Effects of red wine intake on human salivary antiradical capacity and total polyphenol content

Yet another in vitro evidence that natural compounds introduced by diet have anti-amyloidogenic activities and can counteract neurodegenerative disease depending on aging

A major issue in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research is to find some new therapeutic drug which decrease Amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation. From a therapeutic point of view the major question is whether pharmacological inhibition of inflammation pathways will be able to safely reverse or slow the course of disease. Natural compounds are capable of binding to different targets implicated in AD and exert neuroprotective effects. Aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro inhibition of Aβ1-42 fibrillogenesis in presence of Gallic acid, Rutin, Melatonin and ProvinolsTM . We performed the analysis with Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy, and with X-ray microanalysis. Samples treated with Rutin, that arises from phenylalanine via the phenylpropanoid pathway, show the best effective result obtained because a significantly fibril inhibition activity is detectable compared to the other compounds. Melatonin shows a better inhibitory activity than ProvinolsTM and Gallic acid at the considered concentrations.

Ethanol- and Cigarette Smoke-Related Alternations in Oral Redox Homeostasis

Alcohol abuse as well as smoking cigarettes has been proven to negatively affect the oral environment. The aim of this work was to provide a systematic review of the literature on the influence of ethanol and cigarette smoking on oral redox homeostasis. A search was performed for scientific articles indexed in the PubMed, Medline and Web of Science databases. We identified 32,300 articles, of which 54 were used for the final review, including the results from 2000 to 2021. Among the publications used to write this article, n = 14 were related to the influence of alcohol consumption (clinical studies n = 6, experimental studies n = 8) and n = 40 were related to the influence of smoking (clinical studies n = 33, experimental studies n = 7) on oral redox homeostasis. The reviewed literature indicates that alcohol abusers and smokers are more likely to suffer from salivary gland dysfunction, as well as develop precancerous lesions due to DNA damage. Compared to alcohol abstainers and non-smokers, alcohol drinkers and smokers are also characterized by a deterioration in periodontal health measured by various indicators of periodontal status. In summary, alcohol abuse and smoking are associated with disrupted oral redox homeostasis, which may lead not only to tooth loss, but also contribute to various adverse effects related to mental health, digestive processes and chronic inflammation throughout the human body.

Determination of phenolic compounds in human saliva after oral administration of red wine by high performance liquid chromatography

Red wine is a relevant source of bioactive compounds, which contribute to its antioxidant activity and other beneficial advantages for human health. However, the bioavailability of phenols in humans is not well understood, and the inter-individual variability in the production of phenolic compounds has not been comprehensively assessed to date. The present work describes a new method for the extraction and analysis of phenolic compounds including gallic acid (Gal), vanillic acid (Van), caffeic acid (Caf), syringic acid (Sir); (-)-epicatechin (Epi); p-coumaric acid (Cum) and resveratrol (Rsv) in human saliva samples. The target analytes were extracted using Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction (FPSE), and subsequently analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with photodiode array detector (PDA). Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Symmetry C18 RP column in gradient elution mode, with methanol and phosphate buffer as the mobile phases. The linearity (intercept, slope, and determination coefficient) was evaluated in the range from 1 to 50 µg/mL. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1 µg/mL (LLOQ ≥0.8 µg/mL), whereas limit of detection was 0.25 µg/mL. The intra and inter-day RSD% and BIAS% values were less than± 15%. The analytical performances were further tested on human saliva collected from healthy volunteers after administering red wine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first FPSE procedure for the analysis of phenols in saliva, using a non-invasive and easy to perform sample collection protocol. The proposed fast and inexpensive approach can be deployed as a reliable tool to study other biological matrices to proliferate understanding of these compounds distribution in human body.

Polyphenol Exposure, Metabolism, and Analysis: A Global Exposomics Perspective

Polyphenols are generally known for their health benefits and estimating actual exposure levels in health-related studies can be improved by human biomonitoring. Here, the application of newly available exposomic and metabolomic technology, notably high-resolution mass spectrometry, in the context of polyphenols and their biotransformation products, is reviewed. Comprehensive workflows for investigating these important bioactives in biological fluids or microbiome-related experiments are scarce. Consequently, this new era of nontargeted analysis and omic-scale exposure assessment offers a unique chance for better assessing exposure to, as well as metabolism of, polyphenols. In clinical and nutritional trials, polyphenols can be investigated simultaneously with the plethora of other chemicals to which we are exposed, i.e., the exposome, which may interact abundantly and modulate bioactivity. This research direction aims at ultimately eluting into atrue systems biology/toxicology evaluation of health effects associated with polyphenol exposure, especially during early life, to unravel their potential for preventing chronic diseases.

The Relationship Between Salivary Redox, Diet, and Food Flavor Perception

The mouth is the gateway for entrance of food and microorganisms into the organism. The oral cavity is bathed by saliva, which is thus the first fluid that food and microorganisms will face after their entrance. As a result, saliva plays different functions, including lubrication, predigestion, protection, detoxification, and even transport of taste compounds to chemoreceptors located in the taste buds. To ensure its function of protection, saliva contains reactive harmful compounds such as reactive oxygen species that are controlled and neutralized by the antioxidant activity of saliva. Several antioxidant molecules control the production of molecules such as reactive oxygen compounds, neutralize them and/or repair the damage they have caused. Therefore, a balance between reactive oxidant species and antioxidant compounds exists. At the same time, food can also contain antioxidant compounds, which can participate in the equilibrium of this balance. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of different food components on the antioxidant capacity of saliva that correspond to the ability of saliva to neutralize reactive oxygen species. Contradictory results have sometimes been obtained. Moreover, some antioxidant compounds are also cofactors of enzymatic reactions that affect flavor compounds. Recent studies have considered the salivary antioxidant capacity to explain the release of flavor compounds ex vivo or in vivo. This article aims to review the effect of food on the antioxidant capacity of saliva and the impact of salivary antioxidant capacity on flavor perception after a brief presentation of the different molecules involved.

Polyphenol Bioavailability and Plasma Antiradical Capacity in Healthy Subjects after Acute Intake of Pigmented Rice: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Health-promoting effects of plant foods have been emphasized in the last few decades and ascribed to the bioactive phytochemicals present therein—in particular, phenylpropanoids. The latter have been investigated for a number of preclinical biological activities, including their antioxidant power. Due to the paucity of human studies, in this randomized intervention trial, we investigated whether the acute intake of pigmented rice could increase the plasma bioactive levels and antiradical power in twenty healthy subjects. A crossover randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 19 volunteers. Artemide and Venere black rice cultivars were tested, while brown rice Carnaroli was used as a control. Each patient received randomly one serving (100 g) of rice on three different experimental days, separated by a 7-day washout period. After baseline blood withdrawal, time-course changes of plasma polyphenols, flavonoids and radical-scavenging capacity were determined at 30, 60, 120 and 180 min post rice intake. Compared to Carnaroli rice, the two black rice cultivars significantly increased the plasma levels of polyphenols and flavonoids at 60 and 120 min and, correspondingly, the plasma antiradical power at 60 min after consumption. Pigmented rice consumption can contribute to diet-related health benefits in humans.

Impact of Cooking on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Pigmented Rice Cultivars

Pigmented rice cultivars, namely Venere and Artemide, are a source of bioactive molecules, in particular phenolics, including anthocyanins, exerting a positive effect on cardiovascular systems thanks also to their antioxidant capacity. This study aimed to determine the total phenol index (TPI), total flavonoids (TF), total anthocyanins (TA) and in vitro antioxidant capacity in 12 batches of Venere cultivar and two batches of Artemide cultivar. The rice was cooked using different methods (boiling, microwave, pressure cooker, water bath, rice cooker) with the purpose to individuate the procedure limiting the loss of bioactive compounds. TPI, TF and TA were spectrophotometrically determined in both raw and cooked rice samples. Rice samples of Artemide cultivars were richer in TPI (17.7-18.8 vs. 8.2-11.9 g gallic acid/kg in Venere rice), TF (13.1 vs. 5.0-7.1 g catechin/kg rice for Venere rice) and TA (3.2-3.4 vs. 1.8-2.9 g Cy-3glc/kg for Venere rice) in comparison to those of Venere cultivar; as well, they showed higher antioxidant capacity (46.6-47.8 vs. 14.4-31.9 mM Trolox/kg for Venere rice). Among the investigated cooking methods, the rice cooker and the water bath led to lower and comparable losses of phenolics. Interestingly, the cooking water remaining after cooking with the rice cooker was rich in phenolics. The consumption of a portion of rice (100 g) cooked with the rice cooker with its own cooking water can supply 240 mg catechin and 711 mg cyanidin 3-O-glucoside for Venere rice and 545 mg catechin and 614 mg cyanidin 3-O-glucoside for Artemide rice, with a potential positive effect on health.

Effect of Red Wine Intake on Serum and Salivary Melatonin Levels: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Melatonin (MLT) is a recently discovered phytochemical in wine, but its influence on physiological MLT levels is still unknown. This study aimed at evaluating variations, in serum and saliva, of MLT concentrations after the intake of MLT-enriched red wine. Twelve healthy volunteers were recruited to receive 125 mL of red wine naturally lacking of MLT (placebo, PLC), or the same wine enriched with MLT (MLT+). A physiological steady decline of serum MLT was observed from baseline up to 90 min, for both wines. After PLC intake, the decrease was significantly faster than the one occurring after MLT+ wine, which thus delayed the drop down of serum MLT with a plateau at 30⁻60 min. Salivary MLT levels slightly peaked at 45 min after MLT+ wine intake, without statistical significance. Therefore, the intake of a glass of MLT-enriched red wine changed serum levels of the indoleamine, supporting the role of wine MLT in counteracting the physiological decline of the hormone into the bloodstream.

Plants of the Genus Zingiber as a Source of Bioactive Phytochemicals: From Tradition to Pharmacy

Plants of the genus Zingiber (Family Zingiberaceae) are widely used throughout the world as food and medicinal plants. They represent very popular herbal remedies in various traditional healing systems; in particular, rhizome of Zingiber spp. plants has a long history of ethnobotanical uses because of a plethora of curative properties. Antimicrobial activity of rhizome essential oil has been extensively confirmed in vitro and attributed to its chemical components, mainly consisting of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene and β-sesquiphellandrene. In addition, gingerols have been identified as the major active components in the fresh rhizome, whereas shogaols, dehydrated gingerol derivatives, are the predominant pungent constituents in dried rhizome. Zingiber spp. may thus represent a promising and innovative source of natural alternatives to chemical food preservatives. This approach would meet the increasing concern of consumers aware of the potential health risks associated with the conventional antimicrobial agents in food. This narrative review aims at providing a literature overview on Zingiber spp. plants, their cultivation, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents and biological activities.

Salivary and Urinary Total Antioxidant Capacity as Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Humans

Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) is a biomarker often used in order to investigate oxidative stress in many pathological conditions. Saliva and urine can be collected noninvasively and represent attractive diagnostic fluids for detecting biomarkers of various pathological conditions. The reviewed case-control and intervention studies that measured salivary or urinary TAC revealed that diseases, antioxidant foods, or supplements and age, gender, and lifestyle factors influenced salivary or urinary TAC. Salivary and urinary TAC were particularly affected by oral or renal status, respectively, as well as by infection; therefore these factors must be taken into account in both case-control and intervention studies. Furthermore, some considerations on sample collection and normalization strategies could be made. In particular, unstimulated saliva could be the better approach to measure salivary TAC, whereas 24 h or spontaneous urine collection should be chosen on the basis of the study outcome and of the creatinine clearance. Finally, the uric acid-independent TAC could be the better approach to evaluate red-ox status of body, in particular after nutritional interventions and in diseases associated with hyperuricaemia.

Melatonin in Mediterranean diet, a new perspective

The health-promoting properties of the Mediterranean diet have been attributed, at least in part, to the chemical diversity of plant foods. Among phytochemicals, polyphenols represent the paradigm of the relationship between healthy foods and reduced risk of chronic-degenerative diseases, although, in the past few years, a new element has enriched this scenario. Melatonin, and possibly other indoleamines recently discovered in some relevant Mediterranean foods, may represent a new factor contributing to the elucidation of the protective effects of diets rich in plant products. Therefore, in synergy with polyphenols and other bioactive phytochemicals (e.g. carotenoids and glucosinolates), melatonin may contribute to maximizing the benefits of healthy dietary styles. This brief survey deals with the occurrence of melatonin in the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on grape products, and focuses on the biological significance of dietary melatonin, an emerging and exciting topic in the field of nutritional sciences.

Ethanol versus Phytochemicals in Wine: Oral Cancer Risk in a Light Drinking Perspective

This narrative review aims to summarize the current controversy on the balance between ethanol and phytochemicals in wine, focusing on light drinking and oral cancer. Extensive literature search included PUBMED and EMBASE databases to identify in human studies and systematic reviews (up to March 2015), which contributed to elucidate this issue. Independently from the type of beverage, meta-analyses considering light drinking (≤1 drinks/day or ≤12.5 g/day of ethanol) reported relative risks (RR) for oral, oro-pharyngeal, or upper aero-digestive tract cancers, ranging from 1.0 to 1.3. One meta-analysis measured the overall wine-specific RR, which corresponded to 2.1. Although little evidence exists on light wine intake, phytochemicals seem not to affect oral cancer risk, being probably present below the effective dosages and/or due to their low bioavailability. As expected, the risk of oral cancer, even in light drinking conditions, increases when associated with smoking habit and high-risk genotypes of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases.

Antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties of wines and winery byproducts in relation to their flavonoid content

Grapes produce organic compounds that may be involved in the defense of the plants against invading phytopathogens. These metabolites include numerous phenolic compounds that are also active against human pathogens. Grapes are used to produce a variety of wines, grape juices, and raisins. Grape pomace, seeds, and skins, the remains of the grapes that are a byproduct of winemaking, also contain numerous bioactive compounds that differ from those found in grapes and wines. This overview surveys and interprets our present knowledge of the activities of wines and winery byproducts and some of their bioactive components against foodborne (Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio vulnificus), medical (Helicobacter pylori, Klebsiella pneumoniae), and oral pathogenic bacteria, viruses (adeno, cytomegalo, hepatitis, noro, rota), fungi (Candida albicans, Botrytis cinerea), parasites (Eimeria tenella, Trichomonas vaginalis), and microbial toxins (ochratoxin A, Shiga toxin) in culture, in vivo, and in/on food (beef, chicken, frankfurters, hot dogs, lettuce, oysters, peppers, pork, sausages, soup, spinach) in relation to composition and sensory properties. Also covered are antimicrobial wine marinades, antioxidative and immunostimulating aspects, and adverse effects associated with wine consumption. The collated information and suggested research needs might facilitate and guide further studies needed to optimize the use of wines and byproducts to help improve microbial food safety and prevent or treat animal and human infections.