Exploring Phytochemical Mechanisms in the Prevention of Cholesterol Dysregulation: A Review.

Although cholesterol plays a key role in many physiological processes, its dysregulation can lead to several metabolic diseases. Statins are a group of drugs widely used to lower cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk but may lead to several side effects in some patients. Therefore, the development of a plant-based therapeutic adjuvant with cholesterol-lowering activity is desirable.

Exploring the excellence of commercial Brahmi products from Thai online markets: Unraveling phytochemical contents, antioxidant properties and DNA damage protection.

Brahmi ( (L.) Wettst.) is extensively used as a nutritional supplement in various commercial products as the plant contains abundant phytochemicals and has antioxidant properties.

Identification of Indicative Gut Microbial Guilds in a Natural Aging Mouse Model.

Gut microbial dysbiosis during later life may contribute to health conditions, possibly due to an increase in intestinal permeability, immune changes, and systemic inflammation. Mouse models have been employed to determine the influence of gut microbes on aging; however, suitable gut microbial indicators are currently lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the gut microbial indicators and their potential guilds in a natural aging mouse model.

Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharide Synthesis from Sugarcane Syrup with Commercial Enzyme Preparations and Some Physical and Antioxidation Properties of the Syrup and Syrup Powder.

Short-chain fructooligosaccharides (sc-FOS) are prebiotics beneficial to human health, which can be synthesized from raw material containing a high sucrose content. Sugarcane syrup (SS) without molasses removal contains sucrose as a major sugar and is a rich source of several bioactive compounds. The aim of this study is to investigate factors affecting sc-FOS synthesis from SS using commercial enzyme preparations containing fructosyltransferase activity as biocatalysts.

Bioactives from Crude Rice Bran Oils Extracted Using Green Technology.

Crude rice bran oils from different rice cultivars and extraction methods bear different contents of nutraceuticals. The health benefits of lowering cholesterol activity of rice bran oil being confirmed by many reports are partly attributed to non-nutrient nutraceuticals, especially γ-oryzanol, phytosterols, and policosanols. As the world has been facing the global warming crisis, green extraction technology is gaining attention from many sectors.

High Levels of Policosanols and Phytosterols from Sugar Mill Waste by Subcritical Liquefied Dimethyl Ether.

Extracting nutraceuticals with high value from bagasse, filter mud, and sugarcane leaves discarded as sugar mill by-products, is crucial for the development of a sustainable bio-economy. These by-products are important sources of policosanols and phytosterols, which have a cholesterol-lowering effect. This research focused on using a promising green technology, subcritical liquefied dimethyl ether extraction, with a low pressure of 0.

Nutraceutical Difference between Two Popular Thai Namwa Cultivars Used for Sun Dried Banana Products.

Musa (ABB group) “Kluai Namwa” bananas (Musa sp.) are widely grown throughout Thailand. Mali Ong is the most popular Kluai Namwa variety used as raw material for sun-dried banana production, especially in the Bangkratum District, Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Two-stage processing for xylooligosaccharide recovery from rice by-products and evaluation of products: Promotion of lactic acid-producing bacterial growth and food application in a high-pressure process.

In this study, we attempted to maximize arabinoxylan conversion into xylooligosaccharide (XOS) from rice husk and rice straw using two saccharification processes and evaluate the promotion of lactic acid-producing bacterial growth, including an investigation of the role of prebiotics in protecting probiotic bacteria in rice drink products in a high-pressure process (HPP). Hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis was designed for XOS recovery from rice husk arabinoxylan (RH-AX) and rice straw arabinoxylan (RS-AX). The hydrothermal treatment performed at 170 °C for 20 min and 180 °C for 10 min was the optimal condition to produce XOS liquor from rice husk and rice straw, respectively.

Subcritical dimethyl ether extraction as a simple method to extract nutraceuticals from byproducts from rice bran oil manufacture.

The byproducts of rice bran oil processes are a good source of fat-soluble nutraceuticals, including γ-oryzanol, phytosterol, and policosanols. This study aimed to investigate the effects of green technology with low pressure as the subcritical fluid extraction with dimethyl ether (SUBFDME) on the amount of γ-oryzanol, phytosterol, and policosanol extracted from the byproducts and to increase the purity of policosanols. The SUBFDME extraction apparatus was operated under pressures below 1 MPa.

Comparative study on amount of nutraceuticals in by-products from solvent and cold pressing methods of rice bran oil processing.

Rice bran oil (RBO) has become a popular oil globally. However, the RBO extraction process leaves various residue products, which contain bioactive substances of varying potency which could be significant sources of functional ingredients for both food production and pharmaceutical manufacture. The objective of our study was to compare the bioactive substances in various by-products derived from the two rice bran oil processing methods; solvent extraction and cold pressing.

Chemopreventive Effects of Phytochemicals and Medicines on M1/M2 Polarized Macrophage Role in Inflammation-Related Diseases.

Macrophages can polarize into two different states (M1 and M2), which play contrasting roles during pathogenesis or tissue damage. M1 polarized macrophages produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators resulting in inflammation, while M2 macrophages have an anti-inflammatory effect. Secretion of appropriate cytokines and chemokines from macrophages can lead to the modification of the microenvironment for bridging innate and adaptive immune responses.

Physico-chemical properties, wax composition, aroma profiles, and antioxidant activity of granulated non-centrifugal sugars from sugarcane cultivars of Thailand.

Non-centrifugal cane sugar (NCS) is globally consumed and has various health benefits. It is mostly produced in hardened block form, which is less convenient than in granulated form for food applications. In terms of the traditional processing of NCS, preparation of granulated products is difficult due to the impurities found in the cane juice extracted from the whole stalk.

Effect of drying conditions on properties, pigments and antioxidant activity retentions of pretreated orange and purple-fleshed sweet potato flours.

Pigmented sweet potatoes (SPs) are outstanding sources of anthocyanin, β-carotene and other color-related phytonutrients. However, fresh SP roots are highly perishable and difficult to store. To reduce losses and extend their uses, fresh SP could be converted into flour.

Physicochemical properties of Terminalia catappa seed oil as a novel dietary lipid source.

Terminalia catappa Linn (TC) is an ornamental tree planted extensively in many countries. It has been known for a long time that the seeds are edible but no research has focused on the realm of its use as food. Our previous data showed that the seed contains high levels of oil content (600 g/kg) and possesses the optimum fatty acid balance indicated in fat dietary guidelines.

Reactivity and stability of selected flavor compounds.

Flavor is the most important aspect of food. Based on the complex matrix of the food system and the flavor structure themselves, one important factor that plays a key role in the quality attribute of food is flavor stability. Not surprisingly, there is a large volume of published research investigating the stability of different food flavor compounds, since understanding flavor stability is crucial to creating greater awareness of dietary flavor application.

Protective effect of theaflavin-enriched black tea extracts against dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis in rats.

Liver cirrhosis is responsible for hepatic fibrosis resulting in high mortality and is also a risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women globally. Several studies have found effective anti-cancer activities of theaflavins, the major black tea polyphenols. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of theaflavin-enriched black tea extracts (TF-BTE) on hepatic fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) administration in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Inhibitory effects of Momordica grosvenori Swingle extracts on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate-induced skin inflammation and tumor promotion in mouse skin.

Our previous data showed that the Momordica grosvenori Swingle extract (MSE) exhibited the anti-inflammatory effect through markedly suppressed LPS-induced up-regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) gene expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Regarding the link between inflammation and carcinogenesis, we further investigated the bio-molecular mechanisms of both anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities in vivo using a TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate)-stimulated mouse skin model.