1,721,092 research outputs found
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
No full textOxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity publishes original research and review articles dealing with the cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress in the nervous system and related organ systems in relation to aging, immune function, vascular biology, metabolism, cellular survival and cellular longevity. Oxidative stress impacts almost all acute and chronic progressive disorders and on a cellular basis is intimately linked to aging, cardiovascular disease, cancer, immune function, metabolism and neurodegeneration. The journal fills a significant void in today’s scientific literature and serves as an international forum for the scientific community worldwide to translate pioneering “bench to bedside” research into clinical strategies
Oro rosso in cucina
No full textGrazie alla sua estrema versatilità, il pomodoro entra in numerosi piatti della dieta mediterranea, rappresentando la maggiore fonte di vitamina C per la popolazione italiana. Non deve essere consumato acerbo ed è particolarmente consigliato ai fumatori per il suo contenuto di licopene, un potente antiossidante protettore del tessuto polmonare
New Insight and Knowledge on anti-inflammatory Effectiveness of dietary phenolics (NIKE)
No full textEllagitannins (ETs), a polyphenolic subclass mainly found in berries, walnuts, and pomegranate, have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects in several in vitro studies. However, these results have not been confirmed in vivo. The gap between in vitro and in vivo studies could depend on the direct exposure of cultured cells to whole plant extracts or to single parent plant phenolic at rather high non-physiological doses. On the contrary, in vivo human internal compartments are exposed to metabolites formed and absorbed after gastrointestinal transit, digestion and metabolic conjugation [1].
NIKE aims to fill the gap between in vitro and in vivo results evaluating the anti-inflammatory effects of ETs with a new comprehensive, high-throughput approach (Figure 1). This approach could be used to study not only ETs, but many different bioactive molecules.
Differently from common translational science approach, the dietary intervention will be conducted at the beginning of the project; the rationale of NIKE approach is based on the need to identify the ET-derived metabolites (ETMs), and their concentration in the bloodstream, after consumption of the ET-rich food.
The first step will be the assessment of the anti-inflammatory effect of an ET-rich food (a pomegranate juice) in a randomised, placebo-controlled study on volunteers suffering of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical remission with high risk of clinical flare. Pomegranate juice will be used as vehicle because its great richness in ETs. The level of faecal calprotectin will be used as surrogate outcome to assess the intestinal inflammation [2]. Presence and concentration of ETMs in plasma and urine samples will be also verified as biomarker of the dietary intake. The gastroenterologists Dr. Luigi Ricciardiello and Dr. Andrea Belluzzi will carry out the patient recruitment at the Gastroenterology Unit, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital (Bologna, Italy).
As second step, NIKE will unravel the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of ETs in in vitro studies. Two cell model systems will be used in this part of the project: intestinal cells and blood monocytes, since both cell types are interacting during the intestinal inflammatory response [3]. The tested concentrations will be realistic and representative of those physiologically reached after the intake of dietary quantities of ETs. Particularly:
1. Human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) will be used to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of ETMs at gut level. The expression of selected genes and proteins related to IBD will be verified with both real-time PCR and western blot analyses.
2. Primary human monocytes will be used to clarify the effects of ETMs on the macrophage polarisation process [4]. To understand the molecular pathways involved, the effects will be evaluated using a microarray technology. The analysis will be focused principally on the expression of inflammatory mediators, which have been identified as involved in IBD.
In the third step of the NIKE project, data obtained in Caco-2 cells will be verified ex-vivo in the intestinal biopsies obtained from volunteers recruited in the intervention study. As well, data obtained in monocytes will be compared with cytokines and chemokines level in the blood of volunteers. The correlation among in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo data will validate the NIKE circular approach.
The integral analysis of all results obtained in the project will elucidate the role of ET-rich foods in the secondary prevention of IBD, deepening the existing knowledge on their mechanism/s of action at the molecular, metabolic and genomic levels.
References. 1) Espín et al, Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013; 2013:270418. 2) Konikoff & Denson, Inflamm Bowel Dis 2006; 12:524-34. 3) Wallace et al, World J Gastroenterol 2014; 20:6-21. 4) Derlindati et al, Food Funct 2012; 3:1144-52
Abstract Book of the 4th International Conference on FoodOmics
No full textFoodOmics: Food to Life. The scientific forum where academic and industrial scientists involved in food and nutrition research will discuss about the most recent advances in the “omics” approach
Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing
No full textPoultry meat is a valuable source of several nutrients, generally at higher concentration than most other foods' relative to caloric content, although many different factors such as the species, the genetic background, the animal's diet, the farming systems (organic, free range, intensive), the cut, the presence of skin, the cooking procedure have been shown to influence some compositional aspects of the meat. Most of the essential nutrients are present in poultry meat and are highly bioavailable: high biological value proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamin B complex. Poultry meat, like other meats and foods of animal origin, has high-quality proteins, due to their richness in all essential amino acids. Meat from poultry contains a lower amount of connective tissue and collagen in comparison to meat from other animals; this promotes its digestibility. The fat content of poultry meat depends on the species (turkey is leaner than chicken), the feeding, the cuts, and the presence of skin. Skin is the main source of fat, the fat content in the main cuts from chicken and turkey range from 1 to 15% but cuts including skin had higher values. Commonly, the leg portion, namely drumstick, and other dark meat parts have higher fat and calorie contents. The fat content of poultry meat is significantly higher in unsaturated fatty acids and lower in saturated fatty acids compared to those of red meat. The content of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) can be further increased using appropriate feeding, and a genotype-based selection has also been suggested to produce poultry meat with high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, possibly representing an alternative to fish. Poultry meat is a source of vitamin B complex – particularly B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin) and fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, and E – and minerals, particularly iron and zinc as well potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and copper. In addition to the essential nutrients, scientific studies have revealed that the poultry meat contains several bioactive compounds, like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), glutathione, taurine, anserine, carnosine and carnitine that are associated with protection against oxidative stress and with other health benefits. The content of the most of these bioactives can be increased as well by appropriate feeding. Future perspective indicates poultry meat as a promising functional food to improving the health and wellness status of individuals. Poultry meat is frequently more affordable than other meats, and it can make many positive contributions to the diet of those on low incomes and in developing countries; not surprisingly “a chicken in every pot” has been a politicians’ quotation.
Associations between meat consumption and risk of chronic disease and cancer have been investigated in several epidemiological studies. There is no association between poultry consumption and risk of colorectal adenomas or other cancers. Evidence of an association between unhealthy dietary patterns (characterized by red and processed meat, sugary drinks and salty snacks, starchy foods, and refined carbohydrates) and risk of certain cancers may be mediated by lifestyle factors
Could Pomegranate Juice Help in the Control of Inflammatory Diseases?
Full text linkFruits rich in polyphenols, such as pomegranates, have been shown to have health benefits relating to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Using data obtained from PubMed and Scopus, this article provides a brief overview of the therapeutic effects of pomegranate on chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, and other inflammatory-associated conditions, with an emphasis on fruit-derived juices. Most studies regarding the effects of pomegranate juice have focused on its ability to treat prostate cancer, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. However, pomegranate juice has shown therapeutic potential for many other illnesses. For instance, a small number of human clinical trials have highlighted the positive effects of pomegranate juice and extract consumption on cardiovascular health. The beneficial effects of pomegranate components have also been observed in animal models for respiratory diseases, RA, neurodegenerative disease, and hyperlipidaemia. Furthermore, there exists strong evidence from rodent models suggesting that pomegranate juice can be used to effectively treat IBD, and as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat CID. The effects of pomegranate intake should be further investigated by conducting larger and more well-defined human trials
The molecular mechanism of the cholesterol-lowering effect of dill and kale: The influence of the food matrix components
Full text linkFoods are complex matrices containing many different compounds, all of which contribute to the overall effect of the food itself, although they have different mechanisms of action. While evaluating the effect of bioactive compounds, it is important to consider that the use of a single compound can hide the effects of the other molecules that can act synergistically or antagonistically in the same food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of food matrix components by comparing two edible plants (dill and kale) with cholesterol-lowering potential and similar contents of their most representative bioactive, quercetin. The molecular effects of the extracts were evaluated in HepG2 cells by measuring the expression of sterol-regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) and low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) at the mRNA and protein level. The results reported here show that both extracts reduced the cellular cholesterol level with a similar trend and magnitude. It is conceivable that the slightly different results are due to the diverse composition of minor bioactive compounds, indicating that only by considering food as a whole is it possible to understand the complex relationship between food, nutrition, and health in a foodomics vision
Poultry Meat Nutritive Value and Human Health
No full textAlthough the composition of poultry meat significantly depends on the bird species, the feeding, the cuts, and the presence of skin, overall it is considered of good nutritional value and low energy content. Besides containing good amounts of proteins and many micronutrients, poultry meat is relatively low in fats and cholesterol, particularly when it is consumed without skin. An interesting nutritional characteristic of the poultry meat is to be rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The content of these fatty acids can be further increased using appropriate feeding, and a genotype-based selection has been also suggested to produce chicken meat with high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, possibly representing an alternative to fish. Poultry meat also contains several bioactive components such as glutathione, taurine, anserine, and others, and the content of most of them can also be increased by appropriate feeding. Future perspective indicates poultry meat as a promising functional food
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