Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels Research Articles

Efficacy of edamame vs. almond consumption on total cholesterol in reproductive-age women

Hypercholesterolemia in adults over 18 years of age poses a significant health risk. Reproductive-age women are susceptible to this condition owing to unhealthy dietary habits, notably consumption of fast food. This study aimed to investigate the potential of edamame and almonds to lower blood cholesterol levels. This study employed a pre-test post-test group design following a 6-week intervention. Twenty-eight participants were recruited through consecutive sampling conducted in Purwokerto between March and August of 2022. Statistical analyses were performed using independent and paired t-tests. Results indicated no significant difference in the effectiveness of edamame and almonds in reducing total cholesterol levels among reproductive-age women (p= 0,534). After consumption of 48,8 g/d edamame for 6 weeks, a substantial decrease in total cholesterol levels was observed (p= 0,004), with a mean reduction of 17,79 ± 19,11 mg/dL. Conversely, the intervention with 42,5 g/d of almonds for 6 weeks did not significantly change total cholesterol levels (p= 0,193), yielding a mean reduction of 11,57 ± 31,51 mg/dL. In conclusion, the consumption of edamame for six weeks is effective in lowering total cholesterol levels among women of reproductive age.

Preparation and physicochemical evaluation of phytosterol‐enriched sesame oil microemulsions

AbstractSesame oil, known for its nutritional benefits, was selected as source for phytosterol extraction. Optimal conditions of 40°C, oil‐to‐solvent ratio of 1:25, and a saponification duration of 150 min were employed to separate the phytosterols from sesame oil. The extracted phytosterols were encapsulated using microemulsion method. Various variables, such as percent of sesame oil, surfactant‐to‐cosurfactant ratio, and presence of phytosterols, were evaluated to determine their impact on particle size, polydispersity, pH, viscosity, surface tension, and stability. The particle size and PDI demonstrated significant increase with increasing oil and addition of phytosterols. A higher S:C ratio resulted in the formation of smaller microemulsion droplets. The viscosity and surface tension of the microemulsions increased significantly with an increase in the oil percent. In conclusion, the optimal composition of the microemulsion was found to be 10 wt% sesame oil with an S:C ratio of 3:1. FESEM micrographs revealed a microstructure consisting of cylindrical micelles.Practical applicationsResearch has shown that consuming 2–3 g of plant sterols and stanols can lower blood cholesterol levels by 10% and LDL levels by 15%. However, incorporating phytosterols into food products is challenging due to oxidation, insolubility, and high melting point. Most phytosterols are esterified to enrich low‐fat foods but they can be expensive and impure. The synthesis of phytosterols often involves carcinogenic chemicals and requires additional purification. Extracting phytosterols from plant sources has been proposed as a solution. However, incorporating phytosterols into food products is challenging due to their susceptibility to oxidation, particularly during processing and storage at high temperatures, their insolubility in water, and their limited solubility in fats and oils. The main aim of this study was to enrich sesame oil microemulsions with phytosterols through encapsulation. Phytosterols were extracted from sesame seed oil, followed by purification, and finally, enriched microemulsions were prepared. The optimal formulation was determined based on the evaluation of several parameters, including the mean volume diameter of particles, polydispersity index, pH, viscosity, surface tension, and physical stability.

Effect of heating time on changes in physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of red palm oil

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) contains approximately 50% saturated fatty acids and approximately 40% unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acid content is known to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Palm oil also contains -carotene which is very beneficial for health. Palm oil processing is defined by three stages, namely degumming, bleaching and deodorization. The bleaching process is carried out at 90–105oC using 1-2% bleaching earth and deodorization at 240-270oC. The high concentration of bleaching earth and deodorization temperature causes carotene to be degraded leading to low carotene content in the final product. The effort to maintain the carotene content is to process CPO into red palm oil (RPO). The content of carotene and fatty acids contained therein will be damaged in the presence of high heat, ascertain this, a study was conducted on the effect of heating time on the chemical properties of red palm oil. The study was conducted using a completely randomized block design with prolonged heating treatment (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours) at 180oC and repeated 3 times and then the fatty acid content, peroxide value, iodine number and functional groups formed in bulk red palm oil purchased online were observed. The results showed that increasing the heating time can decrease the iodine number but increase the acid number and peroxide value. Heating at 180oC for 10 hours produced iodine, acid and peroxide value of 57.72, 9.56 and 12.55, respectively. The results of the analysis using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) showed the presence of free fatty acids at wave number 722 cm-1 and peroxide numbers at wave number 2.854 cm-1. The test results using gas chromatography showed that linoleic acid decreased by about 3.23% during heating for up to 10 hours, while saturated fatty acids increased by about 0.32%. Key words: Cooking oil, Free fatty acid, Iodine number, Peroxide number, polymerization

Dichloroacetic acid derivatives as potential anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory agents

The aim. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of dichloroacetic acid derivatives. We aim to cover all aspects of these compounds, including their chemical properties, various synthesis methods, and their wide range of applications in medicinal chemistry. By exploring their diverse roles in drug development, we aim to highlight their importance and potential in shaping future pharmaceutical innovation.
 Materials and methods. Bibliosemantic and analytical methods are used in the research.
 Results. Our studies confirm the potential effectiveness of dichloroacetic acid and its derivatives in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. These compounds can induce the apoptosis process, which is the programmed cell death, and inhibit the cancer cells' growth. This is particularly effective when dichloroacetic acid and its derivatives are used in combination with other therapeutic methods, as indicated in the patents cited in our study. Dichloroacetic acid and its derivatives have also shown the ability to lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels. This indicates the possibility of their use for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and lactic acidosis treatment. Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and lactic acidosis are serious conditions that can lead to significant health problems. Therefore, the possibility of using dichloroacetic acid and its derivatives for the treatment of these conditions opens new perspectives in medical science.
 Conclusions. Our findings point to the prospects of further research in the field of new therapy methods development and the use of dichloroacetic acid derivatives as potential drugs to improve the effectiveness of cancer and other diseases treatment. We believe that these compounds have great potential for further study and may play an important role in future medical innovation

Persimmon fruit downstream prospects: a promising solution to increase farmer income in Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia

This study explores the potential and benefits of persimmon fruit (Diospyros kaki) for human health and the prospects for producing and downstream this fruit in Indonesia. Persimmons have rich nutritional content, including vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin K, as well as essential minerals such as potassium. This content has been known to have various benefits, including its ability to lower blood cholesterol levels, maintain eye health, and even potentially as an antiviral agent. In Indonesia, persimmons are less popular, but some regions such as Malang (East Java) and Toba (North Sumatra) produce them to increase farmers’ income. This research also explores the downstream potential of persimmon fruit products. This step is part of the community’s economic empowerment strategy by utilizing the potential of environmentally sound natural resources in East Java, Indonesia. This study uses the SWOT analysis method to determine internal and external factors that can see the prospects of persimmon farmers and factors that affect the downstream development of persimmon fruit products. This study aims to identify the prospects of persimmon farmers and components that affect farmers’ income through sustainable downstream of persimmon fruit products.

Evaluation of Lemon Peel Juice Fermentation Methods and Its Impact on Hyperlipidemia and Health Management

Excessive body fat is a major contributor to obesity, which is related to high blood, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Lemons (Citrus limon) are renowned for their antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties. First, sugar-free fermentation demonstrated better results in lowering sugar content and was identified as the preferred fermentation method. Next, the effect of two doses of sugar-free fermented lemon peel juice (SF-FLPJ) on obesity was investigated. Sprague Dawley (male rats) were randomly divided into 4 groups and fed a standard feed or high-fat diet (HFD) to induce fatness for eight weeks. The two groups of rats fed an HFD were administered SF-FLPJ at 0.45 or 0.9 g/kg body weight daily for eight weeks. The obese rats administered 0.9 g/kg (body weight/day) of SF-FLPJ exhibited significant reductions in body fat mass and percentage; they also had lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels than the other groups. Additionally, the rats displayed diminished liver fat accumulation. The results suggest that SF-FLPJ can be a supplement in managing body fat, contributing positively to addressing obesity within the context of health management, and reducing obesity-associated issues.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency is associated with lower cardiovascular risk: an approach based on federated learning

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory multisystemic disease caused by environmental exposures and/or genetic factors. Inherited alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is one of the best recognized genetic factors increasing the risk for an early onset COPD with emphysema. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the associations between comorbidities and specific biomarkers in COPD patients with and without AATD to enable future investigations aimed, for example, at identifying risk factors or improving care.MethodsWe focused on cardiovascular comorbidities, blood high sensitivity troponin (hs-troponin) and lipid profiles in COPD patients with and without AATD. We used clinical data from six German University Medical Centres of the MIRACUM (Medical Informatics Initiative in Research and Medicine) consortium. The codes for the international classification of diseases (ICD) were used for COPD as a main diagnosis and for comorbidities and blood laboratory data were obtained. Data analyses were based on the DataSHIELD framework.ResultsOut of 112,852 visits complete information was available for 43,057 COPD patients. According to our findings, 746 patients with AATD (1.73%) showed significantly lower total blood cholesterol levels and less cardiovascular comorbidities than non-AATD COPD patients. Moreover, after adjusting for the confounder factors, such as age, gender, and nicotine abuse, we confirmed that hs-troponin is a suitable predictor of overall mortality in COPD patients. The comorbidities associated with AATD in the current study differ from other studies, which may reflect geographic and population-based differences as well as the heterogeneous characteristics of AATD.ConclusionThe concept of MIRACUM is suitable for the analysis of a large healthcare database. This study provided evidence that COPD patients with AATD have a lower cardiovascular risk and revealed that hs-troponin is a predictor for hospital mortality in individuals with COPD.

Macromolecular characterization of high β-glucan oat lines

Oat (Avena sativa) is a cereal grain rich in fibers, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Oats have been linked to several health benefits, such as lowering blood cholesterol levels, counteracting cardiovascular disease and regulating blood sugar levels. This study aimed to characterize two new oat lines with high β-glucan content emanating from ethyl methyl sulphonate mutagenesis on the Lantmännen elite variety Belinda. Two of the mutated lines, and the mother variety Belinda, were profiled for β-glucan, arabinoxylan, total dietary fiber and starch composition. In addition, total lipid and protein content, amino acid composition and β-glucan molecular weights were analyzed. The high levels of β-glucan resulted in a significant increase in total dietary fiber, but no correlation could be established between higher or lower levels of the assayed macromolecules, i.e., between arabinoxylan-, starch-, lipid- or protein levels in the mutated lines compared to the reference. The results indicate separate biosynthetic pathways for β-glucans and other macromolecules and an independent regulation of the different polysaccharides studied. Therefore, ethyl methyl sulphonate mutagenesis can be used to increase levels of multiple macromolecules in the same line.

Ischemic Stroke and its Correlation with Low Blood Cholesterol Levels

Ischemic stroke occurs as a result of blockage of blood supply to the brain. It causes damage of brain tissue due to less availability of oxygen and nutrients. HDL-C is a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke. Objective: To evaluate the low HDL-C levels in ischemic stroke hospitalized patients. Methods: It is a descriptive cross sectional retrospective study conducted at Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad, Pakistan. The anticipated association of abnormal HDL-C levels in ischemic stroke was assessed in 200 cases. The data were collected from hospital records, patients were confirmed for stroke on the basis of CT scan. This descriptive analysis was performed based on the lab findings of patients from hospital records. Medical history, CT scans and demographic information of patients was obtained from hospital records after taking data collection permission from hospital. Results: A low level of HDL-C was identified in 126 patients (64%) according to the study's results. When the HDL-C values of ischemic stroke patients were compared using the Chi-Square Test, the p value obtained was 0.0001. Conclusions: The majority of ischemic stroke patients had low serum HDL-C levels. This study suggests an association of low serum HDL-C levels with susceptibility or risk for ischemic stroke.

Purple Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) Hot Water Extracts Ameliorate High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in Mice.

Purple Pennisetum (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach), a hybrid between Taihucao No. 2 and the local wild species of purple Pennisetum, has dark red stems and leaves due to its anthocyanin content. This study explores the potential of purple napiergrass extracts (PNE) in alleviating obesity and metabolic disorders induced by a high-fat diet in mice, where 50% of the caloric content is derived from fat. Mice were orally administered low-dose or high-dose PNE alongside a high-fat diet. Experimental findings indicate that PNE attenuated weight gain, reduced liver, and adipose tissue weight, and lowered blood cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and blood sugar levels. Stained sections showed that PNE inhibited lipid accumulation and fat hypertrophy in the liver. Immunoblotting analysis suggested that PNE improved the inflammatory response associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia induced by a high-fat diet. Furthermore, PNE potentially functions as a PPAR-γ agonist, increasing the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) concentration and suppressing inflammatory factors, while elevating the anti-inflammatory factor interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the liver. PNE-treated mice showed enhanced activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways and increased fatty acid oxidation and liver lipolysis. In conclusion, this study elucidated the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory, PI3K/Akt, and AMPK pathways in a high-fat diet-induced obesity model. These findings highlight the potential of PNE in reducing weight, inhibiting inflammation, and improving blood sugar and lipid levels, showing the potential for addressing obesity-related metabolic disorders in humans.

EXPLORING THE SCIENTIFIC BENEFITS OF PHYTESTEROL ENRICHED SOYA-BUTTER- A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Phytosterol-enriched soy butter presents a novel culinary option suitable for diverse food preparations. This plant-derived butter originates from soybeans, which furnish imperative amino acids, unsaturated fats, including oleic and linoleic acids, isoflavones, phyto-sterols, lecithins, saponins, and an array of minerals, folic acid, and B vitamins. The soybean-derived butter incorporates phytosterols extracted from vegetable oil. These compounds exhibit a structure akin to cholesterol, yet they function to lower blood cholesterol levels through competitive inhibition. This fortified soy butter holds potential advantages for individuals grappling with metabolic disorders such as cholesterolemia, juvenile diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and chronic ailments like osteoporosis, cancer, menopausal syndrome, and anemia. Consequently, this product stands to offer superior health benefits compared to alternative offerings in the market

Barley consumption under a high-fat diet suppresses lipogenic genes through altered intestinal bile acid composition

We evaluated whether barley flour consumption in a high-fat environment affects lipid metabolism through signals mediated by bile acids. Four-week-old mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with cellulose (HC) or β-glucan-rich barley flour (HB) for 12 weeks. Bile acid composition in the intestinal tract and feces was measured by GC/MS. Gene expression levels involved in bile acid metabolism in the liver and intestinal tract were determined by RT-PCR. Similar parameters were measured in mice treated with antibiotics (antibiotics-cellulose [AC] and antibiotics-barley [AB]) to reduce the activity of intestinal bacteria. The Results showed that the HB group had lower liver blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels than the HC group. The HB group showed a significant decrease in primary bile acids in the gastrointestinal tract compared to the HC group. On the other hand, the concentration of secondary bile acids relatively increased in the cecum and feces. In the liver, Fxr activation suppressed gene expression levels in synthesizing bile acids and lipids. Furthermore, in the gastrointestinal tract, Tgr5 was activated by increased secondary bile acids. Correspondingly, AMP levels were increased in the HB group compared to the HC group, AMPK was phosphorylated in the liver, and gene expression involved in lipid synthesis was downregulated. A comparison of the AC and AB groups treated with antibiotics did not confirm these effects of barley intake. In summary, our results suggest that the prevention of lipid accumulation by barley consumption involves signaling through changes in bile acid composition in the intestinal tract.

The Effect of Consuming Garlic (Allium sativum L) on Cholesterol Levels of Young Girls

The South Ogan Komering Ulu District Health Office noted an increase in cholesterol sufferers in 2020 of 743 people; in 2021, there were 870 people, and in 2022, there were 922 people. High cholesterol cases are caused by several risk factors, such as lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. Garlic can be chosen as an alternative to lower blood cholesterol levels. Garlic contains allin which can increase HDL synthesis and slow down the endogenous synthesis of cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the consumption of garlic (Allium sativum L) on cholesterol levels in female adolescents. This research uses a quasi-experiment with- a one-group Pretest-Posttest design. The population is a teenage daughter with moderate cholesterol (> 200 mg/dl to 239 mg/dl) of 30 adolescents in July 2023. Samples researcher using total sampling where teenagers will be given garlic capsules at a dose of 2x500 mg per day for 14 days. The instruments used were garlic capsules, sheets of observation, and technical instructions for checking cholesterol levels. A data analysis using the Paired Samples Test. The average cholesterol level of female adolescents before being given garlic was 219.53, while after being given garlic, it was 194.27. Bivariate results show a p-value of 0.00 0 < 0.05. There is an influence of the consumption of garlic (Allium sativum L) on cholesterol levels of young women in Tanjung Menang Ilir Village, South Ogan Komering Ulu District, South Sumatra in 2023. It is hoped that adolescents will be able to use garlic as an herbal remedy for cholesterol-lowering therapy so that it can be controlled and stable within normal limits.

The use of statin drugs in medical practice. Literature review

Relevance. Simvastatin is a statin drug used for the clinical control of hypercholesterolemia. Over the past decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of studies on the possibilities of simvastatin, in many respects superior to the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels. The use of simvastatin in the field of bone tissue regeneration, as well as its ability to reduce the inflammatory response, is being actively investigated.The purpose of the review: to consider modern ideas about simvastatin and to study its pleiotropic effects.Materials and methods. The analysis of scientific publications in the electronic databases eLIBRARY, PubMed and Google Scholar (articles, meta-analyses, systematic reviews) for the time interval from 2015 to 2022 was carried out. Materials containing information on the hypocholes-terolemic activity of simvastatin and its mechanism of action, the use of simvastatin in periodontal practice, as well as the osteoinductive effect of simvastatin and its use in bone engineering are included.Results. The review reviewed 83 articles, from which 53 articles were selected after reviewing the literature.Conclusion. Based on the analyzed data, it can be concluded that the effects of simvastatin are multifaceted. Its anti-inflammatory activity has been proven by inhibiting interleukins and inflammatory mediators, participation in bone tissue regeneration by gene expression and stimulation of osteoblast cell differentiation.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover: The Role of Statins in Liver Cancer.

Statins, which are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, are an effective pharmacological tool for lowering blood cholesterol levels. This property makes statins one of the most popular drugs used primarily to prevent cardiovascular diseases, where hyperlipidemia is a significant risk factor that increases mortality. Nevertheless, studies conducted mainly in the last decade have shown that statins might prevent and treat liver cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This narrative review summarizes the scientific achievements to date regarding the role of statins in liver tumors. Molecular biology tools have revealed that cell growth and proliferation can be inhibited by statins, which further inhibit angiogenesis. Clinical studies, supported by meta-analysis, confirm that statins are highly effective in preventing and treating hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. However, this effect may depend on the statin's type and dose, and more clinical trials are required to evaluate clinical effects. Moreover, their potential hepatotoxicity is a significant caveat for using statins in clinical practice. Nevertheless, this group of drugs, initially developed to prevent cardiovascular diseases, is now a key candidate in hepato-oncology patient management. The description of new drug-statin-like structures, e.g., with low toxicity to liver cells, may bring another clinically significant improvement to current cancer therapies.

Determination of Luteolin 7-Glucuronide in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. Leaf Extracts from Different Regions of China and Republic of Korea and Its Cholesterol-Lowering Effect.

Lowering blood cholesterol levels is crucial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. To develop Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves as a functional food with a cholesterol-lowering effect, in this study, we collected P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves from different regions of China and Republic of Korea. On the basis of the extraction yield (all components; g/kg), we selected P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves from Hebei Province, China with an extract yield of 60.9 g/kg. After evaluating different concentrations of ethanol/water solvent for P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves, with luteolin 7-glucuronide as the indicator component, we selected a 30% ethanol/water solvent with a high luteolin 7-glucuronide content of 0.548 mg/g in Perilla. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaves. Subsequently, we evaluated the cholesterol-lowering effects of P. frutescens (L.) Britt. leaf extract and luteolin 7-glucuronide by detecting total cholesterol in HepG2 cells. The 30% ethanol extract lowered cholesterol levels significantly by downregulating 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase expression. This suggests that P. frutescens (L.) Britt leaves have significant health benefits and can be explored as a potentially promising food additive for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia-related diseases.

Blood metabolic pattern and somatic cells dynamic in Achai and Holstein Friesian cows during transition period.

This study focused on assessing blood metabolites and somatic cell count (SCC) during the transition period in Achai and Holstein Friesian cows. Blood samples were collected from cows of both breeds on days -21, -14, -7 (pre-partum period), on day 0 (parturition day) and then on days 7, 14 and 21 (post-partum period). Additionally, milk samples were obtained on the day of parturition and on days 7, 14 and 21 post-partum for SCC assessment. Among Holstein cows, blood glucose levels showed a significant increase on day -21 before calving, and a decrease on the 14th and 21st days post-partum. Similarly, the blood triglycerides concentration exhibited a significant rise in Holstein cows 21 days before calving, while Achai cows experienced a significant decline in blood triglycerides on the day of parturition and throughout the entire post-partum period. Comparing Holstein and Achai cows, blood cholesterol was significantly higher in Holstein cows on day -21 before calving, whereas Achai cows had significantly lower blood cholesterol levels on the day of parturition. Regarding blood protein, Holstein cows exhibited significantly higher levels on day 14 post-partum, while Achai cows had lower protein levels 7 days before calving. The results further demonstrated that SCC was significantly elevated in Holstein cows on day 21 of parturition and lower on the day of parturition in Achai cows. Overall, the metabolic profile trend and SCC were comparable, yet the studied parameters were more pronounced in Holstein Friesian compared to Achai cows.

J-filter: An experiment to simplify and isolate specific signals in 1 H NMR spectra of complex mixtures based on scalar coupling constants.

One-dimensional selective NMR experiments relying on a J-filter element are proposed to isolate specific signals in crowded 1 H spectral regions. The J-filter allows the edition or filtering of signals in a region of interest of the spectrum by exploiting the specific values of their 1 H-1 H coupling constants and certain parameters of protons coupled to them that appear in less congested parts of the spectrum (chemical shifts and coupling constants). The new experiments permitted the isolation of specific peaks of phytosterol components in a sample obtained from a liquid nutraceutical recommended for lowering blood cholesterol levels in regions with complete overlap in the 1 H spectrum.

A review on banana flower: Nutritional composition, processed products and health benefits

India is the world’s largest producer of banana with 13.90 million tons followed by Uganda (10.14 million tons). Banana blossom also known as a banana heart, is a fleshy purple - skinned flower shaped like tear, which grows at the end of banana fruit cluster. Now days researchers aimed to addressing dietary related diseases through promotion of food products enriched with high protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Banana blossom is rich source of nutrients and antioxidants which have several health benefits. The juice from the male bud provides an apparent remedy for stomach problems in people of all ages. Banana blossom is a popular dish in Sri Lanka. It is consumed as a curry as well as a boiled or deep fried salad with rice and wheat bread. It is generally valued as a fiber-rich source. Dietary fiber has demonstrated its benefits in health and disease prevention in medical nutrition therapy. Consumption of dietary fiber is known to lower blood cholesterol level, normalize blood glucose and insulin level, promote normal laxation, avoid constipation, prevent diverticulosis and diverticukitis, lower the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer and prevent obesity. The flower has been used to treat bronchitis, constipation and peptic ulcer. The extract has anti-oxidant property that prevents free radicals and control cell and tissue damage. Based on the main components of banana flower extract and its anti-oxidant properties, we hypothesized that the banana flower extract may have anticancer activities against cancer cell lines.

Improving the People’s Economy through the Utilization of Pandeglang Districts Local Raw Materials (Sugar Palm and Taro Beneng Flour) for Extrusion Products (Analog Rice and Analog Noodles)

Beneng taro is a wild plant that is commonly found in Indonesia, and is very easy to cultivate. However, the large potential for export demand of production of analog rice made from beneng taro flour is not accompanied by high productivity, it is constrained by the production process. The Center for Agroindustry Research, under the National Research and Innovation Agency, since 2010 has conducted research on local flour-based food processing using the cold extrusion method with an extruder machine. Various food products can be produced with only one machine. Based on the test results, dietary fiber content of Arben Analog Rice is 8 grams per serving of 100 grams and contains zinc by 50% of the Nutritional Adequacy Ratio (NAR). Soluble dietary fiber helps lower blood cholesterol levels when accompanied by a diet low in saturated fat and low in cholesterol. Zinc is a micronutrient that has an important role in the body’s defense system that fight the entry of infection. By consuming Arben analog rice, it can help increase the body’s immunity. Through the calculation of the types of investment appraisal techniques, it is obtained that the financial aspects reviewed are declared feasible and the investment proposals are acceptable.