Resveratrol and inflammatory bowel disease: the evidence so far

Despite the fact that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has still no recognised therapy, treatments which have proven at least mildly successful in improving IBD symptoms include anti-inflammatory drugs and monoclonal antibodies targeting pro-inflammatory cytokines. Resveratrol, a natural (poly)phenol found in grapes, red wine, grape juice and several species of berries, has been shown to prevent and ameliorate intestinal inflammation. Here, we discuss the role of resveratrol in the improvement of inflammatory disorders involving the intestinal mucosa. The present review covers three specific aspects of resveratrol in the framework of inflammation: (i) its content in food; (ii) its intestinal absorption and metabolism; and (iii) its anti-inflammatory effects in the intestinal mucosa in vitro and in the very few in vivo studies present to date. Actually, if several studies have shown that resveratrol may down-regulate mediators of intestinal immunity in rodent models, only two groups have performed intervention studies in human subjects using resveratrol as an agent to improve IBD conditions. The effects of resveratrol should be further investigated by conducting well-designed clinical trials, also taking into account different formulations for the delivery of the bioactive compound

Variations in caffeine and chlorogenic acid contents of coffees: what are we drinking?

The effect of roasting of coffee beans and the extraction of ground coffee with different volumes of hot pressurised water on the caffeine and the total caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) content of the resultant beverages was investigated. While caffeine was stable higher roasting temperatures resulted in a loss of CQAs so that the caffeine/CQA ratio was a good marker of the degree of roasting. The caffeine and CQA content and volume was determined for 104 espresso coffees obtained from coffee shops in Scotland, Italy and Spain, limited numbers of cappuccino coffees from commercial outlets and several instant coffees. The caffeine content ranged from 48–317 mg per serving and CQAs from 6–188 mg. It is evident that the ingestion of 200 mg of caffeine per day can be readily and unwittingly exceeded by regular coffee drinkers. This is the upper limit of caffeine intake from all sources recommended by US and UK health agencies for pregnant women. In view of the variable volume of serving sizes, it is also clear that the term “one cup of coffee” is not a reproducible measurement for consumption, yet it is the prevailing unit used in epidemiology to assess coffee consumption and to link the potential effects of the beverage and its components on the outcome of diseases. More accurate measurement of the intake of coffee and its potentially bioactive components are required if epidemiological studies are to produce more reliable information

Colonic Metabolism of Polyphenols From Coffee, Green Tea, and Hazelnut Skins

Dietary polyphenolic compounds are poorly absorbed in the small intestine. The absorbed fraction follows the common metabolic pathway of drugs, undergoing phase II enzymatic detoxification with the conjugation of glucuronic acid, sulfate, and methyl groups. However, the unabsorbed fraction can reach the colon, becoming available for the wide array of enzymes produced by the local commensal microbiota. Gut bacteria can hydrolyze glycosides, glucuronides, sulfates, amides, esters, and lactones and are able to break down the polyphenolic skeleton and perform reactions of reduction, decarboxylation, demethylation, and dehydroxylation. These complex modifications generate several low–molecular-weight metabolites that can be efficiently absorbed in situ, subsequently undergoing further phase II metabolism, locally and/or at the liver level, before entering the systemic blood circulation and finally being excreted in urine in substantial quantities that exceed the excretion of phenolic metabolites formed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This brief work focuses on the phenolic composition and colonic microbial transformation of 2 of the most polyphenol-rich dietary sources, namely, green tea and coffee, and a new interesting and innovative ingredient, hazelnut skin, recently evaluated as one of the richest edible sources of polyphenolic compounds

Possible role of diet in cancer: systematic review and multiple meta-analyses of dietary patterns, lifestyle factors, and cancer risk

Context: Evidence of an association between dietary patterns derived a posteriori and risk of cancer has not been reviewed comprehensively. Objective: The aim of this review was to investigate the relation between a posteriori–derived dietary patterns, grouped as healthy or unhealthy, and cancer risk. The relation between cancer risk and background characteristics associated with adherence to dietary patterns was also examined. Data Sources: PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched. Study Selection: A total of 93 studies including over 85 000 cases, 100 000 controls, and 2 000 000 exposed individuals were selected. Data Extraction: Data were extracted from each identified study using a standardized form by two independent authors. Results: The most convincing evidence (significant results from prospective cohort studies) supported an association between healthy dietary patterns and decreased risk of colon and breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal, hormone receptor–negative women, and an association between unhealthy dietary patterns and increased risk of colon cancer. Limited evidence of a relation between an unhealthy dietary pattern and risk of upper aerodigestive tract, pancreatic, ovarian, endometrial, and prostatic cancers relied only on case–control studies. Unhealthy dietary patterns were associated with higher body mass index and energy intake, while healthy patterns were associated with higher education, physical activity, and less smoking. Potential differences across geographical regions require further evaluation. Conclusions: The results suggest a potential role of diet in certain cancers, but the evidence is not conclusive and may be driven or mediated by lifestyle factors

Compositional study and antioxidant potential of Ipomoea hederacea Jacq. and Lepidium sativum L. seeds

The present investigation has been carried out to find the proximate composition, amino acids, metal contents, oil composition as well as the antioxidant capacity of the seeds of Ipomoea hederacea Jacq. and Lepidium sativum L. Proximate composition indicated a great difference in oil (14.09\ub10.66, 28.03\ub11.05) and fibre (16.55\ub10.31, 6.75\ub11.20) contents for I. hederacea and L. sativum, respectively. Fatty acid profile indicated that oleic acid (19.50 \ub1 0.37, 30.50 \ub1 0.16) and linoleic acid (52.09 \ub1 0.48, 8.60 \ub1 0.38) are major fatty acids. \u3b3-Tocopheol and alfa-tocopheol (28.70 \ub1 0.14, 111.56 \ub1 0.37) were the most abundant in the seed oil of I. hederacea and L. sativum, respectively. Results of antioxidant assays like TEAC, FRAP and TRAP indicated that L. sativum has much greater antioxidant potential than I. hederacea

Use of Dairy and Plant-Derived Lactobacilli as Starters for Cherry Juice Fermentation

BACKGROUND: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exhibit a great biodiversity that can be exploited for different purposes, such as to enhance flavours or metabolize phenolic compounds. In the present study, the use of dairy and plant-derived LAB strains to perform cherry juice fermentation is reported. METHODS: The growth ability of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied in cherry juice. Profiling of sugars, organic acids and volatile compounds was performed by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), while the phenolic fraction was characterized using UHPLC (Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography) equipped with a linear ion trap-mass spectrometer. RESULTS: Sucrose significantly decreased in all fermented samples as well as malic acid, converted to lactic acid by malolactic fermentation. The total amount of volatile compounds increased. Specifically, propyl acetate, an ester with fruit notes, reached the highest concentration in L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei (dairy strains) fermented juices. Phenolics were extensively metabolized: caffeic acid was converted into dihydrocaffeic acid, p-coumaric acid into 4-ethylphenol and phenyllactic acid was produced. CONCLUSION: Lactic acid fermentation confer fruit notes to the juice and enhance phenyllactic acids, especially employing dairy strains (L. rhamnosus and L. paracasei). The level of dihydrocaffeic acid, a compound with putative biological activity was also increased (in particular with L. plantarum)

Dietary polyphenol intake, blood pressure, and hypertension: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis of observational studies

Background: Dietary polyphenols, including flavonoids, have been the focus of major recent attentions due to their wide content in a variety of foods commonly consumed and the findings from numerous studies showing evidence of an association with positive outcomes on human health. Methods: A systematic search using electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE was performed to retrieve English language studies published from the earliest indexing year of each database to April 2019, reporting on the association between dietary flavonoids intake and hypertension. Results: The search strategy resulted in the final selection of 20 studies including 15 cross-sectional investigations and 7 prospective cohorts (1 study reported on 3 prospective cohorts). 5 prospective cohorts, comprising 200,256 individuals and 45,732 cases of hypertension were included in the quantitative analysis. Analysis by extreme quantiles of intake of flavonoid showed a non-significant association with decreased risk of hypertension (RR (risk ratio): 0.96, 95% CI (confidence interval): 0.89, 1.03). Taking into consideration individual flavonoid subclasses, dietary anthocyanins intake was associated with 8% reduction in risk of hypertension, when comparing highest vs. lowest exposure (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.97). Conclusions: Further studies are needed to strengthen the retrieved association between anthocyanins consumption and decreased risk of hypertension and clarify whether total flavonoids or rather individual subclasses may exert beneficial effects on blood pressure

Assessment of the risk and characterization of non-melanoma skin cancer in Kindler syndrome: study of a series of 91 patients.

BACKGROUND: Kindler Syndrome (KS) is a rare genodermatosis characterized by skin fragility, skin atrophy, premature aging and poikiloderma. It is caused by mutations in the FERMT1 gene, which encodes kindlin-1, a protein involved in integrin signalling and the formation of focal adhesions. Several reports have shown the presence of non-melanoma skin cancers in KS patients but a systematic study evaluating the risk of these tumors at different ages and their potential outcome has not yet been published. We have here addressed this condition in a retrospective study of 91 adult KS patients, characterizing frequency, metastatic potential and body distribution of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in these patients. SCC developed in 13 of the 91 patients. RESULTS: The youngest case arose in a 29-year-old patient; however, the cumulative risk of SCC increased to 66.7% in patients over 60 years of age. The highly aggressive nature of SCCs in KS was confirmed showing that 53.8% of the patients bearing SCCs develop metastatic disease. Our data also showed there are no specific mutations that correlate directly with the development of SCC; however, the mutational distribution along the gene appears to be different in patients bearing SCC from SCC-free patients. The body distribution of the tumor appearance was also unique and different from other bullous diseases, being concentrated in the hands and around the oral cavity, which are areas of high inflammation in this disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes SCCs in the largest series of KS patients reported so far, showing the high frequency and aggressiveness of these tumors. It also describes their particular body distribution and their relationship with mutations in the FERMT-1 gene. These data reinforce the need for close monitoring of premalignant or malignant lesions in KS patients

Rapid and comprehensive evaluation of (poly)phenolic compounds in pomegranate (punica granatum L.) juice by UHPLC-MSn

The comprehensive identification of phenolic compounds in food and beverages is a crucial starting point for assessing their biological, nutritional, and technological properties. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been described as a rich source of (poly)phenolic components, with a broad array of different structures (phenolic acids, flavonoids, and hydrolyzable tannins) and a quick, high throughput, and accurate screening of its complete profile is still lacking. In the present work, a method for UHPLC separation and linear ion trap mass spectrometric (MSn) characterization of pomegranate juice phenolic fraction was optimized by comparing several different analytical conditions. The best solutions for phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and ellagitannins have been delineated and more than 70 compounds have been identified and fully characterized in less than one hour total analysis time. Twenty-one compounds were tentatively detected for the first time in pomegranate juice. The proposed fingerprinting approach could be easily translated to other plant derived food extracts and beverages containing a wide array of phytochemical compounds