Evaluating the Relationship between Circadian Rhythms and Sleep, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders: Current Clinical Evidence in Human Studies.

Circadian rhythms are generated by the circadian clock, a self-sustained internal timing system that exhibits 24-h rhythms in the body. Many metabolic, cellular, behavioral and physiological processes are regulated by the circadian clock in coordination with environmental cues. The present study is a comprehensive review of the currently existing evidence concerning the relationship between circadian rhythms and sleep, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders. We thoroughly searched the online databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to find the existing clinical studies from the last twenty-three years (2000-2023). Circadian misalignment was found to be associated with an increase in the risk of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity, as well as inadequate sleep quality. In this review article, all the included studies had a strength protocol design and all of them were conducted on humans. However, the most common limitations of them were the small sample size and the short time of the intervention. In conclusion, managing the factors that disrupt the optimal function of central and peripheral clocks can help to reduce the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, improving also sleep quality. Future studies should further explore the underlying mechanisms of the interconnections between circadian clocks and sleep, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders. This may provide new opportunities for advance chronotherapy approach.

Christian Orthodox Fasting as a Traditional Diet with Low Content of Refined Carbohydrates That Promotes Human Health: A Review of the Current Clinical Evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Christian Orthodox fasting is a pattern high in complex carbohydrates and low in refined carbohydrates. It has been explored in association with its potential health benefits. The present review aims to comprehensively explore the existing available clinical data concerning the potential favorable impact of the dietary pattern of Christian Orthodox fasting on human health. METHODS: PubMed database, Web of Science and Google Scholar were extensively searched in order to identify the more appropriate clinical studies that explore the effect of Christian Orthodox fasting on health-related outcomes in humans utilizing relative keywords. We initially retrieved 121 records through database searching. After applying several exclusion criteria, 17 clinical studies were finally included in this review study. DISCUSSION: Christian Orthodox fasting showed beneficial effects concerning glucose and lipid control, whereas the data for blood pressure remain inconclusive. Concerning weight control, fasters were characterized by lower body mass and lower caloric intake in the course of the fasting periods. During fasting, this pattern is higher in fruits and vegetables, showing the absence of dietary deficiencies for iron and folate. Nevertheless, dietary deficiencies were recorded for calcium and vitamin B2, and also hypovitaminosis D has been noticed in monks. Interestingly, the vast majority of monks do present with both good quality of life and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Christian Orthodox fasting is a dietary pattern low in refined carbohydrates and high in complex carbohydrates and fiber that may be beneficial for human health promotion and chronic disease prevention. However, further studies are strongly recommended on the impact of long-term religious fasting on HDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Medicinal plants consumption against urinary tract infections: a narrative review of the current evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are usual diseases caused by different strains of microorganisms. Many antibiotics have been applied for the treatment of these infections. However, the development of multidrug-resistant strains is a major problem in these treatments. As alternative complementary agents, several medicinal plants are often used to prevent and/or treat these diseases. AREAS COVERED: This review summarized the current evidence about the efficacy of medicinal plants' consumption to prevent and/or co-treat UTIs. The most precise scientific databases, e.g. Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science were comprehensively searched, using relative keywords to identify the relative in vivo and ex vivo animal and human studies. EXPERT OPINION: Current studies supported evidence for potential benefit overall concerning medicinal plants' consumption against UTIs by preventing bacterial adherence and inhibiting inflammation cascades through responding immunologically to bacteria invasion. However, most of the current evidence have been focused on in vivo and ex vivo animal studies, while human studies are currently limited and did not focus on a specific medicinal plant. Thus, well-designed clinical trials for long study periods focused on individual medicinal plants are intensely recommended to delineate their effectiveness on the prevention and/or co-treatment of UTIs.

Current State of the Art on the Antioxidant Activity of Sage (Salvia spp.) and Its Bioactive Components.

Common sage (Salvia spp., with the most common species Salvia officinalis) is an important medicinal and aromatic plant due to its bioactive components, secondary products of its metabolism. These components are mainly phenolics, terpenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Many studies have identified their important role in fighting oxidative stress in cells and organisms, together with their anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory role. There are many methods measuring the antioxidant activity of sage phenolic components, usually based on radical scavenging of free radical species, such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and determining the absorbance of the reduced product by a photometric assay. In addition, there are several in vitro and in vivo studies determining the protection of sage extracts in cells in culture or animals, respectively, after induction of oxidative stress. In this review, results from the currently available studies that unravel the significant role of sage bioactive compounds, as antioxidant compounds, and the variety of methods used have been critically analyzed and discussed.

Current Advances on the Extraction and Identification of Bioactive Components of Sage (Salvia spp.).

Common sage (Salvia spp., with the most common species Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is an important medicinal and aromatic plant, with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The polyphenolic compounds are mainly responsible for its diverse biological activity. Many different methods for extraction and identification of sage bioactive compounds, using various solvents, have been developed in recent years. The total phenolic content is usually measured and identified by various technical methodologies with different sensitivity and specificity. In this aspect, the present review is aimed to critically summarize and discuss various technical approaches for the extraction and identification of sage bioactive components in order to point out the more appropriate approaches of them.