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Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition
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Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 6895

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniela Joyce Trujillo Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, San Luis Potosí 78216, Mexico
Interests: curcumin; food nutrition; human health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Victoria Ramírez González

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirandisabled, Tlalpan, Mexico
Interests: polyphenols; curcumin; biological activity; food nutrition; human health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. José Pedraza Chaverrí

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio F-315, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Interests: polyphenols; curcumin; biological activity; food nutrition; human health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polyphenols are essential bioactive components that have been demonstrated to play an important role in alleviating risk factors associated with several chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Due to the rapid elimination, high metabolic rate and poor intestinal absorption of polyphenols, a clear understanding of their bioavailability is essential to validate their health claims. Globally, cardiorenal diseases are associated with the most considerable mortality rates, and mechanisms, pharmacologic regimens and nutritional treatment have been the focus of recent research. Numerous studies have demonstrated the protective properties of polyphenols in cardiovascular and renal diseases, showing that they modulate multiple signaling pathways such as cellular growth, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and proliferation. This Special Issue will focus on polyphenols, especially their metabolites, and the mechanism by which they prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Daniela Joyce Trujillo Silva
Dr. Victoria Ramírez González
Prof. Dr. José Pedraza Chaverrí
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioactive compounds
  • polyphenols
  • phenolic compound
  • chronic diseases
  • cardiorenal diseases
  • inflammation
  • oxidative stress
  • antioxidants
  • vasoactive effects

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
Physicochemical Characterization, Storage Stability Behavior, and Intestinal Bioaccessibility of Clove Extract Encapsulated Using Varying Combinations of Gum Arabic and Maltodextrin
by Farhad Ahmadi, Hafiz A. R. Suleria and Frank R. Dunshea
Foods 2025, 14(2), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020237 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 603
Abstract
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum, L.) is a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants, but its intense flavor, poor solubility, and instability may limit its widespread and efficient use in industrial applications. In a series of laboratory-scale experiments, gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin [...] Read more.
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum, L.) is a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants, but its intense flavor, poor solubility, and instability may limit its widespread and efficient use in industrial applications. In a series of laboratory-scale experiments, gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) were used as coating agents in various proportions (ranging from 0MD:100GA to 100MD:0GA) for encapsulation of clove extract using a freeze-drying method. The encapsulates were assessed for the physicochemical properties, storage stability behavior, and intestinal bioaccessibility of phenolics using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion test. The freeze-dried encapsulates were characterized as having low water activity (<0.3, which is a critical threshold to ensure chemical and microbiological stability), high water solubility (>90%), solid (product) recovery (mean 93.1 ± 1.77%), and encapsulation efficiency (91.4−94.9%). Hygroscopicity increased as the GA:MD proportion increased in the encapsulation formulations. Encapsulation was effective in protecting bioactive components of clove extract during storage at room (up to 40 days) or high temperature (60 °C for 7 days) and minimized the loss of antioxidant activity during storage, as compared to the clove extract in a non-encapsulated form. All encapsulation formulations were characterized by a negative zeta potential (from −22.1 to −29.7 mV) and a polydispersity index ranging from 0.47 to 0.68, classifying the formulations as having a mid-range polydisperse particle size distribution. The FTIR analysis demonstrated that the freeze-drying encapsulation process resulted in no evident chemical interaction between coating and core materials. Intestinal bioaccessibility of total phenolics after the in vitro-simulated gastrointestinal digestion was greater in the encapsulated clove extract compared to the non-encapsulated clove extract. In conclusion, the encapsulation process was effective in protecting the bioactivity of the polyphenol-rich clove extract during storage and improved the phenolic bioaccessibility, potentially supporting the application of the encapsulated clove extract for use in functional food development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 2899 KiB  
Article
Polyphenol-Rich Aronia melanocarpa Fruit Beneficially Impact Cholesterol, Glucose, and Serum and Gut Metabolites: A Randomized Clinical Trial
by Morgan L. Chamberlin, Jesse T. Peach, Stephanie M.G. Wilson, Zachary T. Miller, Brian Bothner, Seth T. Walk, Carl J. Yeoman and Mary P. Miles
Foods 2024, 13(17), 2768; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13172768 - 30 Aug 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2053
Abstract
Polyphenol-rich Aronia fruits have great potential as a functional food with anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic biologic activities. However, clinical intervention trials investigating the impact of Aronia fruit consumption on human health are limited. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded, parallel intervention trial was conducted using [...] Read more.
Polyphenol-rich Aronia fruits have great potential as a functional food with anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic biologic activities. However, clinical intervention trials investigating the impact of Aronia fruit consumption on human health are limited. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded, parallel intervention trial was conducted using 14 human subjects who ingested either 0 mL or 100 mL of Aronia juice daily for 30 days. Anthropometric measurements, fasting, and postprandial measures of glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammation, 16S rRNA fecal microbial composition data, and mass spectrometry-acquired serum and fecal metabolomic data were collected before and after the intervention period. Data were analyzed using general linear models, ANOVA, and t-tests. Daily consumption of Aronia prevented a rise in cholesterol levels (β = −0.50, p = 0.03) and reduced postprandial glucose (β = −3.03, p < 0.01). No difference in microbial community composition by condition was identified at any taxonomic level, but a decrease (β = −18.2, p = 0.04) in microbial richness with Aronia was detected. Serum and fecal metabolomic profiles indicated shifts associated with central carbon and lipid metabolism and decreases in pro-inflammatory metabolites. Our study further informs the development of polyphenol-based dietary strategies to lower metabolic disease risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
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27 pages, 10358 KiB  
Article
QM-CSA: A Novel Quantum Mechanics-Based Protocol for Evaluation of the Carcinogen-Scavenging Activity of Polyphenolic Compounds
by Veronika Furlan, Jelena Tošović and Urban Bren
Foods 2024, 13(17), 2708; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13172708 - 27 Aug 2024
Viewed by 750
Abstract
In this study, a novel quantum mechanics-based protocol for the evaluation of carcinogen-scavenging activity (QM-CSA) is developed. The QM-CSA protocol represents a universal and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the activation-free energies for alkylation reactions between individual polyphenolic compounds and chemical carcinogens [...] Read more.
In this study, a novel quantum mechanics-based protocol for the evaluation of carcinogen-scavenging activity (QM-CSA) is developed. The QM-CSA protocol represents a universal and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the activation-free energies for alkylation reactions between individual polyphenolic compounds and chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type at physiological conditions by applying two scales: the absolute scale allowing for the comparison with guanine and the relative scale allowing the comparison with glutathione as a reference compound. The devised quantum mechanical methodology was validated by comparing the activation-free energies calculated with 14 DFT functionals in conjunction with two implicit solvation models (SMD and CPCM) and the experimental activation-free energies for reactions between nine investigated chemical carcinogens and guanine. According to the obtained results, the best agreement with experimental data was achieved by applying DFT functionals M11-L and MN12-L in conjunction with the flexible 6-311++G(d,p) basis set and implicit solvation model SMD, and the obtained uncertainties were proven to be similar to the experimental ones. To demonstrate the applicability of the QM-CSA protocol, functionals M11-L, and MN12-L in conjunction with the SMD implicit solvation model were applied to calculate activation-free energies for the reactions of nine investigated chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type with three catechins, namely EGCG, EGC, and (+)-catechin. The order of CSA in this series of catechins in comparison to guanine and glutathione was determined as (+)-catechin > EGC > EGCG. The obtained results, for the first time, demonstrated the evaluation and comparison of CSA in a series of selected catechins with respect to glutathione and guanine. Moreover, the presented results provide valuable insights into the reaction mechanisms and configurations of the corresponding transition states. The novel QM-CSA protocol is also expected to expand the kinetic data for alkylation reactions between various polyphenolic compounds and chemical carcinogens of the epoxy type, which is currently lacking in the scientific literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 2679 KiB  
Article
Vasorelaxant Effect and Blood Pressure Reduction Potential of Pitaya Juice Concentrate (Stenocereus huastecorum) Associated with Calcium Channel Blockade
by Yadira Ramírez-Rodríguez, Ricardo Espinosa-Tanguma, Juan Roberto Valle-Aguilera, Aldo A. Rodríguez-Menchaca, Nadia Saderi, Roberto Salgado-Delgado, Elihú Bautista, Luis Garcés, Victoria Ramírez, Karina Robledo-Márquez, Lina Riego-Ruiz and Joyce Trujillo
Foods 2024, 13(16), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162631 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1157
Abstract
Arterial hypertension is a highly prevalent chronic disease worldwide, with several etiologies and treatments that may eventually have side effects or result in patients developing tolerance. There is growing interest in traditional medicine and functional foods to isolate biomolecules that could be useful [...] Read more.
Arterial hypertension is a highly prevalent chronic disease worldwide, with several etiologies and treatments that may eventually have side effects or result in patients developing tolerance. There is growing interest in traditional medicine and functional foods to isolate biomolecules that could be useful as coadjuvants for treating several aliments. Pitaya, a desert fruit endemic in Mexico, is a rich source of bioactive molecules (betalains and phenolic compounds). In this work, the vasorelaxation properties of pitaya juice concentrate and fraction one were investigated using aortic and mesenteric rings from rats. The incubation of rings with pitaya juice concentrate or fraction one induced significant vasorelaxation, independent of the endothelium, and showed resistance to potassium channel blockers. This vasorelaxation was associated with the transmembrane influx of extracellular calcium through the vascular smooth muscle cells, with an inhibitory effect on the voltage-dependent calcium channel currents. Also, 400 mg/mL of pitaya juice concentrate in spontaneous hypertensive rats reduced their blood pressure for 48 h. Phytochemical analyses showed that the primary compounds in F1 were glycosidic in nature, and could be a complex mixture of disaccharides, dimeric disaccharides, or even tetrasaccharides. The glycosidic compounds found in F1 primarily contributed to vasodilatation, establishing a voltage-dependent calcium channel inhibition as a possible molecular target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
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28 pages, 8283 KiB  
Article
Development of Functional Foods: A Comparative Study on the Polyphenols and Anthocyanins Content in Chokeberry and Blueberry Pomace Extracts and Their Antitumor Properties
by Loredana Stanca, Liviu Bilteanu, Oana Crina Bujor, Violeta Alexandra Ion, Andrei Cătălin Petre, Liliana Bădulescu, Ovidiu Ionut Geicu, Aurelia Magdalena Pisoschi, Andreea Iren Serban and Oana-Mărgărita Ghimpeteanu
Foods 2024, 13(16), 2552; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13162552 - 16 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1665
Abstract
Developing of functional foods is a promising strategy to reduce the increasing burden of colorectal cancer worldwide. Fruit pomace, particularly polyphenol and anthocyanin-rich chokeberry and blueberry, is a valuable ingredient for functional foods and nutraceuticals. Our study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and [...] Read more.
Developing of functional foods is a promising strategy to reduce the increasing burden of colorectal cancer worldwide. Fruit pomace, particularly polyphenol and anthocyanin-rich chokeberry and blueberry, is a valuable ingredient for functional foods and nutraceuticals. Our study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects of chokeberry and blueberry pomace extracts on C2BBe1 colorectal carcinoma cells and explore the underlying signaling pathways. We analyzed both pomace extracts for total polyphenols and anthocyanins using Folin-Ciocalteu method and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, while antioxidative activity was assessed via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method. We evaluated the in vitro anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects using trypan blue exclusion, MTT and LDH assays, and assessed protein levels of p-Erk1/2, Akt-1, STAT1, STAT3, occludin, oxidized proteins, and MDA-protein adducts through western blotting, as well as analysis of a 37-plex panel of inflammatory markers. Chokeberry extracts exhibited higher total polyphenol content, anthocyanin levels, and antioxidative activity compared to blueberry extracts, however, blueberry extracts effects on cell viability and proliferation in C2BBe1 cells were stronger. Both fruit pomaces induced non-inflammatory cell death characterized by membrane integrity loss, beneficial in cancer therapy. Our data suggests chokeberry’s cytotoxicity may be mediated by Erk signaling and Akt-1 inhibition, while blueberry uniquely decreased occludin levels. These berries pomaces’ potential to mitigate cancer risks and enhance treatment efficacy is promising, warranting further investigation for functional foods development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyphenols and Health Benefits: 2nd Edition)
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