Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 17, Issue 3, 2021

Background: Covid-19 pandemic is causing a very high death toll around the world and a severe fall in the global economy. Many clinical trials are currently underway to check the effectiveness of some known drugs. The physiopathology associated with the virus infection is currently better understood and good prophylactic drug therapies are implemented, such as antibiotics and blood thinners, though, no specific drugs against SARS-Cov-2 were developed yet. Objective: In the present research work, it is aimed to carry out a bibliographic investigation on some active molecular species that could be used against Covid-19, based on their chemical properties to bind to glycoproteins. In the case of SARS-Cov-2, the targeted glycoprotein is the surface virus spike S glycoprotein, that the virus uses to attach to and invade human cells. It is of high pharmacological value to investigate possible active natural substances endowed with a property to bind glycoproteins. In this line of research, oligosaccharides and lectins are two molecular species that have glycoprotein binding properties. Methods: A bibliographic research was carried out on oligosaccharides and lectins in various sources of scientific publications. Relevant chemical and pharmacological properties of oligosaccharides and lectins were searched and their main natural sources were identified. Results: In the present paper, I summarize some scientific evidence to support the therapeutic potential of camel milk as a source of oligosaccharides and its possible use as a functional diet in parallel to drug therapies of Covid-19. On the other hand, sugar and glycoprotein binding properties of some lectins of plant and seaweed origin are reported, and their pharmaceutical use is underlined. Conclusion: In the present study, scientific evidence was documented that encouraged further clinical investigations on camel milk oligosaccharides and lectins of plant and seaweed origin in the management of Covid-19 physiopathology.

Non-centrifugal sugar (NCS) has several traditional names such as brown sugar (Europe & North America), Gula Melaka (Malaysia), Jaggery and Gur (India), Kokuto (Japan), Panela (Colombia) and Muscovado (Philippines). It is obtained by boiling down the sugarcane juice until its water content evaporates. NCS has various benefits for our health as it is anti-diabetic, anti-cariogenic, antioxidant and has radical scavenging activity due to the presence of vitamins, minerals, phenolic acids and flavonoid components as well as total antioxidant capacity. This review provides a general overview of the nutritional composition and health outcomes of NCS compared to refined sugar based on literature published in scientific journals. The NCS can be considered as a nutraceutical and functional food. However, more scientific research will be needed to confirm the outcomes and increase awareness, which could then encourage more usage of this product in sugar- based food.

Obesity has become a prominent epidemic disease since its worldwide prevalence has shown a continuous rise over the past few decades. The primary aim of obesity treatment is to effectively reduce the intake of energy, while simultaneously increasing energy expenditure. Increasing thermogenesis is one of the methods to increase energy expenditure. Thermogenesis, which primarily occurs in brown adipose tissue, can also be produced by beige adipose tissue, through a process known as browning. The browning process has recently been attracting a great deal of attention as a potential anti-obesity agent. Many well-researched inducers of the browning process are readily available, including cold exposure, agonist β3-adrenergic, agonist peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ, fibroblast growth factor 21, irisin and several nutraceuticals (including resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, fish oils, green tea, etc.). This mini review summarizes the current knowledge and the latest research of some nutraceuticals that are potentially involved in the browning process.

In recent times, Moringa oleifera Lam. has become one of the most sought after therapeutic cure-all plants in tropical and subtropical zones, including Jamaica. Anecdotally, the most popular choice of Moringa consumption locally is in the form of functional herbal beverages, such as teas and juices, prepared from the leaves of the plant. However, there is little or no scientific evidence to validate the efficacy and or safety of such beverages. An extensive search of scientific literature published over the last decade (2010-2020) related to the nutritional, medicinal, and toxicological profiles of Moringa oleifera was, therefore conducted with special emphasis on literature related to the dried leaves and aqueous leaf extracts thereof. Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed databases were the main search tools employed. Articles that referred to varieties of Moringa, other than oleifera, were excluded from the searches, as were articles that referred to subject matters outside of nutrition, medicinal properties, and toxicity. All peer-reviewed journal articles, and other online articles, which referred to the subject matters of interest were critically read and included in the review. This review is a compilation of evidence-based literature, indicating the outstanding nutritive value, high therapeutic potential, and the relatively non-toxic properties of the dried leaves and aqueous leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera. Prospects for their application in the development of safe and efficacious functional herbal beverages are indicated.

Background: The reduction in the intake of dietary fat has traditionally been the cornerstone of dietary recommendations of many of the leading health organizations as a key measure to prevent cardiometabolic diseases. However, dietary fat recommendations are sometimes contrasting. In addition, many consumers and food manufacturers are still confused about the effects of fatty acids on coronary heart disease after decades of focus on the low-fat diet. Objectives: To provide an overview of the recently available evidence on the effect of fatty acids on cardiometabolic risk and the various dietary recommendations related to reducing fat in the diet. It will also highlight the effect of the isocaloric substitution of fat by other macronutrients. Methodology: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Medline, Clinical trials.gov, Google Scholar, Science Direct, ADI, and WHO database were searched through to March 2020. Results: Recent evidence demonstrates that higher dietary intakes of saturated fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease which is consistent with the previous scientific evidence. In addition, recent findings indicate that replacing total saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids, monosaturated fatty acids and high-quality carbohydrates reduces cardiometabolic risk. Conclusion: Higher dietary intakes of saturated fatty acids are associated with an increased coronary heart disease risk. Recent scientific evidence highlights the importance of replacing total saturated fat with more healthy alternatives including polyunsaturated fatty acids, monosaturated fatty acids, and high-quality carbohydrates which is consistent with the latest recommendations of the updated guidelines.

Iron is one of the essential elements required for human health, as it plays a vital role in a number of metabolic, growth, and developmental processes, including erythropoiesis, DNA synthesis, electron transport, and others. Iron deficiency is a concern in both developing and developed (industrialized) countries, and, in particular, young women are highly vulnerable. This review investigates the dietary and genetic determinants of iron metabolism in the human body and a possible solution to combat iron deficiency by exploring various targets. Hence, this review mainly focuses on the assessment of dietary and genetic factors affecting the iron bioavailability and homeostasis and collates the available information from 2000 to till date from the Pubmed database. The dietary factors, including ascorbic acid, an important factor in animal protein foods (meat, fish, and poultry), enhance iron absorption whereas the phytic acid, soy protein, calcium, and polyphenols have been reported to inhibit iron absorption. However, the effects of these dietary factors on iron absorption do not necessarily translate into an association with iron status and iron stores (serum ferritin concentration). Moreover, the genetic factors influence the absorption of iron involving HFE, TFR2, FPN1, and HAMP in humans. Further research is needed to determine optimal dietary recommendations for both the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency.

Salvadora persica L., also known as Miswak, Peelu and Arak, is used traditionally as a source of food, cosmetics, fuel and medicine. The most common traditional use of Salvadora persica sticks is tooth cleaning. Other traditional uses of Salvadora persica are in diabetes, arthritis, constipation, fever, cold, malaria, viral infection, gonorrhea, worms, antidotes, stimulators, laxatives and various veterinary problems, such as poor milk production, abdominal disorder, diarrhea, etc. Now traditional uses of Salvadora persica have been scientifically proved in modern research. Various pharmacological activities of Salvadora persica as reported in modern research were anti- microbial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiulcer, anticonvulsant, antifertility, wound healing, anthelmintic, antidepressant, anticancer, etc. These pharmacological activities are due to the presence of many phytochemicals in Salvadora persica. Phytochemicals present in Salvadora persica are alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, terpenoids and sterols. The aim of this review is to provide various traditional use of Salvadora persica proved by modern research, and highlight its pharmacological activity and phytochemicals. This review article may be used to set a new research hypothesis with reference to traditional use.

Background: Food proteins have benefits for human health, which justifies their production and use. In this context, the use of seeds and byproducts that would be otherwise discarded is highlighted in the present work, to produce protein extracts and hydrolyzed proteins, generating opportunities to reduce environmental impacts. Objective: This work aimed to use different extraction methods to obtain protein extracts from seeds (corn, sorghum, and sunflower) and sunflower byproduct to determine their antioxidant activity, and apply different proteolytic enzymes in the hydrolysis of sunflower byproduct. Methods: The seeds of corn, sorghum, and sunflower, and sunflower byproduct were ground to produce flour and the protein extracts were prepared using five different methods. The bioactivity of fractions was analyzed by different methods (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Results: The most effective methods, which resulted in higher protein extraction and antioxidant activity, were those in which NH4HCO3 (5 mM, pH 8.0) and H2O/C2H6O (2:3) were used. The highest protein contents were 797.9, 303.8, and 11296.5 μg/g, and the highest antioxidant activity was 34417.5, 9732.6, and 47473.1 μg TE/g from Soxhlet and Bligh and Dyer defatted extractions for sunflower seed, and sunflower byproduct, respectively. Regarding enzymatic hydrolysis, sunflower byproduct was the substrate that presented the highest degree of hydrolysis (11.06%) when Neutrase ® enzyme was used. Enzymatic hydrolysis increased antioxidant activity in the hydrolyzed proteins, approximately by 20.0%, using Neutrase® and 22.3% using Flavourzyme® treatments. Conclusion: The protein extracts and the hydrolyzed proteins exhibited high antioxidant activity, demonstrating great potential for use as natural antioxidants in food systems.

Background: The diet of Brazilian adolescents is characterized by high intake of fats and sugars and low consumption of antioxidant micronutrients, particularly vitamins A and E. In addition to dietary inadequacies, a significant number of these adolescents present changes in plasma lipoproteins, which may be caused by environmental and lifestyle factors. Objective: To investigate the association between inadequate intake of vitamins A and E and changes in plasma lipoprotein concentrations in Brazilian adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter, school-based, nationwide study with 37,023 Brazilian adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were included. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, vitamin A and E intake, and lipid and anthropometric profile were collected. The Student’s t-test was used to compare means and a logistic regression to verify associations; analyses were conducted in the STATA software version 14.0. The study was approved by the Ethics Committees of the participating institutions and all participants signed an Assent Form. Results: The average vitamin A intake was higher among boys, but consumption below recommendation was found in both sexes. Inadequate intake of vitamins A and E was associated with a higher risk of low HDL-c levels in male and public school adolescents. Low vitamin E intake was associated with a higher risk of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in Brazilian adolescents. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of inadequate intake of vitamins A and E among Brazilian adolescents and data suggesting associations between low intake of these micronutrients and changes in plasma lipoprotein concentrations in this public.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most occurring non-communicable disease resulting in a high blood glucose level. There has been an immense interest in the development of alternative medicines for diabetes treatment, specifically screening functional foods for phytochemicals with the capability of delaying or preventing glucose absorption through digestive enzymes (e.g. α-amylase) inhibition. So, the development of α-amylase inhibitors derived from natural food products is an alternative way to prevent diabetes mellitus. Objective: In this study, organic solvent extracts of the Arachis hypogaea (Peanut) and Cinnamomum tamala (Indian bay leaf/Tejpata) were used to investigate their potential α-amylase inhibition and cytotoxic activities through α-amylase inhibition assay and brine shrimp lethality bioassay respectively. Methods: The α-amylase inhibition assay was performed using the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid method for different concentrations of plant extracts. The optical density (OD) of the solutions were measured to determine the inhibition activity at 540 nm using a spectrophotometer. The cytotoxicity of the plant extracts was measured using brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay. Results: Among the different organic solvent extracts, peanut seed ethanol extract showed the highest α-amylase inhibition activity (67.68±8.67%) at 1.25 μg/mL concentration with an IC50 value of 0.61 μg/mL which is very close to standard α-amylase inhibitor Acarbose (72.34±4.23%) with an IC50 value of 0.32 μg/mL while acetone extract of Indian bay leaf exhibited the lowest inhibition activity (47.75±1.63%) with an IC50 value of 1.42 μg/mL at the same concentration. Besides, the maximum cytotoxic activity was found in acetone extract of peanut shell with an LC50 value of 57.87 μg/mL, whereas ethanol extract of peanut seed showed the lowest cytotoxicity with an LC50 value of 413.90 μg/mL. Conclusion: The result of the present work clearly indicates the potentiality of peanut seed ethanol extract to be used in the management of hyperglycemia as it significantly inhibits α-amylase activity while showing less cytotoxic activities.

Background: High costs of hypoglycemic drugs and their side effects have caused an increase in demand for the production of low glycemic plant foods and snacks from locally available nutrient dense crops for diabetes management. Hungry rice is known for its high fiber content and hypoglycemic properties. Objectives: The study investigated the effect of Hungry rice-based biscuits on some biochemical indices of alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Methods: Four groups of six adult male Wistar rats each with a mean weight of 164.59 g were fasted overnight and induced diabetes by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan at a dose of 150 mg/kg body weight and fed biscuits containing hungry rice/unripe plantain/cashew nut (80:10:10%), hungry rice/unripe-plantain (80:20%), hungry rice/cashew nut (80:20%) or wheat (100%) and water ad libitum for 21 days. The non-induced rats fed poultry growers’ mash serve as the control. The rats’ body weight and food intake were evaluated while the lipid profile, liver enzyme markers, and serum protein were assayed. Results: Hungry rice-based biscuits showed decreases in fasting blood glucose, AST, ALT, ALP, TC, TG, and LDL-C and increases in HDL-C and total serum protein of rats. ALP and serum protein were more in rats fed Wheat biscuit and 80% hungry rice-20% unripe plantain biscuit. The biscuit containing 20% cashew nut showed a better desirable effect on all the parameters tested. Conclusion: The hungry rice-based-biscuits exhibited hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic potentials with desirable effect on liver biomarkers and serum proteins; and may be good for diabetes and weight management.