Flaxseed Lignans and Polyphenols Enhanced Activity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Flaxseeds play an important role in human health due to their chemical composition and recognized beneficial outcomes. This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of present lignans and polyphenols found in the flaxseed extract on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The flaxseed administration produced favorable changes in body weight, food and water intake, and glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose quantities in the treated diabetic rats. Additionally, significant positive results were observed in the biochemical parameters, namely reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, plasma creatinine, and urea and uric acid levels, highlighting the seeds’ use in traditional medicine. The results were sustained by histopathological observations that showed better tissue preservation following the flaxseed diet. Overall, the consumption of flaxseeds produced moderate reduction in glucose levels and hyperlipidemia, together with improvement in the impaired organs’ function in diabetic rats. The daily administration of polyphenols and lignans compounds could impact therapeutic potential in diabetes management.

Flaxseed Lignans as Important Dietary Polyphenols for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Molecular Targets

Cancer causes considerable morbidity and mortality across the world. Socioeconomic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute to the increasing cancer prevalence, bespeaking a need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. Phytochemicals like plant polyphenols are generally considered to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects, which explain their promotion for human health. The past several decades have contributed to a growing evidence base in the literature that demonstrate ability of polyphenols to modulate multiple targets of carcinogenesis linking models of cancer characteristics (i.e., hallmarks and nutraceutical-based targeting of cancer) via direct or indirect interaction or modulation of cellular and molecular targets. This evidence is particularly relevant for the lignans, an ubiquitous, important class of dietary polyphenols present in high levels in food sources such as flaxseed. Literature evidence on lignans suggests potential benefit in cancer prevention and treatment. This review summarizes the relevant chemical and pharmacokinetic properties of dietary polyphenols and specifically focuses on the biological targets of flaxseed lignans. The consolidation of the considerable body of data on the diverse targets of the lignans will aid continued research into their potential for use in combination with other cancer chemotherapies, utilizing flaxseed lignan-enriched natural products.

A review on newer techniques in extraction of oleaginous flaxseed constituents

Flaxseed is the chief oilseed crop that is grown in many regions of the world for medicinal and nutritional purposes. It has been used for oil and fiber since centuries. Flaxseed has an enormous role in functional foods for its nutritional and pharmaceutical values. Among the various components of flaxseed lignans, phenolic acids, proteins and oil are of the main interest. Oil and lignans have prime concentrations in the flaxseed. To study the extraction of these compounds, various extraction methods have been investigated. Oil has been extracted by mechanical pressing in ancient times but presently new techniques have been developed. These include microwave assisted extraction, supercritical CO2 extraction, ultrasonic assisted extraction, etc. Enzymes are also gaining importance in the extraction of oil, lignan and proteins as they give more yield of compounds and easily degrade the cell wall of the flaxseed. The need of these novel techniques lies in the fact that traditional methods have different shortcomings like low yield, more time, more energy and less environmental friendly. This review put on a view to different techniques which have been investigated for the extraction of different components of flaxseed. Quality evaluation and comparison of flaxseed oils and other bioactive components obtained by newer techniques with those produced by conventional extraction methods is also reported.

An altered tissue distribution of flaxseed lignans and their metabolites in Abcg2 knockout mice

The ABCG2 transporter affects the tissue distribution of lignans and their microbial-derived enterolignans after a repeated flaxseed administration.

The effect ofLactobacillus acidophilusandLactobacillus caseion thein vitrobioaccessibility of flaxseed lignans (Linum usitatissimumL.)

L. caseislightly improves the bioaccessibility of SDG for whole flaxseed digestion.