Revealing the mechanism and efficacy of natural products on treating the asthma: Current insights from traditional medicine to modern drug discovery.

Asthma remains a significant global health challenge, demanding innovative approaches to treatment. Traditional medicine has a rich history of using natural products to alleviate asthmatic symptoms. However, transitioning from these traditional remedies to modern drug discovery approaches has provided fresh insights into the mechanisms and effectiveness of these natural products. This study provides our comprehensive review, which examines the current state of knowledge in the treatment of asthma. It delves into the mechanisms through which natural products ameliorate asthma symptoms, and it discusses their potential in the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Our analysis reveals that natural products, traditionally employed for asthma relief, exhibit diverse mechanisms of action. These include anti-inflammatory, bronchodilatory, immunomodulatory effects, and reducing gene expression. In the context of modern drug discovery, these natural compounds serve as valuable candidates for the development of novel asthma therapies. The transition from traditional remedies to modern drug discovery represents a promising avenue for asthma treatment. Our review highlights the substantial efficacy of natural products in managing asthma symptoms, underpinned by well-defined mechanisms of action. By bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary approaches, we contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field, emphasizing the potential of natural products in shaping the future of asthma therapy.

Revealing Edible Bird Nest as Novel Functional Foods in Combating Metabolic Syndrome: Comprehensive In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Studies.

Metabolic dysfunction, which includes intra-abdominal adiposity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, manifests into metabolic syndrome and related diseases. Therefore, the discovery of new therapies in the fight against metabolic syndrome is very challenging. This study aims to reveal the existence of an edible bird nest (EBN) as a functional food candidate that may be a new alternative in fighting metabolic syndrome. The study included three approaches: in silico molecular docking simulation, in vitro, and in vivo in rats fed on cholesterol- and fat-enriched diets. Four terpenoids of Bakuchiol, Curculigosaponin A, Dehydrolindestrenolide, and 1-methyl-3-(1-methyl-ethyl)-benzene in EBN have been identified through LCMS/MS-QTOF. In molecular docking simulations, Bakuchiol and Dehydrolindestrenolide are considered very potent because they have higher inhibitory power on the four receptors (iNOS, ROS1 kinase, FTO, and lipase) than standard drugs. In vitro tests also provide insight into the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antiobesity activities of EBN, which is quite feasible due to the smaller EC50 value of EBN compared to standard drugs. Interestingly, in vivo studies also showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the lipid profile, blood glucose, enzymatic levels, and inflammatory biomarkers in rats given high-dose dietary supplementation of EBN. More interestingly, high-dose dietary supplementation of EBN upregulates PGC-1α and downregulates HMG-CoA reductase. Comprehensively, it has been revealed that EBN can be novel functional foods for combating metabolic syndrome.

Development of alginate-based film incorporated with anthocyanins of red cabbage and zinc oxide nanoparticles as freshness indicator for prawns.

The objective of this study was to develop pH-sensitive film indicators for intelligent food packaging by incorporating red cabbage anthocyanins (RCA) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) into an alginate (Alg) film, aiming to mitigate the risk of foodborne illnesses. The films were fabricated using a solvent-casting method and crosslinked with a calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution. Thorough evaluations of the films' physical, mechanical, and structural properties demonstrated significant improvements in elastic modulus and UV/vis light barrier characteristics, reduced water vapor permeability (WVP), and moisture content attributed to integrating RCA and ZnO NPs. The resulting film displayed discernible color changes when exposed to various pH buffer solutions and ammonia vapor, indicating heightened sensitivity to pH fluctuations due to the presence of ZnO NPs. Visual assessment using prawns as test specimens revealed a color shift from violet (indicating satisfactory condition) to blue-greenish (indicating spoilage), corroborated by colorimetric analysis. Moreover, the Alg/ZnO/RCA film exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial properties, demonstrated biodegradation activity, and showed no toxic effects on RSC96 cells, further underscoring its potential as an effective freshness indicator for food products.

Soy-Based Tempeh Rich in Paraprobiotics Properties as Functional Sports Food: More Than a Protein Source.

To date, there has been no recent opinion that explores tempeh as a functional food that can improve sports performance. Hence, this opinion article aims to elaborate on recent findings on the potential effect on sports performance of soy-based tempeh. This opinion paper presents updated evidence based on literature reviews about soy-based tempeh and its relationship with sports performance. The paraprobiotic role of Lactobacillus gasseri for athletes has been found to restore fatigue and reduce anxiety. This is achieved by increasing protein synthesis activity in eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (EIF2) signaling known as an adaptive pathway for integrated stress response. In addition, these paraprobiotics prevent down-regulation associated with the oxidative phosphorylation gene, thereby contributing to the maintenance of mitochondrial function and recovery from fatigue. The authors believe that this opinion article will encourage researchers to continue to evolve soybean-based tempeh food products and increase the performance of athletes by consuming soy-based foods.

Evaluation of Caffeine Ingested Timing on Endurance Performance based on CYP1A2 rs762551 Profiling in Healthy Sedentary Young Adults.

Background: Caffeine is generally suggested to increase VO2max in endurance performance. Nevertheless, the response to caffeine ingestion does not seem to be uniform across individuals. Therefore, caffeine ingested timing on endurance performance based on the type of CYP1A2 single nucleotide polymorphism rs762551, that were classified as fast and slow metabolizers, need to be evaluated. Methods: Thirty participants participated in this study. DNA was obtained from saliva samples and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Each respondent completed beep tests under three treatments blindly: placebo, 4 mg/kg body mass of caffeine one hour, and two hours before test. Results: Caffeine increased estimated VO2max in fast metabolizers (caffeine=29.39±4.79, placebo=27.33±4.02, p<0.05) and slow metabolizers (caffeine=31.25±6.19, placebo=29.17±5.32, p<0.05) in one hour before test. Caffeine also increased estimated VO2max in fast metabolizers (caffeine=28.91±4.65, placebo=27.33±4.02, p<0.05) and slow metabolizers (caffeine=32.53±6.68, placebo=29.17±5.32, p<0.05) in two hour before test. However, for slow metabolizers, the increasing was greater when caffeine was administered two hours before test (slow=3.37±2.07, fast=1.57±1.62, p<0.05). Conclusion: Genetic variance may affect the optimal caffeine ingestion timing, sedentary individuals who want to enhance their endurance performance may ingest caffeine 1 hour before exercise for fast metabolizers and 2 hours before exercise for slow metabolizers.

Effect of Processed Soybeans (Tofu and Tempeh) Consumption, and Exercise on Upper Respiratory Tract Immunity.

Background: IgA is widely used as Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) risk marker, as a lower concentration in sIgA indicates a higher incidence of URTI. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different types of exercise; combined with Tempeh consumption in increasing sIgA concentration in saliva sample. Methods: 19 sedentary male subjects aged 20-23 were recruited and assigned into 2 groups based on the exercise type, endurance (n=9), and resistance (n=10). These subjects underwent 2 weeks of Tofu and Tempeh consumption, then were assigned to do exercises based on their groups. Results: This study showed an increased mean value of sIgA concentrations in the endurance group; the baseline value, after food treatment, and after food and exercise treatment were 71.726 ng/mL, 73.266 ng/mL, and 73.921 ng/mL, respectively for Tofu treatment; and 71.726 ng/mL, 73.723 ng/mL, and 75.075 ng/mL, respectively for Tempeh treatment. While in the resistance group, there was also an increase in the mean value of sIgA concentrations; baseline, after food treatment, and after food and exercise treatments were 70.123 ng/mL, 71.801 ng/mL, and 74.430 ng/mL, respectively for Tofu treatment; and 70.123 ng/mL, 72.397 ng/mL, and 77.216 ng/mL, respectively for Tempeh treatment. These results indicated that combining both Tempeh consumption and moderate intensity resistance exercise was more effective to increase sIgA concentration. Conclusion: This study showed that combining moderate intensity resistance exercise with consumption of 200 gr Tempeh for 2 weeks was more effective in increasing sIgA concentration; compared to endurance exercise and Tofu consumption.

Carotenoids Composition of Green Algae Caulerpa racemosa and Their Antidiabetic, Anti-Obesity, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

Green alga Caulerpa racemosa is an underexploited species of macroalgae, even though it is characterized by a green color that indicates an abundance of bioactive pigments, such as chlorophyll and possibly xanthophyll. Unlike chlorophyll, which has been well explored, the composition of the carotenoids of C. racemosa and its biological activities have not been reported. Therefore, this study aims to look at the carotenoid profile and composition of C. racemose and determine their biological activities, which include antidiabetic, anti-obesity, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity in vitro. The detected carotenoids were all xanthophylls, which included fucoxanthin, lutein, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin, ß-carotene, and ß-cryptoxanthin based on orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS) and a rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) diode array detector. Of the seven carotenoids observed, it should be highlighted that ß-carotene and canthaxanthin were the two most dominant carotenoids present in C. racemosa. Interestingly, the carotenoid extract of C. racemosa has good biological activity in inhibiting α-glucosidase, α-amylase, DPPH and ABTS, and the TNF-α and mTOR, as well as upregulating the AMPK, which makes it a drug candidate or functional antidiabetic food, a very promising anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory. More interestingly, the cytotoxicity value of the carotenoid extract of C. racemosa shows a level of safety in normal cells, which makes it a potential for the further development of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

Dietary Supplementation of Caulerpa racemosa Ameliorates Cardiometabolic Syndrome via Regulation of PRMT-1/DDAH/ADMA Pathway and Gut Microbiome in Mice.

This study evaluated the effects of an aqueous extract of Caulerpa racemosa (AEC) on cardiometabolic syndrome markers, and the modulation of the gut microbiome in mice administered a cholesterol- and fat-enriched diet (CFED). Four groups of mice received different treatments: normal diet, CFED, and CFED added with AEC extract at 65 and 130 mg/kg body weight (BW). The effective concentration (EC50) values of AEC for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and lipase inhibition were lower than those of the controls in vitro. In the mice model, the administration of high-dose AEC showed improved lipid and blood glucose profiles and a reduction in endothelial dysfunction markers (PRMT-1 and ADMA). Furthermore, a correlation between specific gut microbiomes and biomarkers associated with cardiometabolic diseases was also observed. In vitro studies highlighted the antioxidant properties of AEC, while in vivo data demonstrated that AEC plays a role in the management of cardiometabolic syndrome via regulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial function (PRMT-1/DDAH/ADMA pathway), and gut microbiota.

The pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid in rats with orotic acid induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Post-transplantation nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common in liver transplant recipients. Changes in the expression levels and activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters have been reported in patients with NAFLD and relevant rodent models. Here, we evaluated whether the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid (MPA), an immunosuppressant, would be altered in rats with NAFLD. NAFLD was induced by feeding a diet containing 1% (w/w) orotic acid for 20 days. The extent of hepatic glucuronidation of MPA to a major metabolite, mycophenolic acid-7-O-glucuronide (MPAG), did not differ between rats with NAFLD and controls. The expression levels of hepatic multidrug resistance-associated protein 2, responsible for biliary excretion of MPAG, were comparable in rats with NAFLD and controls; the biliary excretion of MPAG was also similar in the two groups. Compared with control rats, rats with NAFLD did not exhibit significant changes in the areas under the plasma concentration - time curves of MPA or MPAG after intravenous (5 mg/kg) or oral (10 mg/kg) administration of MPA. However, delayed oral absorption of MPA was observed in rats with NAFLD compared with controls; the MPA and MPAG peak plasma concentrations fell significantly and the times to achieve them were prolonged following oral administration of MPA.