Turmeric (Curcuma longa), widely used in Asia as a spice, preservative, and colorant, contains curcuminoids known for diverse pharmacological benefits, including antimicrobial properties. However, their hydrophobic nature hampers bioavailability. Addressing this, we hypothesized that Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) fermentation could enhance curcuminoid content and bioactivity. This study isolated LAB strains to ferment turmeric and investigated the phytochemical and pharmacological outcomes. Twelve LAB strains from various sources were tested for fermenting 3% turmeric in MRS broth. L. rhamnosus FN7 emerged as a robust strain, tolerating turmeric′s antibacterial properties and increasing curcuminoid content and anti-inflammatory effects. Fermented turmeric exhibited higher phenolic and flavonoid contents and improved radical scavenging activity than its non-fermented counterpart. Additionally, L. rhamnosus FN7 survived under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, indicating probiotic potential. Our findings suggest that L. rhamnosus FN7 fermentation significantly boosts turmeric′s biochemical attributes, positioning it as a promising functional food.

Many ginsenosides have shown positive effects, including anti-cancer potential and anti-inflammatory effects. Of note, protopanaxadiol (PPD) and protopanaxatriol (PPT) are not easily absorbed by the body through the digestive tract due to their hydrophilicity. From this point of view, the cytotoxic potencies of the hydrolysates of PPD and PPT on CRC are much stronger than their source compounds. Moreover, several minor ginsenosides that are absent naturally but have high disease ameliorative efficacy can be obtained from major ginsenoside by enzymatic hydrolysis. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the biotransformation of ginsenosides via enzymatic hydrolysis to improve their bioactivity. Second, the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of the raw and bio-transformed ginseng metabolites were determined in vitro. The results suggest that enzymes can effectively biotransform major ginsenosides (i.e., PPD and PPT) into minor ginsenosides (i.e., compound K) by hydrolyzing the β-glucosidic linkage. Moreover, the bio-transformed ginsenosides were effective in inhibiting the proliferation of HCT-116 cells and suppressing lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. Therefore, the enzymatic hydrolysis of ginsenosides can be employed to functionally produce hydrolysates with increased bioactivity.

The stilbenoids form a group of bioactive phenolic compounds found in various plant species whose original functions are to act as protective compounds against microbial infections and toxins. Among the stilbenoids, resveratrol is the most well-studied and has been shown to exert multiple benefits in disease prevention. The bioavailability of resveratrol is one of the major limitations in its role as a disease-prevention agent; however, it has exhibited biological activity in animals and clinical models. Gut microbiota may play a role in overcoming limited bioavailability via microbial transformations. On the other hand, the modulatory effects of stilbenoids on gut microbial dysbiosis induced by several diseases can be crucial in disease alleviation. In addition to gut microbial metabolites, such as SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids), stilbenoids can be used to inhibit microbial growth, making their use a potential strategy in preventing disease progression. In this review, the interactions of stilbenoids (with a major focus on resveratrol and pterostilbene) and gut microbiota will be discussed to clarify the importance of gut microbiota in the strategy of "disease prevention via phytochemicals."

Se-allylselenocysteine (ASC), an analogue of garlic bioactive compound, has been shown to inhibit mammary carcinogenesis in vivo and cell growth in vitro. However, the function of ASC on anti-inflammatory effects remains largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether ASC has an anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation or an anti-tumor effect promoting on DMBA/TPA-induced skin tumorigenesis and tried to elucidate the mechanisms involved. Herein, the results showed that ASC inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) with a decreased protein level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in RAW 264.7 cells. However, ASC enhanced LPS-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein levels and mRNA expression. Interestingly, we found for the first time that topical application of ASC on the dorsal skin of DMBA-initiated and TPA-promoted mice significantly accelerated skin tumorigenesis and raised tumor multiplicity as compared to the positive control group (DMBA/TPA). The number of tumours that were 1–3, 3–5, and > 5 mm in size per mouse increased in a dose-dependent manner in the ASC pre-treated groups. Pre-treatment with ASC showed a significant increase in the expression of COX-2 compared with the positive control group. Thus, ASC may modulate the COX-2 protein expression and promote DMBA/TPA-induced skin cancer in mice.

Excess caloric intake increases the amount of adipose tissue and contributes to metabolic disorders in disrupted metabolic homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effects of ginseng and the alternation of gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. The results showed that HFD treatment influenced body weight gain, adipose tissue accumulation and biochemical parameter changes. Compared to the HFD group, ginseng supplementation of HFD-fed mice decreased body weight, adipose tissue mass, total cholesterol (T-CHO) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)/low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ratio. To analysis the alterations of gut microbiota, ginseng in dietary supplements decreased Firmicutes abundance and increased Bacteroidetes abundance. Taken together, these findings suggest ginseng may modulate the energy storage and alter gut microbiota composition.

Resveratrol was esterified with selected fatty acids to improve its lipophilicity and potential application in food and biological systems. In this study, resveratrol and monoesters of resveratryl propionate (RC3:0) and resveratryl docosahexaenate (RDHA) were examined for their effects on anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity in vitro. All test compounds showed a decreased nitrite production in murine RAW 264.7 cells in a concentration dependent manner. Resveratrol, RC3:0, and RDHA were evaluated for their effects on cell viability using liver cancer (HepG2), colon cancer (HT-29, A431), breast cancer (MCF7), and gastric cancer (AGS) cell lines. All test compounds showed decreased cell viability of HepG2, A431, MCF7, HT-29, and AGS in a concentration-dependent manner. The results suggest that resveratrol esters may serve as potential anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative agents.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Recently, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is identified to be highly associated with CVD development and exacerbates atherosclerosis by several mechanisms. TMAO is a gut microbiota-dependent metabolite formed from dietary quaternary amines, mainly choline and carnitine. These trimethylamine (TMA)-containing compounds are first converted to TMA by enzymes in gut microbiota and subsequently metabolized by the host hepatic enzymes to TMAO. As the microbiome is the source of TMAO, administration of broad spectrum antibiotics shows marked decrease in TMAO levels. However, antibiotics may possess many possible undesirable side effects and chronic treatment consideration effects of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Thus, studies have focused on the alternative strategies, including use of natural dietary compounds to reduce elevated TMAO levels and prevent atherogenesis. Natural dietary compounds have been studied for their beneficial health effects for decades. Diet and nutritional interventions based on the use of natural bioactive compounds is an effective strategy for remodeling gut microbiota composition and improving human health. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which TMAO promote atherosclerosis, the microbes that contribute to TMA formation, the enzymes involved, and the potential of natural dietary compounds that contribute to TMAO reduction and attenuate TMAO-induced atherosclerosis.

In order to improve appetite, attract consumers and even conform to the food culture, food coloring has become one of the necessary links in modern food processing. For example, dried-tofu will be colored by adding artificial food colors (AFCs) such as sunset yellow, cochineal red A or other seasonings like soy sauce. However, the dispute persists about whether AFCs are harmful to health. Some studies indicate AFCs affect children's intelligence and attention, cause hyperactivity, and allergy when children consumed ≥ 50mg. In addition, researches showed that chemical soy sauce produces a trace of methylglyoxal (MGO) in the manufacturing process, which is related to diseases such as oxidative stress, diabetes, and cognitive deterioration. Therefore, natural pigments are relatively new and promising strategy for replacing high-risk AFCs. Thus, the objective of this study was to use dried-tofu as a natural colorants coloring screening platform, through the concept of three primary colors to discuss the coloring effects of natural colorants in Taiwan in double –phase (liquid phase to solid phase) food coloring system and assess the effects of MGO on PC12 neuron cellular morphology and cell cycle at the dietary exposure in soy sauce. Our results showed that formula G: R=0.2:0.8 and C: R=0.08:0.92 were coloring by combined natural colorants had the same eye sensory quality acceptance of consumer and had the intention to purchase. Furthermore, the results from the PC12 cell suggested that dietary exposure of methylglyoxal (< 50μM) in soy sauce did not affect neuron cellular morphology and cell cycle significantly. Overall, Gardenia Yellow, Curcumin, and Radish Red could overcome the application restrictions in multiple-phase food coloring system and simultaneously soy sauce as a coloring agent was safety. It showed the possibility of them as food colorants on dried-tofu.

Nobiletin (NOB) and 5-demethylnobiletin (DMNB) are unique polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) found in citrus peel that exhibit anti-tumoral action in several cancer cell models. The differences between NOB and DMNB with respect to their anti-proliferative potencies and underlying molecular mechanism were compared in this contribution. The results of the cell viability assay suggested that DMNB resulted in more enhanced growth inhibitory effects than NOB in human colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116, HT-29 and COLO 205). Flow cytometry data found that DMNB inhibited proliferation in COLO 205 cells by predominantly inducing apoptosis. A xenograft mouse model further demonstrated that DMNB exhibited more preferential anti-colon cancer effects than NOB via its ability to induce p53-regulated cell death signaling (apoptosis and autophagy) and inhibit key cellular markers associated with inflammation and angiogenesis. Taken together, our findings provide evidence for the first time that natural bioactive DMNB might serve as a promising polymethoxyflavone for chemoprevention of colorectal cancer.

Nobiletin and 5-demethylnobiletin as polymethoxyflavone and hydroxy polymethoxyflavone, especially, have been reported to exhibit various beneficial biological activities for human health. In this study, the effects of NOB and 5-demethylnobiletin (DMNB), on azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)-induced colorectal carcinogenesis in Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice were compared. We found that NOB and DMNB significantly alleviated the weight loss, colon length and reduced colon tumor formation in AOM/DSS-induced colorectal carcinogenesis mice. At the molecular level, our results from western blot and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that 0.025% of NOB and DMNB presented an anti-inflammation property by reducing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) expression. Taken together, these results demonstrate that DMNB had a better chemo-preventive efficacy than NOB in AOM/DSS-induced colorectal carcinogenesis in ICR mice model.