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Topic Review
Flavonoid
A particular group of phytochemicals, called flavonoids, have shown a wide range of biological effects, including antiviral activities. The molecular mechanisms of their antiviral effects mainly consist in the inhibition of viral neuraminidase, proteases and DNA/RNA polymerases, as well as in the modification of various viral proteins. Mixtures of different flavonoids or combination of flavonoids with antiviral synthetic drugs provide an enhancement of their antiviral effects. Frequent viral infections worldwide have led to the need for new effective antiviral agents, which can be identified among the various flavonoids.
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Aug 2020
Topic Review
Linoleic Acid
The purpose of this entry was to summarize human intervention trials that investigated the effects of linoleic acid consumption on lipid risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in healthy individuals. It also provided mechanistic details, and dietary recommendations for linoleic acid. Future research directions were also discussed. The findings from this entry demonstrated that linoleic acid consumption decreases CVD risk markers in healthy individuals.  
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are colored natural pigments belonging to a large family of C40 skeleton with eight isoprene molecules.
  • 1.6K
  • 13 May 2021
Topic Review
Non-Dairy Plant-Based Probiotic
Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Traditionally, dairy products are the major and most popular probiotic carriers. At present, there is a growing demand for non-dairy probiotic products. Both fermented and non-fermented non-dairy plant-based food products are becoming highly appealing to both dairy and non-dairy consumers worldwide. Non-dairy plant-based food matrices such as fruits, vegetables, plant-based milk, cereals, and legumes have been used successfully in producing probiotic products with the minimum recommended viable probiotic numbers at the time of consumption. 
  • 1.6K
  • 20 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Effect of Probiotics on Glucose Metabolism and Homeostasis
The maintenance of a healthy status depends on the coexistence between the host organism and the microbiota. Early studies have already focused on the nutritional properties of probiotics, which may also contribute to the structural changes in the gut microbiota, thereby affecting host metabolism and homeostasis. Maintaining homeostasis in the body is therefore crucial and is reflected at all levels, including that of glucose, a simple sugar molecule that is an essential fuel for normal cellular function. Despite numerous clinical studies that have shown the effect of various probiotics on glucose and its homeostasis, knowledge about the exact function of their mechanism is still scarce. 
  • 1.6K
  • 12 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Breast Milk
Breast milk is an unbeatable food that covers all the nutritional requirements of an infant in its different stages of growth up to six months after birth. But the advantages of breastfeeding go beyond nutrition and are unanimously defended by all health establishments. Preventive medicine could also benefit from knowledge of the mechanisms by which human milk improves human development.
  • 1.6K
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
The Effects of Diets on the “Gut–Brain” Pathways
With depression becoming increasingly prevalent, being closely associated with stress, and many patients exhibiting resistance to current treatments, depression pathophysiology requires further elucidation. Recent research has shown complex bidirectional links between the brain and the gut, and the gut microbiota and the influence of diet is beginning to provide new clues to the complex nature of this disorder. It is well known that diet is a key modulator of gut microbial composition. In humans, good quality plant-based diets such as the Mediterranean diet have been shown to reduce pathogenic bacteria in the gut, increase Bifidobacterium and Clostridium, as well as lower the risk of depression, while poorer quality diets such as the Western diet have been shown to reduce Lactobacillus in the gut, reduce overall gut microbial diversity and have been associated with increased depression risk. Evaluating the effects of diets on the brain-to-gut and gut-to-brain mechanisms in animal models of stress and depression may aid in the elucidation of the pathophysiology of depression and may provide novel therapeutic approaches. 
  • 1.5K
  • 21 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Cocoa/Dark Chocolate and Obesity
Obesity remains a major public health problem due to its increasing prevalence and the role it plays in contributing to the occurrence of chronic disease. Natural products have become common as adjunct therapeutic agents for treating obesity and preventing metabolic diseases. Cocoa and its products are a rich source of polyphenols are commonly consumed worldwide and recently received attention in the management of obesity.  This entry also depicts the relation between cocoa polyphenols and dark chocolate and obesity.
  • 1.5K
  • 11 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Pharmacodynamics of the Main Bioactive Peptides
Bioactive peptides (BPs) are a heterogeneous class of molecules found in a wide range of plant and animal sources. The first bioactive peptide was identified circa 1900 by Mellander, who isolated BPs from casein and demonstrated its ability to improve bone calcification in rachitic children. BPs can be defined as peptides between 2 and 20 amino acids able to modulate physiological functions. In general, BP consist of an inactive precursor molecule that becomes active after release of the active site by enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis in the gastrointestinal tract, thus allowing BP to be absorbed through specific peptide transporters. Thus, BP can be classified into exogenous and endogenous molecules, obtained via gastrointestinal digestion or artificially, respectively.
  • 1.5K
  • 14 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Kynurenic Acid in the Brain
Kynurenic acid, a metabolite of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism, acts as antagonist for both the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and glycine co-agonist sites of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor at endogenous brain concentrations. Elevation of brain kynurenic acid levels reduces the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate, and kynurenic acid is considered to be involved in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression.
  • 1.5K
  • 06 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Mushroom Nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa
The defining characteristics of the traditional Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cuisine have been the richness in indigenous foods and ingredients, herbs and spices, fermented foods and beverages, and healthy and whole ingredients used. It is crucial to safeguard the recognized benefits of mainstream traditional foods and ingredients, which gradually eroded in the last decades. Notwithstanding poverty, chronic hunger, malnutrition, and undernourishment in the region, traditional eating habits have been related to positive health outcomes and sustainability. The research prevailed dealing with food availability and access rather than the health, nutrition, and diet quality dimensions of food security based on what people consume per country and on the missing data related to nutrient composition of indigenous foods. As countries become more economically developed, they shift to “modern” occidental foods rich in saturated fats, salt, sugar, fizzy beverages, and sweeteners. As a result, there are increased incidences of previously unreported ailments due to an unbalanced diet. Protein-rich foods in dietary guidelines enhance only those of animal or plant sources, while rich protein sources such as mushrooms have been absent in these charts, even in developed countries. 
  • 1.5K
  • 20 May 2021
Topic Review
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a micronutrient with pleiotropic effects in humans. Due to sedentary lifestyles and increasing time spent indoors, a growing body of research is revealing that vitamin D deficiency is a global problem. Despite the routine measurement of vitamin D in clinical laboratories and many years of efforts, methods of vitamin D analysis have yet to be standardized and are burdened with significant difficulties. 
  • 1.5K
  • 07 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Effect of Spirulina Supplementation
Spirulina is a microalga that presents various important pro-health properties, for instance lowering blood pressure in the research. The study aims to appraise the efficacy of Spirulina administration on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved by a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases from inception to June 2021 according to a standardized protocol. The effect size of each study was counted from mean and standard deviation before and after the intervention and shown as Un-standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Meta-analysis on 5 RCTs with 230 subjects was eligible. The amount of Spirulina ranged from 1 to 8 g per day, and intervention durations ranged from 2 to 12 weeks. Data analysis indicated that Spirulina supplementation led to a significant lowering of SBP (Mean Difference (MD): −4.59 mmHg, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): −8.20 to −0.99, I square statistic (I2) = 65%) and significant lowering of DBP (MD: −7.02 mmHg, CI: −8.86 to −5.18, I2 = 11%), particularly in a subgroup of hypertensive patients. Spirulina administration might have a supportive effect on the prevention and treatment of hypertension. More exact randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify the effect of Spirulina supplementation on blood pressure.
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Gluten-Free Diet
The gluten-free diet (GFD) has gained increasing popularity in recent years, supported by marketing campaigns, media messages and social networks. Nevertheless, real knowledge of gluten and GF-related implications for health is still poor among the general population. The GFD has also been suggested for non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS), a clinical entity characterized by intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms induced by gluten ingestion in the absence of celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy (WA).
  • 1.5K
  • 29 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Gut Microbiota in the Elderly
Gut microbiota is involved in the maintenance of physiological homeostasis, thus the alteration of its composition and functionality, called dysbiosis, has been associated with many pathologies, and could also be linked with the progressive degenerative process in aging. Specific gut microbiota taxa could be associated to the development of inflammation underlying aging, but also it has been identified some beneficial profiles related to a healthy status in the elderly. Thus, gut microbiota emerges as a therapeutic target with a double impact in the elderly, counteracting both aging itself and associated diseases. 
  • 1.5K
  • 12 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Astaxanthin as a Novel Mitochondrial Regulator
Astaxanthin is a member of the carotenoid family that is found abundantly in marine organisms. It has been reported that astaxanthin functions both as a pigment, and as an antioxidant with superior free radical quenching capacity.
  • 1.5K
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Therapeutic Approach of Thermogenic Nutraceuticals to Obesity
Current evidence, both on animal and human models, indicates that several diet components may have beneficial effects on obesity by affecting brown adipose tissue (BAT) and energy metabolism, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, capsaicin and capsinoids, catechins, curcumin, resveratrol and berberine, oleuropein, anthocyanins, quercetin, gingerol, shogaol, 6-paradol, thiacremonone, cinnamaldehyde and menthol. 
  • 1.5K
  • 25 May 2023
Topic Review
Physicochemical Properties of Stingless Bee Honey
Stingless bee honey (SLBH) has a high moisture content, making it more prone to fermentation and leading to honey spoilage. Dehydration of SLBH after harvest is needed to reduce the moisture content. This review compiles the available data on the dehydration methods for SLBH and their effect on its physicochemical properties.
  • 1.5K
  • 21 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Anticancer Properties of Carnosol
Cancer is characterized by unrestricted cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, enhanced invasion and migration, and deregulation of signaling cascades. These properties lead to uncontrolled growth, enhanced survival, and the formation of tumors. Carnosol, a naturally occurring phyto-polyphenol (diterpene) found in rosemary, has been studied for its extensive antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In cancer cells, carnosol has been demonstrated to inhibit cell proliferation and survival, reduce migration and invasion, and significantly enhance apoptosis. These anticancer effects of carnosol are mediated by the inhibition of several signaling molecules including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), Akt, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Additionally, carnosol prevents the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and promotes apoptosis, as indicated by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3, -8, -9, increased levels of the pro-apoptotic marker Bcl-2-associated X (BAX), and reduced levels of the anti-apoptotic marker B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2).
  • 1.5K
  • 15 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Mediterranean Diet and Male Fertility
Diet has an impact on male reproductive potential, but few studies have focused on the specific impact of food groups or dietary patterns on fertility. Male reproductive health, as indicated by improved semen parameters and increased chances of conceiving, is associated with the Mediterranean diet, while the Western diet is considered a risk factor for male infertility.
  • 1.5K
  • 28 Jun 2023
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