Monofloral Triadica Cochinchinensis Honey Polyphenols Improve Alcohol-Induced Liver Disease by Regulating the Gut Microbiota of Mice.

Honey produced from medicinal plants holds great promise for human health. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays an important role in liver pathology after alcohol intake. The aim of this study was to identify the polyphenol composition of triadica cochinchinensis honey (TCH), and to study the potential effect of honey polyphenols on the regulation of gut microbes in mice with alcohol-induced liver injury and the improvement of alcohol-induced liver disease. For these purposes, a total of 190 compounds were identified and 27 of them were quantified by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS) and we successfully established a mouse model of alcohol-induced liver injury. The results show that TCH polyphenols can significantly restore the levels of ALT and AST, and TCH intervention can significantly improve the pathological changes of liver tissue in alcohol-exposed mice. Additionally, a significant decrease was observed in Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes after TCH treatment. Moreover, KEGG pathways of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, two-component system and biosynthesis of amino acids enriched the most differentially expressed genes after TCH intervention for 8 weeks. Our results may have important implications for the use of TCH as a functional food component with potential therapeutic utility against alcohol-induced liver disease.

Peanut selenium distribution, concentration, speciation, and effects on proteins after exogenous selenium biofortification.

Fortification of Se is vital importance for both nutritional demand and prevention of Se-deficiency-related diseases. To better understand t selenium distribution, concentration, speciation, its effects on proteins, and cytotoxic activity, the biofortification of exogenous Se in peanut was conducted in this study. Our data have shown that foliar spraying of Se-riched fertilizer was more efficient for biotransformation of inorganic Se to organic Se by peanut plant. Besides, the Se content in peanut was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Our present study also confirmed that SeCys2, MeSeCys, and SeMet were the main Se speciation within peanut proteins. Moreover, the secondary structure and thermostability of peanut protein were altered as a result of the Se treatments, and these alterations could be attributed to the replacements of cysteine and methionine by selenocysteine and selenomethionine, respectively. The Se-enriched peanut protein could significantly inhibit the growth of Caco-2 and HepG2 in a concentration-dependent manner.

Improving in vitro bioaccessibility and bioactivity of carnosic acid using a lecithin-based nanoemulsion system.

As a phenolic terpenoid, carnosic acid (CA) mainly exists in rosemary, which can be effectively used for the treatment of degenerative and chronic diseases by taking advantage of its health-promoting bioactivities. However, the low solubility and dissolution of CA in aqueous solutions at ambient and body temperatures result in low stability and bioaccessibility during the digestion process, which limits its application scope in the functional foods industry. In this regard, a lecithin based nanoemulsion system (CA-NE) is employed in the present work to enhance the bioaccessibility and bioactivities of CA. It is revealed that the CA-NE under investigation exhibits high loading capacity (2.80 ± 0.15%), small particle size (172.0 ± 3.5 nm) with homogeneous particle distribution (polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.231± 0.025) and high repulsive force (zeta potential = -57.2 ± 0.24 mV). More importantly, the bioaccessibility of CA-NE is improved by 2.8-fold compared to that of CA in MCT oil. In addition, the cellular antioxidant assay (CAA) and cellular uptake study of the CA-NE in HepG2 cell models demonstrate a longer endocytosis process, suggesting the well-controlled release of CA from CA-NE. Furthermore, an improved anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated via the inhibition of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-α production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The results clearly demonstrated a promising application of CA-NE as a functional food.

Development of antibacterial pectin from Akebia trifoliata var. australis waste for accelerated wound healing.

The fruit of Akebia trifoliata var. australis can be consumed as food. However, the peel of this fruit is typically regarded as waste. The application of such waste can create opportunities to produce new and valuable by-products. Herein, we have shown that citric acid extracted pectin (CEP) from Akebia trifoliata var. australis peel has good water solubility and high galacturonic units, which helps reduce AgNO3 into Ag nanoparticles (CEP-AgNPs) through a one-step, eco-friendly process. The resulting CEP-AgNPs showed sustained release of Ag+ and remarkable antibacterial activity. Subsequently, the CEP-AgNPs were processed into a CEP-Ag sponge with excellent water absorption and prolonged water retention properties. The CEP-Ag sponge could support the cell adhesion and proliferation. Most importantly, the sponge effectively facilitated a moist environment with bacterial disinfection capability which accelerated the healing of infected wounds. Thus, CEP-Ag sponge, a sustainable and high value by-product, was obtained from food waste.

Preparation and Self-Assembly Mechanism of Bovine Serum Albumin-Citrus Peel Pectin Conjugated Hydrogel: A Potential Delivery System for Vitamin C.

In this study, a novel hydrogel (BSA-pectin hydrogel, BPH) was prepared via a self-assembly method by using the natural polymers of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and citrus peel pectin (pectin). The rheological properties and gel conformational structures were determined and showed that electrostatic and covalent interactions between BSA and pectin were the main mechanisms for the formation of BPH. The morphological characteristics of BPH included a stable and solid three-dimensional network structure with a narrow size distribution (polydispersity index <0.06). BPH was used as a delivery system to load the functional agent vitamin C (Vc). The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and release properties of Vc from BPH were also investigated. The results revealed that the EE of Vc into BPH was approximately 65.31%, and the in vitro Vc release from BPH was governed by two distinct stages (i.e., burst release and sustained release) in different pH solutions, with release mechanisms involving diffusion, swelling, and erosion. Meanwhile, the stability results showed that BPH was a stable system with an enhanced Vc retention (73.95%) after 10 weeks of storage. Thus, this three-dimensional network system of BPH may be a potential delivery system to improve the stability and bioavailability of functional agents in both food and non-food fields.