Food & Function最新文献

{"title":"Gastroprotective effects of <i>Pediococcus acidilactici</i> GKA4 and <i>Lactobacillus brevis</i> GKL93 against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers <i>via</i> regulation of the immune response and gut microbiota in mice.","authors":"Yun-En Huang, Sheng-Yi Chen, Tsung-Ju Li, You-Shan Tsai, Chin-Chu Chen, Gow-Chin Yen","doi":"10.1039/d4fo04106b","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d4fo04106b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Excessive alcohol consumption is a significant pathogenic factor involved in the initiation of noninfectious gastric ulcers. Probiotics based on a specific strain can mitigate gastric damage. However, the protective effects of <i>Pediococcus acidilactici</i> (GKA4) and <i>Lactobacillus brevis</i> (GKL93) against alcohol-induced gastric mucosal damage remain unclear. Hence, the gastroprotective effects of these probiotic strains were investigated in BALB/c mice with gastric mucosa damage induced by absolute alcohol. The results revealed that preadministration of GKA4 and GKL93 increased the expression of antioxidative enzymes (SOD, catalase, GPx), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), and heat shock protein genes (HSP70 and HSP90) and decreased the expression of apoptosis-related genes (Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase-3), MDA, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Mechanistically, GKA4 and GKL93 increased the relative abundance of beneficial flora (<i>Coriobacteriia</i>, <i>Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group</i>, <i>Roseburia</i>, <i>f__Oscillospiraceae unclassified</i>, <i>Ruminococcus</i>, <i>Adlercreutzia</i>, and <i>[Eubacterium]_xylanophilum_group</i>) that may promote antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects <i>via</i> upregulation of the expression of proteins in the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and downregulation of the expression of proteins in the NF-κB/iNOS/COX-2 signaling pathway, subsequently attenuating gastrointestinal permeability and ulcer symptoms. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that <i>[Eubacterium]_xylanophilum_group</i> and <i>f_Oscillospiraceae_unclassified</i> were two significant beneficial flora associated with ethanol-induced gastric ulcers after preadministration of GKA4 and GKL93. In summary, the gastroprotective effects of <i>P. acidilactici</i> GKA4 and <i>L. brevis</i> GKL93 against ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in mice include suppressing oxidative- and inflammatory-related pathways and modulation of the gut microbiota. This novel finding highlights the potential of these probiotics as functional materials in preventing alcohol-induced gastric mucosal damage.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142556592","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":"Inhibitory effect of tea flower polysaccharides on oxidative stress and microglial oxidative damage in aging mice by regulating gut microbiota.","authors":"Yidan Cai, Siyu Liu, Xing Ge, Lu Cheng, Xin Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d4fo03484h","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d4fo03484h","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tea flower polysaccharides (TFPS) have prominent anti-aging effect. In this study, we used an animal model of aging induced by D-galactose in mice to investigate the effect of TFPS on reducing inflammatory factors, lowering oxidative stress levels, and inhibiting oxidative damage to microglia from the perspective of regulating gut microbiota. The results showed that TFPS could improve the homeostasis of gut microbiota in aging mice, reduce the ratio of <i>Firmicutes</i> to <i>Bacteroidota</i>, and significantly increase the abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i>. At the same time, TFPS reduced the excessive activation of hippocampal microglia in aging mice, significantly down-regulated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and POD, and reduced the content of MDA. Our research results indicate that TFPS can improve the disorder of gut microbiota, alleviate oxidative damage to glial cells, alleviate neuroinflammation, and play a role in delaying aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142542948","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":"In vitro gastrointestinal digestion of marine oil emulsions and liposomal solutions: fate of LC-PUFAs upon lipolysis","authors":"Sawsan Amara, Maureen Gerlei, Carole Jeandel, Moulay Sahaka, Frédéric Carrière and Michel Linder","doi":"10.1039/D4FO03161J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO03161J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The bioaccessibility and bioavailability of dietary fatty acids depend on the lipid to which they are esterified, the organisation of theses lipids in water and their recognition by lipolytic enzymes. In this work, we studied the release of marine long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), depending on their presentation either in the form of phospholipids (PL) or triacylglycerol (TAG). Two formulations based on marine PL or TAG extracted from salmon heads (<em>Salmo salar</em>) were prepared. Lipolysis was first tested <em>in vitro</em> by using individual gastrointestinal lipases and phospholipases to identify the enzymes involved in the digestion. Second, the lipolysis of the prepared formulations by a combination of enzymes was tested under <em>in vitro</em> conditions mimicking the physiological conditions found in the GI tract, both in the stomach and in the upper small intestine, in order to evaluate digestibility of TAG and LC-PUFA-containing liposomes. The <em>in vitro</em> results showed that TAG emulsion was hydrolyzed by porcine pancreatic extracts (PPE) and pure pancreatic lipase (PPL) with its cofactor, colipase, and to a lesser extent by pancreatic-lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) and a gastric extract (RGE) containing gastric lipase while no hydrolysis was observed with purified pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and carboxyl ester hydrolase (CEH). The PL substrate was found to be hydrolysed by PLA2, PPE and PLRP2. Their phospholipase activities on liposomes formulation was dependent on the presence of bile salts. Using a two-step <em>in vitro</em> digestion model, we measured the kinetics of fatty acid release from TAG and PL during the gastric and intestinal phases of digestion. The highest overall lipolysis level was obtained with liposomes (around 75%) during the intestinal phase while they were preserved during the gastric phase. The overall lipolysis level of TAG emulsion was lower (around 33%), while it started already in the gastric phase. In conclusion, liposomes appear as a better delivery system for intestinal absorption of LC-PUFA than TAG. In addition, their resistance to lipolysis under gastric condition can protect LC-PUFA and provide a gastric stable delivery system for other molecules.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 11291-11304"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/fo/d4fo03161j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142542946","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":"Ellagic acid ameliorates alcohol-induced cognitive and social dysfunction through the gut microbiota-mediated CCL21-CCR7 axis†","authors":"Hongbo Zhang, Min Luo, Yinuo Li, Lu Liu, Ji Bian, Lan Gong, Caian He, Lin Han and Min Wang","doi":"10.1039/D4FO03985H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO03985H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the balance of the gut microbiome, resulting in alcohol-induced cognitive and social dysfunction (AICSD), and serves as a primary etiological factor for early-onset dementia. Ellagic acid (EA) is a polyphenolic compound belonging to the ellagitannin family, showing potential as a dietary intervention for alleviating cognitive impairments. Nonetheless, the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of EA on AICSD remain unclear. In our study, we employed a multi-omics approach to elucidate the microbiome-mediated mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of EA on AICSD. Firstly, our findings demonstrate that EA significantly ameliorated cognitive and social behavioral deficits as well as neuroinflammation induced by alcohol. Moreover, RNA-seq analysis of hippocampi indicates that EA regulated the KEGG pathway of cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction signaling by downregulating the CCL21-CCR7 axis. Furthermore, we observed that EA effectively restored the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and their derived metabolites induced by chronic alcohol consumption. Strong connections were observed between EA-regulated genes, microbiota and metabolites. Finally, the causal relationship between the microbiome and behavioral changes was further confirmed through antibiotic treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation experiments. Overall, our study provides innovative evidence supporting the role of EA in improving AICSD <em>via</em> regulation of the cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway through the microbiota-mediated CCl21-CCR7 axis. These findings offer valuable insights into both EA-based interventions as well as microbial interventions against AICSD.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 11186-11205"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491249","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":"Abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids caused by fructooligosaccharide supplementation along with a high-fat diet.","authors":"Fang Zeng, Shi He, Ying Sun, Xue Li, Kaiyang Chen, Hongbin Wang, Shuli Man, Fuping Lu","doi":"10.1039/d4fo03353a","DOIUrl":"10.1039/d4fo03353a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) is a widely used prebiotic and health food ingredient, but few reports have focused on its risk to specific populations. Recently, it has been shown that the intake of inulin, whose main component is FOS, can lead to cholestasis and induce hepatocellular carcinoma in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD); however, the molecular mechanism behind this is not clear. This study found that FOS supplementation induced abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in HFD-fed mice, which showed a significant increase in bile acid levels in the blood and liver, especially the secondary bile acids with high cytotoxicity, such as deoxycholic acid. The abundance of <i>Clostridium</i>, <i>Bacteroides</i>, and other bacteria in the gut microbiota also increased significantly. The analysis of the signaling pathway involved in regulating the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids showed that the weakening of the feedback inhibition of FXR-FGF15 and FXR-SHP signalling pathways possibly induced the enhancement of CYP7A1 activity and bile acid reabsorption in the blood and liver and led to an increase in bile acid synthesis and accumulation in the liver, increasing the risk of cholestasis. This study showed the risk of health damage caused by FOS supplementation in HFD-fed mice, which is caused by gut microbiota dysfunction and abnormal enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Therefore, the application of FOS should be standardized to avoid the health risks of unreasonable FOS use in specific populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491244","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":"Functional yogurt: a comprehensive review of its nutritional composition and health benefits","authors":"Sangkaran Pannerchelvan, Leonardo Rios-Solis, Helmi Wasoh, Mohamad Zulfazli Mohd Sobri, Fadzlie Wong Faizal Wong, Mohd Shamzi Mohamed, Rosfarizan Mohamad and Murni Halim","doi":"10.1039/D4FO03671A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO03671A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Functional yogurt, renowned for its enhanced nutritional profile and potential health benefits, has emerged as a promising functional food. This review meticulously examines the nutritional composition of functional yogurt, highlighting its enriched content of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other bioactive compounds, which contribute to its health-promoting properties. Functional yogurt has positively affected digestive health, immune function, metabolic health, and mental well-being. It benefits digestive health by alleviating diarrhoeal symptoms, constipation, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> infection, and digestive-related allergies. Moreover, the immune-boosting properties of functional yogurt play a pivotal role in reducing the risk of infections and inflammation. In addition, functional yogurt has the potential to improve metabolic health, leading to decreased cholesterol levels and enhanced blood sugar regulation. Emerging research also suggests functional yogurt may positively influence mood, behavior, and cognitive function. Functional yogurt is a valuable addition to the human diet, holding significant implications for public health. In addition to its numerous health benefits, functional yogurt also faces limitations, such as the stability of functional compounds, sensory alterations, potential digestive discomfort, and inconsistent efficacy across populations, highlighting the need for further research and optimization.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 10927-10955"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491250","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":"Mechanistic insights into EGCG's preventive effects on obesity-induced precocious puberty through multi-omics analyses†","authors":"Qiuyun Gu, Qiujv Du, Lina Xia, Xiaoting Lu, Xiaoqing Wan, Ying Shao, Jieyi He and Peiying Wu","doi":"10.1039/D4FO03844D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO03844D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has demonstrated potential effects on obesity-induced precocious puberty, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Female mice were randomly assigned into control (CON), EGCG-treated (EGCG), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with EGCG treatment (HFDEGCG) groups. Key measurements included body weight, vaginal opening time, and serum sex hormone levels. The gut microbiota was analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing, fecal metabolites were assessed <em>via</em> metabolomics, and the hypothalamic transcriptome was examined using RNA sequencing. EGCG mitigated weight gain and delayed vaginal opening in mice with obesity-induced precocious puberty. Additionally, it reduced serum estradiol levels and decreased the number of mature ovarian follicles in the HFDEGCG group compared to the HFD group. EGCG treatment partially reversed HFD-induced dysbiosis by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as <em>Akkermansia</em>. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in tryptophan metabolism, while transcriptome analysis identified genes involved in metabolic pathways. Correlation analyses underscored the importance of the gut–brain axis in mediating EGCG's effects. Overall, EGCG prevents obesity-induced precocious puberty by modulating the gut microbiota, altering metabolic pathways, and regulating hypothalamic gene expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 11169-11185"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491252","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":"Alleviating effect of whey protein supplementation on oxidative stress in hypothyroidism","authors":"Ann Liya Sajan, Jenat Pazheparambil Jerom, Bhagyasree Rajasekharan Nair, Devanandana Dileep Kumar Sajitha, Reshma Soman, Ajmal Jalal and Raveendran Harikumaran Nair","doi":"10.1039/D4FO03186E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO03186E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Hypothyroidism is one of the most prevalent thyroid pathologies, which causes oxidative stress by disrupting antioxidant mechanisms. In mammals, the thyroid glands regulate metabolism, development, and growth. Dysfunction of the thyroid gland can result in hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer. Whey protein is a widely consumed protein supplement containing abundant sulphur-containing amino acids and bioactive peptides. Here, we analysed the effect of whey protein on oxidative stress in hypothyroidism. <em>In vivo</em> studies were conducted in two phases for 30 and 90 days, respectively. Hypothyroidism was induced in Wistar albino rats by administering 0.05% propylthiouracil (PTU) through drinking water. Five hypothyroid groups and the normal control group were maintained in the first 30 day phase of the study. Among these, one group served as the induced control group, three groups received whey protein at different concentrations (100, 300, and 500 mg per kg body weight), and the last group received <small>L</small>-thyroxine (2 μg per 100 g body weight) as a positive medication. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-<em>S</em>-transferase, were analysed, and the levels of total antioxidants, glutathione, and malondialdehyde were determined. Ca<small>²⁺</small> ATPase and Na<small>⁺</small>/K<small>⁺</small> ATPase activities were detected by estimating the inorganic phosphate content. Histopathological analysis was carried out on the thyroid and liver tissues of all groups. Antioxidant activity was notably increased for higher doses of whey protein compared to that in the diseased control group (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). From this initial study, the dose that achieved the desired therapeutic effect was 500 mg kg<small>⁻¹</small>, which was considered for the next 90 day phase of the study. The 90 day phase of the study was conducted with five groups: normal, whey protein-supplemented, hypothyroid, whey protein-supplemented hypothyroid, and levothyroxine-supplemented hypothyroid. All the PTU-treated groups showed degenerative alterations in thyroid histology. Whey protein supplementation causes a considerable decrease in MDA levels with an increase in the major antioxidant enzyme and ATPase activities, with <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05. As a nutritional supplement, whey protein, at a 500 mg kg<small>⁻¹</small> dose, effectively boosts antioxidant activity without causing any toxicological concerns in long-term use.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 11158-11168"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491245","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":"Development of Pickering water-in-oil emulsions using a dual stabilization of candelilla wax and acylated EGCG derivatives to enhance the survival of probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum) powder†","authors":"Zhaojuan Shi, Jun Wu, Xingting Wang, Tongqiao Nie, Qingmei Zeng, Chuanxun Yuan and Risheng Jin","doi":"10.1039/D4FO01342E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4FO01342E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Probiotics have considerable interest due to their inseparable link to human health. However, probiotic products are seriously challenged during processing, preservation, and intake. Food-grade probiotic delivery systems need to be further explored as an effective way to enhance cell viability. In this study, water-in-oil (W/O) Pickering emulsions were fabricated by adding candelilla wax (CLW) as a network stabilizer based on acylated EGCG derivatives in the crystalline form as a Pickering stabilizer. The effects of acylated EGCG derivatives’ concentration, CLW concentration, and oil phase volume fraction on the droplet size distribution, microstructure, and physical stability of Pickering emulsions were explored. The presence of CLW reduced the particle size and improved the physical stability of acylated EGCG-based emulsions, and the effect was more positive with increasing concentration. The protective effect of emulsions with different oil phase volume fractions on <em>Lactobacillus plantarum</em> during freeze-thaw cycles, storage, and gastrointestinal digestion was evaluated. The outer-phase physical barrier of W/O emulsions co-stabilized with acylated EGCG derivatives and CLW facilitated the sensitivity of probiotics to ice crystal growth, temperature changes, acidic environments, and digestive enzymes. The emulsions formulated with 40% oil phase volume fractions allowed <em>Lactobacillus plantarum</em> to survive up to 7.75 log CFU g<small>⁻¹</small> in the harsh gastrointestinal environment. The results offer promising strategies for applying W/O emulsion probiotic delivery systems in food processing, storage, and oral administration.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" 22","pages":" 11141-11157"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491247","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":"Immunomodulatory effects of supercritical CO₂ extracted oils from <i>Portulaca oleracea</i> and <i>Perilla frutescens</i> (PPCE) in healthy individuals: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.","authors":"Su-Jin Jung, Hyang-Im Baek, Eun-Ock Park, Ki-Chan Ha, Deuk-Seon Park, Soo-Wan Chae, Seung-Ok Lee","doi":"10.1039/d4fo03361b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d4fo03361b","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The human immune system plays a crucial role in defending the body against various infections, viruses, and external substances, contributing to overall well-being. However, an imbalance in the immune system can lead to increased susceptibility to infections, impacting overall health. Preclinical investigations suggest the potential application of <i>Portulaca oleracea</i> L. and <i>Perilla frutescens var. japonica Hara</i> seed complex extract (PPCE) as a potent biological response modifier in terms of immunity. However, the safety and efficacy of PPCE in boosting immune function have not been investigated clinically. The present study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PPCE on the immune system in healthy adults. An 8-week randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial was adopted for the study. Study participants were administered either 1080 mg day^-1 of a PPCE supplement or a placebo. The study assessed the Natural Killer (NK) cell activity as the primary outcome measure. Serum concentrations of cytokines (IL-6, IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α) and a questionnaire-based assessment of upper airway infection were the secondary outcomes. At the end of the 8 weeks, NK cell activity significantly improved in the PPCE group compared to the placebo group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Similarly, the concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-12 significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. Additionally, no adverse effects were observed during the trial. These findings suggest that PPCE supplementation is safe and potentially benefits immune stimulation by enhancing NK cell activity and inducing the production of Th-1 type cell-stimulating cytokines like IL-12 in healthy individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":77,"journal":{"name":"Food & Function","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491251","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}