Efficacy of Oral Mixed Tocotrienols in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Management of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy remains challenging. Most therapies provide symptomatic relief with varying degrees of efficacy. Tocotrienols have modulatory effects on the neuropathy pathway and may reduce neuropathic symptoms with their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.

Preparation, in-vitro and in-vivo characterisation of CoQ10 microparticles: electrospraying-enhanced bioavailability.

Objectives: This study aimed to prepare Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) microparticles using electrospraying technology, and evaluate the in-vitro properties and in-vivo oral bioavailability.

Key Findings: Electrospraying was successfully used to prepare CoQ10 to enhance its solubility and dissolution properties. In-vitro evaluation of the electrosprayed microparticles showed bioavailability-enhancing properties such as reduced crystallinity and particle size.

Nanotech: propensity in foods and bioactives.

Nanotechnology is seeing higher propensity in various industries, including food and bioactives. New nanomaterials are constantly being developed from both natural biodegradable polymers of plant and animal origins such as polysaccharides and derivatives, peptides and proteins, lipids and fats, and biocompatible synthetic biopolyester polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkonoates (PHA), and polycaprolactone (PCL). Applications in food industries include molecular synthesis of new functional food compounds, innovative food packaging, food safety, and security monitoring.

Agrowaste-based nanofibers as a probiotic encapsulant: fabrication and characterization.

This study explored the potential of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from agrowastes, okara (soybean solid waste), oil palm trunk (OPT), and oil palm frond (OPF) obtained via alkali treatment, in the nanoencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus . SDF solutions were amended with 8% poly(vinyl alcohol) to produce nanofibers using electrospinning technology. The spinning solution made from okara had a higher pH value at 5.

Characterization of fibrous residues from agrowastes and the production of nanofibers.

Oil palm trunk (OPT), oil palm frond (OPF), and okara are agrowastes generated abundantly by the palm oil and soy industries. There are vast potentials for these fibrous biomass rather than disposal at landfills or incineration. Fibrous materials (FM) and alkali-treated fibrous residues (FR) were produced from the selected wastes and subsequently characterized.

The improvement of hypertension by probiotics: effects on cholesterol, diabetes, renin, and phytoestrogens.

Probiotics are live organisms that are primarily used to improve gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, lactose intolerance, and to inhibit the excessive proliferation of pathogenic intestinal bacteria. However, recent studies have suggested that probiotics could have beneficial effects beyond gastrointestinal health, as they were found to improve certain metabolic disorders such as hypertension. Hypertension is caused by various factors and the predominant causes include an increase in cholesterol levels, incidence of diabetes, inconsistent modulation of renin and imbalanced sexual hormones.

Optimization of growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus FTCC 0291 and evaluation of growth characteristics in soy whey medium: a response surface methodology approach.

Four strains of probiotics were evaluated for their alpha-galactosidase activity. Lactobacillus acidophilus FTCC 0291 displayed the highest specific alpha-galactosidase activity and was thus selected to be optimized in soy whey medium supplemented with seven nitrogen sources. The first-order model showed that meat extract, vegetable extract, and peptone significantly (P < 0.