Plant-derived Natural Compounds Research Articles

The impact of aromatic plant-derived bioactive compounds on seafood quality and safety.

Plant-derived bioactive compounds have been extensively studied and used within food industry for the last few decades. Those compounds have been used to extend the shelf-life and improve physico-chemical and sensory properties on food products. They have also been used as nutraceuticals due to broad range of potential health-promoting properties. Unlike the synthetic additives, the natural plant-derived compounds are more acceptable and often regarded as safer by the consumers. This chapter summarizes the extraction methods and sources of those plant-derived bioactives as well as recent findings in relation to their health-promoting properties, including cardio-protective, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, immuno-modulatory and neuro-protective properties. In addition, the impact of applying those plant-derived compounds on seafood products is also investigated by reviewing the recent studies on their use as anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, coloring and flavoring agents as well as freshness indicators. Moreover, the current limitations of the use of plant-derived bioactive compounds as well as future prospects are discussed. The discoveries show high potential of those compounds and the possibility to apply on many different seafood. The compounds can be applied as individual while more and more studies are showing synergetic effect when those compounds are used in combination providing new important research possibilities.

Perspectives of Anti-Cancer Phytoconstituents in Pharmacotherapy

With 8.8 million people dying each year, cancer is the world’s second largest cause of mortality. Kidney cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, and liver cancer are more common in males, whereas breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and stomach cancer are more common in women. Several medicines, such as taxanes like paclitaxel and vinca alkaloids like vincristine and vinblastine, are derived from plants and are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for use in cancer therapy. Nonetheless, a range of bioactive sources must be identified as soon as possible in order to develop a novel anti-cancer therapy for this chronic illness. More than thirty plant-derived natural compounds have been identified and are now being tested in clinical studies. According to a literature study of numerous papers and texts, novel therapeutic compounds generated from bioactive sources have been proven to be therapeutically efficacious against various types of cancer cells. The present study focuses on new therapeutic compounds derived from plants that have been proven in clinical trials to cure a range of malignancies. This paper also provided and analyzed the most significant findings of these effective new therapeutic medicines.

Plant-Derived Natural Compounds for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Update.

BackgroundAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease (MND) that typically causes death within 3-5 years after diagnosis. Regardless of the substantial scientific knowledge accrued more than a century ago, truly effective therapeutic strategies remain distant. Various conventional drugs are being used but are having several adverse effects. Objective/AimThe current study aims to thoroughly review plant-derived compounds with well-defined ALS activities and their structure-activity relationships. Moreover, the review also focuses on complex genetics, clinical trials, and the use of natural products that might decrypt the future and novel therapeutics in ALS. MethodsThe collection of data for the compilation of this review work was searched in PubMed Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. ResultsResults showed that phytochemicals like-Ginkgolides, Protopanaxatriol, Genistein, epigallocatechingallate, resveratrol, cassoside, and others possess Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) activity by various mechanisms. ConclusionThese plant-derived compounds may be considered as supplements for conventional (ALS). Moreover, further preclinical and clinical studies are required to understand the structure-activity relationships, metabolism, absorption, and mechanisms of plant-derived natural agents.

Plant-Derived Natural Compounds for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Update

Plant-Derived Natural Compounds for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Update

Structure-based virtual screening of plant-derived natural compounds as potential PPARα agonists for the treatment of dyslipidemia

Nowadays, metabolic disorders such as dyslipidemia have become serious health problems in the modern world. PPARs are regulators of numberous metabolic pathways, hence there has been a huge increase in the development and use of the PPARs agonists, especially PPARα agonists as main therapeutic of dyslipidemia. The study aimed to explore potential plant-derived natural compounds as PPARα agonist agent for drug discovery of dyslipidemia. Structure-based virtual screening through molecular docking was conducted for 142 bioactive compounds from 29 medicinal plants on the main binding site of PPARα (PDB ID: 5HYK). Binding affinities and binding interactions between the ligands and PPARα were investigated. Screening results showed that 34 compounds had strong binding affinities into the PPARα (binding affinities of less than -8.0 kcal.mol-1), including 20 flavonoid, 4 terpenoid and 10 alkaloid compounds. Flavonoid was found as the best group which fitted well in the binding site of the PPARα. Top compounds were identified, including formononetin from Thermopsis alterniflora (-10.2 kcal.mol-1), diosmetin from Musa spp. (-10.1 kcal.mol-1), luteolin from Elsholtzia ciliate (-9.9 kcal.mol-1); steviol from Stevia rebaudiana (-9.4 kcal.mol-1); and tuberocrooline from Stemona tuberosa (-10.5 kcal.mol-1), respectively. These compounds showed the potential agonistic activities due to forming the hydrogen bonds as well as hydrophobic interactions with four key residues of the receptor such as Ser280, Tyr314, His440 and Tyr464. These potential natural compounds may provide useful information in the drug design and discovery for anti-dyslipidemia agents.

Falcarindiol Stimulates Apoptotic and Autophagic Cell Death to Attenuate Cell Proliferation, Cell Division, and Metastasis through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/p70S6K Pathway in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) have high cancer mortality and a 5-year survival rate lower than that of most other carcinomas. New therapeutic strategies are required for the treatment and prevention against OSCCs. An approach to cancer therapy using plant-derived natural compounds has been actively in progress as a trend. Falcarindiol (FALC), or its isolated form Ostericum koreanum Kitagawa (O. koreanum), is present in many food and dietary plants, especially in carrots, and this compound has a variety of beneficial effects. However, biological activity of FALC has not been reported in OSCCs yet. This study aimed to demonstrate the antitumor effects of FALC against OSCCs, YD-10B cells. In this study, FALC was selected as a result of screening for compounds isolated from various natural products in YD-10B cells. FALC suppressed cell growth, and FALC-induced apoptotic cell death was mainly accompanied by the dephosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, and p70S6K. The apoptotic cell death was also associated with autophagy as evidenced by the expression of Beclin-1, the conversion of LC3-II, and the formation of autophagosome. FALC-induced autophagy was accompanied by MAPKs including ERK1/2 and p38. Furthermore, FALC caused the antimetastatic effects by inhibiting the migration and invasion of YD-10B cells. Taken together, the findings suggest the potential value of FALC as a novel candidate for therapeutic strategy against OSCCs.

Artemisia Species as a New Candidate for Diabetes Therapy: A Comprehensive Review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease and a threatening problem for world health. Allopathic medications are not efficient enough in controlling DM and its complications. Therefore, much attention has been directed towards the traditional medicine system. Plant derived-natural compounds with medicinal properties play an essential role in DM management and treatment. Artemisia is a varied and widespread genus of the family Asteraceae, which has more than 500 species with beneficial economic and therapeutic significance. Electronic databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, Pubmed, Web of Science, medRixv, and Wiley were used to search scientific literature. In folklore medicine, Artemisia species have been widely utilized for diabetes management. Molecular investigations have revealed that the NF-κB suppression, Notch 1 inhibition, cell cycle stop at S+G2/M-phase, enhanced Bax protein concentrations, mitochondrial membrane potential attenuation, activation of p53 and caspase, Bcl-2 regulation, and ROS formation are crucial mechanisms that could be targeted via various Artemisia species. Anti-diabetic effects of single or multiple doses of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Artemisia species are due to the presence of bioactive compounds, and they are completely efficient in lowering levels of blood glucose in experimental examinations. In spite of the available anti-diabetic drugs, therapeutic agents obtained from the mentioned plants have been used for the treatment of this disease and its complications with less adverse impacts. Taken together, multiple lines of evidence indicated that Artemisia species could be introduced as a potential therapeutic candidate in the treatment and management of diabetes.

Depression: An Insight into Heterocyclic and Cyclic Hydrocarbon Compounds Inspired from Natural Sources.

Depression, a well-known mental disorder, has global prevalence, affecting nearly 17% of the population. Due to various limitations of the currently available drugs, people have been adopting traditional herbal medicines to alleviate the symptoms of depression. It is notable to mention that natural products, their derivatives, and their analogs are the main sources for new drug candidates of depression. The mechanisms include interplay with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, serotonergic, dopaminergic noradrenergic systems, and elevation of BDNF levels. The focus of this article is to review the role of signalling molecules in depression and highlight the use of plant-derived natural compounds to counter CNS depression.

Traditional in vitro strategies for sustainable production of bioactive compounds and manipulation of metabolomic profile in medicinal, aromatic and ornamental plants.

Precursor feeding, elicitation and culture medium parameters are traditional in vitro strategies to enhance bioactive compounds of medicinal, aromatic, and ornamental plants (MAOPs). Machine learning can help researchers find the best combination of these strategies to increase the secondary metabolites content of MAOPs. Many requirements for human life, from food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to clothes, fuel and building materials depend on plant-derived natural products. Essential oils, methanolic and ethanolic extracts of in vitro undifferentiated callus and organogenic cultures of medicinal, aromatic, and ornamental plants (MAOPs) contain bioactive compounds that have several applications for various industries, including food and pharmaceutical. In vitro culture systems provide opportunities to manipulate the metabolomic profile of MAOPs. Precursors feeding, elicitation and culture media optimization are the traditional strategies to enhance in vitro accumulation of favorable bioactive compounds. The stimulation of plant defense mechanisms through biotic and abiotic elicitors is a simple way to increase the production of secondary metabolites in different in vitro culture systems. Different elicitors have been applied to stimulate defense machinery and change the metabolomic profile of MAOPs in in vitro cultures. Plant growth regulators (PGRs), stress hormones, chitosan, microbial extracts and physical stresses are the most applied elicitors in this regard. Many other chemical tolerance-enhancer additives, such as melatonin and proline, have been applied along with stress response-inducing elicitors. The use of stress-inducing materials such as PEG and NaCl activates stress tolerance elicitors with the potential of increasing secondary metabolites content of MAOPs. The present study reviewed the state-of-the-art traditional in vitro strategies to manipulate bioactive compounds of MAOPs. The objective is to provide insights to researchers involved in in vitro production of plant-derived natural compounds. The present review provided a wide range of traditional strategies to increase the accumulation of valuable bioactive compounds of MAOPs in different in vitro systems. Traditional strategies are faster, simpler, and cost-effective than other biotechnology-based breeding methods such as genetic transformation, genome editing, metabolic pathways engineering, and synthetic biology. The integrate application of precursors and elicitors along with culture media optimization and the interpretation of their interactions through machine learning algorithms could provide an excellent opportunity for large-scale in vitro production of pharmaceutical bioactive compounds.

Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Metabolism of Sennoside A, A Medicinal Plant-Derived Natural Compound.

Sennoside A (SA) is a natural dianthrone glycoside mainly from medicinal plants of Senna and Rhubarb, and used as a folk traditional irritant laxative and slimming health food. Accumulating evidences suggest that SA possesses numerous pharmacological properties, such as laxative, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-neurodegenerative activities. These pharmacological effects lay the foundation for its potential application in treating a variety of diseases. However, numerous published studies suggest that a long-term use of SA in large doses may have some adverse effects, including the occurrence of melanosis coli and carcinogenesis of colon cancer, thereby limiting its clinical use. It remains to be established whether SA or its metabolites are responsible for the pharmacological and toxicity effects. In this review, the latest advances in the pharmacology, toxicology, and metabolism of SA were summarizedbased on its biological characteristics and mechanism.

Antimicrobial activity and mode of action of 1,8-cineol against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most challenging issues that threatens the health of people around the world. Plant-derived natural compounds have received considerable attention for their potential role to mitigate antibiotic resistance. This study was carried out to assess the antimicrobial activity and mode of action of a monoterpene, 1,8-cineol (CN) against carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP). Results showed that resazurin microplate assay and time-kill analysis revealed bactericidal effects of CN at 28.83 mg/mL. Zeta potential showed that CN increased the surface charge of bacteria and an increase of outer membrane permeability was also detected. CN was able to cause leakage of proteins and nucleic acids in KPC-KP cells upon exposure to CN and ethidium bromide influx/efflux experiment showed the uptake of ethidium bromide into the cell; this was attributed to membrane damage. CN was also found to induce oxidative stress in CN-treated KPC-KP cells through generation of reactive oxygen species which initiated lipid peroxidation and thus damaging the bacterial cell membrane. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies further confirmed the disruption of bacterial cell membrane and loss of intracellular materials. In this study, we demonstrated that CN induced oxidative stress and membrane damage resulting in KPC-KP cell death.

Wedelolactone protects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice via inhibition of organic cation transporter 2.

The balance of cisplatin uptake and efflux, mediated mainly by organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) and multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (MATE1), respectively, determines the renal accumulation and nephrotoxicity of cisplatin. Using transporter-mediated cellular uptake assay, we identified wedelolactone (WEL), a medicinal plant-derived natural compound, is a competitive inhibitor of OCT2 and a noncompetitive inhibitor of MATE1. Wedelolactone showed a selectivity to inhibit OCT2 rather than MATE1. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that wedelolactone alleviated cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in OCT2-overexpressing HEK293 cells, whereas it did not alter the cytotoxicity of cisplatin in various cancer cell lines. Additionally, wedelolactone altered cisplatin pharmacokinetics, reduced kidney accumulation of cisplatin, and ameliorated cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in the Institute of Cancer Research mice. In conclusion, these findings suggest a translational potential of WEL as a natural therapy for preventing cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and highlight the need for drug-drug interaction investigations of WEL with other treatments which are substrates of OCT2 and/or MATE1.

Antifungal properties and mechanisms of three volatile aldehydes (octanal, nonanal and decanal) on Aspergillus flavus

The harm of Aspergillus flavus ( A. flavus ) and aflatoxin is a severe food safety problem worldwide, which causes huge economic losses every year. Therefore, it is urgent to control the growth of A. flavus and the biosynthesis of aflatoxin. Plant-derived natural compounds are superior to synthetic fungicide in inhibiting the growth of A. flavus benefiting from their high safety to the environment, humans and stock, and low cost. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal effects and potential antifungal mechanisms of three plant-derived compounds (octanal, nonanal and decanal) against A. flavus . We determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and action mechanism of the three volatile aldehydes on A. flavus and also performed calcofluor white (CW) staining for visualizing the distribution of septa. Cell respiration metabolism and the pathogenicity on maize kernels were also carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the three volatile aldehydes on the growth of A. flavus . The results showed that the three volatile aldehydes could inhibit the germination of spores and mycelial growth of A. flavus , the MICs on spores and mycelia were: octanal (1.0 and 0.5 μL/mL), nonanal (0.5 and 2.0 μL/mL), and decanal (1 and 5 μL/mL). The three volatile aldehydes could strongly damage the integrity of both the cell wall and the cell membrane of A. flavus . Meanwhile, they could decrease the content of total lipid and inhibit respiration metabolism of A. flavus cell. Results of in vitro antifungal test showed that all the three volatile aldehydes could effectively prevent the growth of A. flavus on maize kernels. The study revealed that octanal, nonanal and decanal could effectively inhibit the growth of A. flavus both in culture medium and on maize kernels to different extent. The results confirmed that the plant-derived compounds could be developed into promising antifungal agents applied in the preservation of grains. This study provides a theoretical basis for the research and application of potential antifungal agents.

Anacardium excelsum phytochemical analysis and in vitro antimicrobial activity against oral cavity microorganisms.

Infections of the oral cavity have a broad microbial etiological profile that varies according to each microenvironment in the mouth. Such infections often require antimicrobial treatment, which can lead to the development of resistance. There is thus a need to find new therapeutic strategies based on natural plant-derived compounds. The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical nuclei and the antimicrobial effect of Anacardium excelsum leaf and stem extracts, and of fractions derived from the leaf extract, against Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 35548, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 19433 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. The plant material was collected from the Quindío Botanical Garden (Calarcá, Quindío-Colombia), located at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. Hydroalcoholic extracts of A. excelsum leaves and stems, and fractions of the hydroalcoholic leaf extract, were obtained by percolation extraction. Phytochemical nuclei were identified by thin layer chromatography. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts and fractions (at concentrations of 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg / ml) against the five ATCC reference strains was evaluated using the well diffusion technique on Mueller-Hinton agar. The leaf extract showed no antimicrobial activity against E. coli, but it did show antimicrobial activity against S. mutans, S. aureus, E. faecalis and C. albicans, at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, with zones of inhibition of 9 to 11 mm. The ethyl acetate and acetone fractions obtained from A. excelsum leaf extract had greatest antimicrobial activity at 10 mg/ml. In conclusion, (1) the A. excelsum leaf extract, and the ethyl acetate and acetone fractions obtained from the leaf extract, had the greatest antimicrobial activity on all the study microorganisms, and (2) the phytochemical nuclei in the fractions (ethyl acetate and acetone) were found to contain phenolic-type compounds, tannins, triterpene-type terpenes and steroidal-type terpenes, which might explain the antimicrobial activity observed.

Quercetin in Attenuation of Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury: A Review.

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a serious pathologic event that occurs due to restriction in blood supply to an organ, followed by hypoxia. This condition leads to enhanced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and stimulation of oxidative stress via enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Upon reperfusion, blood supply incz reases, but it deteriorates condition and leads to the generation of ROS, cell membrane disruption and finally, cell death. Plant derived-natural compounds are well-known due to their excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Quercetin is a flavonoid exclusively found in different vegetables, herbs, and fruits. This naturally occurring compound possesses different pharmacological activities making it an appropriate option in disease therapy. Quercetin can also demonstrate therapeutic effects via affecting molecular pathways such as NF-κB, PI3K/Akt and so on. In the present review, we demonstrate that quercetin administration is beneficial in ameliorating I/R injury via reducing ROS levels, inhibition of inflammation, and affecting molecular pathways such as TLR4/NF-κB, MAPK and so on. Quercetin can improve cell membrane integrity via decreasing lipid peroxidation. Apoptotic cell death is inhibited by quercetin via downregulation of Bax, and caspases, and upregulation of Bcl-2. Quercetin is able to modulate autophagy (inhibition/induction) in decreasing I/R injury. Nanoparticles have been applied for the delivery of quercetin, enhancing its bioavailability and efficacy in the alleviation of I/R injury. Noteworthy, clinical trials have also confirmed the capability of quercetin in reducing I/R injury.

Phytochemicals in Cancer Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

The interaction of immune checkpoint molecules in the tumor microenvironment reduces the anti-tumor immune response by suppressing the recognition of T cells to tumor cells. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is emerging as a promising therapeutic option for cancer treatment. However, modulating the immune system with ICIs still faces obstacles with severe immunogenic side effects and a lack of response against many cancer types. Plant-derived natural compounds offer regulation on various signaling cascades and have been applied for the treatment of multiple diseases, including cancer. Accumulated evidence provides the possibility of efficacy of phytochemicals in combinational with other therapeutic agents of ICIs, effectively modulating immune checkpoint-related signaling molecules. Recently, several phytochemicals have been reported to show the modulatory effects of immune checkpoints in various cancers in in vivo or in vitro models. This review summarizes druggable immune checkpoints and their regulatory factors. In addition, phytochemicals that are capable of suppressing PD-1/PD-L1 binding, the best-studied target of ICI therapy, were comprehensively summarized and classified according to chemical structure subgroups. It may help extend further research on phytochemicals as candidates of combinational adjuvants. Future clinical trials may validate the synergetic effects of preclinically investigated phytochemicals with ICI therapy.

Oleogel Formulations for the Topical Delivery of Betulin and Lupeol in Skin Injuries-Preparation, Physicochemical Characterization, and Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluation.

The skin integrity is essential due to its pivotal role as a biological barrier against external noxious factors. Pentacyclic triterpenes stand as valuable plant-derived natural compounds in the treatment of skin injuries due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and healing properties. Consequently, the primary aim of the current investigation was the development as well as the physicochemical and pharmaco-toxicological characterization of betulin- and lupeol-based oleogels (Bet OG and Lup OG) for topical application in skin injuries. The results revealed suitable pH as well as organoleptic, rheological, and textural properties. The penetration and permeation of Bet and Lup oleogels through porcine ear skin as well as the retention of both oleogels in the skin were demonstrated through ex vivo studies. In vitro, Bet OG and Lup OG showed good biocompatibility on HaCaT human immortalized cells. Moreover, Bet OG exerted a potent wound-healing property by stimulating the migration of the HaCaT cells. The in ovo results demonstrated the non-irritative potential of the developed formulations. Additionally, the undertaken in vivo investigation indicated a positive effect of oleogels treatment on skin parameters by increasing skin hydration and decreasing erythema. In conclusion, oleogel formulations are ideal for the local delivery of betulin and lupeol in skin disorders.

Antifungal efficacy of paeonol on Aspergillus flavus and its mode of action on cell walls and cell membranes

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) contaminates agricultural products and endangers human health. Plant-derived natural compounds are potential antifungal agents that are superior to chemical fungicides. Paeonol can effectively inhibit A. flavus growth, and its potential antifungal actions were investigated by examining a series of phenotypic changes. The damage to cell walls was visualized by surface ultrastructural characterization and quantified by the decreases in β-1,3-glucan and chitin content. The integrity of the cell membranes was damaged, as indicated by propidium iodide (PI) staining, cell constituent release, relative conductivity, pH values, and the contents of extracellular metal ions (e.g., K+ and Na+). Furthermore, paeonol decreased the content of total lipids, induced lipid peroxidation, altered glycerol content, and destroyed trehalose. Finally, paeonol also reduced the pathogenicity of A. flavus in both peanuts and corn kernels. This study proposes paeonol as a new antifungal agent for use against A. flavus and provides new insights into the mechanism underlying the alterations in A. flavus in response to paeonol.

Role of Plant-Derived Natural Compounds in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis: A Review of the Treatment Potential and Development Strategy.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that is mainly mediated by pathological T-cells. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-known animal model of MS that is used to study the underlying mechanism and offers a theoretical basis for developing a novel therapy for MS. Good therapeutic effects have been observed after the administration of natural compounds and their derivatives as treatments for EAE. However, there has been a severe lag in the research and development of drug mechanisms related to MS. This review examines natural products that have the potential to effectively treat MS. The relevant data were consulted in order to elucidate the regulated mechanisms acting upon EAE by the flavonoids, glycosides, and triterpenoids derived from natural products. In addition, novel technologies such as network pharmacology, molecular docking, and high-throughput screening have been gradually applied in natural product development. The information provided herein can help improve targeting and timeliness for determining the specific mechanisms involved in natural medicine treatment and lay a foundation for further study.

Diet and Nutrition in Gynecological Disorders: A Focus on Clinical Studies.

A healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet play a paramount role in promoting and maintaining homeostatic functions and preventing an array of chronic and debilitating diseases. Based upon observational and epidemiological investigations, it is clear that nutritional factors and dietary habits play a significant role in gynecological disease development, including uterine leiomyoma, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and gynecological malignancies. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables, Mediterranean diets, green tea, vitamin D, and plant-derived natural compounds may have a long-term positive impact on gynecological diseases, while fats, red meat, alcohol, and coffee may contribute to their development. Data regarding the association between dietary habits and gynecological disorders are, at times, conflicting, with potential confounding factors, including food pollutants, reduced physical activity, ethnic background, and environmental factors limiting overall conclusions. This review provides a synopsis of the current clinical data and biological basis of the association between available dietary and nutritional data, along with their impact on the biology and pathophysiology of different gynecological disorders, as well as an outlook on future directions that will guide further investigational research.