Formulation of fortified instant weaning food from Musa paradisiaca (banana) and Eleusine coracana.

Weaning food is a soft, easily digestible type of food other than breast milk for infants aged 6 to 24 months. The present study was conducted to develop cereal-fruit-based complementary foods for infants and evaluate the nutritional quality of such types of foods. Few researchers have focused on formulating weaning foods from locally available, nutritious, and rich ingredients without nutrient loss to reduce malnutrition and infant morbidity rates. In this study, the formulated infant food was prepared from Musa paradisiaca (Nendran banana) and Eleusine coracana (ragi). Formulated weaning food was analyzed using various standard methods, demonstrating that it could provide adequate nutrients to growing infants for their proper growth and development. The shelf life of the weaning food was also studied for a period of 3 months at ambient conditions in two different packaging materials: aluminum and plastic (low-density polyethylene or LDPE), with the aluminum foil pouch exhibiting the best shelf life. This ready-to-serve food, which is formulated and fortified with natural ingredients containing essential macronutrients and micronutrients, could be regarded as highly effective supplementary food for infants. Furthermore, this development has the potential to introduce an affordable weaning product specifically targeted at low socioeconomic groups.

Mechanistic Insights into the Link between Gut Dysbiosis and Major Depression: An Extensive Review.

Depression is a highly common mental disorder, which is often multifactorial with sex, genetic, environmental, and/or psychological causes. Recent advancements in biomedical research have demonstrated a clear correlation between gut dysbiosis (GD) or gut microbial dysbiosis and the development of anxiety or depressive behaviors. The gut microbiome communicates with the brain through the neural, immune, and metabolic pathways, either directly (via vagal nerves) or indirectly (via gut- and microbial-derived metabolites as well as gut hormones and endocrine peptides, including peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, neuropeptide Y, cholecystokinin, corticotropin-releasing factor, glucagon-like peptide, oxytocin, and ghrelin). Maintaining healthy gut microbiota (GM) is now being recognized as important for brain health through the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, fecal microbial transplantation (FMT), etc. A few approaches exert antidepressant effects via restoring GM and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functions. In this review, we have summarized the etiopathogenic link between gut dysbiosis and depression with preclinical and clinical evidence. In addition, we have collated information on the recent therapies and supplements, such as probiotics, prebiotics, short-chain fatty acids, and vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, etc., which target the gut-brain axis (GBA) for the effective management of depressive behavior and anxiety.

Antioxidant and Antiaging Properties of Agar Obtained from Brown Seaweed Laminaria digitata (Hudson) in D-Galactose-Induced Swiss Albino Mice.

The present paper explores the antioxidant and antiaging properties of agar extracted from Laminaria digitata (L. digitata) on a D-galactose (D-Gal)-induced mouse model. Experimental mice were divided into four groups: group I comprised of control nontreated mice, group II comprised of D-Gal-induced mice, group III mice were treated with extracted agar after D-Gal induction, and group IV mice were given ascorbic acid as a positive control. Antioxidant enzymes and aging marker proteins declined significantly in group II, whereas they were normal in group III and group IV mice. Expressions of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in D-Gal-induced mice were significantly enhanced in the liver and brain of the experimental mice, which were otherwise normal in agar-treated mice. Also, IL-6 levels were significantly increased in the liver and reversed in the brain of D-gal mice, while it was regularly in the agar-treated mice. The histopathological analysis of D-Gal-induced mice showed spongiosis and tangles in brain cells, increased fat and decreased collagen contents in the skin, and few dilated sinuses in the hepatic cells. The changes were under control in group III and group IV mice, suggesting the protective effects of agar extracted from L. digitata and ascorbic acid.

Fortification methods of coenzyme Q10 in yogurt and its health functionality-a review.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant, fat-soluble component present in the mitochondrial cells. It provides beneficial results in the treatment of male infertility. In the current scenario, the sedative lifestyle, diet and stress in human lead to excessive free radicals (ROS), leading to health aliments. The review is conducted to compare the effect of different fortification methods of CoQ10 in the Yogurt. The study showed that nanoparticles form of CoQ10 in yogurt showed higher bioaccesiblity rates in humans, and the microencapsulation of CoQ10 showed a low amount of Ubiquinone released during its shelf life. The functional Yogurt produced by the Monascus-fermented soybean powder (MFSP) co-fermentation has been shown to have high free radicals scavenging activity. Thus, the review observes that each fortified sample is useful in its way as CoQ10 supplements. Further studies must be done for accurate conclusions on its effect on male infertility, and other fortification media can be explored.

Impact of Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Modulators on Dendritic Spines Structure and Functions in Brain.

Dendritic spines are small, thin, hair-like protrusions found on the dendritic processes of neurons. They serve as independent compartments providing large amplitudes of Ca2+ signals to achieve synaptic plasticity, provide sites for newer synapses, facilitate learning and memory. One of the common and severe complication of neurodegenerative disease is cognitive impairment, which is said to be closely associated with spine pathologies viz., decreased in spine density, spine length, spine volume, spine size etc. Many treatments targeting neurological diseases have shown to improve the spine structure and distribution. However, concise data on the various modulators of dendritic spines are imperative and a need of the hour. Hence, in this review we made an attempt to consolidate the effects of various pharmacological (cholinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic, serotonergic, adrenergic, and dopaminergic agents) and non-pharmacological modulators (dietary interventions, enriched environment, yoga and meditation) on dendritic spines structure and functions. These data suggest that both the pharmacological and non-pharmacological modulators produced significant improvement in dendritic spine structure and functions and in turn reversing the pathologies underlying neurodegeneration. Intriguingly, the non-pharmacological approaches have shown to improve intellectual performances both in preclinical and clinical platforms, but still more technology-based evidence needs to be studied. Thus, we conclude that a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention may restore cognitive performance synergistically via improving dendritic spine number and functions in various neurological disorders.

Cardioprotective potential of polyphenols rich Thraatchathi Chooranam against isoproterenol induced myocardial necrosis in experimental rats.

BACKGROUND: The present study establishes the cardioprotective role of Thraatchathi Chooranam (TC), a polyherbal traditional Siddha medicine, in terms of membrane stabilizing and antioxidant properties in isoproterenol (ISO) induced myocardial necrosis model in rats. METHODS: Animals were divided into six groups (n = 6), normal (received vehicle 0.5% CMC, p.o.), ISO control (received 0.5% CMC + ISO 120 mg/kg, b.w. s.c. twice at an interval of 48 h), standard control (received Vit-E 100 mg/kg, p.o.) + ISO, TC low and high dose (50 and 100 mg/kg p.o., respectively) + ISO, and drug control (received TC at 100 mg/kg, p.o.). At the end of experimental period, blood samples collected and plasma cardiac troponin-I (CTn-I) was measured by ELISA. Cardiac tissues were isolated, levels of membrane stabilizing enzymes, antioxidants and inflammatory markers were estimated. Gene expression of Bax, Bcl2, Caspase 3, HIF-α, TNF-α, iNOS, TRX1 and TrxR were performed by RT-PCR. Histopathological studies on cardiac tissues were conducted using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. Statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison as post-hoc test. RESULTS: Administration of ISO resulted in a significant increase in plasma CTn-I, decrease in superoxide dismutase, glutathione and glutathione peroxidase; it also significantly altered membrane stabilizing enzymes like Na+/K+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase Ca2+-ATPase and Cathepsin D. Pretreatment with TC (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) decreased CTn-I, and improved membrane stabilizing and endogenous antioxidant enzymes and decreased cathespin D level in a dose dependent manner. Histopathological examination revealed that TC improves cellular membrane integrity and decreases inflammatory cell infiltration and necrotic death. CONCLUSION: The present study provided a strong evidence on the protective effects of TC against ISO-induced myocardial necrosis in rats.

Protein Nutrition in Autism.

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is said to be a "developmental disorder" because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life. The primary cause of autism is still not clear and therapy is currently restricted to controlling behavioral abnormalities. However, emerging studies have shown a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and autism. Dietary supplements that promote mitochondrial biogenesis and inhibit the production of oxidative stress have been used to treat autism patients. Dietary adjustments in treating autism is a novel approach to suppress autistic symptoms. Supplementation with antioxidants has been found to not only inhibit cognitive decline but also improve behavioral symptoms in autism. Dietary supplements fortified with vitamins should only be given under the supervision of a physician. A wide range of nutraceuticals are under clinical trials to understand whether they physiologically target mitochondrial pathways and improve the quality of life in autism.