Dietary anthocyanins as potential natural modulators for the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A comprehensive review

Inhibition of pancreatic lipase by coffee leaves-derived polyphenols: A mechanistic study

The suppression of pancreatic lipase has been employed to mitigate obesity. This study explored the mechanism of coffee leaf extracts to inhibit pancreatic lipase. The ethyl acetate fraction derived from coffee leaves (EAC) exhibited the highest inhibitory capacity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.469 mg/mL and an inhibitor constant (Ki) of 0.185 mg/mL. This fraction was enriched with 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA, 146.50 mg/g), epicatechin (87.51 mg/g), and isoquercetin (48.29 mg/g). EAC inhibited lipase in a reversible and competitive manner, and quenched its intrinsic fluorescence through a static mechanism. Molecular docking revealed that bioactive compounds in EAC bind to key amino acid residues (HIS-263, PHE-77, and SER-152) located within the active cavity of lipase. Catechin derivatives play a key role in the lipase inhibitory activity within EAC. Overall, our findings highlight the promising potential of coffee leaf extract as a functional ingredient for alleviating obesity through inhibition of lipase.

7-Hydroxyflavone improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by acting on STK24

The escalating incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely associated with a high-fat diet, leading to a decline in quality of life and significant health impairment. 7-Hydroxyflavone (7-HY) is a flavonoid known for its anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant effects. This study aims to assess the ameliorative effects of 7-HY on NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet and elucidate underlying mechanisms. Oleic acid/palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cells and C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet were utilized as in vitro and in vivo models. In animal experiments, 7-HY was utilized as a dietary supplement. The 15-week in vivo experiment monitored body weight, body fat percentage, glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, and metabolic indexes. Commercial kits assessed triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol levels in cells, liver tissue, and blood. Discovery Studio identified potential targets of 7-HY, compared with NAFLD-associated targets in the GeneCards database. Results indicated 7-HY mitigated fat accumulation, hepatic steatosis, and oxidative stress induced by a high-fat diet. Furthermore, 7-HY showed potential efficacy in ameliorating abnormal glucose metabolism and promoting energy metabolism. Reverse target finding and molecular docking demonstrated a robust interaction between 7-HY and serine/threonine kinase 24 (STK24). Subsequent experimental results confirmed 7-HY's ability to inhibit TG deposition in HepG2 cells through interaction with STK24. In conclusion, 7-HY demonstrated the capacity to alleviate high-fat diet-induced NAFLD, presenting a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Acetylated pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside alleviates hepatocyte lipid deposition through activating the AMPK-mediated lysosome-autophagy pathway and redox state

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a worldwide public health issue, but a widely accepted therapy is still lacking until now. Anthocyanins are natural flavonoid compounds that possess various bioactivities, but their applications are limited due to their low bioavailability and stability. Acylated anthocyanins are reported to show higher stability, whereas their effects on NAFLD are still unclear. Herein, pelargonidin-3-O-(6''-acetyl)-glucoside (Ace Pg3G) was found to dose-dependently reduce intracellular lipid droplets and triglycerides, and improve cellular oxidative stress that accompanied lipid deposition. Besides, Ace Pg3G was proved to activate AMPK phosphorylation, thus stimulating AMPK-mediated lysosome-autophagy pathway to eliminate overloaded lipid. Further study unveiled that Ace Pg3G regulated genes related to lipid metabolism downstream of AMPK to inhibit lipid synthesis and accelerate lipid oxidation. Overall, this study provided the first evidence, to our best knowledge, that Ace Pg3G ameliorated free fatty acid-induced lipid deposition in hepatocytes through regulating AMPK-mediated autophagy pathways and redox state.

Dietary Sources, Stabilization, Health Benefits, and Industrial Application of Anthocyanins-A Review

Natural phytochemicals are well known to protect against numerous metabolic disorders. Anthocyanins are vacuolar pigments belonging to the parent class of flavonoids. They are well known for their potent antioxidant and gut microbiome-modulating properties, primarily responsible for minimizing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and several other diseases associated with metabolic syndromes. Berries are the primary source of anthocyanin in the diet. The color and stability of anthocyanins are substantially influenced by external environmental conditions, constraining their applications in foods. Furthermore, the significantly low bioavailability of anthocyanins greatly diminishes the extent of the actual health benefits linked to these bioactive compounds. Multiple strategies have been successfully developed and utilized to enhance the stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins. This review provides a comprehensive view of the recent advancements in chemistry, biosynthesis, dietary sources, stabilization, bioavailability, industrial applications, and health benefits of anthocyanins. Finally, we summarize the prospects and challenges of applications of anthocyanin in foods.

The Effects of Cranberry Consumption on Glycemic and Lipid Profiles in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This study aims to update the evidence and clarify whether cranberry possesses lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic properties in humans. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched to identify relevant articles published up to December 2023. In total, 3145 publications were reviewed and 16 of them were included for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. Stata 15.0 and Review Manager 5.4 were applied for statistical analyses. The results revealed a significant decrease in the total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-C) (MD = -0.24; 95% CI: -0.45, -0.04; peffect = 0.02) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD = -0.59; 95% CI: -1.05, -0.14; peffect = 0.01) with cranberry consumption. However, it did not influence total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting insulin. In subgroup analysis, cranberry consumption in dried form (capsules, powder, and tablets) was found to significantly decrease the fasting insulin level (three studies, one hundred sixty-five participants, MD = -2.16; 95% CI: -4.24, -0.07; peffect = 0.04), while intervention duration, health conditions, and dosage of polyphenols and anthocyanins had no impact on blood lipid and glycemic parameters. In summary, cranberry might have potential benefits in regulating lipid and glucose profiles.

Interaction between dietary flavonoid intake and trouble sleeping on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The possible interaction of dietary flavonoid intake and sleep on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been well studied. This study investigated the interaction between dietary flavonoid intake and trouble sleeping on the risk of NAFLD.

METHODS

Three discrete National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data cycles from 2007 to 2010 and 2017 to 2018 were used. NAFLD was diagnosed by a US Fatty Liver Index ≥30. A sleep questionnaire diagnosed trouble sleeping. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) and subgroup analyses were used to evaluate the association between dietary flavonoids, trouble sleeping and NAFLD. We employed the relative excess risk due to interaction, attributable proportion of interaction and synergy index to evaluate additive interactions.

RESULTS

Ultimately, 5056 participants were enrolled, and higher anthocyanidins and flavanones intake was negatively correlated with NAFLD. Conversely, trouble sleeping was positively associated with NAFLD. These correlations remained stable after adjusting for confounders, and there was a sex difference in this relationship. In the RCS model, anthocyanins were negatively non-linearly related to NAFLD, while flavanones showed a negative linear relationship. Moreover, there was a synergistic interplay between low dietary anthocyanin intake and trouble sleeping on the risk of NAFLD. A similar relationship existed for flavanone intake.

CONCLUSION

Anthocyanin and flavanone intake were negatively associated, whereas trouble sleeping was positively associated with NAFLD risk. There was a synergistic effect of low anthocyanin intake and trouble sleeping. The same relationship existed for low flavanone intake.

Effect of red wheat, aleurone, and testa layers on colon cancer biomarkers, nitrosative stress, and gut microbiome composition in rats

We previously found greater reduction of colon cancer (CC) biomarkers for red wheat compared to white wheat regardless of refinement state. In the present study we examined whether the phenolic-rich aleurone and testa layers are drivers of chemoprevention by red wheat and their influence on gut microbiota composition using a 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced CC rat model. Rats were fed a low-fat diet (16% of energy as fat), high-fat diet (50% of energy as fat), or high-fat diet containing whole red wheat, refined red wheat, refined white wheat, or aleurone- or testa-enriched fractions for 12 weeks. Morphological markers (aberrant crypt foci, ACF) were assessed after methylene blue staining and biochemical markers (3-nitrotyrosine [3-NT], Dclk1) by immunohistochemical determination of staining positivity within aberrant crypts. Gut microbiota composition was evaluated from 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from cecal contents. Relative to the high-fat diet, the whole and refined red wheat, refined white wheat, and testa-enriched fraction decreased ACF, while only the refined red wheat and aleurone-enriched fraction decreased 3-NT. No significant differences were observed for Dclk1. An increase in microbial diversity was observed for the aleurone-enriched fraction (ACE index) and whole red wheat (Inverse Simpson Index). The diet groups significantly modified overall microbiome composition, including altered abundances of Lactobacillus, Mucispirillum, Phascolarctobacterium, and Blautia coccoides. These results suggest that red wheat may reduce CC risk through modifications to the gut microbiota and nitrosative stress, which may be due, in part, to the influence of dietary fiber and the phenolic-rich aleurone layer.

Transcriptomics Reveals the Mechanism of Rosa roxburghii Tratt Ellagitannin in Improving Hepatic Lipid Metabolism Disorder in db/db Mice

A complex metabolic disorder, type 2 diabetes, was investigated to explore the impact of ellagitannin, derived from Rosa roxburghii Tratt (RTT), on liver lipid metabolism disorders in db/db mice. The findings demonstrated that both RTT ellagitannin (C1) and RTT ellagic acid (C4) considerably decelerated body mass gain in db/db mice, significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, and mitigated the aggregation of hepatic lipid droplets. At LDL-C levels, C1 performed substantially better than the C4 group, exhibiting no significant difference compared to the P (positive control) group. An RNA-seq analysis further disclosed that 1245 differentially expressed genes were identified in the livers of experimental mice following the C1 intervention. The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that, under ellagitannin intervention, numerous differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in fatty acid metabolic processes, the PPAR signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid synthesis, and other lipid metabolism-related pathways. The qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis results indicated that RTT ellagitannin notably upregulated the gene and protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). In contrast, it downregulated the gene and protein expression levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP), recombinant fatty acid synthase (FASN), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Therefore, RTT ellagitannin can activate the PPAR signaling pathway, inhibit fatty acid uptake and de novo synthesis, and ameliorate hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in db/db mice, thus potentially aiding in maintaining lipid homeostasis in type 2 diabetes.

Ameliorative Effects of Anthocyanin Metabolites on Western Diet-Induced NAFLD by Modulating Co-Occurrence Networks of Gut Microbiome

Anthocyanins (Acn) have been reported to have preventive effects on Western diet (WD)-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the amount of Acn that reached the bloodstream were less than 1%, suggesting that anthocyanin metabolites (Acn-M) in the gut may contribute to their in vivo effects. This study is focused on a gut microbiota investigation to elucidate the effect of two major Acn-M, protocatechuic acid (PC) and phloroglucinol carboxaldehyde (PG), on NAFLD prevention. C57BL/6N male mice were divided into five groups and fed with a normal diet (ND), WD, WD + 0.5% PC, WD + 0.5% PG and WD + a mixture of 0.25% PC + 0.25% PG (CG) for 12 weeks. The results revealed that WD-fed mice showed a significant increase in final body weight, epididymis fat weight, liver weight and fat accumulation rate, serum total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. At the same time, these indices were significantly decreased by Acn-M in the order of PG, CG > PC. In particular, PG significantly decreased serum glucose and insulin resistance. Gut microbiome analysis revealed that PG significantly increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Prevotella, Prevotella/Bacteroides ratio, and upregulated glucose degradation pathway. Interestingly, the co-occurrence networks of Lachnospiraceae and Desulfovibrionaceae in the PC and PG groups were similar to the ND group and different to WD group. These data suggest that PC and PG were able to recover the gut microbiome networks and functions from dysbiosis caused by WD. Therefore, PG might act as a master metabolite for anthocyanins and prevent WD-induced NAFLD and gut dysbiosis.

Anthocyanins-gut microbiota-health axis: A review

Anthocyanins are a subclass of flavonoids responsible for color in some fruits and vegetables with potent antioxidative capacity. During digestion, a larger proportion of dietary anthocyanins remains unabsorbed and reach the large intestine where they interact with the gut microbiota. Anthocyanins can modulate gut microbial populations to improve diversity and the proportion of beneficial populations, leading to alterations in short chain fatty acid and bile acid production. Some anthocyanins can be degraded into colonic metabolites, such as phenolic acids, which accumulate in the body and regulate a range of biological activities. Here we provide an overview of the effects of dietary anthocyanin consumption on gut microbial interactions, metabolism, and composition. Progression of chronic diseases has been strongly associated with imbalances in gut microbial populations. We therefore focus on the role of the gut microbiota as the 'mediator' that facilitates the therapeutic potential of anthocyanins against various chronic diseases, including obesity, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease and osteoarthritis.

Tactics with Prebiotics for the Treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease via the Improvement of Mitophagy

Mitophagy/autophagy plays a protective role in various forms of liver damage, by renovating cellular metabolism linking to sustain liver homeostasis. A characterized pathway for mitophagy is the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin-dependent signaling pathway. In particular, PINK1-mediated mitophagy could play an indispensable role in improving the metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) which could precede to steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway might regulate the various characteristics of cellular homeostasis including energy metabolism, cell proliferation, and/or cell protection. Therefore, targeting mitophagy with the alteration of PI3K/AKT/mTOR or PINK1/Parkin-dependent signaling to eliminate impaired mitochondria might be an attractive strategy for the treatment of MAFLD. In particular, the efficacy of prebiotics for the treatment of MAFLD has been suggested to be useful via the modulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/AMPK pathway. Additionally, several edible phytochemicals could activate mitophagy for the improvement of mitochondrial damages, which could also be a promising option to treat MAFLD with providing liver protection. Here, the potential therapeutics with several phytochemicals has been discussed for the treatment of MAFLD. Tactics with a viewpoint of prospective probiotics might contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions.

Anthocyanin oligomer (grape skin extract) administration improves dry eye disease: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND

Dry eye disease is a chronic, progressive ocular disease characterised by ocular discomfort and is one of the most common ophthalmological disorders that affects people's lives.

METHODS

This study investigated the clinical efficacy of anthocyanin oligomers (grape skin extract) for the treatment of dry eye. One hundred and eight patients with dry eye were randomly divided into placebo and treatment groups, each with 54 cases. The placebo group received maltodextrin (800 mg/day) and the treatment group received anthocyanin oligomers (800 mg/day). Clinical efficacy, clinical indices, and occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Anthocyanin oligomers were safe and effective in mild-to-moderate dry eye disease, improving the tear break-up time, intraocular pressure, ocular surface disease, and patient symptomatology.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of oral anthocyanin oligomers in the treatment of dry eye patients can enhance the therapeutic effect and improve the quality of life of patients while ensuring the safety of treatment, making this therapeutic option suitable for wider application.

Dietary Intake of Anthocyanidins and Renal Cancer Risk: A Prospective Study

Evidence on the association between anthocyanidin intake and renal cancer risk is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the association of anthocyanidin intake with renal cancer risk in the large prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. The cohort for this analysis consisted of 101,156 participants. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A restricted cubic spline model with three knots (i.e., 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles) was used to model a smooth curve. A total of 409 renal cancer cases were identified over a median follow-up of 12.2 years. In the categorical analysis with a fully adjusted model, a higher dietary anthocyanidin consumption was associated with a lower risk of renal cancer (HR_Q4vsQ1: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.51-0.92; p for trend < 0.010). A similar pattern was obtained when anthocyanidin intake was analyzed as a continuous variable. The HR of one-SD increment in the anthocyanidin intake for renal cancer risk was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.77-1.00, p = 0.043). The restricted cubic spline model revealed a reduced risk of renal cancer with a higher intake of anthocyanidins and there was no statistical evidence for nonlinearity (p for nonlinearity = 0.207). In conclusion, in this large American population, a higher dietary anthocyanidin consumption was associated with a lower risk of renal cancer. Future cohort studies are warranted to verify our preliminary findings and to explore the underlying mechanisms in this regard.

Stabilization of Anthocyanins from Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Husks and In Vivo Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activity

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is one of the most popular and widely consumed products throughout the world, mainly due to its taste, aroma, caffeine content, and natural antioxidants. Among those antioxidants, anthocyanins are one of the most important natural pigments, which can be found in coffee husks. It is widely known that anthocyanins have multiple health benefits partially linked to their antioxidant properties. However, anthocyanins have low stability and are sensitive to all types of changes. In order to prevent its degradation, anthocyanins can be stabilized with nanoparticles. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of the anthocyanins extracted from coffee husks, using three different extracting agents (ethanol, methanol, and water) and stabilizing them through conjugation with zinc oxide nanoparticles. The anthocyanins extracts were mainly composed of cyanidin-3-rutinoside (97%) and the total phenolic compounds of the fresh extracts were 458.97 ± 11.32 (methanol), 373.53 ± 12.74 (ethanol), and 369.85 ± 15.93 (water) mg GAE/g. On the other hand, the total phenolic compounds of the nanoparticle-anthocyanin conjugates underwent no significant changes after stabilization as the major loss was less than 3%. Furthermore, the percentage of anthocyanins' degradation was less than 5% after 12 weeks of storage. On top of that, fresh anthocyanin extracts and anthocyanin-nanoparticle conjugates exhibited a strong protective effect against oxidative stress and increased the survival rate of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Untargeted Lipidomics Revealed the Protective Effects of Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on Bisphenol A-Induced Liver Lipid Metabolism Disorder in Rats

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic endocrine disruptor that induces metabolic disorders. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) has multiple functional activities and is the most abundant anthocyanin belonging to the flavonoid subgroup. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of C3G on BPA-induced liver lipid metabolism disorder and explore its mechanism via lipidomics analysis. The results showed that C3G supplementation significantly ameliorated the serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triacylglycerols (TG), and alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST). Furthermore, liver lipidomics indicated that C3G effectively facilitated the recovery of differential lipid metabolites, including TGs, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylinositol, cholesteryl esters, and phosphatidylserine, and reversed the levels of hepatic lipid synthesis-related genes. Our results suggest that C3G has an effective regulatory effect on BPA-induced disorders of lipid metabolism.

Peonidin-3-O-Glucoside from Purple Corncob Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating Mitochondrial and Lysosome Functions to Reduce Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

A frequent chronic liver condition across the world is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Oxidative stress caused by lipid accumulation is generally considered to be the main cause of NAFLD. Anthocyanins can effectively inhibit the production of reactive oxygen species and improve oxidative stress. In this work, six major anthocyanins were separated from purple corncob by semi-preparative liquid chromatography. The effects of the 6 kinds of anthocyanins against NAFLD were investigated using a free fatty acid (FFA)-induced cell model. The results showed that peonidin 3-O-glucoside (P3G) can significantly reduce lipid accumulation in the NAFLD cell model. The treatment with P3G also inhibited oxidative stress via inhibiting the excessive production of reactive oxygen species and superoxide anion, increasing glutathione levels, and enhancing the activities of SOD, GPX, and CAT. Further studies unveiled that treatment with P3G not only alleviated inflammation but also improved the depletion of mitochondrial content and damage of the mitochondrial electron transfer chain developed concomitantly in the cell model. P3G upregulated transcription factor EB (TFEB)-mediated lysosomal function and activated the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα)-mediated peroxisomal lipid oxidation by interacting with PPARα possibly. Overall, this study added to our understanding of the protective effects of purple corn anthocyanins against NAFLD and offered suggestions for developing functional foods containing these anthocyanins.

Pharmacological agents for defatting livers by normothermic machine perfusion

BACKGROUND

Ex-vivo normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) preserves the liver metabolism at 37°C and has rapidly developed as a promising approach for assessing the viability and improving the performance of organs from expanded criteria donors, including fatty liver grafts. NMP is an effective method for defatting fatty livers when combined with pharmaceutical therapies. Pharmacological agents have been shown to facilitate liver defatting by NMP.

OBSERVATIONS

This systematic review summarizes available pharmacological therapies for liver defatting, with a particular emphasis on defatting agents that can be employed clinically as defatting components during liver NMP as an ex vivo translational paradigm.

CONCLUSION

NMP provides an opportunity for organ treatment and can be used as a defatting platform in the future with defatting agents. Nagrath's cocktail is the most commonly used defatting cocktail in NMP; however, its carcinogenic components may limit its clinical application. Thus, the combination of a defatting cocktail with a new clinically applicable component, for example, a polyphenolic natural compound, may be a novel pharmacological option.

Association between flavonoid and subclasses intake and metabolic associated fatty liver disease in U.S. adults: Results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018

BACKGROUND

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. Flavonoid is considered a promising candidate for metabolic disease prevention although few studies have explored the relationship between flavonoid intake and MAFLD.

PURPOSE

To assess the relationship between flavonoid intake and MAFLD prevalence in the U.S. adult population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of this cross-sectional study was obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) 2017-2018. Flavonoid and subclasses intake was assessed by two 24h recalls. MAFLD was diagnosed according to the consensus definitions. Multivariate logistic regression model was performed to examine the association between flavonoid intake and MAFLD with adjustments for confounders.

RESULTS

A total of 4,431 participants were included in this cross-sectional analysis. MAFLD had a weighted prevalence of 41.93% and was not associated with total flavonoid intake. A higher anthocyanin and isoflavone intake, on the other hand, was associated with a lower prevalence of MAFLD. The protective effect of higher anthocyanin intake was significant among male, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic Asia participants. Higher isoflavone intake was associated with a lower risk of MAFLD in participants of younger (age < 50), Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic Asia, and higher HEI-2015 scores compared with the lowest quartile of isoflavone intake. Stratified analysis showed that compared with the lowest quartile of anthocyanin intake, the effect of anthocyanin intake on MAFLD varied by racial groups (P _interaction = 0.02). A positive correlation existed between HDL and anthocyanidin intake (P = 0.03), whereas a negative correlation existed between FPG and isoflavone intake (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

MAFLD was adversely linked with flavonoid subclasses, anthocyanin and isoflavone. This modifiable lifestyle provides a potential opportunity to prevent MAFLD. These findings promote future research into the links and mechanisms between anthocyanin and isoflavone intake and MAFLD.

Anti-aging effects and mechanisms of anthocyanins and their intestinal microflora metabolites

Aging, a natural and inevitable physiological process, is the primary risk factor for all age-related diseases; it severely threatens the health of individuals and places a heavy burden on the public health-care system. Thus, strategies to extend the lifespan and prevent and treat age-related diseases have been gaining increasing scientific interest. Anthocyanins (ACNs) are a subclass of flavonoids widely distributed in fruits and vegetables. Growing evidence suggests that ACNs delay aging and relieve age-related diseases. However, owing to the low bioavailability of ACNs, their gut metabolites have been proposed to play a critical role in mediating health benefits. In this review, we introduce the biological fate of ACNs after consumption and highlight ACNs metabolites (phenolic acids) from intestinal microorganisms. Additionally, ACNs and gut metabolites exhibit outstanding anti-aging ability in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and mouse models, probably associated with increasing antioxidation, anti-inflammation, protein homeostasis, antiglycation, mitochondrial function, and inhibition of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS). ACNs and gut metabolites have great application prospects as functional foods and drugs to delay aging and manage age-related diseases. Further investigation should focus on the interaction between ACNs and gut microbiota, including clarifying the complex metabolic pathway and maximizing the health effects of ACNs.

Efficacy and safety of dietary polyphenol supplementation in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Dietary polyphenol treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a novel direction, and the existing clinical studies have little effective evidence for its therapeutic effect, and some studies have inconsistent results. The effectiveness of dietary polyphenols in the treatment of NAFLD is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of oral dietary polyphenols in patients with NAFLD.

Methods

The literature (both Chinese and English) published before 30 April 2022 in PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, CNKI, and other databases on the treatment of NAFLD with dietary polyphenols was searched. Manual screening, quality assessment, and data extraction of search results were conducted strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform the meta-analysis.

Results

The RCTs included in this study involved dietary supplementation with eight polyphenols (curcumin, resveratrol, naringenin, anthocyanin, hesperidin, catechin, silymarin, and genistein) and 2,173 participants. This systematic review and meta-analysis found that 1) curcumin may decrease body mass index (BMI), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Triglycerides (TG) total cholesterol (TC), and Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) compared to placebo; and curcumin does not increase the occurrence of adverse events. 2) Although the meta-analysis results of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) did not reveal significant positive changes, individual RCTs showed meaningful results. 3) Naringenin significantly decreased the percentage of NAFLD grade, TG, TC, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) but had no significant effect on AST and ALT, and it is a safe supplementation. 4) Only one team presents a protocol about anthocyanin (from Cornus mas L. fruit extract) in the treatment of NAFLD. 5) Hesperidin may decrease BMI, AST, ALT, TG, TC, HOMA-IR, and so on. 6) Catechin may decrease BMI, HOMA-IR, and TG level, and it was well tolerated by the patients. 7) Silymarin was effective in improving ALT and AST and reducing hepatic fat accumulation and liver stiffness in NAFLD patients.

Conclusion

Based on current evidence, curcumin can reduce BMI, TG, TC, liver enzymes, and insulin resistance; catechin can reduce BMI, insulin resistance, and TG effectively; silymarin can reduce liver enzymes. For resveratrol, naringenin, anthocyanin, hesperidin, and catechin, more RCTs are needed to further evaluate their efficacy and safety.

Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple

Anthocyanins are mainly purple-coloured phenolic compounds of plant origin that as secondary metabolites are important in plant survival. Understanding their health benefits in humans requires sourcing these unstable compounds in sufficient quantities at a reasonable cost, which has led to improved methods of extraction. Dark-coloured fruits, cereals and vegetables are current sources of these compounds. The range of potential sustainable sources is much larger and includes non-commercialised native plants from around the world and agri-waste containing anthocyanins. In the last 5 years, there have been significant advances in developing the therapeutic potential of anthocyanins in chronic human diseases. Anthocyanins exert their beneficial effects through improvements in gut microbiota, oxidative stress and inflammation, and modulation of neuropeptides such as insulin-like growth factor-1. Their health benefits in humans include reduced cognitive decline; protection of organs such as the liver, as well as the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys; improvements in bone health and obesity; and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. This review summarises some of the sources of anthocyanins and their mechanisms and benefits in the treatment of chronic human diseases.

Diosgenin Ameliorates Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Modulating the Gut Microbiota and Related Lipid/Amino Acid Metabolism in High Fat Diet-Fed Rats

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disease closely associated with dietary habits. Diosgenin is abundant in yam, a common food and traditional Chinese medicine. The molecular mechanism of diosgenin on NAFLD has been preliminarily explored. However, the effect of diosgenin on metabolism and gut microbiota in NAFLD has not been reported. This study confirmed that diosgenin could suppress excessive weight gain, reduce serum levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, and decrease liver fat accumulation in high-fat diet-induced NAFLD rats. Moreover, fecal metabolomics analysis suggested diosgenin improved abnormal lipid and amino acid metabolism. Bile acids, including lithocholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid 3-sulfate that function as excretion, absorption, and transport of fats, were remarkably regulated by diosgenin. Aromatic amino acid and lysine metabolism was regulated by diosgenin as well. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis demonstrated that diosgenin restored gut microbiota disorder, especially Globicatella, Phascolarctobacterium, Pseudochrobactrum, and uncultured_bacterium_f_Prevotellaceae at the genus level. Additionally, these regulated bacterial genera showed significant correlations with lipid and amino acid metabolism-related biomarkers. This study further confirmed the significant effect of diosgenin on NAFLD, and provided a new perspective for the mechanism.

Nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of the fruit of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk

Objective

This study assessed the major nutrients and antioxidant properties of Berberis heteropoda Schrenk fruits collected from the Nanshan Mountain area of Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.

Methods and materials

We assessed the basic nutrients, including amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids, and determined the total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of the extracts.

Results

The analytical results revealed the average water (75.22 g/100 g), total fat (0.506 g/100 g), total protein (2.55 g/100 g), ash (1.31 g/100 g), and carbohydrate (17.72 g/100 g) contents in fresh B. heteropoda fruit, with total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents of B. heteropoda fruits at 68.55 mg gallic acid equivalents/g, 108.42 mg quercetin equivalents/g, and 19.83 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/g, respectively. Additionally, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS^E analysis of polyphenols in B. heteropoda fruit revealed 32 compounds.

Conclusion

B. heteropoda fruits may have potential nutraceutical value and represent a potential source of nutrition and antioxidant phytochemicals in the human diet.

Tectorigenin ameliorated high-fat diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through anti-inflammation and modulating gut microbiota in mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complex pathogenesis of liver disease combined with liver inflammation and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Tectorigenin (Tg) is derived from many plants with excellent anti-inflammation activity. However, the beneficial effect of Tg on NAFLD associated with gut microbiota remained unclear. This study aimed to investigate the underlying beneficial effect of Tg on NAFLD in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Results showed that Tg alleviated lipid profiles and liver steatosis, and reduced serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and total bile acid (TBA) levels. Besides, RT-qPCR and Western blot suggested that Tg alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation through inhibiting the lipogenesis and promoting the lipolysis, prevented gut-derived LPS-induced liver inflammatory via restoring intestinal barrier and restraining pro-inflammatory cytokines release, meanwhile, promoted the BA circulation via activating BA receptor and promoting BA synthesis. Moreover, Tg reverted the HFD-induced gut microbial dysbiosis by promoting the growth of beneficial Akkermansia, and inhibiting the proportions of harmful microbes, including Blautia, Lachnoclostridium, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006, Roseburia, Romboutsia and Faecalibaculum, which were highly correlated with NAFLD-related parameters in serum and liver. Thus, Tg could attenuate NAFLD through mediating the liver-gut axis, and it could be used as a dietary supplement for NAFLD treatment via its anti-inflammatory and prebiotic effects.

Anthocyanins: Traditional Uses, Structural and Functional Variations, Approaches to Increase Yields and Products' Quality, Hepatoprotection, Liver Longevity, and Commercial Products

Anthocyanins are water-soluble, colored compounds of the flavonoid class, abundantly found in the fruits, leaves, roots, and other parts of the plants. The fruit berries are prime sources and exhibit different colors. The anthocyanins utility as traditional medicament for liver protection and cure, and importance as strongest plants-based anti-oxidants have conferred these plants products different biological activities. These activities include anti-inflammation, liver protective, analgesic, and anti-cancers, which have provided the anthocyanins an immense commercial value, and has impelled their chemistry, biological activity, isolation, and quality investigations as prime focus. Methods in extraction and production of anthocyanin-based products have assumed vital economic importance. Different extraction techniques in aquatic solvents mixtures, eutectic solvents, and other chemically reactive extractions including low acid concentrations-based extractions have been developed. The prophylactic and curative therapy roles of the anthocyanins, together with no reported toxicity has offered much-needed impetus and economic benefits to these classes of compounds which are commercially available. Information retrieval from various search engines, including the PubMed^®, ScienceDirect^®, Scopus^®, and Google Scholar^®, were used in the review preparation. This imparted an outlook on the anthocyanins occurrence, roles in plants, isolation-extraction, structures, biosynthetic as well as semi- and total-synthetic pathways, product quality and yields enhancements, including uses as part of traditional medicines, and uses in liver disorders, prophylactic and therapeutic applications in liver protection and longevity, liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. The review also highlights the integrated approach to yields maximizations to meet the regular demands of the anthocyanins products, also as part of the extract-rich preparations together with a listing of marketed products available for human consumption as nutraceuticals/food supplements.

Tropical fruits from Australia as potential treatments for metabolic syndrome

Australia has a unique and diverse flora, including indigenous fruits, used by Australian Aboriginals for food and medicines for up to 45,000 years as well as recently introduced fruits for commercial production. However, this range of fruits has not led to the development of functional foods, for example for chronic inflammatory diseases such as metabolic syndrome including obesity, hypertension, fatty liver and diabetes. This review examines the potential of tropical and subtropical fruits from Australia to be used as functional foods for metabolic syndrome, including Davidson's plum, Queen Garnet plum, durian, litchi, breadfruit, jackfruit, mangosteen, papaya, jabuticaba, coffee and seaweed. Preclinical studies have defined potential responses of these functional foods in metabolic syndrome but the usefulness in humans with metabolic syndrome requires clinical studies which are scarce in the relevant literature. Overall, these Australian examples show that tropical fruits can provide functional foods to decrease chronic inflammatory diseases.

Phloretin attenuation of hepatic steatosis via an improvement of mitochondrial dysfunction by activating AMPK-dependent signaling pathways in C57BL/6J mice and HepG2 cells

Phloretin, a dihydrochalcone, widely exists in the fruits of apple trees and crabapple trees (Malus prunifolia) with multiple biological activities. Presently, we studied the function of phloretin on the attenuation of hepatic steatosis and further explored the underlying mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal diet or high fat diet (HFD) with or without phloretin (100 mg kg^-1) for 12 weeks. HepG2 cells were induced by 200 μM palmitic acid (PA) and co-incubated with phloretin (50 μM) for 24 h. The results showed that phloretin treatment significantly decreased the accumulation of lipids in the liver of the HFD-fed C57BL/6J mice and PA-induced HepG2 cells. Also, phloretin effectively ameliorated hepatic steatosis via promoting fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). This biological activity of phloretin was closely related to its capacity to improve mitochondrial dysfunction, including the promotion of mitochondrial biosynthesis and inhibition of mitochondrial swelling through the AMPK-dependent SIRT1/PGC-1α and SIRT3/CypD signaling pathways, respectively. These results demonstrate that phloretin effectively improves mitochondrial function and ameliorates HFD-induced hepatic steatosis through an AMPK-dependent signaling pathway.

Dihydromyricetin attenuates palmitic acid-induced oxidative stress by promoting autophagy via SIRT3-ATG4B signaling in hepatocytes

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress in hepatocytes was important pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Autophagy was a cellular process that can remove damaged organelles under oxidative stress, and thus presented a potential therapeutic target against NASH. This work aimed to investigate whether autophagy was participated in the protective effects of dihydromyricetin (DHM) on palmitic acid (PA)-induced oxidative stress in hepatocytes and the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

HepG2 and HHL-5 cell lines were pretreated with DHM (20 μM) for 2 h, followed by PA (0.2 mM) treatment for 16 h. The oxidative stress was assessed by the quantification of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial ROS (mtROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial ultrastructural analyses. The protein expressions of SIRT3, LC3I/II, P62 and ATG4B, as well as the acetylation of AGT4B were determined by western blotting using HepG2 and HepG2/ATG4B^± cells with heterozygous knockout of ATG4B.

RESULTS

Exposure to PA resulted in increased intracellular ROS and mtROS, decreased MMP and aggravated mitochondrial injury in HepG2 cells, which were notably attenuated by DHM treatment. DHM-induced inhibition of oxidative stress was associated with the induction of autophagy, characterized by upregulated ATG4B and LC3 II as well as downregulated P62 levels. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of DHM on PA-induced autophagy arrest and oxidative stress were eliminated when pretreated with a SIRT3 inhibitor 3-TYP or conducted in HepG2/ATG4B^± cells, suggesting that SIRT3 and ATG4B were involved in DHM-induced benefits. Moreover, DHM treatment increased the protein expression of SIRT3 and SIRT3-dependent deacetylation of ATG4B in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that DHM attenuated PA-induced oxidative stress in hepatocytes through induction of autophagy, which was mediated through the increased expression of SIRT3 and SIRT3-mediated ATG4B deacetylation following DHM treatment.

Anthocyanin extract from Lycium ruthenicum enhanced production of biomass and polysaccharides during submerged fermentation of Agaricus bitorquis (Quél.) Sacc. Chaidam

Agaricus bitorquis (Quél.) Sacc. Chaidam (ABSC) is a wild edible fungus uniquely found in the Tibet Plateau. ABSC is rich in polysaccharides that are considered biologically active. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of enhancing exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by ABSC in shake flask culture by supplementing the fermentation medium with anthocyanin extract. Different concentrations of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. (LRM) anthocyanin crude extract were tested on ABSC fermentation. The activity of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), phosphoglucose mutase (PGM), and phosphomannose isomerase (PMI), enzymes presumably involved in EPS synthesis by ABSC, was determined. ABSC transcriptomic profile in response to the presence of anthocyanins during fermentation was also investigated. LRM anthocyanin crude extract (0.06 mg/mL) was most effective in increasing EPS content and mycelial biomass (by 208.10% and 105.30%, respectively, P < 0.01). The activity of PGI, PGM, and PMI was increased in a medium where LRM anthocyanin extract and its main components (proanthocyanidins and petunia anthocyanin) were added. RNA-Seq analysis showed that 349 genes of ABSC were differentially expressed during fermentation in the medium containing anthocyanin extract of LRM; 93 genes were up-regulated and 256 genes down-regulated. From gene ontology enrichment analysis, differentially expressed genes were mostly assigned to carbohydrate metabolism and signal transduction categories. Collectively, LRM anthocyanins extract positively affected EPS production and mycelial biomass during ABSC fermentation. Our study provides a novel strategy for improving EPS production and mycelial growth during ABSC liquid submerged fermentation.