The Tiger Milk Mushroom (Lignosus spp.) is an important medicinal mushroom in Southeast Asia and has been consumed frequently by the natives as a cure for a variety of illnesses. In this study, we hypothesized that Lignosus tigris (cultivar E) sclerotium may contain high nutritional value and antioxidant properties, is nontoxic and a potential candidate as a dietary supplement. The chemical and amino acid compositions of the sclerotium were evaluated and antioxidant activities of the sclerotial extracts were assessed using ferric reducing antioxidant power; 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; and superoxide anion radical scavenging assays. Acute toxicity of the L. tigris E sclerotium was assessed using a rat model study. The sclerotium was found to be rich in carbohydrate, protein, and dietary fibers with small amounts of fat, calories, and sugar. The amino acid composition of the protein contains all essential amino acids, with a protein score of 47. The sclerotial extracts contain phenolics, terpenoids, and glucan. The ferric reducing antioxidant power values of the various sclerotial extracts (hot water, cold water, and methanol) ranged from 0.008 to 0.015 mmol min(-1) g(-1) extract, while the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities ranged from 0.11 to 0.13, and -2.81 to 9.613 mmol Trolox equivalents g(-1) extract, respectively. Acute toxicity assessment indicated that L. tigris E sclerotial powder was not toxic at the dose of 2000 mg kg(-1). In conclusion, L. tigris E sclerotium has the potential to be developed into a functional food and nutraceutical.
Many chronic diseases are associated with increased oxidative stress caused by an imbalance between free-radical production and the antioxidant level. Antioxidants, which are abundant in natural honey, are free-radical scavengers that either reduce the formation of or neutralize free radicals. The composition and source of honey greatly dictates its biochemical properties. We performed a comparative analysis of the total phenolic content and antioxidant potential of common commercially available honeys along with Malaysian tualang honey. In vitro biochemical analysis of the phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteau method revealed a significantly elevated phenolic content (83.96 ± 4.53 mg gallic acid equivalents per 100 g) in tualang honey. In addition, the antioxidant capacity (53.06 ± 0.41 mg ascorbic acid equivalents per gram) of tualang honey was greater, as assessed by the phosphomolybdenum method, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl assay, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay. Peroxynitrite and superoxide radical scavenging activity was determined by spectrophotometric analysis in different honey types. Our data suggest that the elevated free-radical scavenging and antioxidant activity observed in tualang honey is due to the increased level of phenolic compounds. In addition to its antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties, our study highlights the favorable antioxidant properties of tualang honey, which may be important to human nutrition and health.
Natural honey has been used in traditional medicine of different cultures throughout the world. This study looked into the extraction of Malaysian honey and the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of these extracts. It was hypothesized that honey extracts contain varying amounts of phenolic compounds and that they possess different in vitro anti-inflammatory activities. Honey extracts were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify and compare phenolic compounds, whereas high-performance liquid chromatography was used for their quantification. Subsequently, honey methanol extract (HME) and honey ethyl acetate extract (HEAE) were tested in vitro for their effect on nitric oxide production in stimulated macrophages. The extracts were also tested for their effects on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) cytotoxicity in L929 cells. The major phenolics in the extracts were ellagic, gallic, and ferulic acids; myricetin; chlorogenic acid; and caffeic acid. Other compounds found in lower concentrations were hesperetin, p-coumaric acid, chrysin, quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol. Ellagic acid was the most abundant of the phenolic compounds recorded, with mean concentrations of 3295.83 and 626.74 μg/100 g of honey in HME and HEAE, respectively. The median maximal effective concentrations for in vitro nitric oxide inhibition by HEAE and HME were calculated to be 37.5 and 271.7 μg/mL, respectively. The median maximal effective concentrations for protection from TNF cytotoxicity by HEAE and HME were 168.1 and 235.4 μg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, HEAE exhibited greater activity in vitro, whereas HME contained a higher concentration of phenolic compounds per 100 g of honey.
Diabetes and hypertension are closely associated with impaired endothelial function. Studies have demonstrated that regular consumption of edible palm oil may reverse endothelial dysfunction. The present study investigates the effect of palm oil fractions: tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF), alpha-tocopherol and refined palm olein (vitamin E-free fraction) on the vascular relaxation responses in the aortic rings of streptozotocin-induced diabetic and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). We hypothesize that the TRF and alpha-tocopherol fractions are able to improve endothelial function in both diabetic and hypertensive rat aortic tissue. A 1,1-diphenyl picryl hydrazyl assay was performed on the various palm oil fractions to evaluate their antioxidant activities. Endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and endothelium-independent (sodium nitroprusside) relaxations were examined on streptozotocin-induced diabetic and SHR rat aorta following preincubation with the different fractions. In 1-diphenyl picryl hydrazyl antioxidant assay, TRF and alpha-tocopherol fractions exhibited a similar degree of activity while palm olein exhibited poor activity. TRF and alpha-tocopherol significantly improved acetylcholine-induced relaxations in both diabetic (TRF, 88.5% +/- 4.5%; alpha-tocopherol, 87.4% +/- 3.4%; vehicle, 65.0 +/- 1.6%) and SHR aorta (TRF, 72.1% +/- 7.9%; alpha-tocopherol, 69.8% +/- 4.0%, vehicle, 51.1% +/- 4.7%), while palm olein exhibited no observable effect. These results suggest that TRF and alpha-tocopherol fractions possess potent antioxidant activities and provide further support to the cardiovascular protective effects of palm oil vitamin E. TRF and alpha-tocopherol may potentially improve vascular endothelial function in diabetes and hypertension by their sparing effect on endothelium derived nitric oxide bioavailability.
The notion that dietary factors affect cognitive function and subsequently the risk of dementia has increased over the years from a global viewpoint. Because low folate intake has been described to impair cognitive function, we tested the hypothesis that low serum folate concentration is associated with cognitive impairment and an attenuated increase in DNA damage. We investigated the relationship between serum folate concentration, cognitive impairment, and DNA damage among elderly people attending health clinics in Klang Valley, an urban area in Malaysia. Two hundred thirty-two participants, composed of 115 men (49.6%) and 117 women (50.4%), were involved; none of the patients were diagnosed with neuropsychiatric problems, nor where they terminally ill. Sociodemography and health variables were assessed through face-to-face interview. Cognitive impairment review was conducted through an Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire. The estimation of dietary intake, serum folate concentration, and DNA damage was individually analyzed using validated Dietary History Questionnaires, immunoassay methods, and an Alkaline Comet Assay study (10 mL of peripheral venous blood), respectively. Results indicated that more men had cognitive impairment (33.0%) and DNA damage (27.0% for percentage DNA in tail, 22.6% tail moment) compared with women (25.6%, 15.4%, and 15.4%, respectively) (P < .05 for all parameters), recording an average folate deficiency value of 13.9% (0.2% higher than women). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis outlined the association of cognitive impairment with older age (odds ratio [OR], 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-5.57), smoking habits (OR, 5.12; 95% CI, 2.48-10.57), poor serum folate concentration (OR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.26-9.52), and DNA damage (percentage DNA in tail) (OR, 13.70; 95% CI, 1.36-138.29). In conclusion, this study highlighted the important role of serum folate concentration for cognitive function and provided a concise picture regarding the elevated levels of oxidative DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes.
The use of a high quercetin dose to demonstrate its absorption and bioavailability does not reflect the real dietary situation because quercetin glycosides are usually present in small amounts in the human diet. This study aimed to demonstrate the absorption and bioavailability of quercetin in mulberry leaves that represents a more physiologic dietary situation. Mulberry leaf ethanol extract was prepared similar to tea infusion, which is the way the tea leaves are generally prepared for consumption. Accordingly, rats were fed by oral intubation the mulberry leaf ethanol extract (15 g%/rat per day) or pure rutin (135 microg/rat per day) for 2 weeks. The control group received a similar volume of the vehicle, 10% ethanol. There was a significant increase in total antioxidant activity (TAA) in the urine and feces of the antioxidants-fed rats. Phenylacetic acid, a microbial metabolite of quercetin, was detected in the urine of the test animals, and quercetin was present in the fecal samples. By using an in situ intestinal preparation, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, another microbial metabolite of quercetin, was detected in the plasma when the duodenal segment was instilled with 2 mg of rutin. This microbial metabolite retained 50% of the TAA of quercetin. The results of this study indicate that in a more realistic dietary situation, an increase in TAA in the body after consumption of quercetin-containing foods is contributed mainly by the microbial metabolites.
Hypercholesterolemia is an important risk factor linked to the alteration of blood hematology and clinical chemistry associated with the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have demonstrated the safety and potential health benefits of Baccaurea angulata (BA) fruit. We hypothesized that the oral administration of BA fruit juice could ameliorate the alteration in the hematological and biochemical biomarkers of diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses of BA juice on the hematological and biochemical biomarkers in normo- and hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Thirty-five healthy adult New Zealand White rabbits were assigned to seven different groups for 90days of diet intervention. Four atherogenic groups were fed a 1% cholesterol diet and 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5mL of BA juice per kg of rabbit daily. The other three normal groups were fed a commercial rabbit pellet diet and 0, 0.5, and 1.0mL of BA juice per kg of rabbit daily. Baseline and final blood samples after 90days of repeated administration BA juice were analyzed for hematological parameters while serum, aortic and hepatic lysates were analyzed for lipid profiles and other biochemical biomarkers. The alteration of the hemopoietic system, physiological changes in serum and tissues lipid profiles and other biochemicals resulting from the consumption of a high-cholesterol diet were significantly (P
Behavioral flexibility (BF) performance is influenced by both psychological and physiological factors. Recent evidence suggests that impulsivity and blood glucose can affect executive function, of which BF is a subdomain. Here, we hypothesized that impulsivity, fasting blood glucose (FBG), glucose changes (ie, glucoregulation) from postprandial blood glucose (PBG) following the intake of a 15-g glucose beverage could account for variability in BF performance. The Stroop Color-Word Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used as measures of BF, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) to quantify participants' impulsivity. In Study 1, neither impulsivity nor FBG could predict performance on the Stroop or the WCST. In Study 2, we tested whether blood glucose levels following the intake of a sugary drink, and absolute changes in glucose levels following the intake of the glucose beverage could better predict BF. Results showed that impulsivity and the difference in blood glucose between time 1 (postprandial) and time 2, but not blood glucose levels at time 2 per se could account for variation in performance on the WCST but not on the Stroop task. More specifically, lower impulsivity scores on the BIS-11, and smaller differences in blood glucose levels from time 1 to time 2 predicted a decrease in the number of total and perseverative errors on the WCST. Our results show that measures of impulsivity and glucoregulation can be used to predict BF. Importantly our data extend the work on glucose and cognition to a clinically relevant domain of cognition.
Oxidative stress is a critical factor that triggers a "domino" cascade of events leading to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson disease. Tocotrienols (T3) have antioxidant effects and can protect neuronal cells against oxidative damage. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of different forms of T3 (alpha, delta, gamma) or tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced oxidative damage in differentiated SH-SY5Y human neural cells. Differentiating the SH-SY5Y cells with retinoic acid and a low-serum culture medium for 6 days allowed development of human dopamine-like neural cells. Subsequently, the differentiated SH-SY5Y neural cells were pretreated with different forms of T3 for 24 hours before these cells were exposed to 6-OHDA. The T3 analogues and TRF displayed neuroprotective effects (P < .05) via restoration of cell viability and activation of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase, catalase). Notably, TRF was highly efficient in scavenging reactive oxygen species and upregulating dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase levels in the differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. Gamma-T3 exhibited the most potent effects in attenuating apoptosis, whereas alpha-T3 was most effective in preventing 6-OHDA-induced leakage of α-Synuclein. Delta-T3 displayed a noticeable effect in upregulating the dopamine receptor D2 gene expression compared with controls. These findings suggest T3 isoforms and TRF demonstrate significant neuroprotective effects in protecting differentiated neural cells against 6-OHDA-mediated oxidative stress.
Imbalance in or inadequate intake of micronutrients may impair insulin synthesis, secretion, and it's signaling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the associations between dietary copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) with insulin resistance (IR), in overweight/obese adults. We hypothesized that dietary Cu and Se are associated with IR in a non-linear trend. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 128 non-diabetic overweight and obese Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years with a body mass index ≥23 kg/m2. Dietary intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaire. IR was defined as homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) ≥1.7. Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing regression was performed to detect non-linearity and piecewise regression models were computed to examine the trend of the associations at different cut off points. In this study, 45% (n = 57) of the study participants were found to be insulin resistant. A U-shaped non-linear relation between Se and HOMA-IR was observed. Three-piecewise regression models revealed positive association between Se and HOMA-IR in individuals with relatively low (<0.3 µg/kg/d) and high (≥1.01 µg/kg/d) intake of Se (β coefficient = 3.835, CI = -12.216 to 19.886, P= 0.614; and β coefficient = 0.785, CI = 0.386-1.185, P = 0.014, respectively). Significant positive association was only found between dietary Cu and HOMA-IR with intake of Cu ≥ 13.4 µg/kg/d, 0.276 (CI = 0.025-0.526; P = 0.033). In conclusion, our findings reveal that a critical balance in the dietary intake of copper and Se is crucial for health, more so in insulin resistant and diabetic individuals. In the latter treatment should include measured intake of both copper and Se, personalized according to individual habitual food preferences and intakes.
Dietary intake may interact with gene variants and modulate inflammatory status. This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of fat mass and obesity-associated rs9930501, rs9930506, and rs9932754 and beta-2 adrenergic receptor rs1042713 on C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations using polygenic risk scores (PRS), and modulatory effect of dietary nutrients on these associations. We hypothesized that higher protein intake is associated with lower inflammatory status in individuals genetically predisposed to obesity. PRS was computed as the weighted sum of the risk alleles possessed and stratified into first (0-0.64), second (0.65-3.59), and third (3.60-8.18) tertiles. A total of 128 overweight and obese Malaysian adults were dichotomized into groups of low and elevated inflammatory status (CRP concentrations ≤3 and >3 mg/L, respectively). One-half of the study participants (51%) were found to have elevated inflammatory status. Second- and third-tertile PRS were significantly associated with increased odds of elevated inflammatory status, 7.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98-28.80; adjusted P = .003) and 3.87 (95% CI, 1.10-13.60; adjusted P = .035), respectively. Individuals in the third-tertile PRS had significantly lower CRP concentrations (4.61 ± 1.3 mg/L vs 9.60 ± 2.6 mg/L, P = .019) when consuming ≥14% energy from protein (with an average of 18.0% ± 2.4%, 43.0% ± 7.7%, and 39.0% ± 8.0% energy from protein, carbohydrate, and fat per day). In conclusion, third-tertile PRS was significantly associated with increased odds of elevated CRP; higher protein intake may alleviate inflammatory status and reduce CRP concentrations systemically in those individuals.
Riboflavin is a precursor of the essential coenzymes flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. Both possess antioxidant properties and are involved in oxidation-reduction reactions, which have a significant impact on energy metabolism. Also, the coenzymes participate in metabolism of pyridoxine, niacin, folate, and iron. Humans must obtain riboflavin through their daily diet because of the lack of programmed enzymatic machineries for de novo riboflavin synthesis. Because of its physiological nature and fast elimination from the human body when in excess, riboflavin consumed is unlikely to induce any negative effects or develop toxicity in humans. The use of riboflavin in pharmaceutical and clinical contexts has been previously explored, including for preventing and treating oxidative stress and reperfusion oxidative damage, creating synergistic compounds to mitigate colorectal cancer, modulating blood pressure, improving diabetes mellitus comorbidities, as well as neuroprotective agents and potent photosensitizer in killing bloodborne pathogens. Thus, the goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of riboflavin's biological applications in medicine, key considerations of riboflavin safety and toxicity, and a brief overview on the nanoencapsulation of riboflavin for various functions including the treatment of a range of diseases, photodynamic therapy, and cellular imaging.
Diet is a modifiable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that specific dietary patterns would increase/decrease pancreatic cancer risk. We evaluated the association of dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer risk in the UK Women's Cohort Study. Dietary patterns were assessed at enrollment using: (1) self-reported practice of vegan/vegetarian dietary habits, (2) diet quality indices (World Health Organization Healthy Diet Indicator and Mediterranean Diet Score), and (3) principal component analysis-derived dietary patterns. The association of dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer incidence was quantified using Cox regression survival analysis. Over a median follow-up of 19 years of 35,365 respondents, there were 136 incident cases of pancreatic cancer. No association between dietary habits/quality and pancreatic cancer incidence was evident after adjustments (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): self-reported omnivores vs vegan/vegetarian dietary habit: 1.13 (0.73-1.76); per-unit increase in World Health Organization Healthy Diet Indicator scores: 0.99 (0.91-1.09); per-unit increase in Mediterranean Diet Score: 0.92 (0.83-1.02). Similarly, no association of principal component analysis-derived dietary patterns with pancreatic cancer risk was evident ("prudent:" 1.02 [0.94-1.10]; ``meat-based:'' 1.00 [0.92-1.09]; ``fast-food, sugar-sweetened beverages, and carbohydrate-rich snacks:'' 0.96 [0.86-1.07]; ``cereal and dairy-rich:'' 1.04 [0.94-1.16], and ``low-diversity and lowfat:'' 1.00 [0.89-1.13]). In this prospective cohort of women, several major dietary patterns were of poor quality. There was no evidence of a prospective association between any of the dietary patterns explored and pancreatic cancer incidence.