scholarly journals The Potential Health Benefits of Papaya Seeds

Author(s):  
Shaistha Saba

Abstract: Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit having commercial importance because of its high nutritive and medicinal value. Papaya seeds are traditionally used by human beings from centuries to heal many illnesses. Papaya seeds contains antioxidants and antimicrobial virtues which gives protection against harmful free radicals and reduce rate of cancer and heart disease. Papaya seeds contain a variety of essential macro and micronutrients. The papaya seeds contain large amounts of nutrients, including fibre which is effective for combating constipation and other digestive problems. Seeds can be used to treat health complications such as urinary tract infection, candidiasis and sepsis. Papaya seeds are sometimes used in salads and can even be used as a substitute for black pepper. Products developed from papaya seeds are considered to be nutritionally rich with diverse sources of all nutrients. Papaya seeds have the potential to produce oil with nutritional and functional properties highly similar to olive oil. The papaya seed, and products may be useful for bio-fuel, medicinal and industrial purposes. Therefore, Papaya seeds are usually thrown away but their proper utilization can lead to the development of novel drug in medicine and considered as safe for consumption. ‘In this review subtopics covered are nutritional and Phytochemicals composition, antioxidant effect, antibacterial Activity, anthelminthic effect, Phytochemicals with Anticancer activity, Lycopene and isothiocyanate applications in papaya, papaya seed products and in vivo animal studies.’

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Sambale ◽  
Frank Stahl ◽  
Ferdinand Rüdinger ◽  
Dror Seliktar ◽  
Cornelia Kasper ◽  
...  

Nanoparticles have the potential to exhibit risks to human beings and to the environment; due to the wide applications of nanoproducts, extensive risk management must not be neglected. Therefore, we have constructed a cell-based, iterative screening system to examine a variety of nanoproducts concerning their toxicity during development. The sensitivity and application of various cell-based methods were discussed and proven by applying the screening to two different nanoparticles: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. They were used as benchmarks to set up our methods and to examine their effects on mammalian cell lines. Different biological processes such as cell viability, gene expression of interleukin-8 and heat shock protein 70, as well as morphology changes were investigated. Within our screening system, both nanoparticle suspensions and coatings can be tested. Electric cell impedance measurements revealed to be a good method for online monitoring of cellular behavior. The implementation of three-dimensional cell culture is essential to better mimicin vivoconditions. In conclusion, our screening system is highly efficient, cost minimizing, and reduces the need for animal studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Lange ◽  
Yukiko Nakamura

Entomophagy (consumption of insects) is an issue of global nutritional and environmental interest. The nutritional value of insects appears to be high, since they are rich in protein and fat and provide a range of vitamins and minerals. Edible insects contain similar amounts of protein to conventional meat and higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Due to their high content of protein, micronutrients and fiber, insects could become a valuable alternative to food derived from other animals. The findings of various in vitro and in vivo animal studies suggest beneficial effects of entomophagy with respect to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and non-communicable diseases as well as immune functions and carcinogenesis. Edible insects appear to be a promising and insufficiently explored source of macronutrients, micronutrients and food bioactives. In the course of time, some edible insects may meet the criteria of functional food ingredients. However, there is a significant lack of research investigating health outcomes in humans. The available evidence in humans, derived from randomized controlled trials, suggests a role of edible insects in the promotion of mineral status and the modulation of gut microbiota, with some prebiotic effects. High-quality clinical studies assessing efficacy, oral intake safety and allergy risk are needed.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2121
Author(s):  
Rainer Ziegenhagen ◽  
Katharina Heimberg ◽  
Alfonso Lampen ◽  
Karen Ildico Hirsch-Ernst

Piperine is a natural ingredient of Piper nigrum (black pepper) and some other Piper species. Compared to the use of pepper for food seasoning, piperine is used in food supplements in an isolated, concentrated form and ingested as a bolus. The present review focuses on the assessment of the possible critical health effects regarding the use of isolated piperine as a single ingredient in food supplements. In human and animal studies with single or short-term bolus application of isolated piperine, interactions with several drugs, in most cases resulting in increased drug bioavailability, were observed. Depending on the drug and extent of the interaction, such interactions may carry the risk of unintended deleteriously increased or adverse drug effects. Animal studies with higher daily piperine bolus doses than in human interaction studies provide indications of disturbance of spermatogenesis and of maternal reproductive and embryotoxic effects. Although the available human studies rarely reported effects that were regarded as being adverse, their suitability for detailed risk assessment is limited due to an insufficient focus on safety parameters apart from drug interactions, as well as due to the lack of investigation of the potentially adverse effects observed in animal studies and/or combined administration of piperine with other substances. Taken together, it appears advisable to consider the potential health risks related to intake of isolated piperine in bolus form, e.g., when using certain food supplements.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 755-764
Author(s):  
Benjamin B. Rothrauff ◽  
Rocky S. Tuan

Bone possesses an intrinsic regenerative capacity, which can be compromised by aging, disease, trauma, and iatrogenesis (e.g. tumor resection, pharmacological). At present, autografts and allografts are the principal biological treatments available to replace large bone segments, but both entail several limitations that reduce wider use and consistent success. The use of decellularized extracellular matrices (ECM), often derived from xenogeneic sources, has been shown to favorably influence the immune response to injury and promote site-appropriate tissue regeneration. Decellularized bone ECM (dbECM), utilized in several forms — whole organ, particles, hydrogels — has shown promise in both in vitro and in vivo animal studies to promote osteogenic differentiation of stem/progenitor cells and enhance bone regeneration. However, dbECM has yet to be investigated in clinical studies, which are needed to determine the relative efficacy of this emerging biomaterial as compared with established treatments. This mini-review highlights the recent exploration of dbECM as a biomaterial for skeletal tissue engineering and considers modifications on its future use to more consistently promote bone regeneration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Najmi Mohamad Anuar ◽  
Nurul Iman Natasya Zulkafali ◽  
Azizah Ugusman

: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc-dependent metallo-endopeptidase that are responsible towards the degradation, repair and remodelling of extracellular matrix components. MMPs play an important role in maintaining a normal physiological function and preventing diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Natural products derived from plants have been used as traditional medicine for centuries. Its active compounds, such as catechin, resveratrol and quercetin, are suggested to play an important role as MMPs inhibitors, thereby opening new insights into their applications in many fields, such as pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. This review summarises the current knowledge on plant-derived natural products with MMP-modulating activities. Most of the reviewed plant-derived products exhibit an inhibitory activity on MMPs. Amongst MMPs, MMP-2 and MMP-9 are the most studied. The expression of MMPs is inhibited through respective signalling pathways, such as MAPK, NF-κB and PI3 kinase pathways, which contribute to the reduction in cancer cell behaviours, such as proliferation and migration. Most studies have employed in vitro models, but a limited number of animal studies and clinical trials have been conducted. Even though plant-derived products show promising results in modulating MMPs, more in vivo studies and clinical trials are needed to support their therapeutic applications in the future.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 745
Author(s):  
Enrico Bergamaschi ◽  
Giacomo Garzaro ◽  
Georgia Wilson Jones ◽  
Martina Buglisi ◽  
Michele Caniglia ◽  
...  

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are erroneously considered as singular material entities. Instead, they should be regarded as a heterogeneous class of materials bearing different properties eliciting peculiar biological outcomes both in vitro and in vivo. Given the pace at which the industrial production of CNTs/CNFs is increasing, it is becoming of utmost importance to acquire comprehensive knowledge regarding their biological activity and their hazardous effects in humans. Animal studies carried out by inhalation showed that some CNTs/CNFs species can cause deleterious effects such as inflammation and lung tissue remodeling. Their physico-chemical properties, biological behavior and biopersistence make them similar to asbestos fibers. Human studies suggest some mild effects in workers handling CNT/CNF. However, owing to their cross-sectional design, researchers have been as yet unable to firmly demonstrate a causal relationship between such an exposure and the observed effects. Estimation of acceptable exposure levels should warrant a proper risk management. The aim of this review is to challenge the conception of CNTs/CNFs as a single, unified material entity and prompt the establishment of standardized hazard and exposure assessment methodologies able to properly feeding risk assessment and management frameworks.


Author(s):  
Liisa Andersen ◽  
Sus Sola Corazon ◽  
Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter

Given the drastic changes in our lifestyles and ecosystems worldwide, the potential health effects of natural environments have grown into a highly pervasive topic. Recent scientific findings suggest beneficial effects from nature exposure on human immune responses. This review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of literature published on immunomodulatory effects of nature exposure by inhalation of natural substances. A systematic database search was performed in SCOPUS and PubMed. The quality and potential bias of included studies (n = 33) were assessed by applying the EPHPP (Effective Public Health Practice Project) tool for human studies and the ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) and SYRCLE (Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation) tools for animal studies. The synthesis of reviewed studies points to positive effects of nature exposure on immunological health parameters; such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic effects or increased NK (natural killer) cell activity. Decreased expression of pro-inflammatory molecules, infiltration of leukocytes and release of cytotoxic mediators are outcomes that may serve as a baseline for further studies. However, partially weak study designs evoked uncertainties about outcome reproducibility and key questions remain open concerning effect sizes, duration of exposure and contributions of specific vegetation or ecosystem types.


Chemosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 130826
Author(s):  
Anabel González-Acedo ◽  
Enrique García-Recio ◽  
Rebeca Illescas-Montes ◽  
Javier Ramos-Torrecillas ◽  
Lucía Melguizo-Rodríguez ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Alessio Facciolà ◽  
Giuseppa Visalli ◽  
Marianna Pruiti Ciarello ◽  
Angela Di Pietro

Plastics are ubiquitous persistent pollutants, forming the most representative material of the Anthropocene. In the environment, they undergo wear and tear (i.e., mechanical fragmentation, and slow photo and thermo-oxidative degradation) forming secondary microplastics (MPs). Further fragmentation of primary and secondary MPs results in nanoplastics (NPs). To assess potential health damage due to human exposure to airborne MPs and NPs, we summarize the evidence collected to date that, however, has almost completely focused on monitoring and the effects of airborne MPs. Only in vivo and in vitro studies have assessed the toxicity of NPs, and a standardized method for their analysis in environmental matrices is still missing. The main sources of indoor and outdoor exposure to these pollutants include synthetic textile fibers, rubber tires, upholstery and household furniture, and landfills. Although both MPs and NPs can reach the alveolar surface, the latter can pass into the bloodstream, overcoming the pulmonary epithelial barrier. Despite the low reactivity, the number of surface area atoms per unit mass is high in MPs and NPs, greatly enhancing the surface area for chemical reactions with bodily fluids and tissue in direct contact. This is proven in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and flock workers, who are prone to persistent inflammatory stimulation, leading to pulmonary fibrosis or even carcinogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hu Zhu ◽  
Catherine Z. Chen ◽  
Srilatha Sakamuru ◽  
Jinghua Zhao ◽  
Deborah K. Ngan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe recent global pandemic of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 presents an urgent need for the development of new therapeutic candidates. Many efforts have been devoted to screening existing drug libraries with the hope to repurpose approved drugs as potential treatments for COVID-19. However, the antiviral mechanisms of action of the drugs found active in these phenotypic screens remain largely unknown. In an effort to deconvolute the viral targets in pursuit of more effective anti-COVID-19 drug development, we mined our in-house database of approved drug screens against 994 assays and compared their activity profiles with the drug activity profile in a cytopathic effect (CPE) assay of SARS-CoV-2. We found that the autophagy and AP-1 signaling pathway activity profiles are significantly correlated with the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity profile. In addition, a class of neurology/psychiatry drugs was found to be significantly enriched with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Taken together, these results provide new insights into SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential targets for COVID-19 therapeutics, which can be further validated by in vivo animal studies and human clinical trials.


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