Abstract: Shark liver oil (SLO) is commercially promoted as an immunity booster to fight off infections, heal wounds, and for its beneficial effects in cancer treatment. Despite the growing body of research on SLO, scattered data and reported outcomes in understanding its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms exist across study designs and populations, and the experimental design variances complicate data interpretation for meaningful translation into clinical applications. This scoping review aims to address this by comprehensively charting human and animal models to identify patterns of immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of SLO and its bioactive components, thus highlighting areas requiring further investigation. A scoping search through Cochrane, PubMed^®, MEDLINE^® via Ovid and Scopus using keywords such as “shark liver oil”, “immunomodulation”, “anti-inflammatory”, similar keywords and their combinations was performed. Quantitative and qualitative measurements of immune or inflammatory responses were recorded and mapped. A total of 16 articles met the inclusion criteria, including human studies and in vivo animal models with various baseline health conditions. SLO has a broad yet selective immunomodulatory effect that shows an adaptive response depending on context, such as inflammatory conditions, cancer, or infection. The inconsistencies in results highlighted the biological complexity and the context-dependent role of SLO in the immune system. Despite this, alkylglycerols (AKG) emerge as a key bioactive component, with some studies suggesting potential dose-dependent effects and exploring the structure-activity relationship of different AKG forms in modulating the immune response. Overall, the current evidence is promising but preliminary, with methodological differences in the literature that highlight a clear need for rigorous, standardized clinical trials.

Abstract: To understand the stability and gastrointestinal digestion characteristics of the natural walnut oil bodies (OBs) emulsion, walnut OBs were extracted from fresh walnuts and dispersed in aqueous phase to form O/W natural emulsions. The results showed that the natural walnut OBs emulsion droplets were uniformly dispersed in the aqueous phase as spherical particles, with triglycerides in the core and proteins surrounding them. SDS-PAGE indicated that the molecular weight of these proteins was below 55 kDa. The natural walnut OBs emulsion exhibited unstable at pH 4.0 and 6.0. Within the salt ion concentration range of 0-500 mM, the natural walnut OBs emulsion exhibited stable. Within the heat treatment temperature range of 0-85°C, the natural walnut OBs emulsion presented stable, but the droplets of the natural walnut OBs emulsion showed obvious aggregation at 95°C and became unstable. During the 0-120 min gastric digestion process, the droplets of the natural walnut OBs emulsion showed obvious aggregation and oil-water phases separation, and the particle size significantly increased with the extension of digestion time. During the 0-120 min small intestinal digestion stage, as the digestion time increased, the droplet size and the number of droplets decreased, while the release of free fatty acids continuously increased. This study lays a foundation for the application of walnut OBs in the food industry and the delivery of liposoluble bioactive substances.

Abstract:The extraction and separation of polar, triacylglycerol (TAG) and phospholipid (PL) subclasses–phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)– were carried out in the gonads to determine fatty acid (FA) compositions using gas chromatography. The major FAs identified in the ovary and testis were palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1n9), arachidonic acid (20:4n6, AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n3, EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n3), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3, DHA). In the PL fraction, the proportions of saturated fatty acids (∑SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (∑MUFAs), and palmitoleic acid (16:1n7) were higher in the ovary than in the testis, whereas EPA, polyunsaturated fatty acids (∑PUFAs), and the n3/n6 ratio were higher in the testis than in the ovary. In the TAG fraction, ovaries contained higher levels of 16:0 and ∑SFA, whereas the testes contained higher levels of ∑PUFA. This result indicates that ovaries were more dominant in saturated fatty acids and testes are more dominant in polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: In this study, a high-purity sophoroselipid-copper (SL-Cu) complex was synthesized using an improved method employing copper (II) acetate. Fourier transform infrared analysis of the purified SL-Cu complex revealed a distinctive absorption peak near 1,600 cm⁻¹. The bactericidal activity of the SL-Cu complex, at a copper (II) ion concentration of 1,000 µM and after incubation at 20°C for 30 min, exhibited a reduction greater than 4 log units against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In contrast, its bactericidal activity against Enterococcus faecalis was comparatively lower, with a reduction of 0.90 log units. Furthermore, the SL-Cu complex demonstrated a statistically higher antibacterial efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus than CuSO₄ at the same copper (II) ion concentration. The bactericidal effect of the SL-Cu complex against E. coli was enhanced with increasing treatment temperatures between 15 and 40°C, consistently surpassing that of CuSO₄ across all tested temperatures. The inhibitory effects of bovine serum albumin, sodium chloride, EDTA-2Na, and 2,2 bipyridyl on the SL-Cu complex were restricted compared to those on CuSO₄, and in some experiments, these chemicals even enhanced its activity. These characteristics render the SL-Cu complex a promising antibacterial reagent. Flow cytometry analyses using fluorescent dyes suggested that the SL-Cu complex disrupted bacterial cell membranes and induced the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Abstract:Hempseed oil, a high-quality edible oil, has garnered increasing attention. In this study, fatty acid, phenols, tocopherols, phytosterols, squalene, and antioxidant activity of hempseed oils were detected by gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the effects of the region and processing method on the nutrition and quality of hempseed oil, identified the optimal cultivation region and key marker for distinguishing between different processing methods. The results demonstrated that hempseed oils were rich in tocopherols (84.35±15.65 mg/100 g) and possessed a desirable fatty acid composition (ω-6: ω-3 =1: 3.59) that meets human nutritional needs. Furthermore, hempseed oil exhibited strong antioxidant activity, with γ-tocopherols and phenols identified as the primary antioxidants. More importantly, the nutritional components of hempseed oil were influenced by region and processing method. Specifically, hempseed oil from Bama exhibited significantly higher contents of squalene (13.88 mg/100 g) and total phytosterols (342.23 mg/100 g) than the ones from other regions (squalene: 11.04 mg/100 g; phytosterols: 247.53 mg/100 g). Meanwhile, squalene content increased significantly by 16.47% in shelled hempseed oil compared to unshelled oil. Moreover, OPLS-DA analysis identified total phenol content as a marker distinguishing shelled from unshelled hempseed oils (shelled: 11.80 mg/100 g, unshelled: 3.51 mg/100 g).

Abstract: The aim of this study was to compare both the efficiency of different extraction solvents and the phenolic content of various plant species. Analyses included pH, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity (FRAP, CUPRAC), and DPPH IC₅₀. Methanol extract pH ranged from hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) at 3.71 to 8.29 green tea leaf (Camellia sinensis L.). Quince leaf (Cydonia oblonga) water extract had the highest TPC (949.25 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoid content (5166.21 mg QE/100 g). Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) showed the highest FRAP and CUPRAC values in both methanol and water extracts. Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) water extract had the strongest DPPH activity (IC₅₀: 8.61 µg/mL). These findings suggest that lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), quince leaf (Cydonia oblonga), and rosehip (Rosa canina) have strong potential as functional food ingredients, owing to their rich phenolic and flavonoid content and potent antioxidant activities, which could be beneficial in preventing oxidative stress-related health conditions.

Abstract: Currently, the treatment of Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) typically involves the use of 5-nitroimidazoles (such as metronidazole and tinidazole). However, an increasing failure in treatment is observed due to resistance developed to these drugs. For this reason, alternative drugs have been investigated, especially by using natural products. In our study, the anti-T. vaginalis activity of the Origanum majorana essential oil (OMEO), which is a Cyprus endemic plant, and its synergistic effect with metronidazole were investigated. The essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation of the dried flowering tops of the plant. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were performed using the Agilent 5975 GC-MSD system. L929 mouse fibroblast cell line was used to determine cytotoxic activity. Two clinical strains and one metronidazole-resistant T. vaginalis standard strain were used. LC₅₀, and MLC (minimum lethal concentration) values of OMEO and metronidazole were determined by the broth microdilution method in vitro in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The combination of OMEO with metronidazole was investigated against all strains by the checkerboard method. The major compounds in the OMEO content were determined as cis-sabinene hydrate (29.1%) and terpinen-4-ol (19.6%). In cytotoxic analyses, it was observed that the cell viability remained stable at low doses. OMEO is effective against all three T. vaginalis strains. There is a significant difference between the IC₅₀ averages at the 24^th and 48^th hours (333.03 µg/mL and 226.43 µg/mL, respectively) in aerobic conditions (p=0.003). In addition, there is a statistically significant relationship between the results of the 24^th and 48^th hours (348.77 µg/mL and 238.80 µg/mL, respectively) in the anaerobic conditions (p=<0.0001). In general, OMEO has been shown to have a synergistic effect with metronidazole. In conclusion, we believe that OMEO is a potential natural agent that can be particularly used in the treatment of protozoan infections, including T. vaginalis.

Abstract: Eleutherine bulbosa is a medicinal plant known for its rich content of bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols and flavonoids, which contribute to its notable antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, ultrasound-assisted extraction of E. bulbosa tubers was performed using 96% ethanol (EtOH_96), water (W), and a 1:1 ethanol-water mixture (EtOH_96:W). The extracts were assessed for biological activities through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2 ′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging assays, agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and anti-inflammatory tests. Among the solvents, EtOH_96 yielded the highest antioxidant activity, with IC₅₀ values of 202.2 ± 17.6 µg/mL (DPPH) and 250.8 ± 7.8 µg/mL (ABTS). These effects corresponded to elevated levels of polyphenols (94.9 ± 4.0 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight (DW)) and flavonoids (119.3 ± 17.1 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dry weight (DW)). Additionally, the EtOH_96 extract displayed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with MIC values of 6.25 mg/mL and suppressed heat-induced protein denaturation with an IC₅₀ value of 86.0 µg/mL, highlighting E. bulbosa tubers as a credible source of phytotherapeutics for both animal and human use.