Journals
2025 EN
Haji Zainab · Mohammed Rana · Fardan Hanan
+8 more
ABSTRACT Preterm infants have higher energy and nutrient needs compared to term infants, with human milk recommended as the primary feeding choice and infant formula as the secondary option. This study aimed to evaluate the concentration of essential trace minerals (manganese, copper, iron, and zinc) in preterm human milk and infant formulas in Qatar, and assess their nutrition label accuracy and compliance with nutritional requirements. Mineral analysis was performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP‐MS). Samples included 50 liquid human milk samples from lactating mothers of preterm infants, 42 powder infant formulas from local markets and pharmacies, and 10 water samples commonly used in Qatar. All human milk and infant formulas were below the recommended zinc and iron ranges as per the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). Additionally, 96% (48/50) of human milk and 95% (40/42) of infant formulas were below the recommended copper range. Furthermore, 34% (17/50) of human milk samples for manganese were below the recommended range, whereas 86% (36/42) of infant formulas exceeded it. Water samples showed mineral levels below detection limits, and thus had no contribution to mineral levels in reconstituted formulas. Significant differences were found between label and laboratory‐tested values for copper ( p = 0.0039) and zinc ( p = 0.0000), with label values higher than laboratory results. No significant differences were observed for manganese ( p = 0.7564) or iron ( p = 0.1966). Reconstituted formulas had significantly higher manganese, zinc, and iron laboratory levels ( p < 0.001) than human milk, whereas copper showed no significant difference ( p = 0.324). These findings highlight mineral imbalances in both human milk and infant formulas for preterm infants, demonstrating the need for human milk fortifiers, improved nutrient formulation, accurate labeling, and further research to ensure optimal health outcomes.
Journals
2025 EN
Younis Mohamed Ibrahim · Sallam Yahia Ibrahim · Mahmoud Khaled Fahmy
+3 more
ABSTRACT Naturally occurring bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamins play critical roles in human health and sustainable food systems. Yet their widespread utilization is constrained by complex detection methods and limited accessibility. This review explores how smartphones are emerging as transformative platforms for real‐time analysis, enhanced synergy discovery, and personalized nutrition. By integrating spectroscopy, imaging, electrochemical sensing, microfluidics, and AI, smartphones now enable field‐grade assays that rival laboratory precision at a fraction of the cost. Their deployment across agriculture, food processing, and consumer health is examined, with a focus on how smartphone‐based tools can be used to quantify synergistic interactions between bioactives, optimize nutrient retention, and deliver data‐driven dietary guidance. Coupled with machine learning, these devices can identify optimal compound pairings and adapt recommendations to individual physiology and environmental conditions. Limitations related to sensor calibration, data standards, and regulatory readiness are also highlighted. Finally, a roadmap for advancing smartphone‐enabled nutrition science through standardization, accessibility, and responsible innovation is presented. As smartphones evolve from passive sensors into intelligent, connected analyzers, they hold unprecedented potential to reshape food quality monitoring, democratize nutrition, and accelerate the global transition toward more resilient and health‐focused food systems.
Journals
2025 EN
Maqsood Sammra · Basher Nosiba S. · Arshad Muhammad Tayyab
+5 more
ABSTRACT Ipomoea batatas , commonly known as sweet potato, is an increasingly valued functional food because of its vivid coloration and rich bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanins and carotenoids, such as ipomoeaxanthin. This review focuses on the bioavailability, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic potential of sweet potato‐derived anthocyanins in diabetes and metabolic disorders. Anthocyanins, which are plant pigments, exhibit high antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals and stimulating endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase, thereby protecting cellular structures from damage and reducing oxidative damage in vital metabolic organs such as the pancreas, liver, brain, and muscles. Anthocyanins also increase insulin sensitivity, regulate glucose metabolism, and regulate enzymes involved in carbohydrate digestion, thus reducing the risk of diabetes. In addition, anthocyanins inhibit low‐grade chronic inflammation by inhibiting the inflammatory mediators TNF‐α, IL‐6, and NF‐κB signaling pathways implicated in the progression of type 2 diabetes. Clinical evidence supports preclinical animal models and ongoing human trials favoring sweet potato consumption to enhance glucose control and decrease insulin resistance. However, challenges remain regarding the poor bioavailability of anthocyanins and the need for stronger human studies. In addition to anthocyanins, sweet potatoes contain diverse nutrients that contribute to their metabolic health. This review highlights the significance of sweet potatoes as a functional food ingredient in diabetes prevention diets and encourages new processing methods that can sustain their bioactive potential.
Journals
2025 EN
Canbey Ibrahim · Ozcan Tulay · Gurbuz Ozan
ABSTRACT Lacto‐fermented food products, including fermented dairy products, cereal products, processed fruits and vegetables, and meat products, may seem like the right choices for healthy food categories. Probiotic products in this group are generally produced by adding probiotic bacteria ( Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium , etc.) to food matrices. But in this production method, the short shelf lives of microorganisms require the addition of some prebiotics or natural substances like essential oils (EOs) of some plants to formulations of synbiotic products. The EOs are the most commonly known secondary metabolites that are responsible for characteristic scents and also display important bioactive properties, like antibacterial, antifungal, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant effects in medicinal and aromatic plants. EOs extracted from various spices and plants exhibit potent inhibitory effects against a broad range of microorganisms. The combination of secondary metabolites with lactic acid bacteria in food products can enhance probiotic viability while inhibiting pathogens through antimicrobial activity. However, EOs may also adversely affect lactic culture development. Further research is needed to identify suitable plant species and determine safe application methods for EOs in probiotic and lacto‐fermented products.
Journals
2025 EN
Anwar Muhammad Junaid · Anwar Muhammad Hammad · Imran Muhammad
+13 more
ABSTRACT Cancer is emerging as a leading cause of death globally. Considering the disease burden, scientists are working to develop various strategies by exploring natural sources for cancer treatment. The use of olive oil (OO) and its phytochemicals, specifically oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol (HT), as a remedy against various types of cancer is gaining attention among scientists and researchers. The current review aimed to highlight the antioxidant potential and summarize the various pathways and markers involved in the prevention and treatment of different human cancers. The databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science, were searched to collect relevant data. The studies showed that some markers are specifically linked to particular types of cancers (such as 27‐OHC, ATF‐2, TNFRSF10B, HER2, and MET, which are linked to breast cancer; iNOS and NO, which are linked to thyroid cancer; GLUT1 and GLUT4, HIF‐1α, MCT4, PKM2, PD‐1, PD‐L1, and CTLA‐4, which are linked to colorectal cancer). Olive oil is involved in the management of these markers to prevent and/or treat all types of cancers by upregulating tumor suppressor genes, downregulating oncogenes, and modulating different pathways (PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β‐catenin, and MAPK). Taken together, it can be concluded that olive oil and its components have prominent potential to cure cancers in the human body. However, further investigations can be carried out to suggest the lethal doses of olive oils as a whole and its phytochemicals individually for the treatment of cancer.
Journals
2025 EN
Tariq Duaa · Sultan Muhammad Tauseef · Noman Ahmad Mujtaba
+11 more
ABSTRACT With the advancement of scientific knowledge and global awareness, a trend of utilizing natural resources, such as herbal and medicinal plants, for disease prevention and treatment. Myristica fragrans from the Myristicaceae family offers various medicinal benefits. It is widely used as a culinary spice and has a long history in traditional medicine for its various therapeutic applications. This review highlights the current findings on the pharmacological potential of Myristica fragrans , focusing on its health benefits and applications. Scientific literature was explored using the ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. The studies reported that it contains alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, and glycosides, with myristicin, macelignan, safrole, and sabinene as prime bioactive components. M. fragrans exhibits antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties by modulating various pathways like PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, and NF‐κB signaling Pathways and G0/G1 or G2/M phase arrest. Moreover, other compounds such as dehydrodiisoeugenol, malabaricone B and C, elemicins, have also shown strong antioxidant potential and enzyme inhibitory properties, which enhance insulin sensitivity, inhibit α‐glucosidase, reduce oxidative stress, and support neurocognitive function by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α). At high doses, gastrointestinal and hepato‐renal adverse effects have been reported. However, with careful usage, it presents significant therapeutic potential. This article also focuses on industrial applications of M. fragrans as a medicine, a cosmetic agent, and in food for its aroma and functional properties. However, more clinical research is required to validate these findings and optimize effective and safe use in clinical applications.
Journals
2025 EN
Younis Mohamed Ibrahim · Tlay Rawaa H. · Altemimi Ammar B.
+2 more
ABSTRACT Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic health in humans, where both an excess and a deficiency can lead to chronic diseases. Bioactive compounds derived from food like polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, peptides, and fibers have been recognized as significant influencers of fat metabolism. They operate through various molecular and systemic pathways, facilitating either adiposity reduction or fat accumulation based on the physiological context. This review consolidates recent progress in comprehending the mechanisms through which these compounds affect lipolysis, adipogenesis, thermogenesis, and appetite regulation. We emphasize the collaborative effects that enhance bioactive efficacy and examine findings from clinical trials focused on obesity, cachexia, and sarcopenia. For example, co‐administration of curcumin with piperine increased curcumin bioavailability up to 20‐fold, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) combined with caffeine modestly enhanced 24‐h energy expenditure by 4% in humans. Similarly, omega‐3 fatty acids combined with vitamin D supplementation improved lean mass by 1.2 kg in sarcopenic adults in recent meta‐analyses. New platforms in personalized nutrition—combining genomics, microbiome analysis, and AI‐driven meal planning—present exciting opportunities for tailored applications. In conclusion, we address significant translational challenges and prospective pathways, focusing on enhancing bioavailability, standardizing outcomes, and ethically expanding personalized interventions. This work highlights the promise of bioactives as effective means for influencing adipose biology and enhancing metabolic health.
Journals
2025 EN
Arshad Muhammad Tayyab · Basher Nosiba S. · Ikram Ali
+4 more
ABSTRACT This study evaluated the nutritional and rheological properties of biscuits formulated with wheat flour (WF) and pumpkin seed flour (PSF) blends in different ratios (100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, and 80:20). Pumpkin seeds were ground and analyzed for moisture (3.93%), ash (0.64%), fat (23.74%), fiber (30.45%), protein (19.83%), and nitrogen‐free extract (21.39%). Composite dough rheology was assessed using farinograph, mixograph tests, and near‐infrared (NIR) analysis. Biscuits were stored for 60 days at a relative humidity (50% ± 5%) and temperature (25°C ± 2°C) and evaluated every 15 days interval for proximate, textural (20 mm diameter cylindrical probe), color, physical, and sensory properties. The farinographic analyses showed that the highest water absorption (63.17 mL/100 g) and dough development time (5.14 min) were observed with 20% PSF, although dough stability decreased (3.14 min). The addition of PSF to biscuits increased their nutritional and textural properties. The D3 (85:15) formulation exhibited optimal texture, color, and nutritional quality. During storage, D3 retained moisture (4.92%), ash (1.45%), fiber (7.86%–7.91%), and texture (hardness: 59.62–59.69 N), achieving the highest overall acceptability score (8.33).
Journals
2025 EN
Shahbaz Muhammad · Momal Ushna · Mohamed Hagar M.
+12 more
ABSTRACT One significant reductive metabolite of curcumin, tetrahydroxycurcumin (THC), is a promising oncology candidate because of its multifunctional bioactivities. Preclinical data indicate that THC has a strong anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer profile, and as such, it is a better alternative to curcumin in treatment. Mechanistically, THC regulates important transcriptional factors that are involved in tumorigenesis, specifically nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐kB) and activator protein‐1 (AP‐1). Uncontrolled proliferation, inflammation, and resistance to apoptosis have been linked to aberrant activation of these pathways. Inhibition of NF‐kB and AP‐1 induced by THC suppresses cancer cell survival signaling and triggers apoptotic cell death. Simultaneously, THC inhibits the action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are involved in the degradation of extra cells and metastatic spread, and promote tumor invasion and metastasis. Experimental research has also shown the effectiveness of THC in various cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and skin cancer. It is important to note that THC increases the therapeutic index of traditional chemotherapeutics, where they show synergistic interactions and counteract drug resistance mechanisms, which is a key obstacle in clinical oncology. THC has better physiological stability and bioavailability compared to its parent molecule, a characteristic that alleviates one of the greatest translational limitations of curcumin. This review highlights the molecular processes underlying the anticancer action of THC, its possible use as a single agent and as an adjuvant to already established chemotherapeutic protocols, and the translational issues that need to be overcome to achieve clinical acceptance. Together, the existing evidence supports THC as an attractive future cancer therapeutic with the potential to improve treatment outcomes and overcome drug resistance.
Journals
2025 EN
Hadi Fazli · Kaleem Waqar Ahmad · Rauf Abdur
+9 more
ABSTRACT This study investigates the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Taxus wallichiana Zucc . and evaluates their pharmacological potential. Taxus wallichiana , a medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds, was utilized to synthesize AgNPs in an eco‐friendly manner, leveraging phytochemicals as reducing and stabilizing agents. Characterization techniques, including UV–Vis spectroscopy confirmed the peak at approximately 430 nm, reaching its maximum at 0.72 with significant surface plasmon resonance peaks. Moreover, SEM identified successful synthesis of stable spherical and oval shapes, with AgNPs ranging in size from 10 to 20 nm, and FTIR exhibited distinct functional groups with peaks at 3649.39, 3622.62, and 3500.05 cm −1 as OH and CH stretching. Similarly, CC stretching was observed at 2300.98 cm −1 , while the peak at 1570.97 cm −1 was associated with the aromatic ring. Comparative analyses of the plant extract and its nanoparticles revealed enhanced anti‐cancer (cytotoxicity up to 85.45%), anti‐inflammatory (reduction up to 0.268 at 120 min), and analgesic (latency ranged from 9.4 to 10.1 s) activities for the AgNPs. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the nanoparticles exhibited superior efficacy against U87 glioblastoma cells compared to the crude extract. Additionally, the study confirmed the safety of both the extract and nanoparticles through acute toxicity tests. While no significant analgesic effects were observed through the Hot plate method, the nanoparticles showed pronounced anti‐inflammatory properties. This research highlights the therapeutic potential of Taxus wallichiana ‐derived AgNPs and underscores the role of nanotechnology in advancing plant‐based medicine.