Our objective was to evaluate the association of antioxidant intake and the inflammatory potential of the diet with functional decline in older men. A diet history questionnaire was used to collect dietary intake data from men aged ≥ 75 years (n 794) participating in the Concord Health and Aging in Men Project cohort study. Intake of vitamins A, C, E and Zn were compared with the Australian Nutrient Reference Values to determine adequacy. The Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DIITM) was used to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet. Physical performance data were collected via handgrip strength and walking speed tests, and activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) questionnaires, at baseline and 3-year follow-up (n 616). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between diet and incident poor physical function and disability. Both poor antioxidant intake and high E-DII scores at baseline were significantly associated with poor grip strength and ADL disability at 3-year follow-up. No significant associations with walking speed or IADL disability were observed. Individual micronutrient analysis revealed a significant association between the lowest two quartiles of vitamin C intake and poor grip strength. The lowest quartiles of intake for vitamins A, C, E and Zn were significantly associated with incident ADL disability. The study observed that poor antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food intake were associated with odds of developing disability and declining muscle strength in older men. Further interventional research is necessary to clarify the causality of these associations.

Cumulative oxidation of cellular macromolecules during storage reduces seed longevity. This study was undertaken to unravel the physiological and biochemical changes in rice seeds that contribute to deterioration during storage. Rice seeds maintained at three different seed moisture contents (SMC; 10, 12 and 14%) were stored in airtight glass jars. Half of the jars were flushed with nitrogen gas to provide modified oxygen conditions, while the other half were sealed with natural air (21% O2). Seed quality in terms of germination and antioxidant defence mechanisms was monitored after 3 and 6 months of storage at 25°C. The results showed that seeds performed better when stored at low SMC (10 and 12%), whereas the deterioration process accelerated in seeds stored at higher SMC (14%). Coupling high SMC with the availability of oxygen in the storage environment produced a negative effect on seed quality and longevity. Results from the antioxidant analysis showed more activity in seeds stored with oxygen at high SMC (14%) compared to lower SMC stored in modified oxygen conditions. Therefore, it is recommended that storage with low moisture levels (12%) or below (10%) is the best to preserve rice seed quality. However, at higher moisture levels (14%), the availability of oxygen in storage is more harmful to seed lifespan and quality.

Nutrition is a key determinant of bone health and attainment of peak bone mass. Excess oxidative stress induces bone loss while increasing antioxidant capacity promotes protective effects on bone. Nuts are rich in antioxidants; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that compared to a control diet high in fat (40 % energy) and cholesterol, diets containing isocaloric amounts of pistachios (8·1 % g/g) or mixed nuts (7·5 % g/g) for 8 weeks would result in greater bone health in male adolescent (3 weeks; a state of continued skeletal growth) Sprague-Dawley rats. We found no difference in bone mechanical properties among groups. Tibial apparent density was ~5 % higher in the pistachio and mixed nuts groups v. control (P < 0·05) with no clear difference detected for the femur. Expressions of genes known to impact bone turnover and serum bone turnover biomarkers were unaffected by either diet relative to control. Serum antioxidant capacity was ~2-fold higher in the pistachio and mixed nuts groups compared with control (P < 0·05) but were similar between groups. Therefore, pistachios and mixed nuts may increase tibial density, in part, due to increasing antioxidant capacity. Longer dietary interventions may be necessary to elicit detectable changes in other bones (e.g. femur) and to detect potential mechanisms for the possible bone protective effects of nuts.

Malathion is an insecticide that is used to control arboviruses and agricultural pests. Adolescents that are exposed to this insecticide are the most vulnerable as they are in the critical period of postnatal sexual development. This study aimed to evaluate whether malathion damage can affect sperm function and its respective mechanisms when adolescents are exposed during postnatal sexual development. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (PND 25) were divided into three experimental groups and treated daily for 40 d: control group (saline 0.9%), 10 mg/kg (M10 group), or 50 mg/kg (M50 group) of malathion. At PND 65, the rats were anesthetized and euthanized. Testicles were collected for the evaluation of gene expression. Sperm cells from the epididymis were used for evaluation of the oxidative profile or spermatic function. Data showed that a lower dose of malathion downregulated the gene expression of androgen receptors and testosterone converter enzyme 17-β-HSD in the testis. The acrosomal integrity of sperm cells was compromised in the M50 group, but not the M10 group. The mitochondrial activity was not impaired by exposure. Finally, although no alterations in malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were observed, malathion, at both doses, increased antioxidant enzyme catalase activity and, at a higher dose, superoxide dismutase activity. The present study showed that low doses of malathion considered to be inoffensive are capable of impairing sperm quality and function through the downregulation of testicular genic expression of AR enzyme 17-β-HSD and can damage the spermatic antioxidant profile during critical periods of development.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on bovine oocyte maturation, mitochondrial activity and transzonal projections (TZP), as well as on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and messenger RNA (mRNA) for catalase (CAT) superoxide dismutase (SOD), periredoxin-6 (Prdx6), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), growth and differentiation factor-9 (GDF9), histone H1Foo, cyclin B1 (CCNB1) and c-Mos. Bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) of medium-sized antral follicles (3.0–6.0 mm) were prematured in TCM-199 for 8 h at 38.5°C in 5% CO2. After prematuration in the presence of forskolin and C-type natriuretic peptide, COCs were matured in TCM-199 alone or with 0.1, 0.5 or 2.5 mM NAC. Then, oocytes were classified according to the stage of chromatin. Furthermore, mitochondrial activity and intracellular levels of ROS and TZP were also evaluated. The levels of mRNAs for CAT, SOD, Prdx6, GPx, GDF9, H1Foo, CCNB1 and c-Mos were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results showed that NAC significantly increased the percentages of oocytes with resumption of meiosis when compared with those oocytes matured in control medium. Oocytes had homogeneous mitochondrial distribution, and those cultured with 0.1 and 0.5 mM NAC had lower levels of ROS when compared with the control. In addition, 0.5 mM NAC reduced TZP and the levels of mRNA for CCNB1. In contrast, NAC did not influence the expression of CAT, GPx, Prdx6, SOD, GDF9, H1Foo, and c-Mos. In conclusion, 0.5 mM NAC reduced the levels of ROS, TZP and mRNA for CCNB1, and improved in vitro resumption of meiosis in oocytes from medium-sized bovine antral follicles.

The development of colorectal cancer involves some morphological changes, and in the initial stage, pre-neoplastic lesions called aberrant crypt foci (ACF) appear. Thus, an intervention with sources of bioactive compounds such as Hibiscus sabdariffa L., rich in phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, could attenuate the risk of developing these lesions due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 5 % and 10 % supplementation of dehydrated H. sabdariffa calyces (DHSC) during the development of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced pre-neoplastic lesions in male BALB/c mice. The characterisation of DHSC was carried out. The in vivo experiment lasted 12 weeks, and the animals were randomly divided into three experimental groups: the control group (CON) and the supplemented groups with 5 % DHSC and 10 % DHSC. The activities of liver enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase were determined. In addition, ACF, SCFA, presence of inflammatory infiltrates, goblet cells and leucocytes in the colonic mucosa were quantified. There was a significant reduction in ACF and the presence of inflammatory infiltrates in the colon of animals in groups 5DHSC and 10DHSC. In addition, the 10DHSC group showed an increase in the activity of the CAT enzyme, in the production of butyrate and in the presence of natural killer cells in the colon, in addition to more hypertrophied goblet cells. Based on these findings, it is suggested that DHSC supplementation may be recommended to attenuate cellular responses in the early stage of pre-neoplastic lesions.

Maternal overnutrition-induced fetal programming predisposes offspring to cardiovascular health issues throughout life. Understanding how these adverse cardiovascular effects are regulated at the maternal–fetal crosstalk will provide insight into the mechanisms of these cardiovascular diseases, which will help in further identifying potential targets for intervention. Here, we uncover a role of oxidative stress caused by prenatal overnutrition in governing cardiac damage. Mice exposed to maternal obesity showed remarkable pathological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (p male < 0.001, Cohen’s d male = 1.77; p female < 0.001, Cohen’s d female = 1.94), increased collagen content (p male < 0.001, Cohen’s d male = 2.13; p female < 0.001, Cohen’s d female = 2.71), and increased levels of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) (p male < 0.001, Cohen’s d male = 3.02; p female < 0.001, Cohen’s d female = 4.52), as well as left ventricular dysfunction in adulthood. To cope with increased oxidative stress in the myocardial tissue of offspring from obese mothers, we sought to decrease the effect of oxidative stress and prevent the development of these cardiovascular conditions with use of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine during pregnancy. As predicted, after treatment with the antioxidant, there was greatly mitigated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (p male < 0.001, Cohen’s d male = 1.31; p female < 0.001, Cohen’s d female = 0.82) and cardiac fibrosis, including decreased composition of collagen fibers (p male < 0.01, Cohen’s d male = 1.45; p female < 0.05, Cohen’s d female = 1.23) and reduced levels of TGF-β (p male < 0.05, Cohen’s d male = 1.83; p female < 0.01, Cohen’s d female = 3.81). We also observed improved left ventricle contractile function together with the alleviation of enhanced oxidative stress in the myocardial tissue of offspring. Collectively, these results established a crucial role of oxidative stress in prenatal overnutrition-associated ventricular remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. Our findings provided an important target for intervention of cardiovascular disease in overnutrition-related fetal programming.

Consumption of edible insects has been widely suggested as an environmentally sustainable substitute for meat to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the novel research field for edible insects relies on the content of bioactive ingredients and on the ability to induce a functional effect in humans. The goal of this manuscript is to review the available body of evidence on the properties of edible insects in modulating oxidative and inflammatory stress, platelet aggregation, lipid and glucose metabolism and weight control. A search for literature investigating the functional role of edible insects was carried out in the PubMed database using specific keywords. A total of 55 studies, meeting inclusion criteria after screening, were divided on the basis of the experimental approach: in vitro studies, cellular models/ex vivo studies or in vivo studies. In the majority of the studies, insects demonstrated the ability to reduce oxidative stress, modulate antioxidant status, restore the impaired activity of antioxidant enzymes and reduce markers of oxidative damage. Edible insects displayed anti-inflammatory activity reducing cytokines and modulating specific transcription factors. Results from animal studies suggest that edible insects can modulate lipid and glucose metabolism. The limited number of studies focused on the assessment of anti-coagulation activity of edible insects makes it difficult to draw conclusions. More evidence from dietary intervention studies in humans is needed to support the promising evidence from in vitro and animal models about the functional role of edible insect consumption.

Our previous studies have shown that the nutritional properties of peanut meal after fermentation are markedly improved. In this study, in order to facilitate the further utilisation of peanut meal, we investigated the effects of its fermentation extract by Bacillus natto (FE) on cognitive ability, antioxidant activity of brain and protein expression of hippocampus of ageing rats induced by d-galactose. Seventy-two female sd rats aged 4–5 months were randomly divided into six groups: normal control group, ageing model group, FE low-dose group, FE medium-dose group, FE high-dose group and vitamin E positive control group. Morris water maze (MWM) test was performed to evaluate their effects on learning and memory ability in ageing rats. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of brain, HE staining and the expression of γ-aminobutyric acid receptor 1 (GABABR1) and N-methyl-d-aspartic acid 2B receptor in the hippocampus of rats were measured. The results show that FE supplementation can effectively alleviate the decrease of thymus index induced by ageing, decrease the escape latency of MWM by 66·06 %, brain MDA by 28·04 %, hippocampus GABABR1 expression by 7·98 % and increase brain SOD by 63·54 % in ageing model rats. This study provides evidence for its anti-ageing effects and is a research basis for potential nutritional benefits of underutilised food by-products.

The aim of this study was to evaluate follicular development, morphological integrity, and antioxidant potential of preantral ovarian follicles from Bos taurus indicus females grown in vitro with alpha-lipoic acid. Ovaries (n = 24) of Bos taurus indicus (n = 12) females were collected during slaughter and fragmented. A randomly obtained fragment from each pair of ovaries was fixed in Bouin (non-cultivated control; D0). These fragments were intended for classical histology (morphology and evaluation of follicular growth), and a fragment from each pair of ovaries was frozen at −80°C (non-cultivated control; D0), and assigned for analysis of oxidative stress [thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)]. The remaining fragments were cultured in vitro for 6 (D6) or 12 (D12) days, containing only minimum essential medium (MEM) or MEM supplemented with alpha-lipoic acid (50, 100, or 250 ng/ml), on an extracellular matrix of agarose gel, in an oven at 38.5ºC. Every 2 days, 100% of the culture medium was replaced. Supplementation with 100 ng/ml was effective for maintaining follicular integrity after 6 days of culture (primordial: 51.28%; development: 36.88%; P < 0.0001). There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatments compared with the non-cultivated control treatment (D0), using the NBT and TBARS assays. Therefore, supplementation of the in vitro culture medium of bovine preantral ovarian follicles with a concentration of 100 ng/ml of alpha-lipoic acid at 6 days of culture was effective for maintaining follicular integrity and, after 6 days, maintaining stable levels of reactive oxygen species.

There is dearth information on the role of fisetin as an antistress agent in ameliorating heat stress in broiler chickens. Here, we experimentally compared probiotic, an antioxidant and antistress agent, with fisetin, an antioxidant agent with little or no report on its antistress effect. Sixty-day-old broiler chickens (Arbo Acre breed) were allotted into 4 groups of 15 birds each as follows; control, fisetin, probiotic, and fisetin + probiotic groups, respectively. All administrations were performed orally through gavage for the treatment groups. The environmental and cloacal temperature (CT) parameters were measured bi-hourly at Days 21, 28, and 35 from 7:00 to 7:00 hr, during the period of study. The environmental parameters exceeded the thermoneutral zone for broiler chickens. The probiotic-supplemented group had the least overall mean CT values all through the experimental period. Based on our findings, fisetin was not a potent antistress agent in mitigating heat stress in birds.

The experiment investigated the effects of dietary ascorbic acid and betaine stress responses, serum testosterone levels, and some sexual traits in male Japanese quails during the dry season. A total of 240 male Japanese quails (14 days old) were used and randomly assigned to four groups, each group has three replicates (n = 20). Birds in treatment groups were fed ascorbic acid (AA); betaine (BET); and AA + BET in their diets, whereas the control birds were fed only basal diet. Environmental conditions were predominantly outside thermoneutral zone for Japanese quails. Dietary AA ± BET increased (p < .05) serum catalase, reduced glutathione and testosterone, but lowered (p < .05) cortisol levels when compared with control group. Supplemental AA, BET, or AA + BET enhanced (p < .05) cloacal gland size and sexual traits. In conclusion, dietary AA and BET improved stress responses, serum testosterone levels, and some sexual traits in male Japanese quails during the dry season.

Rabbits are an important animal species for meeting the nutritional requirements of the world’s growing population due to the high conversion rate of feed. In most countries, the rabbit industry currently relies on artificial insemination with fresh or chilled and frozen–thawed spermatozoa. Various factors during the freezing process, including diluents, sperm preparation and freezing techniques, antioxidants, sudden temperature changes, ice formation and osmotic stress, have been proposed as reasons for the poor sperm quality post thaw. Despite the extensive progress reached in the field of rabbit sperm cryopreservation, new methodological approaches that could overcome problems in sperm cryopreservation are necessary. The aim of this review was to describe the factors that affect the cryopreservation of rabbit sperm.

Dietary intake and tissue levels of carotenoids have been associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity, brain-related diseases and some types of cancer. However, intervention trials with isolated carotenoid supplements have mostly failed to confirm the postulated health benefits. It has thereby been speculated that dosing, matrix and synergistic effects, as well as underlying health and the individual nutritional status plus genetic background do play a role. It appears that our knowledge on carotenoid-mediated health benefits may still be incomplete, as the underlying mechanisms of action are poorly understood in relation to human relevance. Antioxidant mechanisms – direct or via transcription factors such as NRF2 and NF-κB – and activation of nuclear hormone receptor pathways such as of RAR, RXR or also PPARs, via carotenoid metabolites, are the basic principles which we try to connect with carotenoid-transmitted health benefits as exemplified with described common diseases including obesity/diabetes and cancer. Depending on the targeted diseases, single or multiple mechanisms of actions may play a role. In this review and position paper, we try to highlight our present knowledge on carotenoid metabolism and mechanisms translatable into health benefits related to several chronic diseases.

In vitro culture of the embryo is a useful method to treat infertility that shows embryo potential for selecting the best one to transfer and successfully implantation. However, embryo development in vitro is affected by oxidative stresses such as reactive oxygen species that may damage embryo development. Antioxidants are molecules found in fruits, vegetables, and fish that play an important role in reducing oxidative processes. In the natural environment, there is a physiological antioxidant system that protects embryos against oxidative damage. This antioxidant system does not exist in vitro. Antioxidants act as free radical scavengers and protect cells or repair damage done by free radicals. Various studies have shown that adding antioxidants into embryo culture medium improves embryo development in vitro. This review article emphasizes different aspects of various antioxidants, including types, functions and mechanisms, on the growth improvement of different species of embryos in vitro.

In recent years, nanoparticles have become a fashionable subject of research due to their sizes, shapes, and unique intrinsic physicochemical properties. In particular for the last 5 years, nano-Se has received tremendous attention in terms of its production, characteristic, and possible application for poultry/animal science and medical sciences. Indeed, Nano-Se is shown to be a potential source of Se for poultry/animal nutrition. However, there is an urgent need to address the questions related to nano-Se absorption, assimilation, and metabolism. It is not clear at present if major biological effects of nano-Se are due to Se-protein synthesis, direct antioxidant/prooxidant effects, or both. It is necessary to understand how metallic nano-Se can be converted into H2Se and further to SeCys to be incorporated into selenoproteins. The aforementioned issues must be resolved before nano-Se finds its way to animal/poultry production as a feed supplement and clearly this subject warrants further investigation.

Obesity is an epidemic associated with many diseases. The nutraceutical Zingiber officinale (ZO) is a potential treatment for obesity; however, the molecular effects are unknown. Swiss male mice were fed a high-fat diet (59 % energy from fat) for 16 weeks to generate a diet-induced obesity (DIO) model and then divided into the following groups: standard diet + vehicle; standard diet + ZO; DIO + vehicle and DIO + ZO. Those in the ZO groups were supplemented with 400 mg/kg per d of ZO extract (oral administration) for 35 d. The animals were euthanised, and blood, quadriceps, epididymal fat pad and hepatic tissue were collected. DIO induced insulin resistance, proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress and DNA damage in different tissues. Treatment with ZO improved insulin sensitivity as well as decreased serum TAG, without changes in body weight or adiposity index. TNF-α and IL-1β levels were lower in the liver and quadriceps in the DIO + ZO group compared with the DIO group. ZO treatment reduced the reactive species and oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA in blood and liver in obese animals. The endogenous antioxidant activity was higher in the quadriceps of DIO + ZO. These results in the rat model of DIO may indicate ZO as an adjuvant on obesity treatment.