Ingredient In Health Food Research Articles

Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Activity in Methanolic Seed Extracts of International Sorghum bicolor L. Resources

Sorghum is an important cereal with high value as a health food ingredient because it contains various phenolic compounds. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using 12 sorghum resources collected from various countries to explore their potential as medicinal resources. The findings revealed that, at extract concentrations of 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL, cell survival rates were observed to be between 70 and 80% for most varieties, with the exception of K159081. In the analysis of anti-inflammatory activity, measured by the rate of nitric oxide (NO) production, sorghum varieties K159041 and K159081 exhibited NO production rates of 0.46 ± 0.38% and 2.58 ± 0.20%, respectively, indicating significant anti-inflammatory properties. The investigation into anti-inflammatory effects also included examining the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene, which is related to the inflammatory response triggered by LPS in macrophages. Varieties K159041, K159048, K159077, K159078, K159081, K159089, and K159096 were analyzed for this purpose. Further, an expression test of the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) gene revealed values less than 0.4 in K159077, K159081, and K159089, suggesting these sorghum lines possess higher anti-inflammatory activity compared to others. Additionally, the expression analysis of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a gene identified as an inflammatory cytokine, showed that the mRNA levels in the lines K159048, K159077, K159078, K159088, K159089, K159093, and K159096 were expressed at lower levels relative to other sorghum resources, categorizing them as having high anti-inflammatory activity. Notably, the K159081 line exhibited the lowest expression level of all genes associated with inflammation, marking it as a valuable medicinal resource with potential development as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Effect of Heat-Treated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum nF1 on the Immune System Including Natural Killer Cell Activity: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study.

Heat-treated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum nF1 (HT-nF1) increases immune cell activation and the production of various immunomodulators (e.g., interleukin (IL)-12) as well as immunoglobulin (Ig) G, which plays an important role in humoral immunity, and IgA, which activates mucosal immunity. To determine the effect of HT-nF1 intake on improving immune function, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 100 subjects with normal white blood cell counts. The HT-nF1 group was administered capsules containing 5 × 1011 cells of HT-nF1 once a day for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of HT-nF1 intake, significant changes in IL-12 were observed in the HT-nF1 group (p = 0.045). In particular, the change in natural killer (NK) cell activity significantly increased in subjects with low secretory (s) IgA (≤49.61 μg/mL) and low NK activity (E:T = 10:1) (≤3.59%). These results suggest that HT-nF1 has no safety issues and improves the innate immune function by regulating T helper (Th)1-related immune factors. Therefore, we confirmed that HT-nF1 not only has a positive effect on regulating the body's immunity, but it is also a safe material for the human body, which confirms its potential as a functional health food ingredient.

Impact of Dry Processing on Secondary Metabolites in the Petals of Marigold (Tagetes spp.) Cultivar

The edible flowers of marigold (Tagetes spp.) are cultivated for their aesthetic appeal and high utility as functional health food ingredients. Carotenoid and flavonoid contents in marigold petals highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate cultivar and its processing methods for their industrial applications. The comparative understanding of the effects of dry processing on functional components across different marigold cultivars is still lacking. Therefore, this study investigated functional compound changes in the dry processing effect on four marigold cultivars with distinct flower shapes (Durango, Inca) and colors (yellow, orange). The petals in hot air drying (HAD) with 30, 60, and 90 °C applications were analyzed for the measurement of their individual secondary metabolite contents, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities. In freeze drying (FD), the lutein content varied significantly based on flower color, exhibiting higher levels in cultivars with orange petals. Otherwise, the levels of quercetin derivatives displayed distinct differences based on varieties other than color, with Inca cultivars demonstrating higher levels of quercetin 7-O-glucoside (Q7G) than Durango cultivars. In HAD, the lutein levels show a tendency to increase above 60 °C regardless of the cultivar. The content of quercetin glycosides decreased, while the aglycone increased in HAD treatments, regardless of the temperatures. Correlation and PCA results highlighted the impact of phenol compounds on antioxidant activity. Overall, these findings underscore the significance of variety and color in determining the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of marigold flowers.

Abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids caused by fructooligosaccharide supplementation along with a high-fat diet.

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) is a widely used prebiotic and health food ingredient, but few reports have focused on its risk to specific populations. Recently, it has been shown that the intake of inulin, whose main component is FOS, can lead to cholestasis and induce hepatocellular carcinoma in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD); however, the molecular mechanism behind this is not clear. This study found that FOS supplementation induced abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in HFD-fed mice, which showed a significant increase in bile acid levels in the blood and liver, especially the secondary bile acids with high cytotoxicity, such as deoxycholic acid. The abundance of Clostridium, Bacteroides, and other bacteria in the gut microbiota also increased significantly. The analysis of the signaling pathway involved in regulating the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids showed that the weakening of the feedback inhibition of FXR-FGF15 and FXR-SHP signalling pathways possibly induced the enhancement of CYP7A1 activity and bile acid reabsorption in the blood and liver and led to an increase in bile acid synthesis and accumulation in the liver, increasing the risk of cholestasis. This study showed the risk of health damage caused by FOS supplementation in HFD-fed mice, which is caused by gut microbiota dysfunction and abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Therefore, the application of FOS should be standardized to avoid the health risks of unreasonable FOS use in specific populations.

Herbal supplement Spirulina stimulates inflammatory cytokine production in patients with dermatomyositis in vitro

Spirulina, an herbal supplement and popular ingredient in health foods, is a potent stimulant of the immune system. Spirulina use is temporally associated with the onset or exacerbation of Dermatomyositis (DM), an autoimmune connective tissue disease that frequently affects the skin and muscle. In this study, we investigated the effect of Spirulina on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in DM and Healthy Controls (HCs), showing that Spirulina stimulates Interferon β (IFNβ), Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and Interferon γ (IFNγ) production of DM PBMCs primarily via Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) activation using ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) and flow cytometry. We show that classical monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells are stimulated by Spirulina and are activated via TLR4. Skin from patients with Spirulina-associated DM exhibits an inflammatory milieu similar to that of idiopathic DM but with a stronger correlation of TLR4 and IFNγ.

Animal efficacy study of a plant extract complex (BEN815) as a potential treatment for COVID-19.

In a short time, several types of injectable and oral therapeutics have been developed and used to effectively manage patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). BEN815 is an improved mixture of three extracts (Psidium guajava, Camellia sinensis, and Rosa hybrida) recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea as a health food ingredient that alleviates allergic rhinitis. The current animal efficacy study was performed to assess its probability of improving COVID-19 symptoms. BEN815 treatment significantly increased the survival of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice and reduced viral titers in the lungs at 5 days post infection (DPI). Furthermore, the lungs of the treated mice showed mild tissue damage at 5 DPI and nearly complete recovery from COVID-19 at 14 DPI. BEN815 appears to be an effective and minimally toxic anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent in mice and has potential for clinical applications.

Construction of galangin-loaded soy extract nanoparticles using pH-driven method: Process optimization, stability evaluation, and structure characterization

Flavonoids have a variety of bioactivities, but their poor solubility, low bioavailability, and weak stability limit their application as functional factors in food systems. Soy extracts (SE) mainly composed of soy proteins and soluble polysaccharides at mass ratios of 4.1–5.8: 1 and possessing good bioactivity and nutritional property might be candidate functional encapsulation carriers to improve defects of flavonoids and enhance overall nutritional quality. In this study, galangin (Gal), a poorly water-soluble flavonoid, was used as an example to evaluate the application potential of SE in flavonoid delivery system. Gal-loaded SE nanoparticles (Gal-loaded SE NPs) with high Gal solubility, encapsulation efficiency and bioaccessibility were successfully constructed by pH-driven method. The solubilizing effect of SE on Gal largely depended on the concentrations of SE and Gal. Combining the encapsulation efficiency and retention rate, the optimal conditions were identified as SE concentration of 40 mg/mL, binding time of 5 min, and Gal to SE mass ratio of 1%. Gal-loaded SE NPs showed good storage, thermal, redissolution, and sodium ions stabilities. Based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscope analysis, the proteins in SE might undergo a typical de-folding and re-folding process during pH-shifting and mainly combine with Gal by hydrophobic interaction to form Gal-loaded SE NPs with spherical shape (particle diameter <100 nm). This study broadened the application of SE in flavonoid delivery system and provided new ideas for the design and development of new plant-based health food ingredients with multiple functional factors and high nutritional quality.

Fermentation of Chenopodium formosanum Leaf Extract with Aspergillus oryzae Significantly Enhanced Its Physiological Activities

Chenopodium formosanum Koidz (CF) is an indigenous cereal plant of Taiwan. Its high content of secondary metabolites and nutrients has attracted attention for its use in skin care products and functional foods. However, most studies have focused on the extract of CF seeds, which are relatively expensive, and none have investigated the effects of combining extraction and fermentation. In this study, we evaluated the utility of using extracts of different parts of CF, i.e., the leaves, stems, and unhulled and hulled seeds. We first made aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic, and ethyl acetate extracts of the four parts. After assessing their biological activities, we selected only unfermented and fermented CF leaf methanolic extracts for subsequent analysis. None of the concentrations of fermented CF leaf extract (≤400 mg/L) were cytotoxic, and all exhibited antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, skin-whitening, moisturizing, and antiaging activities. The concentrations of protocatechuic acid, epicatechin, gallic acid, and quercetin increased the most after fermentation. Therefore, they were subjected to a molecular docking analysis, which revealed that quercetin and epicatechin may contribute the most to skin-whitening and antiaging properties, respectively. In conclusion, fermented CF leaf methanolic extracts can be useful as a functional ingredient in health foods, botanical drugs, and cosmetic products.

Separation, identification and docking analysis of xanthine oxidase inhibitory peptides from pacific cod bone-flesh mixture

This study aimed to isolate and investigate five novel xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory peptides FF, YF, WPW, WPDARG and YNVTGW from alkaline protease hydrolyzate (F0) of Pacific cod processing by-product bone-flesh mixture (CBFM22CBFM: Pacific cod processing by-product bone-flesh mixture.). F0 was separated by dextran gel chromatography to obtain F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5 components. The components with the highest XO inhibitory activity were analyzed and identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the peptides were further screened by molecular docking using Autodock Vina. The results showed that the F4 component had the highest XO inhibitory activity, with a molecular weight ranging from 200 to 600 Da. Five novel XO inhibitory peptides FF, YF, WPW, WPDARG and YNVTGW were obtained with IC50 values of 0.80 mM, 0.52 mM, 1.68 mM, 0.40 mM and 0.23 mM, respectively. According to the results of molecular docking, peptides having at least one aromatic amino acid are more favorable to occupy the catalytic core of XO, reducing its catalytic activity. The amino acids Thr1010 and Phe914 in the XO active pocket interact with peptides. Overall, novel peptides from CBFM have the potential to be used as a natural uric acid reducing ingredient in functional and health foods.

Molecular docking and in vivo studies of liquiritin against acute myocardial infarction via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) is an essential herb in Chinese medicine, as well as a common ingredient in health foods and natural sweeteners. Liquiritin, the primary constituent of licorice, possesses a wide range of pharmacological and biological properties. This research aims to study the protective mechanism of liquiritin in the myocardium. The potential therapeutic efficacy of liquiritin against acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was tested using molecular docking and verified using an AMI rat model caused by the ligation of the LAD coronary artery. Molecular docking between liquiritin and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) was predicted using SystemsDock. Then, for experimental validation, in vivo studies were employed. Rats with the AMI model established by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery were divided into four groups—sham group, model group, captopril group, and liquiritin group. LVSP, LVEDP, +dp/dtmax, and -dp/dtmax were detected and analyzed. HE and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes. The protein expressions of TLR4, MyD88, and nuclear factorκB p65 (NF-κB p65) were detected by Western blotting. Molecular docking showed that liquiritin may act on the TLR4 and MyD88, and, therefore, liquiritin was predicted to exert anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway. Liquiritin improved LVSP, +dp/dtmax, -dp/dtmax, and LVEDP levels, and alleviated pathological changes and cardiac fibrosis. Further study found that liquiritin could decrease the overexpression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB, which validated the molecular docking study. Hence, liquiritin ameliorates AMI by reducing inflammation, and blocking TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling. These results indicate that liquiritin as a potential compound could alleviate AMI and broaden its application.

Quantification of Bisacurone and Curcuminoids in Turmeric Products by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Turmeric products have many useful physiological functions and are widely used as health food and food ingredient. Here, we report the use of HPLC-ESI-MS/MS to simultaneously quantify bisacurone and three curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) in turmeric products (high viscosity liquid, granular powder, tablet, and solution). The results showed that the standard values and measured values of curcumin in each product were almost same. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin were contained in each products. Meanwhile, the content of bisacurone differed greatly among the products. In particular, the highest amount of bisacurone was found in the turmeric product A (high viscosity liquid, 9.48 g/100 g product). It would become important to consider the bisacurone content in turmeric products.

Nutritionally Important Starch Fractions and Sensory Acceptability of Oats Incorporated Pongal – A Traditional Indian Food

Oats are being promoted as health food ingredient for its functional attributes due to high β-glucan content. There is immense scope for utilization of oats, in formulation of high fiber food products that confer health benefits, however its utilization in Indian cuisine is limited. This study aimed to explore the use of oats as a functional ingredient in an Indian traditional food and study its sensory acceptability and starch digestibility profile. The product was formulated by replacing rice with oats at a level of 20% and evaluated for sensory acceptability and starch fractions of nutritional importance through controlled enzymatic digestion involving enzymes such as amyloglucosidase, invertase and pancreatin. In addition, estimation of rapidly available glucose and starch digestibility index was carried out. Sensory analysis revealed that the product was acceptable, with no noticeable differences observed between control pongal (CP) and oats integrated pongal (OP) in terms of color, appearance, texture, aroma, mouthfeel, after taste, and overall acceptability. The addition of oats led to a substantial decrease in total starch and resistant starch content, whereas rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS) and rapidly available glucose (RAG) increased significantly. The starch digestibility index of OP was 31, which was significantly greater than the starch digestibility index of CP, which was 16. These findings suggest that incorporation of oats helps in value addition of pongal in terms of enhanced digestibility with increased soluble dietary fiber content that aids in healthy gut microbiome.

Comprehensive analysis of chondroitin sulfate and aggrecan in the head cartilage of bony fishes: Identification of proteoglycans in the head cartilage of sturgeon

Cartilage in the head of sturgeon or salmon has been gaining attention as a rich source of functional chondroitin sulfate (CS) or proteoglycans. Although the cartilage was found in the heads of other bony fishes, the structure of CS and its core protein, especially aggrecan, was not fully investigated. In this study, comprehensive analysis of CS and aggrecan in the head cartilage of 10 bony fishes including sturgeon and salmon was performed. The 4-O-sulfation to 6-O-sulfation ratio (4S/6S ratio; S: sulfate residue) of CS in Perciformes was ≧1.0, while the 4S/6S ratios of CS from sturgeons and salmon were less than 0.5. Dot blotting and proteomic analysis revealed that aggrecan was a major core protein in head cartilage of all bony fishes. These results suggest that the head cartilage of bony fishes is a promising source for the preparation of CS or proteoglycans as a health food ingredient.

Heat-Moisture Treatment Further Reduces In Vitro Digestibility and Enhances Resistant Starch Content of a High-Resistant Starch and Low-Glutelin Rice.

A novel rice germplasm sbeIIb/Lgc1 producing grains rich in resistant starch (RS) but low in glutelin has been developed through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis for its potential benefits to patients with diabetes and kidney diseases. In this study, a hydrothermal approach known as heat-moisture treatment (HMT) was identified as a simple and effective method in reinforcing the nutritional benefits of sbeIIb/Lgc1 rice. As a result of HMT treatment at 120 °C for 2 h, significant reductions in in vitro digestibility and enhancements in RS content were observed in sbeIIb/Lgc1 rice flour when the rice flour mass fraction was 80% and 90%. The low-glutelin feature of sbeIIb/Lgc1 rice was not compromised by HMT. The potential impacts of HMT on a range of physicochemical properties of sbeIIb/Lgc1 rice flour have also been analyzed. HMT resulted in a darker color of rice flour, alteration in the semi-crystalline structure, an increase in gelatinization temperatures, and reductions in the pasting viscosities as the moisture content increased. This study provides vital data for the food industry to facilitate the application of this dual-functional rice flour as a health food ingredient.

肝臓を介した健康被害が予測される健康食品成分に関する情報解析

肝臓を介した健康被害が予測される健康食品成分に関する情報解析

고려엉겅퀴 묵나물 추출물의 면역활성 증진 효과

Immune stimulation has emerged as a novel strategy for improving the immune system of the body. Research attention has been focused on identification of natural and dietary substances that can potentially improve immune activity, with fewer side effects than those of chemical substances. Cirsium setidens Nakai, also called ‘gondre,’ is a perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family and grows only in Korea. It has alternate leaves and leafy edges, and its tip is pointed. The leaf is somewhat broader, and the flower is purple from July to October. It is used in the treatment of inflammation, edema, and hypertension. Various physiological activities of raw C. setidens Nakai aerial part extracts have been reported recently. Here, we evaluated the antioxidant activity and immune enhancement efficacy of extracts prepared from blanched and dried C. setidens Nakai in addition to their potential use in not only regular but also functional health food. The total phenolic compound content was five times higher in the extract prepared by freeze drying than in that prepared by blanching. However, production of nitric oxide and secretion of immunostimulating cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α were relatively higher in the extract prepared by blanching than in that prepared by drying. Overall, an immunostimulating effect was observed for the C. setidens Nakai aerial part extract prepared by blanching, confirming its potential as a functional health food ingredient.

Production of egg white hydrolysate by digestion with pineapple bromelain: optimization, evaluation and antioxidant activity study.

Chicken egg white is known to be an excellent source of good quality proteins to make hydrolysate with potential bioactive properties. Enzymatic digestion is a well-known method to produce protein hydrolysates; however, the type of enzyme determines the bioactive potential of the protein hydrolysates due to difference in their catalytic specificity. In this study, process optimization, production and evaluation of whole egg white protein hydrolysate (WEWPH) using pineapple bromelain through the Box-Behnken design were carried out. The design experiment (r2 = 0.9557) displayed a significant (p < 0.01) effect of pH of egg white (9.0), hydrolysis time (24 h), and enzyme/substrate ratio (3.2 unit/g substrate) on hydrolysis and to form bioactive WEWPH. Antioxidant activity of the WEWPH was confirmed by DPPH radical scavenging assay. Gel filtration chromatography, SDS-PAGE and FTIR spectroscopy analysis of WEWPH revealed the digestion of egg white and the integrity of WEWPH in terms of secondary structure. The WEWPH exhibited strong scavenging activities of DPPH (EC50 = 238.3 µg/ml), ABTS ABTS (EC50 = 54.9 µg/ml), peroxyl (EC50 = 391.6 µg/ml) and superoxide radicals. The WEWPH also displayed reducing power and singlet oxygen quenching activity. These results reveal that the bioactive WEWPH could be a promising ingredient in health food and nutraceuticals.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05188-0.

Discovery of peptide biomarkers by label-free peptidomics for discrimination of horn gelatin and hide gelatin from Cervus nippon Temminck

Gelatin and gelatin-based derivatives have been attracting worldwide attention as health-food ingredients. Deer horn gelatin (DCG), a well-known and expensive gelatin food in Asia, has suffered adulterants by adding deer-hide gelatin (DHG) in it. However, robust and effective methods which could differentiate DCG from DHG are still unavailable. This study is committed to discover peptide biomarkers to distinguish DCG from DHG using label-free peptidomics by nanoLC-MS/MS. Multivariate statistical analysis combined with glycosylation sites analysis of peptides was applied to visualize the difference between DCG and DHG. As a result, four peptide biomarkers for distinguishing DCG and DHG were confirmed and validated by UPLC-MS/MS and MRM mode, which was also used to calculate adulteration percentage in commercial samples. The presented strategy may be also particularly helpful in the in-depth authentication of food gelatins from different tissues of the same species.

The complete chloroplast genome of Solanum betacea (Solanaceae, Solaneae)

Solanum betacea is a sub-tropical tree, and the fruit has high nutritional value, unique flavor and color. It is used as a functional ingredient in health care, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. The complete chloroplast(Cp) genome of S. betacea has been assembled and annotated in this paper. Its length was 155,937 bp, containing a large single-copy region of 86,731 bp, a small single-copy region of 18,450 bp, and a pair of IR regions of 25,378 bp in each. The complete chloroplast genome of S. betacea contained 134 genes, including 90 protein-coding genes, 36 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and 8 ribosome RNA genes (rRNAs). The overall GC content was 37.7% and the GC contents of the LSC, SSC, and IR regions were 35.7%, 31.8%, and 43.1%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis with the reported chloroplast genomes revealed that S. betacea has been most closely related to Solanum torvum. These findings will provide useful information for further investigation of chloroplast genome evolution in Solanum betacea.

Nanoalgosomes: Introducing extracellular vesicles produced by microalgae.

Cellular, inter‐organismal and cross kingdom communication via extracellular vesicles (EVs) is intensively studied in basic science with high expectation for a large variety of bio‐technological applications. EVs intrinsically possess many attributes of a drug delivery vehicle. Beyond the implications for basic cell biology, academic and industrial interests in EVs have increased in the last few years. Microalgae constitute sustainable and renewable sources of bioactive compounds with a range of sectoral applications, including the formulation of health supplements, cosmetic products and food ingredients. Here we describe a newly discovered subtype of EVs derived from microalgae, which we named nanoalgosomes. We isolated these extracellular nano‐objects from cultures of microalgal strains, including the marine photosynthetic chlorophyte Tetraselmis chuii, using differential ultracentrifugation or tangential flow fractionation and focusing on the nanosized small EVs (sEVs). We explore different biochemical and physical properties and we show that nanoalgosomes are efficiently taken up by mammalian cell lines, confirming the cross kingdom communication potential of EVs. This is the first detailed description of such membranous nanovesicles from microalgae. With respect to EVs isolated from other organisms, nanoalgosomes present several advantages in that microalgae are a renewable and sustainable natural source, which could easily be scalable in terms of nanoalgosome production.