Current Nutrition & Food Science - Volume 18, Issue 8, 2022

The aim of this review was to summarize the most important traditional medinical herbs and plants that are being used in different parts of the world with a focus on a green anticancer approach. The most important impacts of medicinal plants on cancer treatments are prevention of cancer occurrence, decreased side effects, ameliorated post-operative complications, reduced post operative recurrence, reduced tumor growth, maintenance therapy, reduced symptoms and prolonged survival. Alkaloid anti-cancer compounds are pyrrolidine, pyridine, tropane, piperidine, pyrrolizidine, quinolizidine, indolizidine, isoquinoline, oxazole, isoxazole, quinazoline, quinoline, indole serine, purine, β-phenylethylamine, colchicine, benzylamine, abornin, pancratistatin and narciclasine. Anticancer phenolic compounds from plants are flavonol, flavones, kaempferol, luteolin, curcumin, apigenin, chalcone, and cafestol. Anticancer terpenoids compounds from medicinal plants are isoprene, alpha-hederin, galanal A, galanal B, carnosol, oleanane and xanthorrhizol. The most important chemical structures of anti-cancer drugs derived from plants are vincristine, vinblastine, vinorelbine, vindesine, vinflunine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, cabazitaxel, larotaxel, milataxel, ortataxel, tesetaxel, camptothecin, irinotecan, topotecan, etoposide, teniposide, harringtonine and homoharringtonine. Cancer is one of the main and primary causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world. It is a broad group of various diseases typified by unregulated cell growth. The role of plants, especially traditional herbs as a source of organic medicines has been prevalent in many societies, especially in Eastern medicinal science for thousands of years. Traditional medicinal herbs and plants which have both antiviral activity and the ability to promote immunity, would have possible inhibition ability in the initiation and promotion of virus-associated cancers. Medicinal plants should always be considered a great source of novel chemical constituents with anti-cancer effects.

Background: Age is an important risk factor for the mortality rate in the COVID-19 disease, and mostly, hospitalised patients over 60 years with chronic diseases are at high risk of death due to this disease. Along with preventive measures, proper nutrient intake might be helpful in maintaining a healthy state or reduce the severity of the COVID-19 disease in the elderly. Methods: The search was carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar and Web of Science using the following terms: COVID-19, coronavirus, elderly, elderly nutrition. Results: The requirement for some macro and micronutrients, especially the nutrients that support the immune activity, increases in this disease. During the pandemic, the daily energy requirement for the elderly is 27-30 kcal/kg, while the protein intake is at least 1g/kg, and the ratio of fat and carbohydrate is 30:70 or less than 50:50. The daily intake of vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, zinc and selenium can also be increased due to their supporting function in the immune system. Probiotics include Bifidobacterium longum MM-2, Lactobacillus plantarum 06CC2, Lactobacillus bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus M21, and the consumption of prebiotics in diet enhances the immune function. Additionally, flavonoids, such as baicalin, epigallocatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, kaempferol, luteolin, resveratrol and quercetin, improve immunity by reducing oxidative stress in the elderly. Conclusion: Adequate and balanced nutrition diet should be applied during the pandemic; in addition to this, micronutrient deficiencies should also be overcome in the elderly at every stage of life.

Background: Hemodialysis patients can experience problems, including proteinenergy malnutrition, infection, disorders of the immune system, and inflammation. One etiology of malnutrition in hemodialysis is inadequate energy and protein intake, making patients need nutritional support, which can be fulfilled by local Indonesian foodstuffs. Objective: This paper aimed to review the potential health benefits of snails (Pila ampullacea), tempeh, and Moringa oleifera leaves as nutritional support for hemodialysis patients. Methods: In this review, the methodology used was based on comprehensive data searched from PubMed for literature review and technology benchmarking in making nutritional support for hemodialysis patients. An in-depth discussion, including the advantages and drawbacks of each foodstuff, is presented and outlined. Furthermore, key solutions are proposed and presented to overcome hemodialysis issues. Results: The mixture of snail, tempeh, and moringa leaves as nutritional support for hemodialysis patients shows a good combination of natural ingredients from animals and plants. The nutritional content of the three mixed ingredients is found to meet the dietary requirements of hemodialysis, which are high protein, calcium and antioxidants, low phosphorus, and a phosphorus-toprotein ratio of <16. Conclusion: The combination of snails, tempeh, and moringa leaves provides several potential health benefits in overcoming nutritional problems, decreased immune status, and inflammation of hemodialysis patients.

A large variety of spices can be found in kitchens worldwide. The usage varies from region to region as per the cuisine. They hold nutritional values and are being exploited for their anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory properties. This study highlights some of the commonly used Indian spices for their antifungal properties and summarizes their potential antifungal activity. Fungal diseases are deep-rooted and cause acute/chronic infections in humans, mainly Aspergillus and Candida species. As the tropical climate provides a breeding ground for fungal infections, such regions share a huge load of mycoses. Various spices have been shown to be effective in treating fungal diseases. The current study focuses on the potential anti-fungal role of the spices and reviews the current literature on the possible mechanism of action of the active compounds of these spices relative to commonly used antifungal drugs. The spices consist of essential oils that inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis or disrupt and inhibit cell wall formation and efflux pumps and are comparable to the currently available antifungal drugs.

Cordia dichotoma L. (Family Boraginaceae), a well-known medicinal plant, has been traditionally used for thousands of years for the treatment of various diseases. Several studies have been undertaken to assess the pharmacological potential of different parts of the plant, namely roots, stem, flower, and leaves, for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, anticancer, antifertility, antifungal, and wound healing properties. The present review aims to deliver a comprehensive summary of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and prospects of potential pharmacological activities of the plant Cordia dichotoma. A literature survey was carried out through books on herbal medicine and different online databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Scifinder, Science Direct, and Springer. All papers based on traditional medicinal uses and pharmacological properties have been analyzed and summarized in this review. The elaborative results vindicate that extracts and phytoconstituents from Cordia dichotoma exert a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects and hold significant prospects in major health conditions.

Background: Food fortification is an effective intervention strategy to combat micronutrient malnutrition, hidden hunger, and for improvement of public health and nutritional status. Choice of a cost-effective, widely consumed, compatible, and stable candidate vehicle is essential for successful fortification. Objective: This comprehensive review discusses the aspects of food fortification along with the suitability of soy milk, a plant-based milk substitute, as a candidate vehicle for fortification. Methods: Literature mining was done in food research journals, Pubmed, Scopus to collect adopted fortification strategies and preferred vehicles for fortification. Results: Soy milk is a popular health beverage, globally consumed and preferred amongst lactovegetarians, and especially those with bovine milk allergy and lactose intolerance. This plantbased milk alternative is enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytoestrogens, and isoflavones along with different macro- and micronutrients. As a candidate vehicle, soy milk offers the advantage of incorporating a wide range of fortificants, is widely consumed, stable, and is compatible with fortificants. Conclusion: Successful implementation of the fortification strategy and its global scale-up need to overcome different scientific and technological hurdles, socio-economic, ethical, and political barriers, as well as legislative issues. Public-private, multi-stake holder and global partnerships, boosting of small-scale food industries, and developing tie-ups with large scale industries, as well as promoting public awareness regarding the need for fortification are other necessary requisites.

Zingiber officinale, a medicinal herb commonly used in Ayurveda belongs to family Zingiberaceae and is reported to have various therapeutic properties. Roots as well as rhizomes of this plant are commonly used in the treatment of digestive disorder. It has also been used as expectorant, spasmolytic, anti-tussive, anti-allergic, antihistaminic activity and inhibits coughing. The roots and rhizomes are rich sources of essential oil, which may be one of the reasons for medicinal properties. Required data on this plant were obtained from electronic sources (google scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science), several classical textbooks on Ayurveda, and ethnopharmacology. This review article covers all the relevant information on its pharmacological and phytochemical aspects. In this study, we have critically reviewed recent advancements of Zingiber officinale in an attempt to authenticate its use as a multipurpose therapeutic ingredient.

Plantains are termed as ‘culinary bananas’ due to the fact that they are only consumed after cooking or other forms of processing. Providing good nutritional value and versatility in diet, it is considered an important commercial crop and an efficient dietary staple in Africa. However, irrespective of geographical locations and economic status of diverse ethnic groups, plantains are consumed extensively due to their easy availability and preparation. They are prepared and consumed in numerous forms between the green and yellow stages of maturity and ripeness. The nutritional composition of plantains provides several health benefits and therapeutic applications, making it preferable for consumption. They are processed for the further development of a variety of products like biscuits, baby foods, bread, etc. The present review aims to enlist various traditional dishes and the value-added products prepared from plantains after processing. It also highlights other diverse uses of plantain where all the parts of the crop are functional and demonstrate its potential in future scope.

Background: The role of the gut microbiota in improving glycemic control in diabetic patients is gaining attention. Tempeh is a fermented soy food from Indonesia that has antidiabetic and antidysbiotic effects. Interestingly, modification of tempeh processing by adding lactic acid bacteria has been reported to enhance the antidiabetic effect of tempeh. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of modified tempeh on serum glucose, insulin, and gut microbiota diversity of diabetic rats. Methods: Modified tempeh was developed by adding lactic acid bacteria from fermented cassava during tempeh processing. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin nicotinamide. Normal tempeh or modified tempeh was added to the diet and replaced 15% or 30% of casein. Serum glucose and insulin were analyzed before and after 30 days of intervention. At the end of the experiment, the appendix was sampled for gut microbiota analysis. Result: Modified tempeh has a significantly higher number of lactic acid bacteria (9.99 ± 0.09 versus 7.74 ± 0.07 log CFU, p < 0.001) compared to normal tempeh. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in serum glucose and insulin after treatment. Both tempeh supplements increased the diversity of the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota diversity has a strong negative correlation with delta glucose (r = -0.63, p < 0.001) and delta insulin resistance index (r = -0.54, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Modified tempeh has potential therapeutic antidiabetic activity, possibly through increased diversity of the gut microbiota.