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Nutrients
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Prevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Dietary Bioactive Compounds Against...
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Prevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Dietary Bioactive Compounds Against Chronic Diseases

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 April 2026) | Viewed by 14736

Editor

Prof. Dr. Baojun Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Food Science and Technology Program, Department of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, Zhuhai 519087, China
Interests: food science; phytochemicals; nutraceuticals; pharmaceuticals; functional foods; molecular nutrition; cell biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dietary bioactive compounds are a class of compounds derived from dietary sources and have relevant biological activity, especially the source from the food and medicine homology. After these bioactive compounds are ingested through diet or by innovative foods and supplements, they can prevent chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer's through various ways, such as gut microbiota or sugar and lipid metabolism intervention. At present, dietary bioactive compounds include flavonoids, stilbenes, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, etc., which have been reported to exhibit prevention effects in different chronic diseases. Moreover, some bioactive compounds that are demonstrated to provide health benefits through diet or after enriched foods, e.g., olive oil with phenolics, sterols, carotenoids, prebiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and adzuki bean with phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and saponins. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of their effect on prevention still need to be fully understood. In this Special Issue, we will collect and summarize the prevention activities of dietary bioactive compounds in different chronic diseases based on the in vitro study, in vivo study, or clinical trial

Prof. Dr. Baojun Xu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • bioactive components
  • chronic diseases
  • flavonoids
  • saponins
  • molecular mechanism
  • gut microbiota

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 2689 KB  
Article
Functional Food Potential of Magnolia liliiflora Leaves: Chemical Profiling of Bioactive Lignans and Their Anti-Inflammatory Effects in LPS-Activated Microglia
by Jorge-Eduardo Ponce-Zea, Yun-Hui Che, Gwan-Young Jung, Van-Hieu Mai, Minh-Thi-Tuyet Le, Jin-Pyo An and Won-Keun Oh
Nutrients 2026, 18(11), 1749; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111749 - 29 May 2026
Viewed by 429
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Neuroinflammation is a key contributor to neurodegenerative diseases. Magnolia liliiflora Desr. is a traditional medicinal plant with therapeutic potential; however, its bioactive constituents and mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to identify active compounds from M. liliiflora leaves that inhibit inflammatory [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Neuroinflammation is a key contributor to neurodegenerative diseases. Magnolia liliiflora Desr. is a traditional medicinal plant with therapeutic potential; however, its bioactive constituents and mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to identify active compounds from M. liliiflora leaves that inhibit inflammatory responses in microglial BV-2 cells. Methods: Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. UPLC–qTOF MS/MS-based metabolite profiling combined with bioactivity-guided analysis was used to identify candidate biomarkers, which were subsequently isolated and structurally characterized. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses were performed to predict potential molecular targets and mechanisms of action. The effects on NF-κB signaling and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression were further validated by Western blot analysis. Results: Two previously undescribed lignans (1 and 2) and five known lignan derivatives (3–7) were isolated from the leaves of M. liliiflora. At 20 µM, compounds 1, 3–5, and 7 exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells, with 23%, 33%, 69%, 56% and 49% inhibition, respectively, and no detectable cytotoxicity. Notably, an ethyl acetate-derived enriched subfraction showed 97% inhibition of NO production at 10 µg/mL, suggesting potential synergistic activity of M. liliiflora lignans. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses predicted interactions between the isolated lignans and NF-κB pathway-related targets, thereby guiding subsequent experimental validation. Both compounds significantly reduced the expression of iNOS and COX-2 and suppressed LPS-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in a concentration-dependent manner, as confirmed by Western blot analysis. Overall, the results demonstrate that M. liliiflora leaves are a source of bioactive lignans that attenuate microglial activation by inhibiting NO production and key inflammatory mediators, effects that are associated with the suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusions: This study identified bioactive lignans from M. liliiflora leaves and demonstrated their anti-inflammatory activity in microglial cells. The findings establish the structural identities of the active compounds and confirm that M. liliiflora leaves are a valuable source of lignans with therapeutic potential for neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Dietary Bioactive Compounds Against Chronic Diseases)
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18 pages, 2948 KB  
Article
Rosa canina Extract Attenuates Muscle Atrophy in L6 Myotubes and Immobilized Mice
by Hyerin Lee, Mi-Bo Kim, Junhui Kang, Jae-Kwan Hwang and Bohkyung Kim
Nutrients 2025, 17(21), 3462; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17213462 - 2 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Background: Skeletal muscle is essential not only for structural integrity but also metabolic homeostasis. Muscle atrophy, the loss of muscle mass and function, is closely linked to chronic and metabolic disorders and is driven by chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, impaired myogenesis, and [...] Read more.
Background: Skeletal muscle is essential not only for structural integrity but also metabolic homeostasis. Muscle atrophy, the loss of muscle mass and function, is closely linked to chronic and metabolic disorders and is driven by chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, impaired myogenesis, and disrupted protein homeostasis. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of Rosa canina extract (RCE), a polyphenol-rich plant known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, in vitro and in vivo models of muscle atrophy. Methods: We investigated the effects of RCE in TNF-α-treated L6 myotubes and a mouse model (eight-week-old male C57BL/6N) of immobilization-induced muscle atrophy. Markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, myogenesis, protein turnover, and anabolic signaling were analyzed via RT-PCR, Western blotting and ELISA. Muscle mass, performance, micro-CT imaging, and histological cross-sectional area were assessed in vivo. Results: RCE suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines, restored antioxidant enzyme expression, and preserved myogenic markers. It inhibited muscle proteolysis by downregulating the genes involved in protein degradation and promoted protein synthesis by via activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In mice, RCE mitigated muscle mass loss, preserved fiber cross-sectional area, improved strength and endurance, and restored muscle volume. Conclusions: RCE attenuated muscle atrophy by targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, proteolysis, and impaired anabolism. These findings highlight RCE as a promising natural therapeutic for preserving muscle health and metabolic homeostasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Dietary Bioactive Compounds Against Chronic Diseases)
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Review

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28 pages, 1854 KB  
Review
Critical Review on the Anti-Tumor Activity of Bioactive Compounds from Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms over the Last Five Years
by Sandra Górska-Jakubowska, Yingzi Wu, Jadwiga Turło and Baojun Xu
Nutrients 2025, 17(11), 1887; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17111887 - 30 May 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 11800
Abstract
In recent years, the incidence rate of cancer has been on the rise all over the world, and the age of cancer patients has shown a younger trend, which seriously endangers patients’ health. Edible/medicinal mushrooms have not only become a new source of [...] Read more.
In recent years, the incidence rate of cancer has been on the rise all over the world, and the age of cancer patients has shown a younger trend, which seriously endangers patients’ health. Edible/medicinal mushrooms have not only become a new source of nutritional supplements but have also emerged as a promising adjunct to conventional medicine, either by directly or indirectly killing tumor cells and enhancing immunity, or through their use in conjunction with modern cancer therapies to enhance their efficacy or reduce their side-effects, improving patients’ quality of life. Although the anti-cancer potential of edible and medicinal mushrooms has been widely studied in the past, this review focuses on the most recent literature from the last five years, providing an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of the current findings. In this review, we aim to analyze the anti-cancer effects of edible/medicinal mushrooms, including Schizophyllum commune, Trametes versicolor, Grifola frondosa, Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinula edodes, Laetiporus sulphureus, Boletus edulis, and Phellinus igniarius, as well as their potential anti-cancer mechanisms, providing strong theoretical support for the further development of edible/medicinal mushroom anti-cancer products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Dietary Bioactive Compounds Against Chronic Diseases)
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