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BACKGROUND: Despite the great range of health-beneficial activities associated with dietary polyphenols, their influence on gut ecology remains poorly understood. Only a few studies have examined the impact of black chokeberry polyphenols present in different matrices on human gut microbiota, and in fact none have examined encapsulated black chokeberry polyphenols. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of black chokeberry polyphenols in pulp, extract and encapsulate (in a maltodextrin:gum Arabic polymer system) on human gut microbiota and fecal short-chain and branched-chain fatty acids (SCFA and BCFA, respectively). METHODS: The effect of black chokeberry polyphenols on gut microbiota was tested in a validated, dynamic in vitro model of the colon (TIM-2) for 24 h by applying five different interventions (Pulp, Extract, Encapsulate, Encapsulate control, SIEM) to the standardized microbiota from five healthy donors. RESULTS: We observed that the fermentation of black chokeberry polyphenols in the in vitro colon model resulted in shifts in the standardized microbiota and differentiation in the extent of the production of SCFA and BCFAs. Synergy between maltodextrin+gum Arabic+polyphenols resulted in an increase in the relative abundances of some health-promoting taxa and decrease in the disease related taxa Alistipes. Encapsulation increased the SCFA production and decreased the BCFA production in the lumen. CONCLUSIONS: Although encapsulation of polyphenols may provide a robust way for their protection during their transit along the upper gastrointestinal tract, their effect on the gut microbiota should be further investigated both by using different coating materials and with in vivo studies.

PubMed ID: 31091784, Cucurbita genus has received a renowned interest in the last years. This plant species, native to the Americas, has served worldwide folk medicine for treating gastrointestinal diseases and intestinal parasites, among other clinical conditions. These pharmacological effects have been increasingly correlated with their nutritional and phytochemical composition. Among those chemical constituents, carotenoids, tocopherols, phenols, terpenoids, saponins, sterols, fatty acids, and functional carbohydrates and polysaccharides are those occurring in higher abundance. However, more recently, a huge interest in a class of triterpenoids, cucurbitacins, has been stated, given its renowned biological attributes. In this sense, the present review aims to provide a detailed overview to the folk medicinal uses of Cucurbita plants, and even an in-depth insight on the latest advances with regards to its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer effects. A special emphasis was also given to its clinical effectiveness in humans, specifically in blood glucose levels control in diabetic patients and pharmacotherapeutic effects in low urinary tract diseases. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, Universidade do Porto Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Entomology and Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Calcutta Universidad de Concepción Zabol University of Medical Sciences Politechnika Lódzka, Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam 44340847, Iran; bahar.salehi007@gmail.com Faculty of Chemical & Metallurgical Engineering, Food Engineering Department, Istanbul Technical University, 34469 Maslak, Turkey; capanogl@itu.edu.tr (E.C.); catalkaya.gizem@gmail.com (G.C.) Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Végétale et d’Ethnobotanique, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Bejaia, Bejaia 06000, Algérie; n.adrar@hotmail.fr Department of Plant Sciences, LCWU, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; shabnum_shaheen78@hotmail.com (S.S.); meh.jaffer@gmail.com (M.J.) G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India; lalitorchid@gmail.com (L.G.); renusuyal04@gmail.com (R.S.) G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development Garhwal Regional Centre, Srinagar 246174, India; arunjugran@gbpihed.nic.in Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; calinadaniela@gmail.com Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; daoana00@gmail.com Mevsim Gida Sanayi ve Soguk Depo Ticaret A.S. (MVSM Foods), Turankoy, Kestel, 16540 Bursa, Turkey; senemkamiloglu87@gmail.com 10 Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 171/173, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; dorota.kregiel@p.lodz.pl (D.K.); hubert.antolak@p.lodz.pl (H.A.); ewelina.pawlikowska@edu.p.lodz.pl (E.P.) 11 Molecular and Applied Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata 700019, India; surjitsen09@gmail.com (S.S.); krish_paper@yahoo.com (K.A.) 12 Department of Botany, Fakir Chand College, Diamond Harbour, West Bengal 743331, India 13 Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nigde Ömer Halisdemir University, Campus, 51240 Nigde, Turkey; zselamoglu@ohu.edu.tr 14 Zabol Medicinal Plants Research Center, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol 61615-585, Iran 15 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile 16 LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; c.fortunae@gmail.com 17 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, Rudaki 139, Dushanbe 734003, Tajikistan; shfarukh@mail.ru 18 Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal 19 Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal 20 Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy

Background:Dietary flavonoids have drawn great interest owing to their potential positive effects on health, which considerably rely on their bioaccessibility, transport and further metabolism in the body. One of the key parameters that influence the flavonoid bioavailability is the interaction of these compounds with other nutrients present in the human diet. Scope and Approach:This review highlights the current findings on the influence of co-ingestion of flavonoids with other macro- (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins) and micro-constituents (vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients) in foods. Key Findings and Conclusions:Majority of both in vitro and in vivo studies in the literature suggest that proteins, dietary fiber, and minerals may induce disadvantageous impact on the bioavailability of flavonoids. On the other hand, lipids, digestible carbohydrates, vitamins, alkaloids, carotenoids and other flavonoids are likely to improve flavonoid bioavailability. Nevertheless, interaction of flavonoids with food matrix components is a complicated parameter that needs to be explored further in order to ensure utmost positive health effects to humans. © 2020

Background Marine Enteromorpha polysaccharides (EPPs) have been reported to present various physiological and bioactivities based on their specific chemical structures, such as monosaccharide compositions and glycosidic linkages. Scope and approach However, the structure-activity relationship of Enteromorpha polysaccharides is mostly unknown. This review aims to provide a brief summary of structural, functional, and chemical characteristics of Enteromorpha polysaccharides. Key findings and conclusions Modified Enteromorpha polysaccharides have several powerful bioactive functions. Sulfated EPPs with lower molecular weights were found to exhibit excellent immune-relevant and antioxidant activities. Carboxymethylated, hydroxamated, phthaloyl, and acetylated derivatives also showed significantly enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities as well as moisture absorbing capacities. EPPs were considered as novel natural agents, exhibiting outstanding druggable effects compared with ordinary drugs. However, the structure-function relationships of them are yet to be clearly established. The purpose of this overview is focusing on the current advances in the structural characterization, biological activities and mechanisms of action of Enteromorpha polysaccharides.

The human gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by a vast number of microorganisms that are called as the microbiota. Each individual harbors a unique gut microbial composition, this composition evolves throughout the host's lifetime and it is easily affected by internal or external changes. It has been shown that gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host's health and as this complex community has the ability to interact with each other and with the host's immune system, the presence or absence of some major species can affect the homeostasis. Diet can be considered as one of the pivotal factors in modulating the functionality, integrity, and composition of the gut microbiota as the gastrointestinal tract is the first organ exposed to components of the diet. In this review, we have focused on the effects of polyphenols, key compounds of a healthy diet with several biological activities, on the gut microbial composition, their biotransformation by the gut microbiota, and the effect of their reciprocal interactions in human health and disease.

Background: Cancer is characterized by overexpression of p53 associated proteins, which down-regulate P53 signaling pathway. In cancer therapy, p53 activity can be restored by inhibiting the interaction of MDMX (2N0W) and MDM2 (4JGR) proteins with P53 protein. Objective: In the current, study in silico approaches were adapted to use a natural product as a source of cancer therapy. Methods: In the current study in silico approaches were adapted to use a natural product as a source of cancer therapy. For in silico studies, Chemdraw and Molecular Operating Environment were used for structure drawing and molecular docking, respectively. Flavonoids isolated from D. carota were docked with cancerous proteins. Result: Based on the docking score analysis, we found that compound 7 was the potent inhibitor of both cancerous proteins and can be used as a potent molecule for inhibition of 2N0W and 4JGR interaction with p53. Conclusion: Thus the compound 7 can be used for the revival of p53 signaling pathway function however, intensive in vitro and in vivo experiments are required to prove the in silico analysis.

WOS: 000446380800008 The effect of inulin addition (5 and 10%) on the total antioxidant capacity, a-tocopherol and carotenoid contents, and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of tomato sauces was investigated. In this study, a-tocopherol and carotenoids were quantified using HPLC. Moreover, the total antioxidant activity of the ethanol/hexane extracts was determined by two different in vitro assays. A negative linear relationship was observed between carotenoids and dietary fibre. Total antioxidant capacity (13-52%), lycopene (56-62%), beta-carotene (32-59%), lutein (28-56%), and a-tocopherol (59-67%) decreased significantly (P