Physiological Health Benefits Research Articles

Identification of DPP-IV inhibitory peptides derived from buffalo colostrum: Mining through bioinformatics, in silico and in vitro approaches.

Bioactive peptides derived from foods provide physiological health benefits beyond nutrition. This study focused on profiling small peptide inhibitors against two key serine proteases, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and prolyl oligopeptidase (POP). DPP-IV is a well-known protein involved in diverse pathways regulating inflammation, renal, cardiovascular physiology, and glucose homeostasis. POP is yet another key target protein for neurodegenerative disorders. The study evaluated peptide libraries of buffalo colostrum whey and fat globule membrane proteins derived from pepsin and pepsin-pancreatin digestion through in silico web tools and structure-based analysis by molecular docking and binding free-energy estimation, followed by in vitro assay for DPP-IV inhibition for the lead peptides. The bioinformatic study indicated 49 peptides presented motifs with DPP-IV inhibition while 5 peptides with sequences for POP inhibition. In the molecular docking interactions study, 22 peptides interacted with active site residues of DPP-IV and 3 peptides with that of POP. The synthesized peptides, SFVSEVPEL and LTFQHNF inhibited DPP-IV in vitro with an IC50 of 193.5 μM and 1.782 mM, respectively. The study revealed the key residues for inhibition of DPP-IV and POP thus affirming the DPP-IV inhibitory potential of milk-derived peptides.

Quantifying the Threshold Effects and Factors Impacting Physiological Health Benefits of Forest Exposure

The growing awareness of the health advantages offered by forests has underscored the significance of forest exposure as an upstream preventive measure against disease. While numerous studies have confirmed the physical and mental health benefits associated with forests, there is still a lack of quantitative understanding regarding the relationship between forest exposure and physiological health benefits (PHB). Particularly, there is insufficient knowledge about the threshold effects derived from short-term forest exposure. In this study, we propose a PHB threshold model for assessing forest exposure that introduces the concepts of efficiency threshold and benefits threshold. A pilot study was conducted in three typical natural forest sites to validate the proposed model. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was continuously measured as the physiological indicator, while meteorological, environmental, and demographic factors were simultaneously collected. The results show that: (1) the proposed PHB threshold model is applicable in a natural forest environment; (2) despite the longer time required to reach the PHB thresholds, forest exposure yielded more significant and prolonged health benefits compared to urban green spaces; (3) meteorological factors, such as temperature and relative humidity, play a crucial role in impacting the PHB threshold model; and (4) exposure to forests is better for deep thinking and relaxation than urban green spaces. These findings emphasize the potential of forests to offer a respite from the stresses of modern life and promote holistic well-being.

Empirical Study on the Impact of Different Types of Forest Environments in Wuyishan National Park on Public Physiological and Psychological Health

Amidst the challenges of global environmental change and urbanization, the salutary effects of natural environments on public health are increasingly being recognized. This study investigates the specific effects of varied forest environments in China’s Wuyishan National Park on physiological and psychological health. Eight distinct forest environments were carefully selected, and a repeated-measures ANOVA approach was used to evaluate 41 participants over three days. Physiological assessments included Heart Rate Variability, Skin Conductance Level, and surface Electromyography, complemented by psychological evaluations using the Profile of Mood States. The key findings include the following: (1) Notable variations in physiological indicators were observed among different forest types. In valley tea gardens and broadleaf forest streamside, significant changes in heart rate indicators highlighted the influence of these settings on autonomic nervous activities. Skin Conductance Level and surface Electromyography also indicated varying emotional arousal and pleasure across the forests. The mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest valley, along with the rock-bedded streamscape, elicited emotions of low arousal but high pleasure, inducing feelings of calmness and pleasure. The valley’s tea gardens were associated with low arousal and pleasure, suggesting tranquility without positive emotional induction, while the broadleaf ridge forest induced high arousal and pleasure, reflecting an exciting and joyful environment. (2) The study found that different forest environments had a notable impact on participants’ mood states, indicating reductions in tension, anger, fatigue, and depression, along with an increase in vigor levels. In summary, forest environments offer unique psychological and physiological health benefits compared to urban settings. These findings underscore the importance of integrating forest environments into urban development and public health frameworks, and the need to further explore their impact on the health of diverse populations.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Extracts of Inonotus obliquus and Microalgae

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) and marine microalgae are two emerging natural products with many potential physiological health benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of two extracts prepared from Chaga mushroom and microalgae using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell model. The Chaga mushroom extract dose-dependently reduced the production of proinflammatory biomarkers of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). At a high concentration of 500 µg/L, Chaga mushroom extract significantly suppressed cyclooxygenase-2 levels. Similarly, the extract of microalgae suppressed the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α by lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages. Both extracts had no significant impact on the secretion of anti-inflammatory IL-4 production. These results suggest that extracts of Chaga mushroom and microalgae can be used in developing anti-inflammatory natural health products.

Tai Chi as a Body-Mind Exercise for Promotion of Healthy Aging in Nursing Home Residents: Appropriateness, Feasibility, and Effectiveness.

The lack of activity, opportunity for providing input and participation in activities, and interaction with other people are the features of institutional living which reinforces dependency among nursing home residents. Residents are usually frustrated with paternalistic-type care. Arranging health-oriented meaningful activities for residents contributes to health promotion and enhancement of healthy aging. Moreover, it contributes to the cultivation of a positive meaning of life which is particularly important as residents reach the late geriatric stages of their lives. With exercise being seen as generally beneficial for health, Tai Chi as a Chinese-based exercise with a body-mind emphasis and unique characteristics becomes a particularly suitable exercise in aiding the residents in this major shift of lifestyle. This paper analyzes the appropriateness, feasibility, and effectiveness of Tai Chi in promoting healthy aging for residents. Theoretical considerations and scientific evaluations lend it appropriate, feasible, and effective in providing physiological and psychosocial health benefits to the residents. This paper recommends the use of Tai Chi to promote healthy aging in nursing home residents. With a rapidly aging population and mounting demand for residential geriatric care worldwide, this paper's timely findings should provide important implications for adopting Tai Chi to advance the quality of care delivered by nursing homes worldwide.

Quantifying threshold effects of physiological health benefits in greenspace exposure

Despite the existence of discussions regarding the dose-response relationship between greenspace exposure (GE) and physiological health benefits (PHB), the threshold effects of GE have not been adequately addressed. Here we present the hypothesis of a PHB threshold model for GE, which introduces the concepts of efficiency threshold and benefits threshold and incorporates calculations of the area under the curve of the ground (AUCg) and the area under the curve of the increase (AUCi). To test the validity of this model, a pilot study was conducted over four days in a typical greenspace during the spring and summer seasons. Electroencephalogram was continuously measured as the physiological indicator, while meteorological and demographic factors were collected. The results suggest that (1) the PHB threshold model is applicable across different experimental groups and seasons, while also being influenced by multiple factors (such as meteorological factors). (2) Case study had shown that the efficiency threshold can be reached within 4 min and the benefit threshold within 12 min, demonstrating that the thresholds for GE can be achieved within a short period of time. Moreover, the mean AUCg and AUCi were lower in summer compared to spring, and meteorological factors such as lower heat stress index were found to be associated with higher PHB. (3) Besides, the proposed conceptual framework based on the “reality-virtual” dimension and the “subject-object” perspective needs further investigation to explore GE thresholds. The model provides insights into the optimal and maximum PHB that can be achieved through GE and also enriches the theoretical basis of research on GE.

Assessment of the bioactive lipid profiles of oil extracted from Tunisian table olive cultivars (Barouni, Besbassi, and Marsaline cvs.)

AbstractBioactive compounds are components extracted from biological matrices that may offer physiological health benefits and have nutritive value. The present study characterized bioactive lipid components such as fatty acids, phytosterols, policosanol, and triterpenes from table olives. The table olives were processed according to the green Spanish‐style method. The obtained results indicate that phytosterol fraction constitutes the major portion of the total unsaponifiable matter. The analysis of phytosterols showed the presence of 11 compounds, β‐sitosterol the predominant one. The policosanol composition indicated that hexacosanol, tetracosanol, octacosanol, and docosanol were the main compounds, accounting for over 85% of total policosanols. Pentacyclic triterpenes (cycloartenol and 24‐methylene cycloartenol) were found at a higher level (over 85%) compared to tetracyclic triterpenes (β‐amyrin, δ‐amyrin). These findings reveal that processed table olives contain an interesting amount of various bioactive compounds compared to marine and other floral biological matrices. Thus, processed table olives represent an interesting natural functional food that presents high stability and bioavailability of their natural bioactive ingredients.Practical Applications: Nowadays, with health food gaining popularity among consumers, the demand for natural bioactive compounds and functional food is expanding considerably all over the world. This study focuses on analyzing bioactive lipid components from processed table olives. Fruits were processed according to the green Spanish‐style method. The salt content of the brine was adjusted to the minimum sodium chloride value required by the Codex Alimentarius Comission, which is 5%, taking into consideration people suffering from hypertension. This concentration is considered the minimum amount of salt necessary to exhibit antibacterial activities. Considering the results obtained, processed table olives present one of the most valuable potential resources for bioactive lipid compounds and have a considerable ability to preserve the stability of their lipid components. Thus, the food industry in Mediterranean countries can promote processed table olives as conventional functional food with no need for any enrichment or fortification.

Effects of a yoga protocol in managing depression, anxiety and stress among office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is known to have caused serious negative effects on the health and mental wellbeing of people. Yoga is an easily available, relatively inexpensive, and safe non-pharmacological form of practice and has been found to have physiological and mental health benefits. Aim: To look into the effects of yoga therapy in the reduction of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among a cohort of office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among office workers using a yoga protocol developed for this study. The validated DASS-42 scale was used to assess the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress before and after the intervention. Results: A significant reduction was observed in the mean scores for depression (61.36%), anxiety (62.79%), and stress (62.63%) respectively among the 240 participants following the 30-day programme of yoga therapy. Conclusions: Yoga therapy used in the above context appears to have helped in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress among office workers during the pandemic. Randomised controlled trials with larger sample sizes and better clinical method designs are needed to evaluate the level of evidence and effectiveness of yoga therapy in the treatment of above conditions.

Psychological well-being, mental distress, metabolic syndrome, and associated factors among people living in a refugee camp in Greece: a cross-sectional study.

Forcibly displaced people face various challenges and are therefore at higher risk of being affected by mental and physiological distress. The present study aimed to determine levels of psychological well-being, PTSD symptom severity, metabolic syndrome, and associated factors among forcibly displaced people in Greece in response to WHO's call for evidence-based public health policies and programs for forcibly displaced people. We conducted a cross-sectional study among n = 150 (50% women) forcibly displaced people originating from Sub-Sahara Africa and Southwest Asia living in a Greek refugee camp. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess psychological well-being, symptoms of PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia, perceived stress, headache, and perceived fitness. Cardiovascular risk markers were assessed to determine metabolic syndrome, and cardiorespiratory fitness was measured with the Åstrand-Rhyming Test of Maximal Oxygen Uptake. The prevalence of mental distress and physiological disorders was overall elevated. Only 53.0% of participants rated their psychological well-being as high. Altogether, 35.3% scored above the clinical cut-off for PTSD, 33.3% for depression, 27.9% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 33.8% for insomnia. One in four (28.8%) participants met criteria for metabolic syndrome. While the prevalence of moderate or severe insomnia symptoms and metabolic syndrome differed little from the global population, the risk of being affected by mental distress was markedly increased. In multivariable analysis, higher perceived fitness was associated with higher psychological well-being (OR = 1.35, p = 0.003) and a decreased likelihood for metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.80, p = 0.031). Participants with elevated psychiatric symptoms were less likely to report high psychological well-being (OR = 0.22, p = 0.003) and had increased odds for higher PTSD severity (OR = 3.27, p = 0.034). Increased stress perception was associated with higher PTSD symptoms (OR = 1.13, p = 0.002). There is an elevated risk for mental distress compared to the global population and an overall high mental and physiological burden among people living in a Greek refugee camp. The findings underpin the call for urgent action. Policies should aim to reduce post-migration stressors and address mental health and non-communicable diseases by various programs. Sport and exercise interventions may be a favorable add-on, given that perceived fitness is associated with both mental and physiological health benefits.

Physiological and Psychological Effects of Walking in Campus Landscape to Young Adults

Green space has a vital role in the community’s health and well-being. Forest bathing is an effective method of enjoying the forest atmosphere through physical activity or relaxing in a forest landscape. However, until now, no one has declared the benefits of forest therapy in Indonesia. This study clarifies the physiological and psychological effects of walking in a campus landscape. This research was conducted using experimental methods through physical activity survey, self-report questionnaires, Visitor Employed Photography (VEP), and automatic classification based on the image annotation API. The experiment was conducted in a park and an arboretum, and thirty-two young university subjects were tested. The participants walked for fifteen minutes on walking routes and district roads. Their blood pressure was measured before and after walking, and their heart rate was measured continuously. During the walk, the subjects took photographs of striking scenes using the Visitor Employed Photography method. Profile of Mood States (POMS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to evaluate the psychological responses. Walking in the campus landscape resulted in a lower heart rate, less negative moods, and less anxiety than walking on the district road. Out of 837 photographs, 45% were taken from the Academic Event Plaza, 41.5% from the Arboretum, and the remaining 13.5% from district road, Jalan Raya Dramaga. Two main groups of campus green spaces included man-made landscape consisting of road surface, buildings, plant organs, stairs, and terrestrial plants; and natural landscape consisting of sky, trees, flowers, clouds, and plant community. This study found that walking in campus green space induced physiological and psychological health benefits and prominent landscape elements supported the green campus.

Higher intensity exercise reduces disability more than lower intensity exercise in adults with chronic low back pain: Asystematic review and meta-analysis.

Intensity is an important determinant of physiological adaptations and health benefits of exercise, but the role of exercise intensity on improving outcomes in people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) is unclear. This systematic review aimed to determine the effect of higher versus lower intensity exercise intensity on pain, disability, quality of life and adverse events in people with CLBP. Six databases and four clinical trial registries were searched from inception to 21 December 2022, for randomised controlled trials that compared two or more exercise intensities in adults with CLBP. Data were analysed using random-effects meta-analysis for disability and synthesised narratively for pain, quality of life and adverse events due to limited studies. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool and certainty of evidence was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework. Four trials (n=214 participants, 84% male) reported across five studies were included. Higher intensity exercise reduced disability more than lower intensity exercise at end-treatment (SMD [95% CI]=-0.39 [-0.56 to -0.22]; very low certainty) but not at 6-month follow-up (SMD [95% CI]=-0.20 [-0.53 to 0.13]; very low certainty). Higher intensity exercise did not reliably improve pain and quality of life more than lower intensity exercise. Adverse events did not differ between exercise intensities. All studies were at high risk of bias. Based on very low certainty evidence from a limited number of studies, exercise intensity does not appear to meaningfully influence clinical outcomes in people with CLBP.

Dimensions of the health benefits of wellness tourism: A review.

The benefits of wellness tourism have been recently noted by researchers and industry representatives. This study examined the health dimensions of these benefits posited by a large array of interdisciplinary studies from 2002 up to the present. Open coding was used to conduct an inductive evaluation to classify these health benefits. Results showed four main dimensions, namely, physical fitness, psychological fitness, quality of life (QOL), and environmental health; however, these dimensions need further investigation. Physiological health benefits can also be demonstrated through future experiments, which can further focus on empirical research on the psychological benefits and its overall effect on the QOL. This study contributes to the current literature by providing novel theoretical foundations and subsequently aids practitioners to understand customers better and convey their marketing messages to tourists more effectively.

A pectic polysaccharide from fresh okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) beneficially ameliorates CCl4-induced acute liver injury in mice by antioxidation, inhibition of inflammation and modulation of gut microbiota.

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Moench], as a well-known medicinal and food plant, has important physiological activities and health benefits, and polysaccharide is its main bioactive component. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide (OPS-50) prepared from fresh okra pods by three-phase partitioning and gradient (NH4)2SO4 precipitation at a saturation of 50% was employed in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-caused acute liver damage in mice to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential. Results indicated that OPS-50 was mainly composed of a limited linear homogalacturonan backbone and abundant rhamnogalacturonan-I domains as side chains. OPS-50 exerted positively protective effects on acute liver damage induced by CCl4 in mice through relieving weight reduction and organ damage, ameliorating liver function and dyslipidemia, alleviating oxidative stress, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulating gut microbiota, and promoting short-chain fatty acid secretion. Moreover, liver histopathology demonstrated the protective benefit of OPS-50 on CCl4-caused acute liver damage in mice. Therefore, our data suggested that the pectic OPS-50, as a dietary supplement, have great potential in preventing and treating chemical liver damages.

Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders

Psychological and Physiological Health Benefits of a Structured Forest Therapy Program for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders

The Ecopsychological, Spiritual, Physiological Health and Mood Benefits of Zikr Meditation and Nature for Muslim University Students

The Ecopsychological, Spiritual, Physiological Health and Mood Benefits of Zikr Meditation and Nature for Muslim University Students

Perspective: Assessing Tolerance to Nondigestible Carbohydrate Consumption.

Human intestinal enzymes do not hydrolyze nondigestible carbohydrates (NDCs), and thus, they are not digested and absorbed in the small intestine. Instead, NDCs are partially to completely fermented by the intestinal microbiota. Select NDCs are associated with health benefits such as laxation and lowering of blood cholesterol and glucose. NDCs provide functional attributes to processed foods, including sugar or fat replacers, thickening agents, and bulking agents. Additionally, NDCs are incorporated into processed foods to increase their fiber content. Although consumption of NDCs can benefit health and contribute functional characteristics to foods, they can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as flatulence and bloating. As gastrointestinal symptoms negatively affect consumer well-being and their acceptance of foods containing NDC ingredients, it is crucial to consider tolerance when designing food products and testing their physiological health benefits in clinical trials. This perspective provides recommendations for the approach to assess gastrointestinal tolerance to NDCs, with a focus on study design, population criteria, intervention, comparator, and outcome. Special issues related to studies in children and implications for stakeholders are also discussed. It is recommended that the evaluation of gastrointestinal tolerance to NDCs be conducted in randomized, blinded, controlled crossover studies using standard gastrointestinal questionnaires, with attention to study participant background diets, health status, lifestyle, and medications.

S06 Engaging peers, parents and pupils to increase physical activity among adolescents

BackgroundRegular physical activity is associated with physiological and mental health benefits for adolescents including improved fitness and cardiometabolic health, increased muscle and bone strength and reduced risk of obesity. Despite this, globally, many adolescents (81%) fail to meet physical activity guidelines. Physical activity levels decline as children move into adolescence and through to adulthood and may affect the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions. It is recognised that parental support and friendship networks play an important role in attenuating declines in physical activity during adolescence and it is vital that we develop effective interventions to help adolescents stay active.AimThis symposium will engage policymakers, professionals, scientists and stakeholders to discuss research projects on Engaging peers, parents and pupils to increase physical activity among adolescents. The goals of this symposium are to highlight the challenges and ongoing work to address sub-optimal levels of physical activity in this population and disseminate the results of novel physical activity interventions to develop knowledge and understanding. This symposium will share experiences, learning and best practice in Patient and Public Involvement (PPI), transitioning from formative research to feasibility testing and upscaling interventions and it will also allow for debate and to identify gaps and priority areas for physical activity among adolescents.Symposia presentations1. Putting young people at the heart of physical activity research design: The Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study (Professor Marie Murphy, Ulster University)This presentation will outline the importance of youth PPI and demonstrate how PPI can be embedded within research design using the WISH Study Youth Advisory Group as a case study.2. The Girls Active Project (GAP): Co-design and feasibility of an after school-based physical activity intervention (Sara McQuinn, Dublin City University)This presentation will discuss the factors influencing physical activity behaviour in adolescents, outline how using public and patient involvement (PPI) and the behaviour change wheel provided a framework for developing the Girls Active Project, and the results from our feasiblity trial.3. Supporting our lifelong engagement: mothers and teens exercising (SOLE MATES); from formative research to feasibility testing (Dr Elaine Murtagh, University of Limerick).Dr Murtagh will discuss the value of formative research in developing interventions and present findings from a novel mother-daughter multi-component physical activity programme.4. Co-production of the Move Well, Feel Good movement behaviours intervention (Stuart Fairclougt, Edge Hill University)This presentation will describe phase 1 of the Move Well, Feel Good study, which aimed to co-produce and evaluate the feasibility of a primary school physical activity intervention to improve children’s motor competence and mental health.5. The Walking In ScHools (WISH) Study: Development and evaluation of a peer-led school-based walking intervention in adolescent girls from pilot to fully-powered trial (Professor Marie Murphy, Ulster University)Professor Murphy will describe how the WISH pilot study guided the development of a full trial to evaluate the effects of a peer-led walking intervention at increasing physical activity in adolescent girls.

Stair walking effects on feelings of energy and fatigue: Is 4-min enough for benefits?

Even low intensity exercise bouts of at least 15 min can improve feelings of energy (FOE) and reduce systolic blood pressure. However, little is known about the psychological outcomes of briefer exercise bouts, particularly for modes of exercise that are more intense than level walking, and readily available to many working adults. This study assessed the effects of a 4-min bout of stair walking on FOE and feelings of fatigue (FOF). Thirty-six young adult participants were randomized to either stair walking or seated control groups. All participants walked on level-ground from a laboratory to a nearby stairwell (~90 s) and were seated for 4 min before beginning their experimental condition. Stair-walking participants walked up and down one flight of 16 stairs at their own pace for 4 min, while control participants remained seated during that time. Participants walked back to the laboratory for post-condition assessments. Measures of blood pressure, heart rate, rated perceived exertion (RPE), and the intensity of feelings of mental energy, mental fatigue, physical energy, and physical fatigue were assessed pre-and post-condition. Separate one-way ANOVAs were conducted on change scores for all variables. The stair climbing group experienced significant increases in heart rate [F(1,34) = 13.167, p < 0.001] and RPE [F(1,34) = 93.844, p < 0.001] that were not observed in the seated control group. Four minutes of self-paced stair climbing resulted in small changes and non-significant differences within and between groups in blood pressure as well as FOE and FOF. Although a 4-min self-paced exercise bout can convey short-term physiological health benefits, a 4-min bout of self-paced indoor stair walking in a stairwell was insufficient to lower blood pressure or change subjective FOE and fatigue in a sample that exhibited better than typical FOE and FOF at the pre-test.

Prebiotic potential of enzymatically prepared resistant starch in reshaping gut microbiota and their respond to body physiology

The increase in consumer demand for high-quality food products has led to growth in the use of new technologies and ingredients. Resistant starch (RS) is a recently recognised source of fibre and has received much attention for its potential health benefits and functional properties. However, knowledge about the fate of RS in modulating complex intestinal communities, the microbial members involved in its degradation, enhancement of microbial metabolites, and its functional role in body physiology is still limited. For this purpose, the current study was designed to ratify the physiological and functional health benefits of enzymatically prepared resistant starch (EM-RSIII) from maize flour. To approve the beneficial health effects as prebiotic, EM-RSIII was supplemented in rat diets. After 21 days of the experiment, EM-RSIII fed rats showed a significant reduction in body weight gain, fecal pH, glycemic response, serum lipid profile, insulin level and reshaping gut microbiota, and enhancing short-chain fatty acid compared to control. The count of butyrate-producing and starch utilizing bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Pediococcus genus in rat’s gut, elevated after the consumption of medium and high doses of EM-RSIII, while the E. coli completely suppressed in high EM-RSIII fed rats. Short-chain fatty acids precisely increased in feces of EM-RSIII feed rats. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the effect of butyrate on functional and physiological alteration on the body had been investigated during the current study. Conclusively, the present study demonstrated the unprecedented effect of utilising EM-RSIII as a diet on body physiology and redesigning gut microorganisms.

Purification, identification, and antioxidative mechanism of three novel selenium-enriched oyster antioxidant peptides

Natural organic selenium (Se) has multiple physiological health benefits and has become a hotspot of research in recent years. In this study, the Se-enriched antioxidant peptides were purified from Se-enriched oyster hydrolysate. Three novel Se-enriched antioxidant peptides LLVSeMY (685.2953 Da), MMDSeML (687.1875 Da) and VSeMDSeML (703.1599 Da) were identified from fraction F6-4, which all exhibited strong cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) with EC50 values of 0.739, 0.423, and 0.395 μg/mL, respectively. These three Se-enriched antioxidant peptides (0.025 mg/mL) could significantly enhanced cell viability to 84.60 ± 3.32% ∼ 86.18 ± 1.36% compared with the AAPH injury group (75.99 ± 0.79%), and the cytoprotective effects were even better than that of GSH (80.47 ± 2.78%). Moreover, these three Se-enriched peptides also significantly protected HepG2 cells from AAPH-induced oxidative injury by inhibiting ROS production and enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes. The molecular docking results showed that these three Se-enriched peptides can form stable hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds with key amino acid residues of Keap1 protein, thereby potentially regulating the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. In conclusion, the three novel Se-enriched oyster antioxidant peptides are expected to be used in medicine or functional food, providing a new theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of natural organic Se.