Screening bioactive food compounds in honey bees suggests curcumin blocks alcohol-induced damage to longevity and DNA methylation

Various bioactive food compounds may confer health and longevity benefits, possibly through altering or preserving the epigenome. While bioactive food compounds are widely being marketed for human consumption as ‘improving health and longevity’ by counteracting harmful effects of poor nutrition and lifestyle, claimed effects are often not adequately documented. Using the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as a model species, we here employed a multi-step screening approach to investigate seven compounds for effects on lifespan and DNA methylation using ELISA and whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). A positive longevity effect was detected for valproic acid, isovaleric acid, and cyanocobalamin. For curcumin, we found that lifespan shortening caused by ethanol intake, was restored when curcumin and ethanol were co-administered. Furthermore, we identified region specific DNA methylation changes as a result of ethanol intake. Ethanol specific changes in DNA methylation were fully or partially blocked in honey bees receiving ethanol and curcumin together. Ethanol-affected and curcumin-blocked differentially methylated regions covered genes involved in fertility, temperature regulation and tubulin transport. Our results demonstrate fundamental negative effects of low dose ethanol consumption on lifespan and associated DNA methylation changes and present a proof-of-principle on how longevity and DNA methylation changes can be negated by the bioactive food component curcumin. Our findings provide a fundament for further studies of curcumin in invertebrates.

Enhancement of the cancer inhibitory effect of the bioactive food component resveratrol by nanoparticle based delivery

Enhanced chemo-preventive effect of nanoresveratrol on skin tumorigenesis in mouse by suppressing inflammatory responses and oxidative stress and inducing apoptosis.

Superfoods for Digestive Health

This chapter examines the gastrointestinal benefits associated with some therapeutic dietary approaches and specific functional foods for digestive health. Elimination diets, including the FODMAP diet, specific carbohydrate diet, 6-food elimination diet, and elemental diets, have all shown specific therapeutic benefit. Each of the various phytochemicals and zoochemicals (protective components from animals) has its unique physiological benefits. They are probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phospholipids, and bioactive peptides. This chapter will review each of these food bioactives in detail, listing the richest food sources and highlighting the effects these foods have on the health of the GI system. The chapter also describes how each bioactive food component supports and maintains the structure and function of the GI system, and provides an overview of how each nutrient targets the pathophysiology of GI disorders and disease. Therapeutic elimination diets, medical foods in GI health, and special dietary considerations are also outlined.