Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic bioactive peptides: A comprehensive review of their sources, properties, and techno-functional challenges.

The scourge of obesity arising from obesogens and poor dieting still ravages our planet as half of the global population may be overweight and obese by 2035. This metabolic disorder is intertwined with type 2 diabetes (T2D), both of which warrant alternative therapeutic options other than clinically approved drugs like orlistat with their tendency of abuse and side effects. In this review, we comprehensively describe the global obesity problem and its connection to T2D. Obesity, overconsumption of fats, the mechanism of fat digestion, obesogenic gut microbiota, inhibition of fat digestion, and natural anti-obesity compounds are discussed. Similar discussions are made for diabetes with regard to glucose regulation, the diabetic gut microbiota, and insulinotropic compounds. The sources and production of anti-obesity bioactive peptides (AOBPs) and anti-diabetic bioactive peptides (ADBPs) are also described while explaining their structure-function relationships, gastrointestinal behaviors, and action mechanisms. Finally, the techno-functional applications of AOBPs and ADBPs are highlighted.

Trends in functional beverages: Functional ingredients, processing technologies, stability, health benefits, and consumer perspective.

The World Health Organization's emphasis on the health benefits of functional foods and beverages that has contributed to the rise in its popularity globally. Besides these consumers have become more aware of the importance of their food composition and nutrition. Among the fastest-growing market segments within the functional food industries, the functional drinks market focuses on fortified beverages or products that are novel with improved bioavailability of bioactive compounds, and their implicated health benefits. The bioactive ingredients in functional beverages include phenolic compounds, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, peptides, unsaturated fatty acids, etc. which can be obtained from plant, animal and microorganisms. The types of functional beverages which are globally intensifying the markets are pre-/pro-biotics, beauty drinks, cognitive and immune system enhancers, energy and sports drink produced via several thermal and non-thermal processes. Researchers are focusing on improving the stability of the active compounds by encapsulation, emulsion, and high-pressure homogenization techniques to strengthen the positive consumer perspective in functional beverages. However, more research is needed in terms of bioavailability, consumer safety, and sustainability of the process. Hence, product development, storage stability, and sensory properties of these products are vital for consumer acceptance. This review focuses on the recent trends and developments in the functional beverages industry. The review provides a critical discussion on diverse functional ingredients, bioactive sources, production processes, emerging process technologies, improvement in the stability of ingredients and bioactive compounds. This review also outlines the global market and consumer perception of functional beverages with the future perspective and scope.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide-elicited NAMPT signaling activation aggravated adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats by affecting peripheral immune cells differentiation.

Supplement of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the direct precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has gained prominence due to the significant anti-aging potentials of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferas (NAMPT)/NAD+ signaling. Because over-expression of NAMPT is deeply implicated in inflammatory arthritis, we investigated the effects of NMN supplement on rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Tested rats were given oral treatment of NMN at 200 mg/kg/day for 25 days. Arthritis score and body weight were periodically recorded. Clinical outcomes were evaluated based on arthritic manifestations, ELISA analysis and histological examination. T cells subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Expressions of protein and mRNA were assessed by immunoblotting and PCR methods, respectively. Levels of CD172a, CD43, and NAMPT in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were investigated by immunofluorescence approach. Obtained results were further validated by experiments in vitro. Generally, NMN exacerbated AIA severity in rats. It deteriorated MMP3-controlled tissues damages, and altered immune profile by increasing Th17/Treg cells ratio. The up-regulation of NAMPT in PBMCs from NMN-treated rats was confirmed by both immunofluorescence and PCR experiments, which was synchronized with significant increase in iNOS, MCP-1, IL-1ß expression. NMN-primed AIA PBMCs were potent in up-regulating MCP-1, IL-1ß, MMP3 and p-JNK expression in synovioblast. NMN stimulus barely affected Th17 cells count in in vitro cultured splenocytes, but it greatly potentiated the capability of AIA monocytes in inducing IL-17α secretion and Th17 cells differentiation in the co-cultured splenocytes. It suggested that long-term NMN supplement could exacerbate inflammatory arthritis by reshaping the immune milieu through the up-regulation of NAMPT.