Epidemiologic studies suggest that dietary polyphenol intake is associated with a lower incidence of several non-communicable diseases. Although several foods contain complex mixtures of polyphenols, ...numerous factors can affect their content. Besides the well-known capability of these molecules to act as antioxidants, they are able to interact with cell-signaling pathways, modulating gene expression, influencing the activity of transcription factors, and modulating microRNAs. Here we deeply describe four polyphenols used as nutritional supplements: quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (ECGC), and curcumin, summarizing the current knowledge about them, spanning from dietary sources to the epigenetic capabilities of these compounds on microRNA modulation.
Over the last decades a renewed interest in
-3 very long polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), derived mainly from fish oils in the human diet, has been observed because of their potential effects ...against cancer diseases, including breast carcinoma. These
-3 PUFAs mainly consist of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that, alone or in combination with anticancer agents, induce cell cycle arrest, autophagy, apoptosis, and tumor growth inhibition. A large number of molecular targets of
-3 PUFAs have been identified and multiple mechanisms appear to underlie their antineoplastic activities. Evidence exists that EPA and DHA also elicit anticancer effects by the conversion to their corresponding ethanolamide derivatives in cancer cells, by binding and activation of different receptors and distinct signaling pathways. Other conjugates with serotonin or dopamine have been found to exert anti-inflammatory activities in breast tumor microenvironment, indicating the importance of these compounds as modulators of tumor epithelial/stroma interplay. The objective of this review is to provide a general overview and an update of the current
-3 PUFA derivative research and to highlight intriguing aspects of the potential therapeutic benefits of these low-toxicity compounds in breast cancer treatment and care.
Kombucha is a fermented beverage. Its consumption has significantly increased during the last decades due to its perceived beneficial effects. For this reason, it has become a highly commercialized ...drink that is produced industrially. However, kombucha is still also a homemade beverage, and the parameters which, besides its organoleptic characteristics, define the duration of its potential beneficial properties over time, are poorly known. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of 9-month storage at 4 °C with 30-day sampling on the pH, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents, free radical scavenging properties of kombucha fermented from black tea. Our results highlighted that, after four months, the phenolic content decreased significantly from the initial value of 234.1 ± 1.4 µg GAE mL−1 to 202.9 ± 2.1 µg GAE mL−1, as well its antioxidant capacity tested by two in vitro models, DPPH, and ABTS assays. Concomitantly, the pH value increased from 2.82 to 3.16. The novel findings of this pilot study revealed that kombucha from sugared black tea can be stored at refrigerator temperature for four months. After this period the antioxidant properties of kombucha are no longer retained.
This study was performed to investigate broad bean pods (BBPs), a food waste by-product material, for their glucan and pectin contents, at three different stages of maturation, in order to provide ...basic support for the functional uses of BBPs and for the development of a potential market for bioactive ingredients from residual sources. In the first instance, the isolation of glucans was performed by carrying out an alkaline extraction on the dry BBP flour, at each stage of maturation. The isolated glucans were dialyzed and the crude and soluble samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Afterwards, the colorimetric method for the enzymatic measurement of glucans was used. This procedure involved partial acid hydrolysis combined with an enzyme complex for the quantitative determination of α- and β-glucans. The results showed that, regardless of the used method, the glucan content increased with maturation. The maximum total glucan yield was recovered from BBPs at third stage of maturation (45 mg/g). The kit-based procedure revealed the variability of the β-glucan amount with maturation whose percentage, compared to total glucans, increased from 47.6 at the first stage up to 61.9 at the third stage. On the contrary, the pectin content in BBPs decreased with maturation. The yields ranged from 8.7% at the third stage to 17.2% at the first stage of maturation. The degree of esterification was determined by the classical titrimetric method and confirmed by the instrumental FT-IR method. The samples showed an average titrimetric value of 43.4% and the typical fingerprint in IR spectra with an average value of 50.5%. The degree of methoxylation remained almost unchanged during maturation, regardless of the method used.
In this work, the solubility of vanillic, gallic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic and caffeic acids was determined at 37 °C under different conditions, namely pure water and two different ionic media, ...NaCl(aq) and NaClO4(aq), at different ionic strengths (i.e., 0.16, 0.50, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 M). The solubility in water of all the acids was found to be higher than that in both of the ionic media. Moreover, the solubility of hydroxycinnamic acids was lower than that of hydroxybenzoic acids. The activity coefficients of neutral species were calculated from these data; this knowledge is necessary when modeling the dependence of equilibrium constants on the ionic strength. Results obtained in this work can be useful for further studies regarding complex formation equilibria between these ligands and bioavailable metal cations.
Glucans possess a broad spectrum of biological activities. In this context, the present study was performed to isolate glucans from an Italian cultivar of
Mill. at three different harvesting periods, ...in order to evaluate their effects on wound healing. The dry fruits were subjected to an alkaline extraction and then isolated glucans were purified by dialyzation. The crude and soluble samples were characterized by FT-IR and SEM analyses. Afterwards, total, α- and β-glucan content was measured using an enzymatic procedure. The results highlighted that the glucan amount increased as the maturation proceeded as well as the β-glucan percentage, which ranged from 48.2 at the first harvesting to 65.4 at the third harvesting. Furthermore, the effects of isolated glucans on the viability and migration of keratinocytes were evaluated using the in vitro MTT and scratch wound assays. The best proliferative effects on keratinocyte migration have been achieved with soluble glucans from third harvesting at 100 μM after 24 and 48 h (***
< 0.001). The same treated group showed significant narrowing of the scratch area after 24 h and complete closure of the injury after 48 h. The findings highlighted the effectiveness of soluble glucans on regeneration of damaged skin.
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) by natural or synthetic ligands exerts tumor suppressive effects in different types of ...cancer, including breast carcinoma. Over the past decades a new picture of breast cancer as a complex disease consisting of neoplastic epithelial cells and surrounding stroma named the tumor microenvironment (TME) has emerged. Indeed, TME is now recognized as a pivotal element for breast cancer development and progression. Novel strategies targeting both epithelial and stromal components are under development or undergoing clinical trials. In this context, the aim of the present review is to summarize PPARγ activity in breast TME focusing on the role of this receptor on both epithelial/stromal cells and extracellular matrix components of the breast cancer microenvironment. The information provided from the in vitro and in vivo research indicates PPARγ ligands as potential agents with regards to the battle against breast cancer.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a ligand-dependent transcription factor involved in a variety of pathophysiological ...conditions such as inflammation, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancers. In this latter context, PPARγ is expressed in many tumors including breast cancer, and its function upon binding of ligands has been linked to the tumor development, progression, and metastasis. Over the last decade, much research has focused on the potential of natural agonists for PPARγ including fatty acids and prostanoids that act as weak ligands compared to the strong and synthetic PPARγ agonists such as thiazolidinedione drugs. Both natural and synthetic compounds have been implicated in the negative regulation of breast cancer growth and progression. The aim of the present review is to summarize the role of PPARγ activation in breast cancer focusing on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, cell cycle, and cell death, in the modulation of motility and invasion as well as in the cross-talk with other different signaling pathways. Besides, we also provide an overview of the in vivo breast cancer models and clinical studies. The therapeutic effects of natural and synthetic PPARγ ligands, as antineoplastic agents, represent a fascinating and clinically a potential translatable area of research with regards to the battle against cancer.
Soluble fibers, including pectins from apple and lemon, are commonly used as prebiotic and to prepare functional foods. The present study aimed to investigate the physicochemical and functional ...properties of pectins extracted from jujubes (
Mill.). Pectins were extracted from jujubes at three stages of harvesting and characterized by FTIR and SEM analyses. Whole milk inoculated with kefir grains was supplemented by 0.25 mg·mL
of pectins. The pH value and vitamin C content were evaluated after 24 and 48 h of fermentation. Pectins from jujubes at the first harvesting stage (PJ1K) showed the lowest methoxylation degree. The addition of pectins enhanced the production of vitamin C during heterolactic process. This result was found to depend on jujube harvesting stage as PJ1K stimulated the growth of yeasts in kefir grains yielding to the highest amount of vitamin C (0.83 ± 0.01 µg·mL
) compared to other samples (0.53-0.60 µg·mL
) at 24 h. Lactic acid bacteria diminish pH rapidly with respect to control (4.13 ± 0.05), according to the stage of maturation, reducing its initial value by 38.3% in PJ1K. Besides being an excellent prebiotic, pectins from jujubes could be used to enrich kefir with vitamin C.
Red fruits contain bioactive substances including phenolic acids and flavonoids, which provide many health advantages for the human body. Industries find them intriguing because of their color and ...their ability to prevent chronic ailments such as metabolic, degenerative, and cardiovascular disorders. Nevertheless, the resilience of these organic molecules is influenced by several environmental, physical, and chemical phenomena. Therefore, the beneficial health properties of red fruits may diminish during postharvest processing. In this scenario, many postharvest methods have been implemented to enhance the shelf life and preserve the bioactive components of red fruits. The objectives of this review were to provide a comprehensive assessment of the health benefits of red fruits, and to explore the possibilities of edible coatings in retaining their freshness and protecting their bioactive contents. Co-occurrence networks were built using VOSviewer software to produce a two-dimensional map based on term frequency, and the examination of the 1364 keywords obtained from the scientific papers revealed the presence of at least 71 co-occurrences that provide insight into many natural components used in edible coatings for red fruits, such as proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, phospholipids, and minerals. The review examined their composition, functioning, application techniques, limits, safety considerations, legal regulations, and potential future developments. This review has shown that an edible coating may act as a protective layer on the surface of the fruit, alter the interior gas composition, reduce water loss, and postpone fruit ripening, thereby enhancing the health-promoting properties.
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