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Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 27692

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Dr. Agnieszka Bialek

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School of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: cancer; lipidomics; conjugated fatty acids; bioactive compounds; dietary supplements; pregnancy; polyunsaturated fatty acids; nutrigenomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Pawel Pasko

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Department of Food Chemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: functional foods; interaction between drugs and food; fortification of food; dietary supplements; sulphur
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Proper nutrition, comprising both its quantity and quality, is one of the most important factors for human health. Food of different origins (plant, animal, mushroom, marine organisms, microorganisms) is considered the richest and the most widely available source of bioactive compounds, which may have a beneficial or harmful influence on human health. Food products contain primary biologically active ingredients, including small molecule compounds, essential and trace elements, different macromolecules, as well as secondary metabolites of plants or mushroom origin or fermentation products from microorganisms. Their isolation, quantitative analysis, in silico studies, as well as the evaluation of their biological properties in the in vitro and in vivo models or clinical trials, are within the scope of this Special Issue. Investigations about possible interactions between food components themselves, but also with drugs, are highly encouraged. Original articles, systematic reviews, reviews, mini-reviews, and clinical trial articles addressing the most recent developments and emerging trends in the field of bioactive components of food products are welcomed. We hope that the articles gathered in this Special Issue will highlight the meaning of food products as main sources of bioactive compounds and their role in ensuring health or diminishing the risk of different diseases.

Dr. Agnieszka Bialek
Dr. Pawel Pasko
Guest Editors

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Keywords

food
diet
nutrition
risk factors
health
bioactive compounds
dietary supplements

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Supplements Containing Iron—Comparison of Actual Content with Declared Content and Health Consequences

by Anna Puścion-Jakubik, Klaudia Maria Zimnoch and Katarzyna Socha

Molecules 2024, 29(20), 4796; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29204796 - 10 Oct 2024

Viewed by 595

Abstract

The use of food supplements (FSs) is becoming an increasingly common trend observed in society. This is related to frequently observed nutritional deficiencies and the inability to provide sufficient amounts of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, through the diet. The ease of registering FSs sometimes results in low-quality preparations on the market. Therefore, our research aimed to assess the content of one of the most popular trace element components, iron (Fe), in FSs available in Poland. This study covered 109 preparations purchased from stationary pharmacies and online pharmacies. The following criteria were used to characterize FSs in the data analysis: the Fe content declared by the manufacturer, pharmaceutical form, type of Fe salt, manufacturer’s country of origin, contents of other trace elements or minerals, presence of additional ingredients, age of the target group, and addition of vitamins B2, B6, B12, and C. The Fe content was quantified using atomic absorption spectrometry after mineralization using microwaves. It was demonstrated that 69.73% of the preparations contained more Fe than the value declared by the manufacturer (and corrected for permissible deviations), 11.00% contained less Fe than declared, and only 19.27% were within the norm. In summary, the FS market requires the improvement of manufacturing processes and increased control, which should translate into patient safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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14 pages, 1007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Effects of In Vitro Simulated Digestion on Antioxidant Activity and Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds in Purple Rice Bran Extracts

by Pitchaporn Wanyo, Tossaporn Chamsai, Nitchara Toontom, Le Ke Nghiep and Kukiat Tudpor

Molecules 2024, 29(13), 2994; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29132994 - 24 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1417

Abstract

Pigmented rice varieties are abundant in phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds are modified in the gastrointestinal tract. After in vitro simulated digestion, changes in antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins) in purple rice brans (Hom Nil and Riceberry) were compared with undigested crude extracts. The digestion method was conducted following the INFOGEST protocol. Antioxidant activity was determined using the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity assays. The bioaccessibility index (BI) was calculated from the ratio of digested to undigested soluble phenolic content. Overall results showed that the in vitro simulated digested rice brans had lower antioxidant activity and lower total phenolic, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents. However, the concentration of sinapic acid was stable, while other phenolic acids (gallic, protocatechuic, vanillic, ρ-coumaric, and ferulic acids) degraded after the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases. The BI of sinapic, gallic, vanillic, and ferulic acids remained stable, and the BI of quercetin was resistant to digestion. Conversely, anthocyanins degraded during the intestinal phase. In conclusion, selective phenolic compounds are lost along the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting that controlled food delivery is of further interest. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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12 pages, 1497 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of a β-Glucan-Rich Blend of Medicinal Mushrooms and Botanicals on Innate Immune Cell Activation and Function Are Enhanced by a Very Low Dose of Bovine Colostrum Peptides

by Gitte S. Jensen, Dina Cruickshank and Debby E. Hamilton

Molecules 2024, 29(12), 2787; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29122787 - 12 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1081

Abstract

Nutraceutical immune support offers potential for designing blends with complementary mechanisms of action for robust support of innate immune alertness. We documented enhanced immune activation when bovine colostrum peptides (BC-Pep) were added to an immune blend (IB) containing β-glucans from yeast, shiitake, maitake, and botanical non-β-glucan polysaccharides. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with IB, BC-Pep, and IB + BC-Pep for 20 h, whereafter expression of the activation marker CD69 was evaluated on NK cells, NKT cells, and T cells. Cytokine levels were tested in culture supernatants. PBMCs were co-cultured with K562 target cells to evaluate T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. IB + BC-Pep triggered highly significant increases in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, above that of cultures treated with matching doses of either IB or BC-Pep. NK cell and T cell activation was increased by IB + BC-Pep, reaching levels of CD69 expression several fold higher than either BC-Pep or IB alone. IB + BC-Pep significantly increased T cell-mediated cytotoxic killing of K562 target cells. This synergistic effect suggests unique amplification of signal transduction of NK cells and T cells due to modulation of IB-induced signaling pathways by BC-Pep and is of interest for further pre-clinical and clinical testing of immune defense activity against virally infected and transformed cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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21 pages, 5085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anti-Obesity Effect and Mechanism of Chitooligosaccharides Were Revealed Based on Lipidomics in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

by Minchuan Zhou, Jingqing Huang, Jingwen Zhou, Cuiting Zhi, Yan Bai, Qishi Che, Hua Cao, Jiao Guo and Zhengquan Su

Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5595; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145595 - 23 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2462

Abstract

Chitooligosaccharide (COS) is a natural product from the ocean, and while many studies have reported its important role in metabolic diseases, no study has systematically elaborated the anti-obesity effect and mechanism of COS. Herein, COSM (MW ≤ 3000 Da) was administered to diet-induced obese mice by oral gavage once daily for eight weeks. The results show that COSM administration reduced body weight; slowed weight gain; reduced serum Glu, insulin, NEFA, TC, TG, and LDL-C levels; increased serum HSL and HDL-C levels; improved inflammation; and reduced lipid droplet size in adipose tissue. Further lipidomic analysis of adipose tissue revealed that 31 lipid species are considered to be underlying lipid biomarkers in COS therapy. These lipids are mainly enriched in pathways involving insulin resistance, thermogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, glyceride metabolism and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which sheds light on the weight loss mechanism of COS. The Western blot assay demonstrated that COSM intervention can improve insulin resistance, inhibit de novo synthesis, and promote thermogenesis and β-oxidation in mitochondria by the AMPK pathway, thereby alleviating high-fat diet-induced obesity. In short, our study can provide a more comprehensive direction for the application of COS in obesity based on molecular markers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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21 pages, 4911 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selenium Organic Content Prediction in Jengkol (Archidendron pauciflorum) and Its Molecular Interaction with Cardioprotection Receptors PPAR-γ, NF-κB, and PI3K

by Ayu Shalihat, Ronny Lesmana, Aliya Nur Hasanah and Mutakin Mutakin

Molecules 2023, 28(10), 3984; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28103984 - 9 May 2023

Viewed by 2002

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is a trace mineral found in plants with a distinct sulfuric odor that is cardioprotective and reported to have low toxicity. West Java, Indonesia, has a variety of plants with a distinct odor that are consumed raw, such as jengkol (Archidendron pauciflorum). This study is conducted to determine the Se content of jengkol using the fluorometric method, where the jengkol extract is separated, and the Se content is detected using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), combined with fluorometry. Two fractions with the highest Se concentration (A and B) are found and characterized using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to predict the organic Se content by comparing the results with those in the external literature. The Se content of fraction (A) is found to be selenomethionine (m/z 198), gamma glutamyl-methyl-selenocysteine-(GluMetSeCys; m/z 313), and the Se-sulfur (S) conjugate of cysteine-selenoglutathione (m/z 475). Furthermore, these compounds are docked on receptors involved in cardioprotection. The receptors are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/AKT). The interaction of receptor and ligan that has the lowest binding energy of the docking simulation is measured with molecular dynamic simulation. MD is performed to observe bond stability and conformation based on root mean square deviation, root mean square fluctuation, radius gyration, and MM-PBSA parameters. The results of the MD simulation show that the stability of the complex organic Se compounds tested with the receptors is lower than that of the native ligand, while the binding energy is lower than that of the native ligand based on the MM-PSBA parameter. This indicates that the predicted organic Se in jengkol, i.e., gamma-GluMetSeCys to PPAR-γ, gamma-GluMetSeCys AKT/PI3K, and Se-S conjugate of cysteine-selenoglutathione to NF-κB, has the best interaction results and provides a cardioprotection effect, compared to the molecular interaction of the test ligands with the receptors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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14 pages, 2717 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Protective Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation against Doxorubicin-Induced Deleterious Effects on the Liver and Kidneys of Rats

by Sara Gomes Espírito Santo, Marina Gaiato Monte, Bertha Furlan Polegato, Luís Fernando Barbisan and Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3004; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073004 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2690

Abstract

Anthracycline doxorubicin (DOX) is still widely used as a chemotherapeutic drug for some solid tumors. Although DOX is highly effective, its side effects are limiting factors, such as cardio, nephro and hepatotoxicity. As such, approaches used to mitigate these adverse effects are highly encouraged. Omega 3 (ω-3), which is a class of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in preclinical bioassays. Thus, we evaluated the protective effects of ω-3 supplementation on hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by multiple DOX administrations in rodents. Male Wistar rats (10 rats/group) were treated daily with ω-3 (400 mg/kg/day) by gavage for six weeks. Two weeks after the first ω-3 administration, the rats received DOX (3.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, 1×/week) for four weeks. DOX treatment reduced body weight gain increased systemic genotoxicity and caused liver-related (increase in serum ALT levels, thickness of the Glisson’s capsule, compensatory proliferation and p65 levels) and kidney-related (increase in serum urea and creatinine levels, and incidence of tubular dilatation) deleterious outcomes. In contrast, ω-3 supplementation was safe and abrogated the DOX-related enhancement of systemic genotoxicity, serum urea and creatinine levels. Furthermore, ω-3 intervention reduced by 50% the incidence of kidney histological lesions while reducing by 40–50% the p65 protein level, and the proliferative response in the liver induced by DOX. Our findings indicate that ω-3 intervention attenuated the DOX-induced deleterious effects in the liver and kidney. Therefore, our findings may inspire future mechanistical investigations and clinical interventions with ω-3 on the reported outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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21 pages, 2796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chickpea and Lupin Sprouts, Stimulated by Different LED Lights, As Novel Examples of Isoflavones-Rich Functional Food, and Their Impact on Breast and Prostate Cells

by Agnieszka Galanty, Paweł Zagrodzki, Marina Miret and Paweł Paśko

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 9030; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27249030 - 18 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2175

Abstract

Among all legumes sprouts’ active compounds, isoflavones seem to be the most important; nevertheless, their high content is not always associated with beneficial effects. These compounds may prevent or stimulate hormone-dependent cancers due to their estrogen-like activity. Different LED light quality can change the synthesis of active compounds and significantly influence the biological activity of the sprouts. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of LED light (red, blue, green, yellow), as well as total darkness, and natural light conditions (as reference), on isoflavones content, determined by HPLC-UV-VIS, during 10 days of harvesting of chickpea and lupin sprouts. Due to the ambiguous estrogenic potential of isoflavones, the impact of these sprouts on normal and cancer prostate and breast cells was evaluated. Yellow LED light resulted in the highest sum of isoflavones in chickpea sprouts (up to 1 g/100 g dw), while for green LED light, the isoflavones sum was the lowest. The exact opposite effect was noted for lupin sprouts, with the predominance of green over the yellow LED light. The examined sprouts were of high safety to non-neoplastic breast and prostate cells, with interesting cytotoxic effects on breast MCF7 and prostate DU145 cancer cells. No clear relationship was observed between the activity and isoflavones content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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Review

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26 pages, 924 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Chemical Composition and Health-Promoting Benefits of Vegetable Oils—A Review

by Mingke Tian, Yuchen Bai, Hongyu Tian and Xuebing Zhao

Molecules 2023, 28(17), 6393; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28176393 - 1 Sep 2023

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 9762

Abstract

With population and economic development increasing worldwide, the public is increasingly concerned with the health benefits and nutritional properties of vegetable oils (VOs). In this review, the chemical composition and health-promoting benefits of 39 kinds of VOs were selected and summarized using Web of Science ^TM as the main bibliographic databases. The characteristic chemical compositions were analyzed from fatty acid composition, tocols, phytosterols, squalene, carotenoids, phenolics, and phospholipids. Health benefits including antioxidant activity, prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, diabetes treatment, and kidney and liver protection were examined according to the key components in representative VOs. Every type of vegetable oil has shown its own unique chemical composition with significant variation in each key component and thereby illustrated their own specific advantages and health effects. Therefore, different types of VOs can be selected to meet individual needs accordingly. For example, to prevent CVD, more unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols should be supplied by consuming pomegranate seed oil, flaxseed oil, or rice bran oil, while coconut oil or perilla seed oil have higher contents of total phenolics and might be better choices for diabetics. Several oils such as olive oil, corn oil, cress oil, and rice bran oil were recommended for their abundant nutritional ingredients, but the intake of only one type of vegetable oil might have drawbacks. This review increases the comprehensive understanding of the correlation between health effects and the characteristic composition of VOs, and provides future trends towards their utilization for the general public’s nutrition, balanced diet, and as a reference for disease prevention. Nevertheless, some VOs are in the early stages of research and lack enough reliable data and long-term or large consumption information of the effect on the human body, therefore further investigations will be needed for their health benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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20 pages, 829 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Antioxidant, ACE-Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Peptides from Legume Protein Hydrolysates

by Deia Tawalbeh, Muhammad H. Al-U’datt, Wan Amir Nizam Wan Ahmad, Fisal Ahmad and Norizah Mhd Sarbon

Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062423 - 7 Mar 2023

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4212

Abstract

Consumption of legumes has been shown to enhance health and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and specific types of cancer. ACE inhibitors, antioxidants, and synthetic anti-inflammatories are widely used today; however, they have several undesirable side effects. Thus, researchers have focused on finding ACE inhibitors, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory peptides from natural sources, such as legumes. Recently, in vitro and in vivo research has shown the bioactive peptides generated from legume protein hydrolysates, such as antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anticancer, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, etc., in the context of different disease mitigation. Therefore, this review aims to describe the recent advances in in vitro and in vivo studies of antioxidant, anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory peptides isolated from legume-derived protein hydrolysates. The results indicated that antioxidant legumes peptides are characterized by short-chain sequence amino acids and possess anti-hypertensive properties by reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Food: Characterization and Role in Human Health)

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