Phytochemicals Involved in Mitigating Silent Toxicity Induced by Heavy Metals.

Heavy metals (HMs) are natural elements present in the Earth's crust, characterised by a high atomic mass and a density more than five times higher than water. Despite their origin from natural sources, extensive usage and processing of raw materials and their presence as silent poisons in our daily products and diets have drastically altered their biochemical balance, making them a threat to the environment and human health. Particularly, the food chain polluted with toxic metals represents a crucial route of human exposure.

Are Nutraceuticals Effective in COVID-19 and Post-COVID Prevention and Treatment?

The beginning of the end or the end of the beginning? After two years mastered by coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, we are now witnessing a turnaround. The reduction of severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 led to increasing importance of a new disease called post-COVID syndrome. The term post-COVID is used to indicate permanency of symptoms in patients who have recovered from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Ancient Wheat as Promising Nutraceuticals for the Prevention of Chronic and Degenerative Diseases.

In the context of a balanced diet, wheat, mainly used as whole grains, is a good source of nutrients, including fibers and bioactive compounds. Cereals belong to the Poaceae family and are crucial for maintaining a healthy status, granted by their nutritional and chemical properties. Recent studies have demonstrated that the intake of whole grains and grain-based products may reduce the risk of oxidative stress, thus lowering chronic and age-related disorders, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and cancer.

The Significant Role of Nutraceutical Compounds in Ulcerative Colitis Treatment.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mainly affecting the colon and the rectum. Its main characteristics include relapsing and remitting mucosal inflammation, starting in the rectum and typically extending continuously proximally through part of or the entire colon. UC pathogenesis depends on multiple factors, such as genetic predisposition, defects in the epithelial barrier, dysregulated immune responses, and environmental causes.