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Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023Flaxseed contains high amounts of biologically active components such as α-linolenic acid, lignans, and dietary fiber. Due to its numerous nutritional properties,... (Review)
Review
Flaxseed contains high amounts of biologically active components such as α-linolenic acid, lignans, and dietary fiber. Due to its numerous nutritional properties, flaxseed has been classified as a "superfood", that is, a food of natural origin with various bioactive components and many health-promoting benefits. Flaxseed consumption can be an important factor in the prevention of diseases, particularly related to nutrition. The regular consumption of flaxseed may help to improve lipid profile and lower blood pressure, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). Moreover, flaxseed is characterized by anticancer and antioxidant properties and can significantly reduce the intensity of symptoms associated with menopause, constipation, and mental fatigue, improve skin condition, and accelerate wound healing. In addition to its bioactive compounds, flaxseed also contains antinutrients such as cyanogenic glycosides (CGs), cadmium, trypsin inhibitors, and phytic acid that can reduce the bioavailability of essential nutrients and/or limit its health-promoting effects. Three common forms of flaxseed available for human consumption include whole flaxseed, ground flaxseed, and flaxseed oil. The bioavailability of ALA and lignans is also dependent on the form of flaxseed consumed. To ensure high bioavailability of its bioactive components, flaxseed should be consumed in the ground form.
PubMed: 36766971
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11030395 -
Nutrients Sep 2020Plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of lifestyle-induced chronic diseases. The thousands of phytochemicals they contain are implicated in cellular-based... (Review)
Review
Plant-based diets are associated with reduced risk of lifestyle-induced chronic diseases. The thousands of phytochemicals they contain are implicated in cellular-based mechanisms to promote antioxidant defense and reduce inflammation. While recommendations encourage the intake of fruits and vegetables, most people fall short of their target daily intake. Despite the need to increase plant-food consumption, there have been some concerns raised about whether they are beneficial because of the various 'anti-nutrient' compounds they contain. Some of these anti-nutrients that have been called into question included lectins, oxalates, goitrogens, phytoestrogens, phytates, and tannins. As a result, there may be select individuals with specific health conditions who elect to decrease their plant food intake despite potential benefits. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine the science of these 'anti-nutrients' and weigh the evidence of whether these compounds pose an actual health threat.
Topics: Antioxidants; Antithyroid Agents; Cooking; Diet, Vegetarian; Food Handling; Fruit; Humans; Lectins; Nutrients; Oxalates; Phytic Acid; Phytochemicals; Phytoestrogens; Tannins; Vegetables
PubMed: 32987890
DOI: 10.3390/nu12102929 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2020Recently, inositols, especially -inositol and inositol hexakisphosphate, also known as phytic acid or IP6, with their biological activities received much attention for... (Review)
Review
Recently, inositols, especially -inositol and inositol hexakisphosphate, also known as phytic acid or IP6, with their biological activities received much attention for their role in multiple health beneficial effects. Although their roles in cancer treatment and prevention have been extensively reported, interestingly, they may also have distinctive properties in energy metabolism and metabolic disorders. We review inositols and inositol phosphate metabolism in mammalian cells to establish their biological activities and highlight their potential roles in energy metabolism. These molecules are known to decrease insulin resistance, increase insulin sensitivity, and have diverse properties with importance from cell signaling to metabolism. Evidence showed that inositol phosphates might enhance the browning of white adipocytes and directly improve insulin sensitivity through adipocytes. In addition, inositol pyrophosphates containing high-energy phosphate bonds are considered in increasing cellular energetics. Despite all recent advances, many aspects of the bioactivity of inositol phosphates are still not clear, especially their effects on insulin resistance and alteration of metabolism, so more research is needed.
Topics: Adipocytes, White; Animals; Energy Metabolism; Humans; Inositol Phosphates; Insulin Resistance; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 33139672
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215079 -
Cell Sep 2022Changes in gut microbiota have been associated with several diseases. Here, the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) studied the gut microbiome of...
Changes in gut microbiota have been associated with several diseases. Here, the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) studied the gut microbiome of 576 MS patients (36% untreated) and genetically unrelated household healthy controls (1,152 total subjects). We observed a significantly increased proportion of Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans, Hungatella hathewayi, and Eisenbergiella tayi and decreased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia species. The phytate degradation pathway was over-represented in untreated MS, while pyruvate-producing carbohydrate metabolism pathways were significantly reduced. Microbiome composition, function, and derived metabolites also differed in response to disease-modifying treatments. The therapeutic activity of interferon-β may in part be associated with upregulation of short-chain fatty acid transporters. Distinct microbial networks were observed in untreated MS and healthy controls. These results strongly support specific gut microbiome associations with MS risk, course and progression, and functional changes in response to treatment.
Topics: Fatty Acids, Volatile; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Interferon-beta; Multiple Sclerosis; Phytic Acid; Pyruvates
PubMed: 36113426
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.021 -
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic... 2019Acne is a commonly encountered disorder in the dermatological practice. Chemical peeling is one of the treatment modalities in acne and postacne pigmentation. Although...
BACKGROUND
Acne is a commonly encountered disorder in the dermatological practice. Chemical peeling is one of the treatment modalities in acne and postacne pigmentation. Although various peeling agents are available, studies comparing their efficacy are lacking. Moreover, there is a paucity of studies comparing the efficacy of combination peels in Asian population.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-five patients with mild to moderate acne were divided into three groups of fifteen each. Groups A, B, and C underwent peeling sessions biweekly with 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid peels, respectively, for a total of six sessions. All other anti-acne treatments were stopped. Lesion count was carried out at baseline and at each follow-up visit. Acne scoring and postacne hyperpigmentation index were noted at each visit. Photographic record was maintained.
RESULTS
Significant reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion count was noted at 12 weeks in all the three study groups. Reduction in acne score at the end of 12 weeks in the three study groups was 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7%, respectively. A significant decline was observed in the postacne hyperpigmentation index in all the three study groups at the end of 12 weeks ( = 0.034).
CONCLUSION
All three chemical peels are effective in the treatment of mild to moderate acne in Asian population. No significant adverse effects were noted.
PubMed: 31619887
DOI: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_135_18 -
Nature Oct 2020The coevolution of mammalian hosts and their beneficial commensal microbes has led to development of symbiotic host-microbiota relationships. Epigenetic machinery...
The coevolution of mammalian hosts and their beneficial commensal microbes has led to development of symbiotic host-microbiota relationships. Epigenetic machinery permits mammalian cells to integrate environmental signals; however, how these pathways are fine-tuned by diverse cues from commensal bacteria is not well understood. Here we reveal a highly selective pathway through which microbiota-derived inositol phosphate regulates histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) activity in the intestine. Despite the abundant presence of HDAC inhibitors such as butyrate in the intestine, we found that HDAC3 activity was sharply increased in intestinal epithelial cells of microbiota-replete mice compared with germ-free mice. This divergence was reconciled by the finding that commensal bacteria, including Escherichia coli, stimulated HDAC activity through metabolism of phytate and production of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP). Both intestinal exposure to InsP and phytate ingestion promoted recovery following intestinal damage. Of note, InsP also induced growth of intestinal organoids derived from human tissue, stimulated HDAC3-dependent proliferation and countered butyrate inhibition of colonic growth. Collectively, these results show that InsP is a microbiota-derived metabolite that activates a mammalian histone deacetylase to promote epithelial repair. Thus, HDAC3 represents a convergent epigenetic sensor of distinct metabolites that calibrates host responses to diverse microbial signals.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Histone Deacetylases; Humans; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; Intestinal Mucosa; Intestines; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Organoids; Phytic Acid; Symbiosis
PubMed: 32731255
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2604-2 -
3 Biotech Sep 2021Phytic acid is abundant in seeds, roots and stems of plants, it acts as an anti-nutrient in food and feed industry, since it affects the absorption of nutrients by... (Review)
Review
Phytic acid is abundant in seeds, roots and stems of plants, it acts as an anti-nutrient in food and feed industry, since it affects the absorption of nutrients by humans and monogastric animals. Furthermore, phosphorus produced through its decomposition by microorganisms can cause environmental pollution. Phytase degrades phytic acid generating precursors of inositol that can be used in clinical practice; in addition, phytase treatment can minimize the anti-nutritional effect of phytic acid. The use of phytase synthesized from Bacillus is more advantageous due to its high activity. Additionally, its good heat resistance under neutral conditions greatly fills the gap of commercial utilization of acid phytase. In this review, we summarize the latest research results on phytase, including its physiological and biochemical characteristics, molecular structure information, calcium effects on its catalytic activity and stability, its catalytic mechanism and molecular modification.
PubMed: 34485008
DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02964-9 -
Brazilian Journal of Microbiology :... Sep 2020Phytic acid stores 60-90% of the inorganic phosphorus in legumes, oil seeds, and cereals, making it inaccessible for metabolic processes in living systems. In addition,... (Review)
Review
Phytic acid stores 60-90% of the inorganic phosphorus in legumes, oil seeds, and cereals, making it inaccessible for metabolic processes in living systems. In addition, given its negative charge, phytic acid complexes with divalent cations, starch, and proteins. Inorganic phosphorous can be released from phytic acid upon the action of phytases. Phytases are phosphatases produced by animals, plants, and microorganisms, notably Aspergillus niger, and are employed as animal feed additive, in chemical industry and for ethanol production. Given the industrial relevance of phytases produced by filamentous fungi, this work discusses the functional characterization of fungal phytase-coding genes/proteins, highlighting the physicochemical parameters that govern the enzymatic activity, the development of phytase super-producing strains, and key features for industrial applications.
Topics: 6-Phytase; Animal Feed; Animals; Aspergillus niger; Fungal Proteins; Fungi; Industry; Phylogeny; Recombinant Proteins; Temperature
PubMed: 32410091
DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00289-y -
Plants (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2020Mineral deficiencies, particularly for iron and zinc, affect over two billion people worldwide, mainly in developing countries where diets are based on the consumption...
Mineral deficiencies, particularly for iron and zinc, affect over two billion people worldwide, mainly in developing countries where diets are based on the consumption of staple crops. Mineral biofortification includes different approaches aimed to increase mineral concentration and to improve mineral bioavailability in the edible parts of plants, particularly the seeds. A multidisciplinary approach, including agronomic, genetic, physiological, and molecular expertise, is necessary to obtain detailed knowledge of the complex homeostatic mechanisms that tightly regulate seed mineral concentrations and the molecules and mechanisms that determine mineral bioavailability, necessary to reach the biofortification objectives. To increase bioavailability, one strategy is to decrease seed content of phytic acid, a highly electronegative molecule present in the cell that chelates positively charged metal ions, many of which are important for human nutrition. All the contributions of the current Special Issue aim at describing new results, reviewing the literature, and also commenting on some of the economic and sociological aspects concerning biofortification research. A number of contributions are related to the study of mineral transport, seed accumulation, and approaches to increase seed micronutrient concentration. The remaining ones are mainly focused on the study of mutants.
PubMed: 32357504
DOI: 10.3390/plants9050553 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2021Rice is one of the most cultivated and consumed cereals worldwide. It is composed of starch, which is an important source of diet energy, hypoallergenic proteins, and... (Review)
Review
Rice is one of the most cultivated and consumed cereals worldwide. It is composed of starch, which is an important source of diet energy, hypoallergenic proteins, and other bioactive compounds with known nutritional functionalities. Noteworthy is that the rice bran (outer layer of rice grains), a side-stream product of the rice milling process, has a higher content of bioactive compounds than white rice (polished rice grains). Bran functional ingredients such as γ-oryzanol, phytic acid, ferulic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, tocopherols, and tocotrienols (vitamin E) have been linked to several health benefits. In this study, we reviewed the effects of rice glycemic index, macronutrients, and bioactive compounds on the pathological mechanisms associated with diabetes, identifying the rice compounds potentially exerting protective activities towards disease control. The effects of starch, proteins, and bran bioactive compounds for diabetic control were reviewed and provide important insights about the nutritional quality of rice-based foods.
PubMed: 34574099
DOI: 10.3390/foods10091992