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Planta Medica Nov 2018and bark extracts have been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Japanese traditional medicines and are still widely employed as herbal preparations for their... (Review)
Review
and bark extracts have been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Japanese traditional medicines and are still widely employed as herbal preparations for their sedative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and antispastic effects. Neolignans, particularly magnolol and honokiol, are the main substances responsible for the beneficial properties of the magnolia bark extract (MBE). The content of magnolol and honokiol in MBE depends on different factors, including the plant species, the area of origin, the part of the plant employed, and the method used to prepare the extract. The biological and pharmacological activities of magnolol and honokiol have been extensively investigated. Here we review the safety and toxicological properties of magnolol and honokiol as pure substances or as components of concentrated MBE, including the potential side-effects in humans after oral intake. and genotoxicity studies indicated that concentrated MBE has no mutagenic and genotoxic potential, while a subchronic study performed according to OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) guidelines established a no adverse effect level for concentrated MBE > 240 mg/kg b.w/d. Similar to other dietary polyphenols, magnolol and honokiol are subject to glucuronidation, and despite a relatively quick clearance, an interaction with pharmaceutical active principles or other herbal constituents cannot be excluded. However, intervention trials employing concentrated MBE for up to 1 y did not report adverse effects. In conclusion, over the recent years different food safety authorities evaluated magnolol and honokiol and considered them safe.
Topics: Animals; Biphenyl Compounds; Drug Interactions; Humans; Lignans; Magnolia; Mutagenicity Tests; Plant Extracts; Tissue Distribution
PubMed: 29925102
DOI: 10.1055/a-0642-1966 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2022Since chronic inflammation can be seen in severe, long-lasting diseases such as cancer, there is a high demand for effective methods to modulate inflammatory responses.... (Review)
Review
Since chronic inflammation can be seen in severe, long-lasting diseases such as cancer, there is a high demand for effective methods to modulate inflammatory responses. Among many therapeutic candidates, lignans, absorbed from various plant sources, represent a type of phytoestrogen classified into secoisolariciresionol (Seco), pinoresinol (Pino), matairesinol (Mat), medioresinol (Med), sesamin (Ses), syringaresinol (Syr), and lariciresinol (Lari). Lignans consumed by humans can be further modified into END or ENL by the activities of gut microbiota. Lignans are known to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, together with activity in estrogen receptor-dependent pathways. Lignans may have therapeutic potential for postmenopausal symptoms, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of lignans has been demonstrated in various cancer cell lines, including hormone-dependent breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as colorectal cancer. Interestingly, the molecular mechanisms of lignans in these diseases involve the inhibition of inflammatory signals, including the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Therefore, we summarize the recent in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the biological effects of various lignans, focusing on their values as effective anti-inflammatory agents.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Cardiovascular Diseases; Lignans; Neoplasms; NF-kappa B; Phytoestrogens
PubMed: 36555124
DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415482 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2019The 13 research articles/communications, six reviews, and one perspective that comprise this Special Issue on Lignans, highlight the most recent research and...
The 13 research articles/communications, six reviews, and one perspective that comprise this Special Issue on Lignans, highlight the most recent research and investigations into this diverse and important class of bioactive natural products [...].
Topics: Biological Products; Humans; Lignans
PubMed: 30978936
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24071424 -
Nutrients Sep 2022Sesame ( L.), of the Pedaliaceae family, is one of the first oil crops used in humans. It is widely grown and has a mellow flavor and high nutritional value, making it... (Review)
Review
Sesame ( L.), of the Pedaliaceae family, is one of the first oil crops used in humans. It is widely grown and has a mellow flavor and high nutritional value, making it very popular in the diet. Sesame seeds are rich in protein and lipids and have many health benefits. A number of in vitro and in vivo studies and clinical trials have found sesame seeds to be rich in lignan-like active ingredients. They have antioxidant, cholesterol reduction, blood lipid regulation, liver and kidney protection, cardiovascular system protection, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and other effects, which have great benefits to human health. In addition, the aqueous extract of sesame has been shown to be safe for animals. As an important medicinal and edible homologous food, sesame is used in various aspects of daily life such as food, feed, and cosmetics. The health food applications of sesame are increasing. This paper reviews the progress of research on the nutritional value, chemical composition, pharmacological effects, and processing uses of sesame to support the further development of more functionalities of sesame.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Humans; Lignans; Lipids; Nutritive Value; Phytochemicals; Seeds; Sesamum
PubMed: 36235731
DOI: 10.3390/nu14194079 -
European Journal of Nutrition Apr 2022Dietary lignans are phytoestrogens that are mostly found in plant-based foods, especially whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and vegetables. An accurate assessment of... (Review)
Review
Dietary lignans are phytoestrogens that are mostly found in plant-based foods, especially whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and vegetables. An accurate assessment of lignan exposure is crucial to evaluate their potential health benefits and to establish future recommendations and dietary guidelines. This narrative review aimed to (i) summarize the pros and the cons of the current main assessment methods for lignan exposure─i.e., dietary questionnaires, food composition tables and biomarkers, (ii) describe the individual lignans more consumed from a worldwide perspective, as well as their main food sources, (iii) determine the lignans concentrations in both urine and blood, and explore their heterogeneity among countries, and finally (iv) discuss the main determinants of lignan exposure.
Topics: Diet; Lignans; Nuts; Phytoestrogens; Vegetables
PubMed: 34799775
DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02736-4 -
Planta Feb 2022Lignan impregnation of the reaction zone wood protects against oxidative degradation by fungi. Traumatic resin canals may play roles in the underlying signal...
Lignan impregnation of the reaction zone wood protects against oxidative degradation by fungi. Traumatic resin canals may play roles in the underlying signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds. Tree defense against xylem pathogens involves both constitutive and induced phenylpropanoids and terpenoids. The induced defenses include compartmentalization of compromised wood with a reaction zone (RZ) characterized by polyphenol deposition, whereas the role of terpenoids has remained poorly understood. To further elucidate the tree-pathogen interaction, we profiled spatial patterns in lignan (low-molecular-weight polyphenols) and terpenoid content in Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees showing heartwood colonization by the pathogenic white-rot fungus Heterobasidion parviporum. There was pronounced variation in the amount and composition of lignans between different xylem tissue zones of diseased and healthy trees. Intact RZ at basal stem regions, where colonization is the oldest, showed the highest level and diversity of these compounds. The antioxidant properties of lignans obviously hinder oxidative degradation of wood: RZ with lignans removed by extraction showed significantly higher mass loss than unextracted RZ when subjected to Fenton degradation. The reduced diversity and amount of lignans in pathogen-compromised RZ and decaying heartwood in comparison to intact RZ and healthy heartwood suggest that α-conindendrin isomer is an intermediate metabolite in lignan decomposition by H. parviporum. Diterpenes and diterpene alcohols constituted above 90% of the terpenes detected in sapwood of healthy and diseased trees. A significant finding was that traumatic resin canals, predominated by monoterpenes, were commonly associated with RZ. The findings clarify the roles and fate of lignan during wood decay and raise questions about the potential roles of terpenoids in signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds upon wood compartmentalization against decay fungi.
Topics: Lignans; Picea; Terpenes; Wood; Xylem
PubMed: 35142905
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03842-1 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2019Numerous oxidative transformations of lignan structures have been reported in the literature. In this paper we present an overview on the current findings in the field.... (Review)
Review
Numerous oxidative transformations of lignan structures have been reported in the literature. In this paper we present an overview on the current findings in the field. The focus is put on transformations targeting a specific structure, a specific reaction, or an interconversion of the lignan skeleton. Oxidative transformations related to biosynthesis, antioxidant measurements, and total syntheses are mostly excluded. Non-metal mediated as well as metal mediated oxidations are reported, and mechanisms based on hydrogen abstractions, epoxidations, hydroxylations, and radical reactions are discussed for the transformation and interconversion of lignan structures. Enzymatic oxidations, photooxidation, and electrochemical oxidations are also briefly reported.
Topics: Biotransformation; Lignans; Metals; Molecular Structure; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 30650623
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24020300 -
Nutrients Mar 2023The gut microbiome has been shown to play a role in the relationship between diet and cardiometabolic health. We sought to examine the degree to which key microbial...
The gut microbiome has been shown to play a role in the relationship between diet and cardiometabolic health. We sought to examine the degree to which key microbial lignan metabolites are involved in the relationship between diet quality and cardiometabolic health using a multidimensional framework. This analysis was undertaken using cross-sectional data from 4685 US adults (age 43.6 ± 16.5 years; 50.4% female) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1999-2010. Dietary data were collected from one to two separate 24-hour dietary recalls and diet quality was characterized using the 2015 Healthy Eating Index. Cardiometabolic health markers included blood lipid profile, glycemic control, adiposity, and blood pressure. Microbial lignan metabolites considered were urinary concentrations of enterolignans, including enterolactone and enterodiol, with higher levels indicating a healthier gut microbial environment. Models were visually examined using a multidimensional approach and statistically analyzed using three-dimensional generalized additive models. There was a significant interactive association between diet quality and microbial lignan metabolites for triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin, oral glucose tolerance, adiposity, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (all < 0.05). Each of these cardiometabolic health markers displayed an association such that optimal cardiometabolic health was only observed in individuals with both high diet quality and elevated urinary enterolignans. When comparing effect sizes on the multidimensional response surfaces and model selection criteria, the strongest support for a potential moderating relationship of the gut microbiome was observed for fasting triglycerides and oral glucose tolerance. In this study, we revealed interactive associations of diet quality and microbial lignan metabolites with cardiometabolic health markers. These findings suggest that the overall association of diet quality on cardiometabolic health may be affected by the gut microbiome.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Female; Middle Aged; Male; Risk Factors; Nutrition Surveys; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diet; Obesity; Triglycerides; Cholesterol, HDL; Lignans
PubMed: 36986142
DOI: 10.3390/nu15061412 -
Journal of the American College of... Aug 2021Evidence regarding lignan consumption in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk remains limited and mixed.
BACKGROUND
Evidence regarding lignan consumption in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk remains limited and mixed.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to prospectively examine associations between lignan intake and CHD risk in U.S. men and women.
METHODS
We prospectively followed 214,108 men and women in 3 cohorts who did not have cardiovascular disease or cancer at baseline. Diet was repeatedly assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire every 2-4 years since baseline.
RESULTS
During 5,517,225 person-years of follow-up, we documented 10,244 CHD cases, including 6,283 nonfatal myocardial infarction and 3,961 fatal CHD cases. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, comparing extreme quintiles, the pooled hazard ratios of CHD were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79-0.92) for total lignans, 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71-0.82) for matairesinol, 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81-0.93) for secoisolariciresinol, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95) for pinoresinol, and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95) for lariciresinol (all P values for trend ≤0.003). Nonlinear relationships were found for total lignan, matairesinol, and secoisolariciresinol: the risk reduction plateaued at intakes above approximately 300 μg/d, 10 μg/d, and 100 μg/d, respectively (P < 0.01 for all nonlinearity). The inverse associations for total lignan intake appeared to be more apparent among participants with higher total fiber intake (P = 0.04 for interaction). In addition, lignan intake was more strongly associated with plasma concentrations of enterolactone when fiber intake was higher.
CONCLUSIONS
Increased long-term intake of lignans was associated with a significantly lower risk of total CHD in both men and women. Possible synergistic effects may exist between lignan and fiber intake in relation to CHD risk reduction, possibly through enhancing the production of enterolignans.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Coronary Disease; Diet; Female; Humans; Lignans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Risk Assessment; United States
PubMed: 34384548
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.05.049 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2022Lignans are particularly interesting secondary metabolites belonging to the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway. From the structural point of view, these molecules... (Review)
Review
Lignans are particularly interesting secondary metabolites belonging to the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway. From the structural point of view, these molecules could belong to the aryltetralin, arylnaphtalene, or dibenzylbutyrolactone molecular skeleton. Lignans are present in different tissues of plants but are mainly accumulated in seeds. Extracts from plant tissues could be characterized by using the NMR-based approach, which provides a profile of aromatic molecules and detailed structural information for their elucidation. In order to improve the production of these secondary metabolites, elicitors could effectively stimulate lignan production. Several plant species are considered in this review with a particular focus on species, well recognized as the main producer of lignans.
Topics: Biosynthetic Pathways; Flax; Lignans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Seeds
PubMed: 35408739
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072340