Soybean (Glycine max) isoflavone conjugate hydrolysing ß-glucosidase (GmICHG): a promising candidate for soy isoflavone bioavailability enhancement.

Isoflavones are a sub-class of phenylpropanoids having health benefits and a role in plant defence and plant-rhizobium interaction. Isoflavone conjugate hydrolysis is crucial in determining the bioactivity and bioavailability of these isoflavones inside the human body. This study examined the different characteristics of soy isoflavone conjugate hydrolysing ß-glucosidase (GmICHG) to explore its potential for isoflavone bioavailability enhancement. We cloned the full-length GmICHG cDNA from the soybean seedling roots from the DS2706 variety of 1545 bp. The bioinformatics analysis revealed secretion and glycosylation of this protein. The evolutionary relatedness of this gene to the other glucosidases interestingly had related sequences outside the Papilionaceae family. The protein had a pI above neutral of 7.62 and optimum pH of 6.0, indicating its activity in the extracellular acidic environment. The GmICHG gene expression at three stages of seedling roots gradually rose to 1.84 ± 0.54 fold and a concomitant increase in the ß-glucosidase activity. The enzyme kinetics of GmICHG showed a K m of 6.38 mM and V max of 2.82 U/ml and an optimum temperature of 40 °C. These hint that soy ICHG can be a potent candidate for the isoflavone bioavailability enhancement by hydrolysing their ß-glycosidic bonds. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03427-5.

Current trends in the development of soy-based foods containing probiotics and paving the path for soy-synbiotics.

In the world of highly processed foods, special attention is drawn to the nutrient composition and safety of consumed food products. Foods fortified with probiotic bacteria confer beneficial effects on human health and are categorized as functional foods. The salubrious activities of probiotics include the synthesis of vital bioactives, prevention of inflammatory diseases, anticancerous, hypocholesterolemic, and antidiarrheal effects. Soy foods are exemplary delivery vehicles for probiotics and prebiotics and there are diverse strategies to enhance their functionality like employing mixed culture fermentation, engineering probiotics, and incorporating prebiotics in fermented soy foods. High potential is ascribed to the concurrent use of probiotics and prebiotics in one product, termed as "synbiotics," which implicates synergy, in which a prebiotic ingredient particularly favors the growth and activity of a probiotic micro-organism. The insights on emended bioactive profile, metabolic role, and potential health benefits of advanced soy-based probiotic and synbiotic hold a promise which can be profitably implemented to meet consumer needs. This article reviews the available knowledge about strategies to enhance the nutraceutical potential, mechanisms, and health-promoting effects of advanced soy-based probiotics. Traditional fermentation merged with diverse strategies to improve the efficiency and health benefits of probiotics considered vital, are also discussed.

Isoflavones Play a Potential Role in Off-Flavour Scavenging, with a Key Role of IFS2 in Isoflavone Accumulation in Soybean Seeds.

Research background: Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) is a nutrient-rich crop with a high protein content and various bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties. Nevertheless, it is poorly accepted as a food by consumers due to its off-flavour. Due to the ubiquitous presence of isoflavones in soybeans, their inherent antioxidant potential and inhibitory effect on lipoxygenase activity, their sensory properties are currently being considered to mitigate the off-flavour. Experimental approach: In the present study, the content and composition of isoflavones in 17 soybean cultivars are determined. The correlation between the isoflavone mass fraction and lipid peroxidation was also established, using thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value and carbonyl compound concentration as indices for the development of off-flavour. Cloning, gene expression analysis and in silico analysis of isoflavone synthase isoforms (IFS1 and IFS2) were also performed. Results and conclusions: The total isoflavone mass fraction in soybean genotypes ranged from (153.5±7.2) µg/g for PUSA 40 to (1146±43) µg/g for Bragg. There was a moderately negative correlation between the indices of off-flavour formation and the genistein/daidzein ratio (p<0.1). However, the correlation with total isoflavone mass fraction was found to be insignificant, indicating complex interactions. Higher protein-protein interactions for the predicted structure of IFS2 with other biosynthesis enzymes and its comparatively higher expression in the Bragg than that of IFS1 indicated its more important role in isoflavone synthesis. Novelty and scientific contribution: The genistein/daidzein mass ratio was found to be an important factor in controlling off-flavour. IFS2 was identified as key to produce soybeans with high isoflavone mass fraction and potentially lower off-flavour formation.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Bioactives and Its Role in Alleviating Oral Pathologies.

Garlic (Allium sativa L.) is a bulbous flowering plant belongs to the family of Amaryllidaceae and is a predominant horticultural crop originating from central Asia. Garlic and its products are chiefly used for culinary and therapeutic purposes in many countries. Bulbs of raw garlic have been investigated for their role in oral health, which are ascribed to a myriad of biologically active compounds such as alliin, allicin, methiin, S-allylcysteine (SAC), diallyl sulfide (DAS), S-ally-mercapto cysteine (SAMC), diallyl disulphide (DADS), diallyl trisulfide (DATS) and methyl allyl disulphide. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA statement. Scopus, PubMed, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Science direct databases were searched between 12 April 2021 to 4 September 2021. A total of 148 studies were included and the qualitative synthesis phytochemical profile of GE, biological activities, therapeutic applications of garlic extract (GE) in oral health care system, and its mechanism of action in curing various oral pathologies have been discussed. Furthermore, the safety of incorporation of GE as food supplements is also critically discussed. To conclude, GE could conceivably make a treatment recourse for patients suffering from diverse oral diseases.

Plant-Based Antioxidant Extracts and Compounds in the Management of Oral Cancer.

Oral cancer continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is particularly high in developing countries, where people chew tobacco and betel nut on a regular basis. Radiation-, chemo-, targeted-, immuno-, and hormone-based therapies along with surgery are commonly used as part of a treatment plan. However, these treatments frequently result in various unwanted short- to long-term side effects. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop treatment options for oral cancer that have little or no adverse effects. Numerous bioactive compounds derived from various plants have recently attracted attention as therapeutic options for cancer treatment. Antioxidants found in medicinal plants, such as vitamins E, C, and A, reduce damage to the mucosa by neutralizing free radicals found in various oral mucosal lesions. Phytochemicals found in medicinal plants have the potential to modulate cellular signalling pathways that alter the cellular defence mechanisms to protect normal cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of various medicinal plants and phytoconstituents that have shown the potential to be used as oral cancer therapeutics.

Delineating the inherent functional descriptors and biofunctionalities of pectic polysaccharides.

Pectin is a plant-based heteropolysaccharide macromolecule predominantly found in the cell wall of plants. Pectin is commercially extracted from apple pomace, citrus peels and sugar beet pulp and is widely used in the food industry as a stabilizer, emulsifier, encapsulant, and gelling agent. This review highlights various parameters considered important for describing the inherent properties and biofunctionalities of pectins in food systems. These inherent descriptors include monosaccharide composition, galacturonic acid content, degree of esterification, molecular weight, structural morphology, functional group analysis, and functional properties, such as water and oil holding capacity, emulsification, foaming capacity, foam stability, and viscosity. In this study, we also delineate their potential as a nutraceutical, prebiotic, and carrier for bioactive compounds. The biofunctionalities of pectin as an anticancer, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic agent are also conceptually elaborated in the current review. The multidimensional characteristics of pectin make it a potential candidate for use in food and biomedical science.

Custard Apple (Annona squamosa L.) Leaves: Nutritional Composition, Phytochemical Profile, and Health-Promoting Biological Activities.

Annona squamosa L. (custard apple) belongs to the family Annonaceae and is an important tropical fruit cultivated in the West Indies, South and Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, India, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Egypt. Leaves of custard apple plants have been studied for their health benefits, which are attributed to a considerable diversity of phytochemicals. These compounds include phenol-based compounds, e.g., proanthocyanidins, comprising 18 different phenolic compounds, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Extracts from Annona squamosa leaves (ASLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiobesity, lipid-lowering, and hepatoprotective functions. In the current article, we discussed the nutritional and phytochemical diversity of ASLs. Additionally, ASL extracts were discussed with respect to their biological activities, which were established by in vivo and in vitro experiments. A survey of the literature based on the phytochemical profile and health-promoting effects of ASLs showed that they can be used as potential ingredients for the development of pharmaceutical drugs and functional foods. Although there are sufficient findings available from in vitro and in vivo investigations, clinical trials are still needed to determine the exact effects of ASL extracts on human health.

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Leaves: Nutritional Composition, Phytochemical Profile, and Health-Promoting Bioactivities.

Psidium guajava (L.) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and it is an important fruit in tropical areas like India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South America. The leaves of the guava plant have been studied for their health benefits which are attributed to their plethora of phytochemicals, such as quercetin, avicularin, apigenin, guaijaverin, kaempferol, hyperin, myricetin, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, epigallocatechin gallate, and caffeic acid. Extracts from guava leaves (GLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, lipid-lowering, and hepatoprotection activities. In the present review, we comprehensively present the nutritional profile and phytochemical profile of GLs. Further, various bioactivities of the GL extracts are also discussed critically. Considering the phytochemical profile and beneficial effects of GLs, they can potentially be used as an ingredient in the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals. More detailed clinical trials need to be conducted to establish the efficacy of the GL extracts.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Leaves: Nutritional Composition, Phytochemical Profile, and Health-Promoting Bioactivities.

Mangifera indica L. belongs to the family of Anacardiaceae and is an important fruit from South and Southeast Asia. India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and the Philippines are among the top mango producer countries. Leaves of the mango plant have been studied for their health benefits, which are attributed to a plethora of phytochemicals such as mangiferin, followed by phenolic acids, benzophenones, and other antioxidants such as flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and tocopherols. The extracts from mango leaves (MLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, hepato-protection, and anti-diarrheal. In the present review, we have elaborated on the nutritional and phytochemical profile of the MLs. Further, various bioactivities of the ML extracts are also critically discussed. Considering the phytochemical profile and beneficial effects of the MLs, they can be used as a potential ingredient for the development of functional foods and pharmaceutical drugs. However, more detailed clinical trials still needed to be conducted for establishing the actual efficacy of the ML extracts.

Elicitor-Induced Biochemical and Molecular Manifestations to Improve Drought Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) through Seed-Priming.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major grain cereals of the Indian subcontinent which face water-deficit stress for their cultivation. Seed-priming has been reported to be a useful approach to complement stress responses in plants. In the present study, seed-priming with hormonal or chemical elicitor [viz. methyl jasmonate (MJ), salicylic acid (SA), paclobutrazol (PB)] showed significant increase in total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and expression of Rice Drought-responsive (RD1 and RD2) genes (of AP2/ERF family) in contrasting rice genotypes (Nagina-22, drought-tolerant and Pusa Sugandh-5, drought-sensitive) under drought stress. However, decrease in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation was observed not only under the stress but also under control condition in the plants raised from primed seeds. Expression analyses of RD1 and RD2 genes showed upregulated expression in the plants raised from primed seeds under drought stress. Moreover, the RD2 gene and the drought-sensitive genotype showed better response than that of the RD1 gene and the drought-tolerant genotype in combating the effects of drought stress. Among the elicitors, MJ was found to be the most effective for seed-priming, followed by PB and SA. Growth and development of the plants raised from primed seeds were found to be better under control and drought stress conditions compared to that of the plants raised from unprimed seeds under the stress. The present study suggests that seed-priming could be one of the useful approaches to be explored toward the development of simple, cost-effective and farmer-friendly technology to enhance rice yield in rainfed areas.