and large-scale production, further promoting the wide application of Cer. Full article

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) inflorescences have been extensively characterized for their bioactive compounds, whereas less information is available on hemp leaves despite their potential as a source of nutrients and phytochemicals. This study compared leaves and inflorescences of four organically grown hemp cultivars (Finola, Futura 75, Dioica, and Kompolti) in terms of cannabinoid, terpene, and fatty acid profiles, lipid quality indices, and in vitro antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated using MIC, MBC, and time–kill assays. Total cannabinoid content was approximately 2.7-fold higher in inflorescences than in leaves, which were also generally richer in terpenes. Leaves showed a more favorable fatty acid profile, with higher n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid proportions and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio. All extracts exhibited antibacterial activity. Among the tested bacteria, S. aureus was the most susceptible to the hemp extracts, with both growth inhibition and bactericidal activity observed at the lowest tested concentration (MIC/MBC = 0.005%), compared with 0.625% for E. coli and 1.25–2.5% for P. aeruginosa, depending on the extract. Finola and Kompolti inflorescence extracts showed the fastest bactericidal activity against S. aureus. These findings demonstrate distinct and complementary characteristics of hemp leaves and inflorescences and provide a basis for further investigation of their potential relevance to canine nutrition. Full article

Kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) is an Andean pseudocereal rich in protein and phenolic compounds, whose bioactive potential under controlled germination remains unexplored through simultaneous metabolite optimization. Germination conditions of kañiwa cv. Cupi were optimized using a Central Composite Design (CCD) and the Derringer–Suich desirability function, with time (24–96 h) and temperature (18–30 °C) as independent variables, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC), ORAC, FRAP, and protein content as responses. Five second-order polynomial models yielded adjusted R² values of 0.703–0.880 with non-significant lack of fit (p > 0.050). Germination time was the dominant factor for GABA, TSPC, ORAC, and FRAP, while temperature exerted the predominant negative quadratic effect on protein content. Optimal conditions (96 h, 24 °C; D = 0.845) produced experimental increases of 1710.30% in GABA (26.12 mg GABA·100 g⁻¹), 117.10% in TSPC (926.9 mg GAE·100 g⁻¹), 261.40% in ORAC (51,756.0 µmol TE·100 g⁻¹), 244.10% in FRAP (1971.2 µmol TE·100 g⁻¹), and 42.34% in protein (16.05%) relative to ungerminated seeds. The GABA value constitutes the first report of this non-protein amino acid in germinated kañiwa under optimized conditions. Complementary analyses demonstrated that optimized germination markedly increased total reducing sugars and free glucose while decreasing amylolytic and glucoamylase activities and increasing lipase activity, confirming the extensive mobilization of carbohydrate reserves and the metabolic reprogramming associated with the germination process. These findings position kañiwa as a high-value functional ingredient for the Andean food industry. Full article

Fraud in herbal medicines and botanical supplements—such as biological substitution, dilution with inert material, undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and intentional mislabeling—represents a significant and underestimated threat to public health. Beyond regulatory problems, fraudulent botanical products also compromise the scientific integrity of bioactive compound research. If pharmacological or clinical studies are carried out on adulterated material without knowing it, the resulting data on safety and efficacy become unreliable, and any conclusions drawn from such data are questionable. This review critically evaluates multi-platform metabolomics as an analytical decision-making framework for botanical fraud detection. Rather than cataloging available methods, we focus on the complete analytical pipeline: study design and sample strategy, multi-platform fingerprint acquisition and processing (NMR, GC-MS, LC-HRMS, HPTLC), and chemometric modeling, validation, and decision support. Particular emphasis is placed on data fusion across platforms and the requirements for producing decision-grade evidence—analytical outputs robust enough to support market monitoring and regulatory action. Full article

Fruit ripening is accompanied by extensive reprogramming of secondary metabolism, which determines the antioxidant value of medicine-food homologous fruits. Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. ‘Junzao’ (Junzao) is a high-quality cultivar rich in bioactive compounds, yet its stage-dependent metabolite accumulation and the corresponding antioxidant capacity remain poorly resolved. In this study, widely targeted metabolomics was combined with the quantification of total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), and total triterpenoid (TTC) contents and with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical (ABTS) radical-scavenging assays to profile Junzao fruits at five developmental stages. A total of 2388 secondary metabolites were identified, with flavonoids and terpenoids representing the major classes. TPC and TFC were highest at the immature YG (young-fruit) stage, whereas TTC peaked at the BS (white-ripe) stage; all three decreased during subsequent ripening, consistent with the stronger DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities observed in early-stage fruits. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct metabolic profiles among developmental stages, and 2111 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified. K-means clustering resolved nine temporal accumulation patterns, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment indicated dynamic regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and triterpenoid-related pathways. Spearman correlation analyses further identified ten metabolites, comprising six flavonoids, three triterpenes, and one phenolic acid, that were strongly associated with antioxidant capacity (|r| ≥ 0.5, p < 0.05), highlighting their potential as biomarkers for quality evaluation. Overall, immature Junzao fruits exhibited superior antioxidant capacity, supporting their promise as functional-food ingredients and providing a basis for stage-specific harvesting and utilization. Full article

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) root and black soybean (Glycine max) are plant-derived feed ingredients rich in bioactive phytochemicals, including puerarin, isoflavones, and anthocyanins. These compounds are recognized for their antioxidant and physiological regulatory properties, supporting their potential as dietary components in livestock nutrition. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the Pueraria–black soybean compound powder (KRBS) as a dietary additive on female reproductive performance using a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced ovarian dysfunction mouse model. The results showed that the high-dose KRBS group (CTX+H-KRBS) had a significantly increased ovarian index (p < 0.05), and all KRBS-treated groups recovered estrous cycle regularity (p < 0.01). Molecular analysis showed that KRBS significantly upregulated Amh expression (p < 0.05), decreased Bax expression, and increased Bcl2 expression, while reducing Esr1 and Vegfa expression in uterine tissues to levels comparable to those in the control group (p < 0.05). These molecular changes suggest that KRBS may alleviate CTX-induced ovarian dysfunction through the regulation of apoptosis-related gene expression, including Bax and Bcl2. These findings indicate that KRBS supplementation alleviates CTX-induced ovarian dysfunction through improvements in follicular development, reduction in serum FSH toward control levels, and apoptosis-related gene expression. These effects support the potential application of KRBS as a plant-based dietary supplement for preserving ovarian function. Full article

Andean crops, including quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), amaranth species including kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus), chocho (Lupinus mutabilis), and cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule), constitute promising protein matrices for bioactive peptide generation by microbial fermentation and enzymatic proteolysis. These pseudocereals and legumes contain storage proteins, mainly 11S globulins and 2S albumins, enriched in lysine and sulfur-containing amino acids, and therefore provide suitable precursors for multifunctional peptides. In addition, secondary metabolites, such as quinoa saponins and chocho alkaloids, may influence proteolysis, peptide release, and peptide stability during fermentation. This review critically examines LAB fermentation as a food-grade strategy for bioactive peptide production from Andean crops. Evidence from enzymatic hydrolysis and simulated gastrointestinal digestion is included as complementary information and is discussed separately from fermentation-derived evidence. Reported activities include antioxidant, ACE-inhibitory, DPP-IV- and α-glucosidase-inhibitory, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. Particular attention is given to peptide generation, molecular-weight fractionation, peptidomic characterization, structure–activity relationships, simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and bioaccessibility. Most reported activities were measured in hydrolysates or molecular-weight fractions rather than in defined sequences, and individually validated peptides remain a minority. The strength of evidence differs markedly among crops: fermentation-derived data are more developed for quinoa and amaranth, whereas evidence for chocho and cañihua relies largely on enzymatic hydrolysis. Current limitations, including substrate variability, sensory acceptability, process standardization, peptide identification, bioavailability, and the lack of human validation studies, are also discussed. Andean crop proteins are promising precursors of functional peptide ingredients; however, peptide-specific bioavailability and human efficacy remain largely untested. Full article

Red yeast rice (RYR) food supplements are widely used for cholesterol management due to their monacolin content, particularly monacolin K (MK), which shares the same chemical structure as lovastatin, a compound associated with several side effects. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) highlighted uncertainties regarding the compositional variability, characterization of bioactive constituents, and safety of RYR products, concluding that a safe level of monacolin intake could not be established. In this study, twenty-seven commercial semi-processed RYR ingredients for food supplements manufacturing were investigated through a combined chemical and biological approach to characterize their composition and evaluate potential safety concerns. Targeted LC-MS/MS analyses revealed substantial variability in MK, monacolin hydroxy acid (MKA), and dehydromonacolin K (DMK) levels among products. Exploratory qualitative untargeted metabolomics enabled the putative annotation of multiple secondary metabolites, including azaphilones and polyketides, highlighting differences in chemical profiles. Correlation analyses indicated that DMK content was associated with pigment distribution and cytotoxic responses in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and primary human skeletal muscle cells, whereas MK and MKA showed no significant association with toxicity under the tested conditions. Exploratory proteomic profiling suggested distinct protein-abundance patterns between RYR- and simvastatin-treated cells, providing hypothesis-generating information on functional annotations associated with these patterns. These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive chemical characterization and quality control strategies considering both monacolins and secondary metabolites to improve the safety assessment of RYR supplements. Full article

The development of functional ingredients from perishable tropical fruits supports sustainable food systems by reducing postharvest losses while retaining bioactive compounds. This study developed and optimized black lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) extracted powder (BLEP) by spray drying and evaluated its physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant stability during storage. A 2² factorial design was employed to investigate the effects of maltodextrin concentration (5–30%) and inlet temperature (160–200 °C). Graphical optimization using an overlay plot identified 17.80% maltodextrin and an inlet temperature of 200 °C as the best compromise among the significant responses within the range tested. The optimized BLEP contained vanillic acid and epicatechin as the predominant phenolic compounds together with essential amino acids, including leucine. Degree of glycation (DG) and HMF were measured as indirect indicators of Maillard reaction progress. Over six months at 4, 25, 35, and 45 °C, color parameters, DG, and HMF remained stable, whereas total phenolic content (TPC) declined from 437.11 to 225–252 mg GAE/100 g db and ABTS radical scavenging activity declined progressively. TPC was strongly associated with antioxidant capacity (r = 0.914 with ABTS, p < 0.01), and its degradation followed zero-order kinetics (adjusted R² = 0.931–0.971) with a predicted half-life (L₅₀) of 199–220 days. The optimized powder therefore showed good physical and chromatic stability with partial loss of antioxidant-related compounds over time. Full article

The objective of this study was to identify and experimentally validate novel antioxidant peptides derived from salmon collagen through an integrated bioinformatic and experimental workflow. Collagen sequences from Salmo salar were subjected to in silico enzymatic hydrolysis, and the resulting peptides were characterized using physicochemical descriptors. Principal component analysis and k-means clustering were then applied as exploratory tools to prioritize candidates displaying physicochemical proximity to previously reported antioxidant peptides. The selected candidates were chemically synthesized, purified, and evaluated at concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4 mM using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay, the 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging assay, and a cellular antioxidant activity assay, with vitamin C as a positive control. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the WST-1 assay. The peptide AS-5390 (DGCERCF) demonstrated superior radical scavenging capacity, with activity comparable to that of vitamin C in the DPPH assay at 0.2 mM and maintaining antioxidant activity in the ABTS assay at both tested concentrations. The peptide AS-5394 (PGDIG) exhibited the strongest cellular antioxidant response, reaching approximately 40% activity at 0.4 mM. Both peptides maintained high cell viability. Overall, this integrated strategy enabled the identification of salmon collagen-derived peptides with assay-dependent antioxidant activity and potential applications as functional food or nutraceutical ingredients. Full article

Hair follicle homeostasis is influenced by hormonal pathways, the scalp microenvironment, and environmental stressors such as pollution, UV radiation, and oxidative stress. Elissara^®, a polyphenol-enriched botanical ingredient, has shown benefits for scalp moisturization, barrier function, sebum regulation, and redness. Building on these scalp-level benefits, we investigated Elissara’s effects on follicular signaling, survival-associated biomarkers, oxidative damage, and androgen-related pathways as potential contributors to follicular health, using in silico, in vitro, and ex vivo models. Molecular docking (AutoDock Vina) of the main Elissara bioactives (oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, verbascoside, carnosic acid, carnosol, and quercetin) identified SRD5A2 as a favorable predicted target, with individual binding energies ranging from −8.70 to −9.73 kcal/mol, approaching finasteride/dutasteride reference values. As an exploratory approach, simultaneous multi-ligand docking showed favorable global docking outputs for several targets, indicating that multiple bioactives could be structurally accommodated within complementary regions of the binding site. In human follicle dermal papilla cells, Elissara significantly increased BrdU incorporation to 245.70% of control at 0.002% and reduced SRD5A2 protein levels by 18.48% at 0.006%. In human scalp explants, Elissara at 200 µg/mL increased β-catenin, Bcl-2, and collagen IV under basal conditions and counteracted acute PM_2.5/UVA-induced alterations in β-catenin, Ki67-positive cells, Bcl-2, IGF-1, collagen IV, and protein carbonylation. Together, these findings support the potential of Elissara as a promising nutricosmetic ingredient for supporting follicular resilience through multiple follicle-relevant pathways. Clinical studies assessing hair growth outcomes are needed to determine whether these preclinical findings translate into measurable benefits. Full article

Acerola is a tropical fruit rich in vitamin C and other bioactive compounds, but its high perishability limits storage and distribution. This study evaluated the hygroscopic behavior and storage stability of acerola pulp powder produced by foam-mat drying. The pulp was foamed with Emustab and dried at 60 °C. Fresh pulp and powder were analyzed for water activity, total titratable acidity, reducing sugars, vitamin C, carotenoids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. Powder adsorption isotherms, hygroscopicity, caking, and solubility were evaluated at 10 and 25 °C under relative humidities of 20, 50, 70, and 90%. Drying increased the reducing sugar concentration from 5.24% to 45.49%. The Oswin model best described the Type II sigmoidal isotherms, with R² values of 0.9921 and 0.9974 and mean relative errors of 4.61% and 3.27% at 10 and 25 °C, respectively. Equilibrium moisture content was higher at 25 °C, an atypical behavior associated with the high concentration of low-molecular-weight sugars. Hygroscopicity ranged from 8.77 ± 0.72% to 53.39 ± 0.51%. Although the powder has potential as a functional ingredient, its high hygroscopicity and limited physical stability require moisture-barrier packaging and formulation strategies to improve storage and industrial applicability. Full article

Background: Fenugreek is a widely used aromatic herb valued as a food ingredient. Fenugreek seeds and leaves are rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds that support overall health, particularly gastrointestinal function. The present paper describes a green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) utilizing aqueous and ethanolic extracts of fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) grown in Bulgaria, Egypt, and India in order to find differences in AgNPs formation depending on geographic region and solvent used for the extraction and to find any changes in their spasmolytic activity. Methods: FT-IR, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), DLS, and zeta-potential were used to characterize the produced AgNPs, aiming to verify their stability, size distribution, and formation. The biological activities of these extracts are then compared. Results: The ethanolic extracts were more effective for producing smaller, more homogeneous, and relatively stable AgNPs compared to aqueous extracts. Differences in phytochemical composition, which have a direct impact on the nucleation, development, and stability processes of NPs, could be the reason for the observed variances between plant extracts. AgNPs (aqueous), originated from Bulgaria, exhibited the strongest spasmogenic activity under the applied experimental conditions. The biosynthesized AgNPs also showed a selective antifungal activity against Aspergillus and Penicillium spp., with modest antibacterial effects. Conclusions: From a biological perspective, all samples’ fenugreek extracts had a minimal impact on gastrointestinal contractility, but the AgNPs derived from these extracts had a greater spasmogenic effect. These findings point to a combination that enhances both functional efficacy and bioavailability. The Bulgarian fenugreek aqueous extract produced AgNPs with the strongest spasmogenic activity of all the preparations examined. The results showed the potential of AgNPs from fenugreek seeds for biomedical applications. Full article

Gastrodia elata, a medicinal and edible plant of the Orchidaceae family, has a long history of medicinal application and extensive development value in China. Endophytes permanently colonize G. elata and form a stable long-term symbiotic relationship with the host. The secondary metabolites produced by these fungi possess diverse structures and multiple biological activities, which are important sources for discovering novel bioactive ingredients that provide natural materials for screening and developing medicinal compounds. This article reviewed the research and development progress of endophytes associated with G. elata, including endophytes’ sources, biological functions, compound classification and pharmacological activities. The results showed that more than 296 secondary metabolites were reported—mainly terpenoids, polyketides, alkaloids, anthraquinones, phenolics—with prominently characterized antifeedant and antibacterial activities. Our work aims to provide scientific references for the in-depth exploration and efficient utilization of G. elata endophytic fungal resources. Full article