Food & Function最新文献

{"title":"Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MPB-65 combined with epicatechin alleviates hyperuricemia by modulating the gut–kidney axis†","authors":"Zihao Tian, Jing Zhang, Zhongmei Tan, Xiaolei Duan, He Zhang, Bailiang Li, Enyu Wang, Vicky Yang Wang, Dong Xu, Jiage Ma and Wei Yu","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01265A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01265A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disorder induced by excessive generation or underexcretion of uric acid (UA), leading to abnormally elevated levels of serum UA beyond the normal range. This study explored the potential effects of <em>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</em> MPB-65 combined with epicatechin (EC) as a synbiotic supplement in alleviating HUA. The results showed that the combination of <em>L. plantarum</em> MPB-65 and EC effectively reduced the levels of serum UA, creatinine (CRE), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). It also alleviated kidney and colon inflammatory responses, reduced kidney oxidative stress, and relieved tissue injury in the kidneys and colon. Furthermore, <em>L. plantarum</em> MPB-65 combined with EC could inhibit liver xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity, downregulate the expression of URAT1 and GLUT9 in the kidneys and upregulate the expression of ABCG2 in the colon. It was also shown to significantly suppress the expression of key proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the kidneys. Meanwhile, the HUA-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis was ameliorated by intervention with <em>L. plantarum</em> MPB-65 combined with EC, particularly in the species composition and structure of the gut microbiota. <em>L. plantarum</em> MPB-65 combined with EC increased the short-chain fatty acid levels. Overall, <em>L. plantarum</em> MPB-65 combined with EC exerted alleviating effects on potassium oxonate- and adenine-induced HUA through modulating the gut–kidney axis.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 17","pages":" 6800-6816"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144774353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of ‘Mapo’ tangelo (Citrus × tangelo) extracts, essential oil, and isolated compounds on LDL receptor and PCSK9 expression in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line Huh7","authors":"Irene Ferrarese, Maria Giovanna Lupo, Ilaria Rossi, Giorgia Marodin, Haixia Chen, Stefania Sut, Nicola Ferri and Stefano Dall'Acqua","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01511A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01511A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Peel (MPLE), pulp extract (MPPE) and essential oil (MPO) of <em>Citrus</em> × <em>tangelo</em> were studied for their chemical composition and for their ability to act on the expression of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9), two key players in cholesterol metabolism, in the human hepatocarcinoma cell line Huh7. MPPE demonstrated the ability to induce the LDL receptor and to reduce PCSK9. Chemical characterization of the extracts was conducted <em>via</em> LC-DAD-MS for MPLE and MPPE and <em>via</em> GC-MS for MPO. The main compounds isolated from MPLE and MPPE were ferulic acid, narirutin, 3′-methoxy-narirutin, nobiletin, 3-methoxynobiletin and tangeretin. MPPE significantly induced the LDL receptor (+1.43 ± 0.49-fold <em>vs.</em> basal) and suppressed PCSK9 levels (−64% ± 24% <em>vs.</em> basal). Among the different isolated compounds, ferulic acid showed the most interesting modulation of both the LDL receptor (+1.26 ± 0.14-fold <em>vs.</em> basal) and PCSK9 (−59% ± 14% <em>vs.</em> basal), showing potential cholesterol-lowering properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 19","pages":" 7823-7834"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/fo/d5fo01511a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharide fractions promote the proliferation and metabolism of Bifidobacterium longum F2","authors":"Lin Wang, Yaqing Lin, Zhikun Zeng, Zihao Zhang, Baodong Zheng, Lei Pan and Yi Zhang","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02732B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02732B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study aims to investigate the effect of <em>Dictyophora indusiata</em> polysaccharide fractions DIP0<small>_p</small> and DIP1<small>_p</small> on the proliferation and metabolism of <em>Bifidobacterium longum</em> F2. <em>In vitro</em> static digestion showed that the total sugar, reducing sugar content, functional groups and surface morphology of DIP0<small>_p</small> and DIP1<small>_p</small> did not change significantly during the saliva, gastric and small intestine digestion. In particular, DIP0<small>_p</small> and DIP1<small>_p</small> promoted the proliferation and metabolism of <em>B. longum</em> F2. Here, the acetic acid levels of DIP0<small>_p</small> and DIP1<small>_p</small> were 265.63 ± 5.57 ppm and 259.14 ± 4.31 ppm, which were significantly higher than those of the control group at 48 h of fermentation. In addition, DIP0<small>_p</small> increased the metabolites related to anti-inflammation compared to DIP1<small>_p</small> during fermentation, including itaconic acid and <em>trans</em>-cinnamic acid. This provides a theoretical basis for the development of targeted prebiotics from <em>D. indusiata</em> polysaccharides and the understanding of the precise biological activities of edible fungi polysaccharides.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 16","pages":" 6411-6421"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144751894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weissella confusa WIKIM51 (Wilac D001) improves constipation and gut health in a loperamide-induced mouse model","authors":"Dan-Bi Ki, Jong-Yeon Kim, Varun Jaiswal, Byung Wook Lee, Sang Min Park, Eun-Jung Park and Hae-Jeung Lee","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02365C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02365C","url":null,"abstract":"<p > <em>Weissella confusa</em> WIKIM51 (Wilac D001) has been reported to reduce body fat, but its potential effects on constipation remain unclear. This study is the first to demonstrate that Wilac D001 alleviates loperamide-induced constipation <em>in vivo</em> by enhancing gut barrier function, and modulating gut microbiota. Mice were orally administered vehicle, bisacodyl, low-dose (1 × 10<small>⁹</small> CFU g<small>⁻¹</small>), or high-dose (1 × 10<small>¹⁰</small> CFU g<small>⁻¹</small>) Wilac D001 for 4 weeks, and constipation was induced with loperamide (10 mg kg<small>⁻¹</small>) during the final 11 days. Wilac D001 significantly increased fecal water content by approximately 27% compared with the loperamide group, and also improved fecal pellet weight, intestinal transit, and defecation time. It restored the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO1, Claudin1, Occludin) and reduced aquaporins, suggesting improved barrier integrity. Key regulators of gut motility, including c-Kit, SCF, VPAC1, 5-HT<small>₄</small>R, somatostatin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide, were also significantly modulated. Gut microbiota analysis revealed increased abundance of beneficial bacteria such as <em>Akkermansia muciniphila</em>, <em>Bacteroides acidifaciens</em>, <em>Weissella</em>, and S24-7. These findings suggest that Wilac D001 effectively alleviates constipation and supports gut health through coordinated actions on intestinal structure, hormonal signaling, and microbiota composition, highlighting its potential as a functional probiotic for gut health management.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 18","pages":" 7301-7315"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lactic acid bacteria and staphylococci improve swallowability of fermented meat pastes by modulating texture and flavor","authors":"An He, Yufeng Zou, Jiaming Cai, Yuan Li, Yuting Wang and Dengyong Liu","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02066B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02066B","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study aims to enhance the swallowing characteristics of fermented meat pastes by improving their texture and flavor through the targeted inoculation of different starter cultures. <em>Staphylococcus xylosus</em> (<em>S. xylosus</em>) and <em>Staphylococcus carnosus</em> (<em>S. carnosus</em>) were each combined with <em>Lactobacillus sakei</em> (<em>L. sakei</em>) or <em>Pediococcus pentosaceus</em> (<em>P. pentosaceus</em>) to prepare fermented meat pastes. The LS (<em>L. sakei</em> + <em>S. xylosus</em>) exhibited significantly higher protease activity, which reduced hardness, gumminess, and chewiness (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Based on the IDDSI framework, LC (<em>L. sakei</em> + <em>S. carnosus</em>), LS, PC (<em>P. pentosaceus</em> + <em>S. carnosus</em>), PS (<em>P. pentosaceus</em> + <em>S. xylosus</em>) were categorized as having level 4 standard foods, indicating suitability for individuals with dysphagia. The LS group exhibited the highest protein digestibility and received the highest overall acceptability scores in sensory evaluation among all groups. In addition, the addition of <em>S. xylosus</em> and <em>L. sakei</em> was conducive to the production of free amino acids and free fatty acids, thereby facilitating the formation of alcohols, aldehydes, and esters. Eleven key volatile flavor compounds were identified in the fermented meat pastes. Among these, 1-octen-3-ol and methyl butyrate significantly increased salivary flow rate (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), thereby further supporting swallowing. These findings suggest that co-inoculation with <em>L. sakei</em> and <em>S. xylosus</em> effectively improves texture, flavor, and swallowing properties of fermented meat pastes.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 16","pages":" 6703-6717"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144758769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grape pomace extract, rich in phenolic compounds, attenuates obesity-induced nephropathy by modulating energy metabolism dysregulation and oxidative stress in mice fed a high-fat diet","authors":"Tatiana Figueras, Diahann J. Perdicaro, Valeria E. Cacciamani, Andrea F. Gil Lorenzo, Laila Suhaiman, Andrea N. Antoniolli, Marcela A. Vazquez Prieto and Valeria V. Costantino","doi":"10.1039/D5FO02327K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO02327K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Obesity constitutes a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease. High-fat diets (HFD) disrupt glucose and lipid metabolism and promote ectopic lipid deposition, leading to renal lipotoxicity and dysfunction. We recently reported that grape pomace extract (GPE), rich in phenolic compounds, has beneficial effects on obesity-related metabolic disorders. This study investigates whether GPE supplementation could revert or attenuate HFD-induced renal damage in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a standard diet (16% calories from fat) or HFD (60% calories from fat) with or without GPE (300 mg per kg body weight per day) for 16 weeks. Chronic consumption of HFD induced several obesity-related alterations such as increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT), insulin resistance, dyslipidemia along with altered markers of kidney function (higher levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and kidney protein levels of Kim-1). This was associated with increased kidney lipid accumulation, glomerular and tubular injury and fibrosis. Supplementation with GPE mitigated all these adverse effects. GPE protected kidney function by modulating cell signals involved in energy metabolism (p-AMPK/p-ACC), inflammation (NLRP3/caspase-1/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway) and oxidative stress (oxidant species production and Nox4 downregulation). These findings support the use of grape-derived bioactive compounds, to counteract obesity-related renal injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 17","pages":" 6833-6847"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144787878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clostridium butyricum JJ100 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR alleviate liver injury in mice caused by continuous high-dose-alcohol exposure by protecting the intestinal barrier, rebuilding the gut microbiota and regulating AMPK and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathways†","authors":"Yonghao Hu, Yujie Wang, Xudong Li, Qiong Xie and Zhitang Lyu","doi":"10.1039/D5FO00915D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO00915D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Alcohol consumption poses a major global public health challenge, with excessive drinkers showing heightened susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) – a condition with complex pathogenesis. In this study, we used male BALB/c mice with identical enterotypes to establish a sustained high-dose alcohol-induced liver injury model. The model was created through daily intragastric administration of 52% (v/v) ethanol (10 mL kg<small>⁻¹</small>) for four consecutive weeks, allowing us to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of probiotic supplementation with <em>Clostridium butyricum</em> and <em>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</em>. Results demonstrated that probiotic treatment significantly reduced serum LPS levels while enhancing the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-3, and occludin), attenuated alcohol-induced elevations in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG) and serum total cholesterol (TC) levels, and effectively mitigated both hepatic injury and dyslipidemia. Mechanistically, probiotics inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation <em>via</em> AMPK pathway regulation, restructured gut microbiota composition, reduced oxidative stress through gut–liver axis modulation (as evidenced by increased hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD)/catalase (CAT) activities), strengthened intestinal barrier function, and suppressed inflammatory responses <em>via</em> TLR4/NF-κB pathway inhibition (with the corresponding downregulation of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6 and MPO). Notably, the probiotic agent also reversed alcohol-induced cognitive and physical impairments, restoring short-term memory and endurance in alcohol-fed mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 16","pages":" 6687-6702"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144751893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary protein from different sources escapes host digestion and is differentially modified by gut microbiota","authors":"Ayesha Awan, Alexandria Bartlett, J. Alfredo Blakeley-Ruiz, Tanner Richie, Casey M. Theriot and Manuel Kleiner","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01132A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01132A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Protein is an essential macronutrient and variations in its source and quantity have been shown to impact long-term health outcomes. Differential health impacts of dietary proteins from various sources are likely driven by differences in their digestibility by the host and subsequent availability to the intestinal microbiota. However, our current understanding regarding the fate of dietary proteins from different sources in the gut, specifically how component proteins within these sources interact with the host and the gut microbiota, is limited. To determine which dietary proteins are efficiently digested by the host, and which proteins escape host digestion and are used by the gut microbiota, we used high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantify proteins that constitute different dietary protein sources before and after digestion in germ-free and conventionally raised mice. We detected proteins from all sources in fecal samples of both germ-free and conventional mice suggesting that even protein sources with high digestive efficiency make it to the colon where they can serve as metabolic substrate for gut microbiota. Additionally, we found that specific component proteins of dietary protein sources were degraded to a greater extent in the presence of the microbiota. We found that specific proteins with functions that could potentially impact host health and physiology were differentially enriched in germ-free or conventionally raised mice. These findings reveal large differences in the fate of dietary protein from various sources in the gut which could explain some of their differential health impacts.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 18","pages":" 7154-7168"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12401224/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut microbiota mediated the curvilinear association between dietary animal protein intake and bone mineral density in Chinese adults","authors":"Yan-Jun Deng, Qiong Zhang, Mao-Xin Ren, Yun Zhang, Guang Li, Hao Feng, Xiao-Bao Wang, Yu-Hao Cui, Jia-Mei Huang, Xin-Liang Mao and Su-Mei Xiao","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01417D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01417D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Dietary protein intake is closely related to bone health. However, it remains unclear how different dietary protein sources contribute to bone mass and how the gut microbiota affects these processes. This study investigated the relationships of dietary animal and plant protein intake with bone mineral density (BMD) and the mediating role of gut microbes in these associations. A total of 1012 participants aged 18–64 years were recruited. Dietary protein intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The gut microbiota was analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The relationships between dietary protein intake and BMD and the mediating effects of gut microbes were examined. Dietary animal protein intake showed inverted U-shaped relationships with BMD at the lumbar spine, total hip and whole body (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.050). A positive association was observed between them in the subpopulation with an intake level below 0.87 g kg<small>⁻¹</small> day<small>⁻¹</small> (sβ = 0.095 to 0.107, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.050). Among individuals with intake levels higher than this threshold, a linear downward trend was observed (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.050). Dietary plant protein intake was inversely associated with BMD at the lumbar spine (sβ = −0.192, <em>P</em> = 0.002) and total hip (sβ = −0.173, <em>P</em> = 0.008). Eleven and two bacterial genera were associated with dietary animal and plant protein intake, respectively (<em>q</em>-value &lt; 0.250). <em>Lactococcus</em>, <em>Lactonifactor</em>, <em>Lachnoclostridium</em>, <em>Coprococcus_1</em> and <em>Dialister</em> together mediated 14.50%–18.66% of the associations between dietary animal protein intake and BMD at the three skeletal sites. In conclusion, the threshold effect of dietary animal protein intake on BMD was partly explained by some gut microbes. Excessive dietary animal protein intake and general dietary plant protein intake might not have positive effects. These findings may provide important insights into the prevention and management of osteoporosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 18","pages":" 7053-7066"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144936061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The therapeutic potential of pomegranate in the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases","authors":"Asad Ur Rahman, Muhammad Esa and Pharkphoom Panichayupakaranant","doi":"10.1039/D5FO01999K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5FO01999K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory conditions, and metabolic and central nervous system disorders, are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. These diseases are primarily driven by unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. Pomegranate (<em>Punica granatum</em> L.), a fruit rich in diverse functional phytoconstituents, has emerged as a promising natural therapeutic agent for the prevention and management of NCDs. Every part of the fruit harbors distinct bioactive compounds that contribute to its health-promoting properties. The peels are particularly rich in punicalagins, the arils are abundant in anthocyanins and ellagic acid, and the seeds contain significant amounts of punicic acid, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Pomegranate peel extracts and juice demonstrate cardioprotective effects through inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity, reduction of inflammatory cytokines, <em>e.g.</em>, interleukins and TNF-α, and improvements in lipid profiles. Additionally, their anticancer properties are associated with the upregulation of pro-apoptotic markers (Bax, cytochrome c, caspases 3 and 9, and p53) and the downregulation of tumor-promoting and inflammatory markers (Bcl-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, GOLPH-3, and N-cadherin), as well as the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Moreover, pomegranate extracts have exhibited hypoglycemic, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, antidepressant, anti-Alzheimer's, and anti-Parkinson's properties, as demonstrated in <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> studies, and clinical trials. Recent investigations have identified key bioactive constituents, including punicalagin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, and urolithin A, as major contributors to these therapeutic effects. This review provides an overview of the metabolomic profile of pomegranate, its therapeutic potential, safety, and quality control assessments, and strategies to enhance the stability and bioavailability of its active constituents, thus underscoring its potential as a natural intervention for the prevention and treatment of NCDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 16","pages":" 6313-6345"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144726112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}