Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 20, Issue 8, 2024

West Nile virus (WNV) infection is a mosquito-borne illness that is endemic to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Europe. WNV-infected individuals can only be managed with symptomatic therapy and supportive care at this point of time. Thus, we have analyzed the possible beneficial effects of black seeds (N. sativa) in this literature review. To find relevant articles, various online databases, such as the Web of Science, Medline, PMC, PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and reference lists were searched. The antiviral, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of black seeds (N. sativa) have been established by numerous clinical, animal, in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies. It has been found that black seeds (N. sativa) have the potential to be included as adjuvant therapy in addition to symptomatic treatment and supportive care in the early stages of WNV infection once randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) affirm the safety and efficacy of black seeds (N. sativa) in WNV infection management as they have been considered the gold standard of treatment in clinical studies.

The importance of dietary composition to human health has raised consumer interest in consuming fruits, vegetables, and foods containing bioactive chemicals and nutraceuticals. Lycopene belongs to the carotenoids abundantly found in tomato and tomato-based food products. It also can be present in other types of fruits like watermelon and pink guava. This review aims to outline the lycopene sources, health benefits, their applications as functional food ingredients and the challenges to commercialization. It has been reported that dietary lycopene has multifunctional health activities, including anticancer on various types of cancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and bone protective effects identified in clinical and preclinical studies. This is because, lycopene primarily affects oxidative stress, inflammation, and pathways implicated in carcinogenesis and cell proliferation. The effects of preparation and processing factors that may impair the bioavailability of lycopene consumed through diet are addressed in this review. Overall, lycopene is a valuable natural colourant that can enhance the nutritional value of foods leading to the development of new functional foods in the food industry.

Phytosterols are bioactive substances that are found spontaneously in the cell membranes of plants and have an atomic composition similar to cholesterol produced by vertebrate cells. They are widely distributed in dietary lipids from plants such as nuts, seeds, and beans with olive oil. β-sitosterol has a variation of pharmacological belongings, with analgesic, immunomodulatory, antiseptic, antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol decreasing, hepatoprotective, and protecting action concerning respiratory and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease illnesses, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic activity. Clinical studies on humans have shown that it works against prostate cancer and has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Pharmacological testing of β-sitosterol demonstrated a range of actions including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antifertility, angiogenic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, diabetes-fighting, and anticancer without significant toxicity. Several formulations have been created by numerous authors, but there are few scholarly reviews of the analytical, pharmacology, and phytochemistry methodologies for this molecule. In this review the literature on β-sitosterol, its biosynthesis, pharmacology, nutraceutical applications, toxicity, formulations, and analytical techniques are all highlighted.

An entirely animal-free diet that prioritizes natural plant-origin foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, and lentils is known as a vegan diet. Lowering persistent diseases like type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, cancer, and many others offers numerous positive health effects. Different aspects of how a vegan diet affects health are studied, and the dietary pattern is analyzed. Along with the trend of a vegan diet, many people have become aware of the importance of following a vegan diet, and many do this for health reasons or due to religious beliefs. A vegan diet has also been seen to positively affect aging. As vegan diet choices are growing, there are now more options for meat and non-dairy alternatives. Optimization for developing an alternative vegan food product is necessary to produce the most favorable product quality and achieve the best. This paper indicates the vegan diet as a whole and how the vegan diet can help treat chronic diseases. It also reviews vegan products for alternative use and their stance in the food industry.

A person's body depends on nutrients, which are the components of food that drive biological activity. A healthy lifestyle includes having a good diet. All that we eat and drink is what human bodies are made of and how they are powered. Proteins, lipids, carbs (sugars, dietary filter), vitamins, and minerals are the several categories that they belong to nutrients, and each one of these performs a crucial job. Building all body parts, including muscle, bone, teeth, and blood. Generating energy and maintaining the body's functionality. A complete condition of emotional and physical well-being is referred to as being "healthy." Optimal nutrition, which supplies all nutrients at sufficient and suitable levels, is the cornerstone of good health and the forerunner of prevention. The most significant ongoing environmental influences influencing our growth, development, functional abilities, and health are the meals we eat and the nutrients they should include. If we want to successfully reduce the excessive premature morbidity and death from our top killer diseases-heart disease, cancer, and stroke-we must educate the general population, especially health professionals, about nutrition. Our lifestyle choices, such as eating, disciplining our health habits, and exercising, will significantly impact our individual health and lower the costs of our existing catastrophic medical treatment. The main environmental factors that continue to impact our ability to grow and develop health are the meals we eat and the nutrients they should include. In this review, we discuss how nutrients play an important role in preventing our body from disease and maintaining health.

Dietary supplements are ingestible nutrient products used in individuals’ diets to meet their adequate intake of nutrients required for general health purposes. This review aims to explore the impact of using dietary supplements in relation to communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as some adverse effects caused by dietary supplements. Findings indicated that vitamin D supplements can aid in recovery from flu and COVID-19. Folic acid can reduce stroke incidents among adults with hypertension. Moreover, vitamin C or calcium intake is significantly associated with lowering diabetes risk. Advantageous effects have been reported of high doses of vitamin C against breast cancer. Moreover, frequent consumption of vitamin E reduced the risk of chronic lung diseases by 10%. In conclusion, the present review confirms the beneficial health effects of dietary supplement consumption and suggests further investigations for a better understanding of their mechanisms in the prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Background: Nidus Vespae (honeycomb), which is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, is the honey-comb of Polistes japonicus Saussure, Parapolybia varia Fabricius, or Polistes olivaceus (De Geer), and it is usually harvest in winter and autumn. Methods: Its chemical component is completely complex combining honey, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis and consequently has a significant number of bioactive components such as nitro compounds, flavonoids, and polyphenols. It has shown various pharmacological impacts, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-tumor effects. Results: In this review article, all relevant papers from various scholars and researchers were searched in Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus. Honeycomb has various activities and numerous pharmacological benefits and health advantages, and it can be considered a valuable source of nutraceuticals, and an effective natural medicine and organic product. Conclusion: In this review, we have decided to discuss the importance of traditional treatment, and the pharmacological properties of Nidus Vespae.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the physicochemical, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties of medicinal plant stem Xáo tam phân (Paramignya trimera) as influenced by 11 drying conditions. Xáo tam phân (Paramignya trimera (Oliv.) Guillaum) has been used in fold medicine for cancer prevention and treatment. The preparation of the dried sample is crucial and necessary for further investigation and application. To evaluate the effects of some popular drying methods, namely, sun drying, hot-air drying, microwave drying, infrared drying, and freeze drying on the physicochemical properties, the retention of phytochemical compounds (total saponins, phenolics, and flavonoids), and antioxidant properties (DRSC, CUPRAP, and FRAP) of dried P. trimera stem. Methods: The plant stem Xáo tam phân (Paramignya trimera) was dried by 11 drying conditions: sun drying at 36.6°C; hot-air drying at 60°C, 80°C, and 100°C; microwave drying at 270 W, 450 W, and 720 W; infrared drying at 40°C, 45°C, and 50°C; and freeze drying at -40°C. Results: The results show that among the 11 drying conditions used, hot-air drying at 80°C achieved the highest phytochemical contents of the P. trimera stem in terms of total saponins (28.82 mg EE/g DS), total phenolics (3.71 mg GAE/g DS), and total flavonoids (10.82 mg CE/g DS), and infrared drying at 50°C possessed the greatest antioxidant activity of the P. trimera stem (3.59 and 9.56 mg TE/g DS for DRSC and CUPRAC, respectively); however, both these drying methods had the longest drying time (1.5 to 7.0 h.) and consumed the highest energy (2.10 to 11.77 kWh). In contrast, microwave drying took the shortest drying time (0.1 to 0.4 h.) and consumed the least energy (0.07 to 0.14 kWh), but it still retained moderate levels of phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity of the P. trimera stem. Conclusion: The findings achieved from this study recommend using hot-air drying at 80°C for the preparation of the dried sample from the P. trimera plant stem.

Background: Iron deficiency anemia and low adherence to take iron tablets are prevalent issues among teenage school girls in Indonesia. To address this concern and encourage regular iron supplementation, the public health office of Sukoharjo Central Java Indonesia introduced a pil-pintar program, colloquially known as the “smart pill.” Aims: This study aimed to measure the increase in hemoglobin (Hb) levels and its correlation with nutrient intake related to Hb synthesis following the pil-pintar intervention. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a one-group pre-posttest approach was performed involving 49 school teenage girls aged 12-15 years in a public school in Sukoharjo, Indonesia. Each student was given an iron sugar coat tablet containing 182 mg of ferrous-fumarate (equivalent to 60 mg elemental iron) and 0.400 mg of folic acid per tablet, called pil-pintar, once a week for 12 weeks. Results: A decrease in anemia prevalence by 24.4% and a notable increase in Hb levels by 1.0 mg/dL (p = 0.001) were observed in the 12 weeks of intervention. However, the study found no association between the nutrient intakes related to Hb production and the resulting Hb levels. Conclusion: The pil-pintar program effectively improved the hemoglobin levels of anemic teenage girls in the Sukoharjo district, Indonesia.

Aims: The current study looked at the effect of nanocrystal chrysin on the effects of chlorpyrifos on kidney function, as well as the histopathological changes in this tissue and its potential as an antioxidant in the kidneys of adult male rats. Background: The effect of nanocrystal chrysin on the kidneys of rats exposed to chlorpyrifos has not been fully understood. Objective: The safety and efficacy of nanocrystal chrysin was evaluated. Methods: The rats were randomly divided into six groups of six rats each: 1) a control group treated with corn oil, 2) a group treated with chrysin nanocrystals (5 mg/kg), 3) a group treated with chrysin nanocrystals (10 mg/kg), 4) a group treated with chrysin nanocrystals (5 mg/kg) + chlorpyrifos (30 mg/kg), 5) a group treated with chrysin nanocrystals (10 mg/kg) + chlorpyrifos (30 mg/kg). After the intervention, serum and kidney tissue samples were separated. Results: Histology and biochemical factors at the serum level did not reveal any significant changes in all treated groups versus the control group. Additionally, the morphology of the renal tubules in all groups, including the glomeruli, was normal. There was no inflammation, congestion, necrosis, or degeneration. Conclusion: In this study, the serum levels of urea, creatinine, bilirubin, and albumin, which are indicators of kidney function, as well as oxidative stress indices and kidney morphology in animals given doses of 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of chrysin nanocrystals did not change. This study suggests that chrysin nanocrystals with an average diameter of 155 nm may be a safe and efficient antioxidant.

Introduction: Polysaccharides are widely used in the biomedical and food industries as thickening, gelling, emulsifying, hydrating, and suspending agents. Polysaccharides have adequate viscoelastic properties and flow characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine various rheological parameters of Acacia nilotica (Babool) gum. Methods: Understanding the influence of temperature on rheological properties is quite important for polymeric materials to be considered as pharmaceutical excipients. Thus, a polymeric solution of purified Babool gum was prepared, and the influence of temperature on its rheological behaviour (viscosity and surface tension) was investigated to develop a better understanding of the structural organization of the gum. Furthermore, viscosity, surface tension, temperature coefficient, activation energy, Gibbs free energy, Reynolds number, and entropy of fusion were calculated using the Arrhenius, Gibbs–Helmholtz, Frenkel–Eyring, and Eotvos equations, respectively. Results: The activation energy of the gum was 3.81 ± 0.18 kJ/mol. Changes in entropy and enthalpy were 0.56 ± 0.23 and 4.27 ± 0.81 kJ/mol, respectively. The calculated amount of entropy of fusion was found to be 0.014 ± 0.01 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹. Conclusion: The study outcomes showed that the viscosity and surface tension increased as the temperature decreased. The good rheological properties of Babool gum make it a suitable excipient for its applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Background: Innovative application of processing is an emerging trend in food production. Objective: The present study was conducted to produce peanut butter and evaluate the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the product, to which the outer shells of peanuts were added in different proportions (5, 10, 15%) to reduce the calories of the product by reducing the fat content in the peanut butter as well as benefiting from the shells as a residue secondary to the peanut seeds. Methods: The chemical composition of the prepared sample, along with bioactive determination Using HPLC, microbial testing, Aflatoxin content, and sensory evaluation, have been done for the prepared peanut butter using standard methods. Results: The chemical composition of the peanut outer shell powder was characterized by the highest value of fiber (46.6%), followed by total carbohydrates and protein (23.25%, (12.54%) respectively. The produced peanut butter showed that the total carbohydrate resulted in the highest value (23.25%), followed by fat (42.21) and protein (28.12%). Substitution at 5, 10, and 15% peanut outer shell resulted in a non-significant difference concerning protein. At the same time, the lipid content showed a significant decrease compared to the control. A similar trend was found concerning total carbohydrate-to-fat content. Total fiber increased to 1.5 & 2.08, and 2.6 times as high as the content parallel to dietary fiber, while β-Carotene decreased significantly due to the substitution level. The substitution level decreased energy (cal) by about 203.58, 730.093, 562.86, 545.19, and 526.66, respectively, compared with the control. A slight increase was found in the mineral content due to the substitution, except for the calcium increases at 15%. DPPH and ABTS% increased in parallel with the substitution level, which was in line with total phenols and flavonoids. Flavonoid fraction resulted in nariagin (94.72 QE), the major flavonoid, followed by lutein (82.23 QE). Meanwhile, phenolic compounds were described with pyrogallol (68.31 GAE) (as the main compound, followed by chlorogenic (780.76 GAE). The fatty acid composition showed that oleic and linoleic were predominant in all treatments. Bacterial, yeast, and mold counts appeared after three months of storage (20 ± 2°C). Aflatoxin was not detectable in the sample of the peanut outer shells and peanut butter samples. Sensory characteristics showed approximately the same score for all treatments except that of 15% substitution, which resulted in a significant decrease in all parameters compared with the control. Conclusion: This study reported that 5%, followed by 10% of peanut outer shells, were the most suitable levels for making peanut butter, improving the nutritional value by increasing the percentage of fiber and antioxidants in peanut shells, leading to better quality products and shelf life.

Aims: The aim of this study is to determine the potential adverse effects associated with the prolonged administration of Zingiber roseum rhizome extract. Background: This study aimed to evaluate the sub-chronic toxicity of Z. roseum, commonly known as rosy ginger, using a mouse model. Z. roseum has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties; however, there is limited information regarding its potential toxic effects. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the safety profile of ZRR extract at various doses and conduct a detailed analysis of hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters regarding sub-chronic toxicity. Methods: Mice were orally administered ZRR methanolic extract at doses of 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg for 14 days as per the guidelines of ‘The Brazilian Agency of National Health Surveillance.’ Subchronic toxicity was conducted by monitoring multiple indicators, including changes in body weight, food and water consumption, blood profile (HB, RBC, WBC, and PLT), and biochemical markers (ALT, AST, ALP, TP, ALB, TC, TG, HDL, LDL, Creatinine, and Urea) and histopathological examination of the liver. Results: Throughout the study, the mice showed normal behavior and appeared healthy. The administration of Z. roseum at all tested doses did not significantly affect body weight, food, and water intake, blood, biochemical markers, or liver. Z. roseum at these doses was safe, with no fatalities or harm. Conclusion: Lastly, the sub-chronic administration of Z. roseum at doses of 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg in a mice model did not elicit any toxic effects, indicating its potential safety as a therapeutic agent.