A Review of Procyanidin: Updates on Current Bioactivities and Potential Health Benefits

Procyanidin is an abundant polyphenol found in nature. It is composed of flavan-3-ol units, including catechin and epicatechin. Procyanidin is a polyphenolic polymer found in abundance in grapes, cranberries, apples, tea, cocoa, and pine bark. Procyanidin possessed antioxidant, anticancer, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and antiallergy properties and protected against chronic diseases and metabolic disorders. Consequently, procyanidin may protect against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and immune-related diseases. Procyanidin acts as an anti-inflammatory, inhibits adipogenesis, melanogenesis, oxidative stress, and enhances lipid metabolism and macrophage activity. The current review summarized the numerous potential health benefits of procyanidin. Despite recent advances, multiple questions and challenges remain regarding procyanidin’s action, biogenesis, and bioavailability mechanisms. Further investigation of procyanidin’s metabolism, genetics, and cellular effects is necessary and should be pursued.

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Potential Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Spilanthes acmella and Its Health Beneficial Effects: A Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073532 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3532

Author(s):

Rohanizah Abdul Rahim ◽

Putri Ayu Jayusman ◽

Norliza Muhammad ◽

Norazlina Mohamed ◽

Vuanghao Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Potential Role ◽

Radical Scavenging ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substance ◽

Potential Health ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Spilanthes Acmella ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Oxidative stress and inflammation are two common risk factors of various life-threatening disease pathogenesis. In recent years, medicinal plants that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were extensively studied for their potential role in treating and preventing diseases. Spilanthes acmella (S. acmella), which has been traditionally used to treat toothache in Malaysia, contains various active metabolites responsible for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anesthetic bioactivities. These bioactivities were attributed to bioactive compounds, such as phenolic, flavonoids, and alkamides. The review focused on the summarization of in vitro and in vivo experimental reports on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions of S. acmella, as well as how they contributed to potential health benefits in lowering the risk of diseases that were related to oxidative stress. The molecular mechanism of S. acmella in reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory targets, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), transcription factors of the nuclear factor-κB family (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were discussed. Besides, the antioxidant potential of S. acmella was measured by total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and superoxide anion radical scavenging (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) assays. This review revealed that S. acmella might have a potential role as a reservoir of bioactive agents contributing to the observed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and health beneficial effects.

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Nutraceutical potentials of synergic foods: a systematic review

Journal of Ethnic Foods ◽

10.1186/s42779-019-0033-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tharani Devi Natarajan ◽

Janci Rani Ramasamy ◽

Kirthika Palanisamy

Keyword(s):

Chronic Diseases ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Nutrient Deficiency ◽

Value Added ◽

Well Being ◽

Active Role ◽

The Body ◽

Health Food ◽

Potential Health ◽

Nutrition Research

AbstractFood synergy is a concept of linking foods to health. Food consists of mixtures of nutrients, serving as a fuel for the body. When synergistic foods are put together, the evidence for potential health benefits becomes stronger than individual foods. Nutrient deficiency is a known phenomenon in many individuals, and synergy plays a very important role in combating the nutritional deficiency. Today’s consumer expresses high interest to build knowledge on the active role of food in their well-being, as well as in the prevention of non-transmissible chronic diseases. Functional foods and their active compounds play a vital role in preventing chronic diseases, improving immunity, and decreasing infections. The concept of synergy is an overthinking in nutrition research which can enhance effective dietary planning value added to the forthcoming nutrition research. This paper gives an overview of various synergic combinations of food components and their interactions within the food and with the human system to attain ideal health benefits.

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Mushroom consumption, biomarkers, and risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study of US women and men

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ◽

10.1093/ajcn/nqz057 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 110 (3) ◽

pp. 666-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dong Hoon Lee ◽

Meng Yang ◽

Edward L Giovannucci ◽

Qi Sun ◽

Jorge E Chavarro

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Health Study ◽

Potential Health ◽

Cardiometabolic Diseases

ABSTRACT Background Mushrooms are good dietary sources of important vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds which may be important in the prevention of chronic diseases. However, studies have not prospectively evaluated the potential health effects of mushrooms with respect to major cardiometabolic diseases. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the association of mushroom consumption with major cardiometabolic diseases and mediating biomarkers in 2 large prospective US cohorts. Methods We followed 67,139 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1986–2012) and 43,541 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986–2012) who were free of chronic diseases. Mushroom consumption was assessed at baseline through the use of a food-frequency questionnaire. Cardiometabolic biomarkers were collected in subpopulations of the 2 cohorts. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, and type 2 diabetes (T2D), associated with mushroom consumption. Results We identified total 11,894 CVD (7,616 CHD; 4,278 stroke), and 10,206 T2D cases in >2 million person-years of follow-up. In the pooled multivariable-adjusted analysis, participants who consumed ≥5 servings of mushrooms per week had no significantly different risk of total CVD (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.14), CHD (HR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.16), stroke (HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.25), or T2D (HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.16) than participants who consumed mushrooms <1 time/mo. We consistently found no association between mushroom consumption and the aforementioned cardiometabolic diseases, in subgroups of sex, lifestyle factors, and medical conditions. Moreover, mushroom consumption was not associated with plasma biomarkers of lipids, insulin, and inflammation. Conclusions We found no association of mushroom consumption with biomarkers and risks of CVD and T2D in US adults. More large prospective cohort studies are warranted to investigate this association in other racial/ethnic groups.

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Bioactive Compounds in Edible Oils and Their Role in Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.659551 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Alessandra Mazzocchi ◽

Valentina De Cosmi ◽

Patrizia Risé ◽

Gregorio Paolo Milani ◽

Stefano Turolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Edible Oils ◽

Fats And Oils ◽

Bioactive Lipids ◽

Edible Fats ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Diet and inflammatory response are recognized as strictly related, and interest in exploring the potential of edible fats and oils for health and chronic diseases is emerging worldwide. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) present in fish oil (FO), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may be partly converted into oxygenated bioactive lipids with anti-inflammatory and/or pro-resolving activities. Moreover, the co-presence of phenolic compounds and vitamins in edible oils may prevent the development of chronic diseases by their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory activities. Finally, a high content in mono-unsaturated fatty acids may improve the serum lipid profile and decrease the alterations caused by the oxidized low-density lipoproteins and free radicals. The present review aims to highlight the role of lipids and other bioactive compounds contained in edible oils on oxidative stress and inflammation, focusing on critical and controversial issues that recently emerged, and pointing to the opposing role often played by edible oils components and their oxidized metabolites.

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Potential Health Benefits of Curcumin on Female Reproductive Disorders: A Review

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13093126 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 3126

Author(s):

Datu Agasi Mohd Kamal ◽

Norizam Salamt ◽

Allia Najmie Muhammad Yusuf ◽

Mohd Izhar Ariff Mohd Kashim ◽

Mohd Helmy Mokhtar

Keyword(s):

Polycystic Ovary ◽

Health Benefits ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Corpora Lutea ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Reproductive Disorders ◽

Potential Health ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Ovarian Diseases ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Curcumin is one of the main polyphenolic compounds in the turmeric rhizome. It possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-arthritis, anti-asthmatic, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential health benefits of curcumin to treat female reproductive disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ovarian failure and endometriosis. Comprehensive information on curcumin was retrieved from electronic databases, which were MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, Scopus and Google Scholar. The available evidence showed that curcumin reduced the high level of androgen in PCOS. Studies in rodents suggest that curcumin resulted in the disappearance of cysts and the appearance of healthy follicles and corpora lutea. Furthermore, animal studies showed curcumin improved the overall function of the ovary in ovarian diseases and reversed the disturbance in oxidative stress parameters. Meanwhile, in vitro and in vivo studies reported the positive effects of curcumin in alleviating endometriosis through anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic mechanisms. Thus, curcumin possesses various effects on PCOS, ovarian diseases and endometriosis. Some studies found considerable therapeutic effects, whereas others found no effect. However, none of the investigations found curcumin to be harmful. Curcumin clinical trials in endometriosis and ovarian illness are still scarce; thus, future studies need to be conducted to confirm the safety and efficacy of curcumin before it could be offered as a complementary therapy agent.

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Naturally Lignan-Rich Foods: A Dietary Tool for Health Promotion?

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules24050917 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 917 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Carmen Rodríguez-García ◽

Cristina Sánchez-Quesada ◽

Estefanía Toledo ◽

Miguel Delgado-Rodríguez ◽

José Gaforio

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Chemical Structure ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Polyphenol Content ◽

Potential Health ◽

Bioactive Properties ◽

Health Promoting

Dietary guidelines universally advise adherence to plant-based diets. Plant-based foods confer considerable health benefits, partly attributable to their abundant micronutrient (e.g., polyphenol) content. Interest in polyphenols is largely focused on the contribution of their antioxidant activity to the prevention of various disorders, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Polyphenols are classified into groups, such as stilbenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans and others. Lignans, which possess a steroid-like chemical structure and are defined as phytoestrogens, are of particular interest to researchers. Traditionally, health benefits attributed to lignans have included a lowered risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and breast cancer. However, the intake of naturally lignan-rich foods varies with the type of diet. Consequently, based on the latest humans’ findings and gathered information on lignan-rich foods collected from Phenol Explorer database this review focuses on the potential health benefits attributable to the consumption of different diets containing naturally lignan-rich foods. Current evidence highlight the bioactive properties of lignans as human health-promoting molecules. Thus, dietary intake of lignan-rich foods could be a useful way to bolster the prevention of chronic illness, such as certain types of cancers and cardiovascular disease.

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The anti-inflammatory effect of exercise: its role in diabetes and cardiovascular disease control

Essays in Biochemistry ◽

10.1042/bse0420105 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 105-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 170

Author(s):

Bente Klarlund Pedersen

Keyword(s):

Insulin Resistance ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

The Body ◽

Muscle Fibres ◽

Low Grade ◽

Regular Exercise ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Chronic low-grade systemic inflammation is a feature of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise offers protection against all-cause mortality, primarily by protection against atherosclerosis and insulin resistance and there is evidence that physical training is effective as a treatment in patients with chronic heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise induces anti-inflammatory actions. During exercise, IL-6 (interleukin-6) is produced by muscle fibres. IL-6 stimulates the appearance in the circulation of other anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ra (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist) and IL-10 (interleukin-10) and inhibits the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-a (tumour necrosis factor-a). In addition, IL-6 enhances lipid turnover, stimulating lipolysis as well as fat oxidation. It is suggested that regular exercise induces suppression of TNF-a and thereby offers protection against TNF-a-induced insulin resistance. Recently, IL-6 was introduced as the first myokine, defined as a cytokine, that is produced and released by contracting skeletal muscle fibres, exerting its effects in other organs of the body. Myokines may be involved in mediating the beneficial health effects against chronic diseases associated with low-grade inflammation such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

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Açai Fruits: Potent Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Superfruits with Potential Health Benefits

Dried Fruits ◽

10.1002/9781118464663.ch21 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 393-413

Author(s):

Alexander G. Schauss

Keyword(s):

Health Benefits ◽

Potential Health ◽

Anti Inflammatory

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Cocoa Polyphenols: Can We Consider Cocoa and Chocolate as Potential Functional Food?

Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2013/289392 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Djurdjica Ackar ◽

Kristina Valek Lendić ◽

Marina Valek ◽

Drago Šubarić ◽

Borislav Miličević ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Functional Food ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Dark Chocolate ◽

Potential Health ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Short Overview ◽

Anti Inflammatory

Chocolate has been consumed as confection, aphrodisiac, and folk medicine for many years before science proved its potential health benefiting effects. Main compounds of cocoa and chocolate which contribute to human health are polyphenols that act as antioxidants and have potential anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antihepatotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergenic, and anticarcinogenic properties. This paper gives a short overview of scientific literature regarding cocoa polyphenols and influence of cocoa and chocolate on human health. Although research on health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa is quite extensive nowadays and shows potentially beneficial effects of dark chocolate and cocoa, there are still lots of unknowns and some controversies. This is obviously an area that needs more research in order to determine factual influence of chocolate on health.

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