Phenolic Compound, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and In Silico Studies of Extracts from the Aerial Parts of Lactuca saligna L.

Medicinal plants are considered a major source for discovering novel effective drugs. To our knowledge, no studies have reported the chemical composition and biological activities of Moroccan Lactuca saligna extracts. In this context, this study aims to characterize the polyphenolic compounds distributed in hydro-methanolic extracts of L. saligna and evaluate their antioxidant and antibacterial activities; in addition, in silico analysis based on molecular docking and ADMET was performed to predict the antibacterial activity of the identified phenolic compounds. Our results showed the identification of 29 among 30 detected phenolic compounds with an abundance of dicaffeoyltartaric acid, luteolin 7-glucoronide, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and 5-caffeoylquinic acid with 472.77, 224.30, 196.79, and 171.74 mg/kg of dried extract, respectively. Additionally, antioxidant activity assessed by DPPH scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and ferrous ion-chelating (FIC) assay showed interesting antioxidant activity. Moreover, the results showed remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes with minimum inhibitory concentrations between 1.30 ± 0.31 and 10.41 ± 0.23 mg/mL. Furthermore, in silico analysis identified three compounds, including Apigenin 7-O-glucuronide, Quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and 3-p-Coumaroylquinic acid as potent candidates for developing new antibacterial agents with acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Hence, L. saligna can be considered a source of phytochemical compounds with remarkable activities, while further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to explore the main biological activities of this plant.

Bioactive Molecules Derived from Plants in Managing Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti (Linn.).

Mosquitoes are the potential vectors of several viral diseases such as filariasis, malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Zika fever and encephalitis in humans as well as other species. Dengue, the most common mosquito-borne disease in humans caused by the dengue virus is transmitted by the vector Ae. aegypti. Fever, chills, nausea and neurological disorders are the frequent symptoms of Zika and dengue. Thanks to various anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, industrialized farming and poor drainage facilities there has been a significant rise in mosquitoes and vector-borne diseases. Control measures such as the destruction of mosquito breeding places, a reduction in global warming, as well as the use of natural and chemical repellents, mainly DEET, picaridin, temephos and IR-3535 have proven to be effective in many instances. Although potent, these chemicals cause swelling, rashes, and eye irritation in adults and children, and are also toxic to the skin and nervous system. Due to their shorter protection period and harmful nature towards non-target organisms, the use of chemical repellents is greatly reduced, and more research and development is taking place in the field of plant-derived repellents, which are found to be selective, biodegradable and harmless to non-target species. Many tribal and rural communities across the world have been using plant-based extracts since ancient times for various traditional and medical purposes, and to ward off mosquitoes and various other insects. In this regard, new species of plants are being identified through ethnobotanical surveys and tested for their repellency against Ae. aegypti. This review aims to provide insight into many such plant extracts, essential oils and their metabolites, which have been tested for their mosquitocidal activity against different life cycle forms of Ae. Aegypti, as well as for their efficacy in controlling mosquitoes.

Leucine-Rich, Potent Anti-Bacterial Protein against Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus from Solanum trilobatum Leaves.

A 24 kDa leucine-rich protein from ion exchange fractions of Solanum trilobatum, which has anti-bacterial activity against both the Gram-negative Vibrio cholerae and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria has been purified. In this study, mass spectrometry analysis identified the leucine richness and found a luminal binding protein (LBP). Circular dichroism suggests that the protein was predominantly composed of α- helical contents of its secondary structure. Scanning electron microscopy visualized the characteristics and morphological and structural changes in LBP-treated bacterium. Further in vitro studies confirmed that mannose-, trehalose- and raffinose-treated LBP completely inhibited the hemagglutination ability towards rat red blood cells. Altogether, these studies suggest that LBP could bind to sugar moieties which are abundantly distributed on bacterial surface which are essential for maintaining the structural integrity of bacteria. Considering that Solanum triolbatum is a well-known medicinal and edible plant, in order to shed light on its ancient usage in this work, an efficient anti-microbial protein was isolated, characterized and its in vitro functional study against human pathogenic bacteria was evaluated.

Trends and Technological Advancements in the Possible Food Applications of Spirulina and Their Health Benefits: A Review.

Spirulina is a kind of blue-green algae (BGA) that is multicellular, filamentous, and prokaryotic. It is also known as a cyanobacterium. It is classified within the phylum known as blue-green algae. Despite the fact that it includes a high concentration of nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids-in particular, the necessary omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids-the percentage of total fat and cholesterol that can be found in these algae is substantially lower when compared to other food sources. This is the case even if the percentage of total fat that can be found in these algae is also significantly lower. In addition to this, spirulina has a high concentration of bioactive compounds, such as phenols, phycocyanin pigment, and polysaccharides, which all take part in a number of biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. As a result of this, spirulina has found its way into the formulation of a great number of medicinal foods, functional foods, and nutritional supplements. Therefore, this article makes an effort to shed light on spirulina, its nutritional value as a result of its chemical composition, and its applications to some food product formulations, such as dairy products, snacks, cookies, and pasta, that are necessary at an industrial level in the food industry all over the world. In addition, this article supports the idea of incorporating it into the food sector, both from a nutritional and health perspective, as it offers numerous advantages.

Positive Influences of Ohmicsonication on Phytochemical Profile and Storage Stability of Not-from-Concentrate Mango Juice.

Processing technique and storage conditions are the main factors that affect the phytochemical profile of Not-from-Concentrate (NFC) juice, which could decrease the nutritional and bioactive properties of the corresponding juice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality changes that occurred in NFC mango juice after Ohmicsonication (OS) and during storage in comparison to other processing methods such as sonication (S), thermosonication (TS), ohmic heating (OH), and conventional heating (CH). Quality attributes such as polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and pectinmethylesterase (PME) activities, ascorbic acid and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) contents, total phenolics, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, electric conductivity, color values and microbial load (total plate count, mold, yeast, and psychrophilic bacteria) were examined. OS and OH treatments demonstrated the highest inactivation of PPO (100%), while CH and TS displaying inhibitions 89% and 90%, respectively and only S treatment exhibited insufficient inactivation of both PPO and microbial load. However, the inhibition of PME followed the order OS (96.5%) > OH (94.9%) > TS (92.5%) > CH (88.5%). The best treatment, with the highest retention of phytochemical contents (ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, and total phenolic content) for NFC mango juice and during storage was obtained with OS treated samples compared to other treatments (in the order from the lowest to highest percentage, OS < OH < TS < CH). Consequently, the results indicated that OS could be applied as a new mild thermal treatment in the production of mango juice with improved quality properties of stored NFC mango juice.

Recent Trends in the Preparation of Nano-Starch Particles.

Starch is affected by several limitations, e.g., retro-gradation, high viscosity even at low concentrations, handling issues, poor freeze-thaw stability, low process tolerance, and gel opacity. In this context, physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods have been investigated for addressing such limitations or adding new attributes. Thus, the creation of biomaterial-based nanoparticles has sparked curiosity. Because of that, single nucleotide polymorphisms are gaining a lot of interest in food packaging technology. This is due to their ability to increase the mechanical and water vapor resistance of the matrix, as well as hide its re-crystallization during storage in high-humidity atmospheres and enhance the mechanical properties of films when binding in paper machines and paper coating. In medicine, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are suitable as carriers in the field of drug delivery for immobilized bioactive or therapeutic agents, as well as wastewater treatments as an alternative to expensive activated carbons. Starch nanoparticle preparations can be performed by hydrolysis via acid hydrolysis of the amorphous part of a starch molecule, the use of enzymes such as pullulanase or isoamylase, or a combination of two regeneration and mechanical treatments with the employment of extrusion, irradiation, ultrasound, or precipitation. The possibility of obtaining cheap and easy-to-use methods for starch and starch derivative nanoparticles is of fundamental importance. Nano-precipitation and ultra-sonication are rather simple and reliable methods for nanoparticle production. The process involves the addition of a diluted starch solution into a non-solvent, and ultra-sonication aims to reduce the size by breaking the covalent bonds in polymeric material due to intense shear forces or mechanical effects associated with the collapsing of micro-bubbles by sound waves. The current study focuses on starch nanoparticle manufacturing, characterization, and emerging applications.

Phytochemical Composition and In Vitro Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer, and Enzyme-Inhibitory Activities of Artemisia nilagirica (C.B. Clarke) Pamp.

Plants have been employed in therapeutic applications against various infectious and chronic diseases from ancient times. Various traditional medicines and folk systems have utilized numerous plants and plant products, which act as sources of drug candidates for modern medicine. Artemisia is a genus of the Asteraceae family with more than 500 species; however, many of these species are less explored for their biological efficacy, and several others are lacking scientific explanations for their uses. Artemisia nilagirica is a plant that is widely found in the Western Ghats, Kerala, India and is a prominent member of the genus. In the current study, the phytochemical composition and the antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities were examined. The results indicated that the ethanol extract of A. nilagirica indicated in vitro DPPH scavenging (23.12 ± 1.28 µg/mL), ABTS scavenging (27.44 ± 1.88 µg/mL), H2O2 scavenging (12.92 ± 1.05 µg/mL), and FRAP (5.42 ± 0.19 µg/mL). The anti-inflammatory effect was also noticed in the Raw 264.7 macrophages, where pretreatment with the extract reduced the LPS-stimulated production of cytokines (p < 0.05). A. nilagirica was also efficient in inhibiting the activities of α-amylase (38.42 ± 2.71 µg/mL), α-glucosidase (55.31 ± 2.16 µg/mL), aldose reductase (17.42 ± 0.87 µg/mL), and sorbitol dehydrogenase (29.57 ± 1.46 µg/mL). It also induced significant inhibition of proliferation in breast (MCF7 IC50 = 41.79 ± 1.07, MDAMB231 IC50 = 55.37 ± 2.11µg/mL) and colon (49.57 ± 1.46 µg/mL) cancer cells. The results of the phytochemical screening indicated a higher level of polyphenols and flavonoids in the extract and the LCMS analysis revealed the presence of various bioactive constituents including artemisinin.

Optimized Green Extraction of Polyphenols from Cassia javanica L. Petals for Their Application in Sunflower Oil: Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties.

The total phenolic content (TPC) from Cassia javanica L. petals were extracted using ethanolic solvent extraction at concentrations ranging from 0 to 90% and an SCF-CO2 co-solvent at various pressures. Ultrasound-assisted extraction parameters were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Antioxidant and anticancer properties of total phenols were assessed. An SCF-CO2 co-solvent extract was nano-encapsulated and applied to sunflower oil without the addition of an antioxidant. The results indicated that the best treatment for retaining TPC and total flavonoids content (TFC) was SCF-CO2 co-solvent followed by the ultrasound and ethanolic extraction procedures. Additionally, the best antioxidant activity by ß-carotene/linoleic acid and DPPH free radical-scavenging test systems was observed by SCF-CO2 co-solvent then ultrasound and ethanolic extraction methods. SCF-CO2 co-solvent recorded the highest inhibition % for PC3 (76.20%) and MCF7 (98.70%) and the lowest IC50 value for PC3 (145 µ/mL) and MCF7 (96 µ/mL). It was discovered that fortifying sunflower oil with SCF-CO2 co-solvent nanoparticles had a beneficial effect on free fatty acids and peroxide levels. The SCF-CO2 method was finally found to be superior and could be used in large-scale processing.

Chemical Composition, Antifungal and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Volatile Fractions of Convolvulus althaeoides L. Roots from Tunisia.

The antifungal drugs currently available and mostly used for the treatment of candidiasis exhibit the phenomena of toxicity and increasing resistance. In this context, plant materials might represent promising sources of antifungal agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate for the first time the chemical content of the volatile fractions (VFs) along with the antifungal and anti-biofilm of Convolvulus althaeoides L. roots. The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector and mass spectrometry. In total, 73 and 86 chemical compounds were detected in the n-hexane (VF1) and chloroform (VF2) fractions, respectively. Analysis revealed the presence of four main compounds: n-hexadecenoic acid (29.77%), 4-vinyl guaiacol (12.2%), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-adipate (9.69%) and eicosane (3.98%) in the VF extracted by hexane (VF1). n-hexadecenoic acid (34.04%), benzyl alcohol (7.86%) and linoleic acid (7.30%) were the main compounds found in the VF extracted with chloroform (VF2). The antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the obtained fractions against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis were determined by the micro-dilution technique and values against Candida spp. ranged from 0.87 to 3.5 mg/mL. The biofilm inhibitory concentrations (IBF) and sustained inhibition (BSI) assays on C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis were also investigated. The VFs inhibited biofilm formation up to 0.87 mg/mL for C. albicans, up to 1.75 mg/mL against C. glabrata and up to 0.87 mg/mL against C. tropicalis. The obtained results highlighted the synergistic mechanism of the detected molecules in the prevention of candidosic biofilm formation.

In Vitro Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Egyptian Citrus Beebread.

In this study, Egyptian beebread (EBB) was investigated for its nutritive value, chemical composition, antioxidant properties, antimicrobial and antitumor activities. Results indicated that EBB was a good source of protein (23.58 ± 0.183 g/100 g BB), total free sugar (20.266 ± 0.930) and potassium (290.202 ± 2.645 mg/100 g). Additionally, 14 fatty acids were identified in EBB, wherein polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids represented 51.06% ± 0.09% and 9.86% ± 0.01%, respectively. The EBB extract exhibited almost 400% better antiradical activity than BHT, with IC50 of EBB extract being 10.7 µg/mL compared to 39.5 µg/mL for BHT. EBB exhibited higher inhibitory activity than the reference compound against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, followed by Bacillus subtilis. No inhibitory activity was observed against Aspergillus Niger. Additionally, the highest inhibitory activity was recorded against Caco-2 cells, followed by PC3 and HepG-2 cancer cell lines with IC50 values 262, 314 and 386 µg/mL, respectively. These findings establish the potential of EBB as an antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumor agent, with possible applications as natural food supplements and natural preservatives.

Nano Milk Protein-Mucilage Complexes: Characterization and Anticancer Effect.

The anticancer activity of natural compounds has recently attracted multidisciplinary research. In this study, the complexation of milk proteins (MP) with Isabgol husk mucilage (IHM) and Ziziphus spina-christi mucilage (NabM) was investigated. In this context, the physicochemical properties of milk protein mucilage complexes (MPMC) including pH, Carr's index, water solubility, and water absorption indices were measured, and the flow behavior was studied. In addition, the amino acid profile, protein digestibility, and phenolic and flavonoids content of MPMC were explored, and the microstructure of the complexes was visualized using transmission electron microscopy. The antioxidant and anticancer potencies of MPMC against two cancerous cell lines, human liver cancer HEPG-2 and breast cancer MCF-7, in comparison with two normal cell lines, namely, Bj-1 and MCF-12F, were tested using neutral red uptake assay. The results revealed that MPMC had scavenging activity against DPPH, ABTS, and HS radicals. Moreover, MPMC has the potential to prevent DNA damage induced by oxidative stress in Type-Fenton's reaction. The results of the neutral red assay showed significant growth inhibition of both HEPG-2, MCF-7, whereas no significant cytotoxic effect was detected against Bj-1 and MCF-12F. RT-qPCR results indicated MPMC stimulated apoptosis as revealed by the upregulation of the pro-apoptosis gene markers Casepase-3, p53, Bax. Meanwhile, the anti-apoptosis Bcl-2 gene was downregulated. However, no significant difference was observed in normal cell lines treated with MPMC. In conclusion, MPMC can be considered as a promising anticancer entity that can be used in the development of novel cancer therapeutics with comparable activity and minimal side effects compared to conventional cancer chemotherapies.

A Comprehensive Review on Infrared Heating Applications in Food Processing.

Infrared (IR) technology is highly energy-efficient, less water-consuming, and environmentally friendly compared to conventional heating. Further, it is also characterized by homogeneity of heating, high heat transfer rate, low heating time, low energy consumption, improved product quality, and food safety. Infrared technology is used in many food manufacturing processes, such as drying, boiling, heating, peeling, polyphenol recovery, freeze-drying, antioxidant recovery, microbiological inhibition, sterilization grains, bread, roasting of food, manufacture of juices, and cooking food. The energy throughput is increased using a combination of microwave heating and IR heating. This combination heats food quickly and eliminates the problem of poor quality. This review provides a theoretical basis for the infrared treatment of food and the interaction of infrared technology with food ingredients. The effect of IR on physico-chemical properties, sensory properties, and nutritional values, as well as the interaction of food components under IR radiation can be discussed as a future food processing option.

Understanding starch gelatinization and rheology modeling of tapioca starch- NaCl/CaCl2 blends: Thermodynamic properties and gelatinization reaction kinetics during pre- and post-ultrasonication.

The presence of salt can impact the fluid phase and gelatinization process of starch granules. The variation in viscosity and rheology models including the Herschel-Bulkley, the Casson model, and the power law, were determined by adding salts before and after starch ultrasonication. Non-isothermal kinetics can be utilized for the mathematical modeling of the gelatinization process and the evolution of the reaction. Unlike Na+ ions, Ca+2 ions notably elevate viscosity. The Casson model accurately predicts viscosity data. Results indicate that the addition of Na+ ions decreases yield stress by up to 60.4 %, while Ca+2 ions increase by up to 100.8 %. Adding Na+ ions decreases the required thermal energy by as much as 49.6 %, while the presence of Ca+2 ions can lead to a substantial increase of up to 337.1 % compared to control samples. The positive ∆G indicates a non-spontaneous gelatinization process. The addition of NaCl promotes a spontaneous reaction, while the addition of CaCl2 increases the Gibbs energy. The changes in entropy are minimal, implying minimal changes in starches' disorder structure.

Overview of industrial food fraud and authentication through chromatography technique and its impact on public health.

Food fraud is widespread nowadays in the food products supply chain, from raw materials processing to the final product and during storage and transport. The most frequent fraud is practiced in staple food commodities like cereals. Their origin, variety, genotype, and bioactive compounds are altered to deceive consumers. Similarly, in various food sectors like beverage, baking, and confectionary, items like melamine, flour improver, and food colors are used in the market to temple consumers. To tackle food fraud and authentication, non-destructive techniques are being used. These techniques have limitations like lack of standardization, interference from multiple absorbing species, ambiguous results, and time-consuming to perform, depending on the type, size, and location of the system proved difficult to quantify the samples of adulteration. Chromatography has been introduced as an effective technique. It serves to safeguard public health due to its detection capabilities. Chromatography proved a crucial tool against fraudulent practices to preserve consumer trust.

Exploring the astonishing beneficial effects of round gourd (Praecitrullus fistulosus) and plant lectins towards cancer: A comprehensive review.

Praecitrullus fistulosus, commonly known as round gourd or tinda, is a remarkable source of bioactive substances like polyphenols, antioxidants, carotene, magnesium, and vitamin C. It is considered one of the Cucurbitaceae family due to its medicinal features. Plant lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that can bind and identify the carbohydrate moieties upon cancerous cells demonstrated some anticancer potentials. Several plant lectins are helpful as cancer biomarkers because they can find cancer cells and contribute to cell death initiation via apoptosis and autophagy, suggesting the possible role of cancer-inhibiting pathways. Therefore, round gourd and lectins might be useful in the controlling of cancer. This study compiled the most recent scientific literature regarding the round gourd and numerous plant lectins, and the clinical trials of lectins exploring their effects on cancer were examined. Research according to the literature, round gourd, and lectins demonstrated pharmacological alterations not only in cancer but in many other disorders as well. Thus, clinical investigations proved the beneficial impacts of round gourd and lectins on cancer due to their antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. Further studies are required to fully comprehend the potential applications of these plant-derived compounds against cancer, as well as to identify the round gourd components and clarify their mode of action.

Bridging sustainability and industry through resourceful utilization of pea pods- A focus on diverse industrial applications.

The focus on sustainable utilization of agricultural waste is currently a leading area of scientific research, driving significant advancements in technology and circular economy models. The fundamental capacity of bio-based products, bioprocessing techniques, and the crucial involvement of microbial treatments are opening opportunities for efficient solutions in various industries. One of the most popular green vegetables, peas are members of the Fabaceae family and have a pod-like structure. Every year, a significant amount of pea pods is discarded as waste products of peas that have negative impacts on our environment. In this comprehensive review, we explore innovative methods for utilizing pea pods to minimize their environmental footprint and optimize their viability across multiple industries. A large portion of the pea processing industry's output consists of pea pods. Variety of proteins, with major classes being globulin and albumin (13%), dietary fiber (43-58%), and minerals are abundant in these pods. Because of their diverse physiochemical properties, they find applications in many diverse fields. The porous pea pods comprised cellulose (61.35%) and lignin (22.12%), which could make them superior adsorbents. The components of these byproducts possess valuable attributes that make them applicable across treatment of wastewater, production of biofuels, synthesis of biocolors, development of nutraceuticals, functional foods, and enzymes for the textile industry, modification of oil, and inhibition of steel corrosion.

Imperatorin from the aerial parts of Cleome viscosa L.: a characterization study and evaluation of the antibacterial activity.

Cleome viscosa L., a member of the family Cleomaceae, is a potential medicinal plant, known for several bioactive properties such as: anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, wound healing, etc. Our study aimed to isolate a bioactive compound and assess its antibacterial activity. The crystal compound imperatorin was isolated and reported for the first time from the aerial parts of C. viscosa. The isolation was made using silica gel (100-200 mesh) column chromatography. The structure of imperatorin was investigated through single-crystal XRD, unit cell molecules, FTIR, and ESI-MS spectral analysis. The results validated imperatorin's triclinic crystal structure and P2i/c distance group. The electronic structure was also calculated (4.28/6.21 D) along with the frontier molecular orbital, dipole moment, atomic charges, and electrostatic map of particles in gaseous stage and active site. Imperatorin showed highest activity at 40 µg/mL concentration against Gram + ve bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (3 ± 0.2 mm), Bacillus subtilis (3 ± 0.6 mm), and Gram -ve bacteria: Klebsiella pneumoniae (3 ± 0.2 mm), Escherichia coli (5 ± 0.2 mm). The study highlights that the compound can be isolated in larger quantities as the plant is easily available across the tropics.

Biochemical and toxicity evaluation of Retama sphaerocarpa extracts and in-silico investigation of phenolic compounds as potential inhibitors against HPV16 E6 oncoprotein.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer which affects the cervix cells. The conventional treatments for cervical cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are only effective in premature stages and less effective in late stages of this tumor. Therefore, the therapeutic strategies based on biologically active substances from plants are needed to develop for the treatment of cervical cancer. The aim of the present study was to assess in vivo toxicity, hematological and biochemical blood parameters in Wistar rats fed Retama sphaerocarpa aqueous leaf extract (RS-AE), as well as to perform in silico molecular docking studies and dynamic simulation of phenolic compounds against HPV16 oncoprotein E6 in order to identify potential inhibitors. RS-AE was found not to induce acute or sub-acute oral toxicity or significant alterations in hematological and biochemical blood parameters in Wistar rats. A total of 11 phenolic compounds were identified in RS-AE, including dihydrodaidzein glucuronide, chrysoperiol pentoside, genistin and vitexin, which turned out to have the highest binding affinity to HPV16 oncoprotein E6. Based on these results, these RS-AE phenolic compounds could be used as natural drugs against the HPV16 E6 oncoprotein.

Edible crickets as a possible way to curb protein-energy malnutrition: Nutritional status, food applications, and safety concerns.

Protein malnutrition is a major public health concern in the developing world. The livestock products are a good source of high-quality protein, but the livestock industry is a source of pollution and one of the leading causes of climate change because the slaughtering of animals results in the accumulation of waste, offals, and several inedible body portions. The rapid increase in the human population and inadequate supply of traditional protein sources have driven a search for novel and alternative protein sources such as edible insects. This review extensively explores the nutritional value, allergenicity, and safety considerations associated with consuming common house crickets and other related insect species. A wide range of cricket protein-based products are currently available and provide some attractive options to the consumers such as protein-enriched bakery products and gluten-free bread for celiac patients. The cricket protein hydrolysates are used as preservatives to improve the stability of cheddar cheese and goat meat emulsions during storage. The risks associated with edible crickets and their products are bacteria, mycotoxins, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, pesticide residues, heavy metals, and the presence of allergenic proteins.

Application of Nanoparticles in Human Nutrition: A Review.

Nanotechnology in human nutrition represents an innovative advance in increasing the bioavailability and efficiency of bioactive compounds. This work delves into the multifaceted dietary contributions of nanoparticles (NPs) and their utilization for improving nutrient absorption and ensuring food safety. NPs exhibit exceptional solubility, a significant surface-to-volume ratio, and diameters ranging from 1 to 100 nm, rendering them invaluable for applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery, as well as elevating food quality. The encapsulation of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants within NPs introduces an innovative approach to counteract nutritional instabilities and low solubility, promoting human health. Nanoencapsulation methods have included the production of nanocomposites, nanofibers, and nanoemulsions to benefit the delivery of bioactive food compounds. Nutrition-based nanotechnology and nanoceuticals are examined for their economic viability and potential to increase nutrient absorption. Although the advancement of nanotechnology in food demonstrates promising results, some limitations and concerns related to safety and regulation need to be widely discussed in future research. Thus, the potential of nanotechnology could open new paths for applications and significant advances in food, benefiting human nutrition.