Antiviral Action of Curcumin Encapsulated in Nanoemulsion against Four Serotypes of Dengue Virus.

BACKGROUND: Curcumin has been used as a traditional medicine showing antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. Despite the promising potentials, curcumin-based drug development is hindered due to its poor solubility and cell uptake. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to produce curcumin nanoemulsion (nanocurcumin) and evaluate its physical characteristics and in vitro cell cytotoxicity and antiviral activity against dengue virus (DENV). METHODS: Nanocurcumin was generated by self-nanoemulsion technique. Cytotoxicity was determined using MTT assay in A549 cell line. Anti-DENV properties were determined by calculation of inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) and plaque assay. RESULTS: The resulting nanoemulsion showed uniform droplet size distribution with the average droplet size of 40.85 ± 0.919 nm. Nanocurcumin exhibited higher cell cytotoxicity compared to curcumin solution and may be explained by better cell uptake. Nanocurcumin treatment suppressed DENV growth, although no significant difference observed compared to the curcumin solution counterpart. Greater virus reduction was observed for DENV-1 and DENV-2. CONCLUSION: The synthesis of nanocurcumin improved curcumin physicochemical properties with potential as antiviral against DENV.

Nutritional potential of underutilized food crops to improve diet quality of young children in food insecure prone areas of Madura Island, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Attention is currently given to the nutrition potential of underutilized food crops; however, only few studies have focused on this potential for young children. We investigate the nutrient composition of selected underutilized food crops in Bangkalan District, Madura Island, Indonesia, to determine its potential in meeting the nutritional needs of young children during the complementary feeding period. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We obtained data on the availability of underutilized food crops from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2014 in Bangkalan District, Indonesia, and nutrient composition primarily from the Indonesian Food Composition Database. We considered underutilized food crops to hold nutritional potential if they contributed at least 15% per 100 g edible portion recommended nutrient intake for children aged 6-11 months and 12-23 months or 5% recommended nutrient intake per 100 kcal for iron, zinc, calcium, niacin and folate. RESULTS: We identified nutritionally potential underutilized food crops from several food groups, including Sorghum bicolor, Canna edulis, Colocasia esculenta (the starchy roots and leaves), Plectranthus rotundifolius, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, Moringa oleifera (the leaves and pods), Limonia acidissima, and Benincasa hispida-all of which can be utilized for formulating the complementary feeding diet of young children. CONCLUSIONS: In a food insecure area where malnutrition is prevalent, underutilized food crops have potential to improve the nutrient intake of young children in their complementary feeding period. These should be promoted through the creation of acceptable recipes and formulation of complementary feeding recommendations, which include these underutilized nutrient-dense crops.

The Acceptance and Nutritional Value of Crispy Noodles Supplemented with Moringa oleifera as a Functional Snack for Children in a Food Insecure Area.

Wild foods and underutilized foods are a significant source of nutrients and bioactive components for rural and poor households in food insecure areas. Moringa oleifera (or "Kelor" in Indonesia) is a wild plant that can be utilized as a raw food material. The purpose of this study was to analyse preference of and nutrition and bioactive contents in crispy noodles supplemented with M. oleifera leaf puree. This work applied a randomized experimental study design with six repetitions. To determine the difference between formulas (F0=0%, F1=10%, and F2=20%), organoleptic properties with hedonic test and data concerning organoleptics were processed using Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test (α=0.05). An organoleptic test from 30 untrained panellists showed that formula F1 (10% of M. oleifera leaf puree) was the most preferred level added to the crispy noodles. The content of M. oleifera leaf puree significantly influenced the level of aroma and taste of the crispy noodles (P<0.05), but not the texture or colour. In addition, crispy noodles supplemented with M. oleifera leaf puree provided enough nutrients (protein, vitamin A and C, calcium, and zinc), as well as polyphenol and flavonoid substances, which show several health benefits. Taken together, crispy noodles supplemented with M. oleifera leaf puree is a promising functional snack for children at food insecure areas.