Nuts are dry, single-seeded fruits with a combination of beneficial compounds that aid in disease prevention and treatment. The aims of this research are to evaluate the total antioxidant activity (AI) by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, fatty acids by acid-catalyzed esterification method, and minerals by inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP-OE) spectrometer in hazelnuts, pistachios, and almond seeds and skins. Considering total AI, the results demonstrated that the highest activity was found in hazelnut and pistachio skin. The results considering minerals demonstrated that manganese, zinc, and iron levels are high in almond and hazelnut skins, copper is dominant in pistachio skin and hazelnut seed, and selenium is high in pistachio and almond skins and seed. Finally, the results showed palmitic acid is present in almond skin and pistachio seed, palmitoleic acid is high in almond and pistachio skins, and stearic acid is present in almond and hazelnut skins. Oleic acid was found in hazelnut seeds and their skin, linoleic acid in almond skin and pistachio seeds, and α-linolenic acid in almond and pistachio skins. In conclusion, hazelnut, pistachio, and almond skins are a great source of antioxidants, minerals, and healthy fatty acids, making them useful for nutraceutical development.

Malva pusilla (MP), known as round-leaved mallow, is one of the undesirable plants due to its harmful effects on crop fields. This study aimed to evaluate its nutritional composition in order to reveal the possible beneficial aspects of this plant. Leaves of MP were analysed for their fatty acid profile, mineral composition, and phenolic content. The study results showed that MP has greater phenolic (95.42 ±5.25 mg GAE/g) extract and flavonoid (40.8 ±3.01 mg CE/g DW) contents compared to literature data of Malva parviflora, a Malva species known for its phenolic and flavonoid content. In addition, α-linoleic acid was detected to be the most abundant fatty acid content (56.25±1.83%). Thus, this species might be used as an antioxidant agent given its high phenolic, flavonoid and n-3 fatty acid content. In addition, this species has a recognizable content in terms of Mg, Zn, K, Ca and Fe (1422.4 ±6.57, 115.42 ±0.33, 444.32 ±2.13, 5594.26 ±64.22 and 65.63 ±0.28 mg/100 g DM, respectively). These findings showed that MP could be a promising plant for the food, supplement or health industries.

SummaryGlucosinolates (GSLs), compounds with potential chemo‐preventative properties, can be affected by pre‐ and post‐harvest processes. Therefore, monitoring their content is important for the food and agricultural industries. This study evaluates the application of mid‐infrared (MIR) spectroscopy for the determination of GSLs in commercial broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica). Broccoli (n = 53) from different varieties were analysed using MIR spectroscopy and high‐performance liquid chromatography to develop partial least squares models for six individual GLSs, total indolic glucosinolates and total GSLs. The coefficient of determination in cross‐validation () of 0.50–0.78 whereas residual predictive deviation (RPD) values of 1.35–2.19 for different GSLs. Cross‐validation models developed using Tenderstem® broccoli yielded an. of 0.41–0.91 and an RPD of 0.81–2.97. This study showed that MIR spectroscopy can be considered for the determination of some broccoli GSLs. Differences in the loadings between the models demonstrated that variations in broccoli composition can influence the cross‐validation models for GSLs.

AbstractSulforaphane (SFN) is an isothiocyanate and the product of the hydrolysis of glucoraphanin (GRA) by myrosinase. Broccoli is one of the rich sources of GRA and thus SFN. SFN possess a wide range of bioactivities and is considered an anti-cancer phytochemical. Most of the current common methods used to quantify SFN are based on high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection (DAD) — also known as HPLC-DAD. Although this technique has shown encouraging results, the detection of SFN by DAD is relatively weak and affected by high interference of sample matrices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method in which SFN is identified by molecular mass to give more accurate results. The developed method demonstrated a highly reproducible retention time (7.204 ± 0.008 min), producing a sharp, symmetrical and well-defined sulforaphane peak in standard and test samples. The most dominant ion of sulforaphane in the pure and test samples was 178 m/z ([M + H]+). In terms of linearity, the calibration curve had a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9963. The limit of detection of this method is 1.3 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification is 3.9 ng/mL, indicating high sensitivity. The uniformity of peak shape and retention time in both pure and test samples were the same suggesting excellent selectivity. Overall, the developed method showed promising results in identifying and quantifying broccoli SFN.

Abstract
. Background
. Protein supplements are important to maintain optimum health and physical performance, particularly in athletes and active individuals to repair and rebuild their skeletal muscles and connective tissues. Soy protein (SP) has gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to animal proteins.
.
. Objectives
. This systematic review evaluates the evidence from randomised controlled clinical trials of the effects of SP supplementation in active individuals and athletes in terms of muscle adaptations, metabolic and antioxidant status, hormonal response and exercise performance. It also explores the differences in SP supplementation effects in comparison to whey protein.
.
. Methods
. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, as well as a manual search in Google Scholar and EBSCO, on 27 June 2023. Randomised controlled trials that evaluated the applications of SPs supplementation on sports and athletic-related outcomes that are linked with exercise performance, adaptations and biomarkers in athletes and physically active adolescents and young adults (14 to 39 years old) were included, otherwise, studies were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane’s revised risk of bias tool.
.
. Results
. A total of 19 eligible original research articles were included that investigated the effect of SP supplementation on muscle adaptations (n = 9), metabolic and antioxidant status (n = 6), hormonal response (n = 6) and exercise performance (n = 6). Some studies investigated more than one effect. SP was found to provide identical increases in lean mass compared to whey in some studies. SP consumption promoted the reduction of exercise-induced metabolic/blood circulating biomarkers such as triglycerides, uric acid and lactate. Better antioxidant capacity against oxidative stress has been seen with respect to whey protein in long-term studies. Some studies reported testosterone and cortisol fluctuations related to SP; however, more research is required. All studies on SP and endurance performance suggested the potential beneficial effects of SP supplementation (10–53.3 g) on exercise performance by improving high-intensity and high-speed running performance, enhancing maximal cardiac output, delaying fatigue and improving isometric muscle strength, improving endurance in recreational cyclists, increasing running velocity and decreasing accumulated lactate levels; however, studies determining the efficacy of soy protein on VO2max provided conflicted results.
.
. Conclusion
. It is possible to recommend SP to athletes and active individuals in place of conventional protein supplements by assessing their dosage and effectiveness in relation to different types of training. SP may enhance lean mass compared with other protein sources, enhance the antioxidant status, and reduce oxidative stress. SP supplementation had an inconsistent effect on testosterone and cortisol levels. SP supplementation may be beneficial, especially after muscle damage, high-intensity/high-speed or repeated bouts of strenuous exercise.
.

Athletes are increasingly consuming (poly)phenol supplements to modify oxidative stress and/or exercise-induced inflammation, in the hope that this will enhance exercise performance.

Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a mental health disorder characterized by a preoccupation with muscularity and is linked to excessive exercise and dieting, and using anabolic steroids. There is a global interest in the study of MD, however, the literature has yet to collect and synthesize the evidence base in the Middle East. The aim of this systematic review was therefore to understand the status of MD and its associated psychological features of males in the Middle East. A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was performed on February 4th, 2023 to identify the cross-sectional survey-based studies conducted in the ME using well-established assessments directly related to MD and its associated psychological features in males. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias Instrument for Cross-Sectional Surveys of Attitudes and Practices. A total of ten eligible studies were included in this review. These studies were conducted in Turkey (n = 5), Iran (n = 2), Lebanon (n = 1), Kuwait (n = 1), and North Cyprus (n = 1). Participants in the included studies were mainly bodybuilders (n = 1958, 55.4%) and university students (n = 1510, 42.7%). Results suggest that disordered eating attitudes, obsession with healthy eating, perfectionism, vulnerable narcissistic disposition, low self-esteem, muscle dissatisfaction, need frustration, and low family income may contribute to or trigger MD symptoms in bodybuilders and male university students in the Middle East. Healthcare professionals should be mindful of the associated psychological correlates in treating MD symptoms in men living in the Middle East. Registration: the protocol of this systematic review was registered at the Open Science Framework (10.17605/OSF.IO/N58UZ).

BACKGROUND: Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) has been used in traditional medicine and as a supplement in many beverages and meals. Elderberry is a good source of bioactive flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin, as well as other phenolic compounds. Extraction techniques significantly influence the efficiency of extraction of bioactive compounds. Green chemistry elements such as safety, environmental friendliness, run-down or at least minimal contaminants, efficiency, and economic criteria should all be addressed by an effective bioactive extraction process. Furthermore, micro/nanoencapsulation technologies are particularly effective for increasing bioavailability and bioactive component stability. SCOPE AND APPROACH: This review article comprehensively describes new developments in elderberry extraction and encapsulation. Elderberry is largely employed in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its health-promoting and sensory characteristics. Elderberry has traditionally been used as a diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic, antidepressant, and antitumor agent in folk medicine. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Conventional extraction methods (e.g. maceration and Soxhelt extraction) as well as advanced green techniques (e.g. supercritical fluids, pulsed electric field, emulsion liquid extraction, microwave, and ultrasonic extraction) have been used to extract bioactives from elderberry. Over the other protective measures, encapsulation techniques are particularly recommended to protect the bioactive components found in elderberry. Microencapsulation (spray drying, freeze drying, extrusion, emulsion systems) and nanoencapsulation (nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles and nanodispersions, nanohydrogels, electrospinning, nano spray drying) approaches for elderberry bioactives have been examined in this regard.

AbstractHimanthalia elongata is a brown seaweed containing several nutritional compounds and bioactive substances including antioxidants, dietary fibre, vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, and macro- and trace- elements. A variety of bioactive compounds including phlorotannins, flavonoids, dietary fucoxanthin, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, polyphenols and carotenoids are also present in this seaweed. Multiple comparative studies were carried out between different seaweed species, wherein H. elongata was determined to exhibit high antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, fucose content and potassium concentrations compared to other species. H. elongata extracts have also shown promising anti-hyperglycaemic and neuroprotective activities. H. elongata is being studied for its potential industrial food applications. In new meat product formulations, it lowered sodium content, improved phytochemical and fiber content in beef patties, improved properties of meat gel/emulsion systems, firmer and tougher with improved water and fat binding properties. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of the nutritional composition, bioactive properties, and food applications of H. elongata.

Carotenoids are isoprenoids that are extensively dispersed in foods that have always been part of the human diet.Certain carotenoids can be transformed into retinoids with vitamin a activity, which is needed for humans. Additionally, they are far more flexible, since they may be found in foods not just as sources of vitamin A, and also as natural colors, antioxidants, and health-promoting substances. Functional foods provide health advantages in addition to basic nourishment. They can be found in a variety of forms, including whole, fortified, enriched, or enhanced meals. A flood of information about the health advantages of functional foods has been supplied by several epidemiological research. This review discusses the factor for healthy and sustainable usage of carotenoidrich ingredients for the design of functional food products primarily intended for health promotion. Furthermore, data on sources, intakes, and variables influencing bioavailability are summarized.

OBJECTIVES: the severe acute respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in China in December 2019 and has generated a worldwide pandemic. The objective of the research is to examine and describe (a) the symptoms that persist after the end of the acute stage and (b) their relationship with the severity of the disease. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a cross-sectional study conducted in the Kingdom of Bahrain on COVID-19 infected patients using an online survey questionnaire with a total number of 52 patient responses (29 females and 23 males). METHOD: a scale (0 no symptoms to 10 very high symptoms intensity) was assessed in patients after 3 months to detect the relevance of specific symptoms post-COVID-19 such as emotional and physical health, headache, dyspnoea, pain (muscles/joints/chest), anosmia, vertigo, neurologic symptoms, sarcopenia, delirium. RESULTS: the most common COVID-19 symptoms were reported to be fever (69.2%), headache (59.6%), and cough (50.0%). Data analysis showed that BMI was not correlated with any post-acute COVID-19 symptoms. Regarding the post-acute COVID-19 symptoms, this study showed that an increase of intensity of headache was associated with an increase of delirium; an increase of intensity of dyspnoea was associated with an increase of pulmonary dysfunction. The increase of anosmia and dysgeusia was associated with an increase in delirium. In addition, the increase of neurological symptoms and delirium were associated with the increase of sarcopenia. The most common persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms observed in this study were emotional stress, followed by loss of smell and taste, and neurological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, follow-up and rehabilitation care for COVID-19 patients must be focused on addressing the needs of these people in the longer term.

The generation of camel milk derived bioactive peptides (CM-BAPs) have started to grab keen interest of many researchers during the past decade. CM-BAPs have shown more significant bioactive properties in comparison to camel milk intact proteins. CM-BAPs can be obtained using enzyme hydrolysis to form hydrolysates, or by the fermentation process. In this systematic review, 46 research articles exploring the health-related bioactive properties of CM-BAPs through in-vitro and in-vivo studies have been included. CM-BAPs have been reported for their antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, antibacterial, antibiofilm, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-haemolytic, and anti-hyperpigmentation activities. The effects of factors such as molecular weight of peptides, type of enzyme, enzyme to substrate ratio, hydrolysis temperature and duration have been analysed. The in-vitro studies have provided enough evidence on certain aspects of the pharmacological actives of camel milk bioactive peptides. Nevertheless, the in-vivo studies are very limited, and no clinical studies on CM-BAPs have been reported.

Saffron is a valued herb, obtained from the stigmas of the C. sativus Linn (Iridaceae), with therapeutic effects. It has been described in pharmacopoeias to be variously acting, including as an anti-depressant, anti-carcinogen, and stimulant agent. The therapeutic effects of saffron are harbored in its bioactive molecules, notably crocins, the subject of this paper. Crocins have been demonstrated to act as a monoamine oxidase type a and B inhibitor. Furthermore, saffron petal extracts have experimentally been shown to impact contractile response in electrical field stimulation. Other research suggests that saffron also inhibits the reuptake of monoamines, exhibits N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonism, and improves brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling. A host of experimental studies found saffron/crocin to be similarly effective as fluoxetine and imipramine in the treatment of depression disorders. Saffron and crocins propose a natural solution to combat depressive disorders. However, some hurdles, such as stability and delivery, need to be overcome.

BACKGROUND: the severe, acute respiratory syndrome COVID-19 that was first reported in China in December 2019 quickly became a global pandemic that has resulted in over 100 million infections and more than 2 million deaths. STUDY DESIGN: This study aimed to assess the awareness level of university students regarding the possibility of becoming infected with COVID-19. In order to achieve this objective, we assessed the students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors using an online survey questionnaire offered to a total of 300 students. RESULTS: a positive response regarding awareness of COVID-19 symptoms was registered by more than 70% of the students, whereas 62% felt that wearing a mask did not give full protection against infection, approximately 30% agreed that antibiotics and antivirals did not treat COVID-19, and 62% agreed that vitamin C was helpful in treating common symptoms of COVID-19. Moreover, around 31% of the students believed that COVID-19 is a man-made virus. Students who had gotten infected with SARS-CoV-2 believed that wearing a mask gives full protection (p=0.018). In response to survey questions related to attitude, 80% of students cancelled and postponed meetings with friends, and 90% agreed that mask-wearing is the most precautionary measure used to prevent the infection. In addition, 82% avoided coughing in public, 82% avoided contact if they felt flu-like symptoms and 80% washed their hands far more often due to the pandemic. Interestingly, 76% carried hand sanitizer, 66.5% avoided shaking hands, and 42.7% were taking vitamin C supplements. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the participants had a positive awareness of COVID-19 transmission, symptoms, and treatments misconceptions and mistaken beliefs related to treatments and the origin of the virus were also common and should be addressed. This study thus provides a baseline for a population-based surveillance program that could help local authorities to improve pandemic preparation plans, particularly with regard to governmental education and media campaigns.

Bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins are widely known to possess antibacterial activities. Even though the antibacterial effects of milk-derived peptides are widely characterized, not much focus is given to their antifungal characterization. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the antifungal properties of camel and cow whey and casein hydrolysates against various species of pathogenic Candida. The hydrolysates were produced using 2 enzymes (alcalase and protease) at differing hydrolysis durations (2, 4, and 6 h) and tested for their antifungal properties. The results showed that intact cow whey and casein proteins did not display any anti-Candida albicans properties, whereas the alcalase-derived 2 h camel casein hydrolysate (CA-C-A2) displayed a higher percentage of inhibition against Candida albicans (93.69 ± 0.26%) followed by the cow casein hydrolysate generated by protease-6 h (Co-C-P6; 81.66 ± 0.99%), which were significantly higher than that of fluconazole, a conventional antifungal agent (76.92 ± 4.72%). Interestingly, when tested again Candida krusei, camel casein alcalase 2 and 4 h (CA-C-A2 and CA-C-A4), and cow whey alcalase-6 h (CO-W-A6) hydrolysates showed higher antifungal potency than fluconazole. However, for Candida parapsilosis only camel casein alcalase-4 h (Ca-C-A4) and cow casein protease-6 h (Co-C-P6) hydrolysates were able to inhibit the growth of C. parapsilosis by 19.31 ± 0.84% and 23.82 ± 4.14%, respectively, which was lower than that shown by fluconazole (29.86 ± 1.11%). Overall, hydrolysis of milk proteins from both cow and camel enhanced their antifungal properties. Camel milk protein hydrolysates were more potent in inhibiting pathogenic Candida species as compared with cow milk protein hydrolysates. This is the first study that highlights the antifungal properties of camel milk protein hydrolysates.

AbstractDate plum (Diospyrus lotus L.) is an edible fruit from the Ebenaceae family, rich in nutrients, and having tremendous medicinal properties. This paper attempted to show the influence of different parameters of convective drying such as temperature (50, 60, 70, and 80°C) and air velocity (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m/s) on the shrinkage and microstructure, rehydration properties, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds of date plum. The drying caused significant changes in the color, actual size, and distribution of the fruit cells of date plum. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) of fresh date plum were 0.81 ± 0.00 mg GAE/g, 0.23 ± 0.10 mg ECE/g, 7.15 ± 1.09 mmol ISE/g, and 14.92 ± 0.88 mmol/TE, respectively. The drying at 70°C had the highest values of TPC, TFC, gallic acid, chlorogenic and syringic acids, catechin, quercetin‐3‐glucoside, resveratrol, and DPPH. The drying air velocities showed no significant effects on the antioxidant contents and the antioxidant activity. of the models applied to the drying kinetics, the Midilli model was found as the best model to describe the drying kinetics of date plum. In addition, the Weibull model was found as the most successful among the models applied to the rehydration kinetics of date plum. According to the achieved findings, the convective drying temperature of 70°C is the optimum temperature to produce the dehydrated date plum.Practical ApplicationThis work has revealed the drying conditions responsible for preserving the phenolic compounds, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant features of D. lotus L. The study found the optimum drying conditions, and Midilli and Weibull models were the most fitted models to describe the drying and rehydration behaviors of D. lotus L. fruits, respectively. The drying provides a reasonable value of the possibility of continuous consumption of the fruits dried afforded on off‐seasons. The dried fruits are widely used for multipurpose and have been extensively used in food industries due to their rich nutraceutical and antioxidant compounds.

AbstractBitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a rich source of phytochemicals including phenolic compounds with diverse health-promoting benefits and potential food industry application due to their antioxidant potential. Bitter melon leaves have been limitedly investigated in comparison to bitter melon fruits. The current work explores the use of green extraction methodology to optimize enhanced extraction of phenolic compounds from bitter melon leaves using ultrasonically assisted extraction and choline chloride-acetic acid (CHAC)–based natural deep eutectic solvent. Extraction using CHAC significantly improved the extraction of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and individual phenolic compounds (including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, epicatechin, and quercetin-3-glucoside) in comparison to water, ethanol, and methanol. The effect of molar ratio, water content, temperature, and time on the extraction efficiency of bitter melon leaf phenolic compounds by CHAC was explored and optimized with surface response methodology (central composite design). The optimum condition for the extraction of individual phenolic compounds is a molar ratio of 1:4.35 CHAC with 20.68% water content at 75 °C for 21.23 min. Evaluation of the bioaccessibility of individual phenolic compounds concluded that the most bioaccessible compound was vanillic acid (105.00 ± 2.52%) followed by salicylic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, gallic acid, epicatechin, and quercetin-3-glucoside.

The study reports formulation, characterization and in-vitro digestion of novel camel milk-based infant formula (IF) in comparison to bovine and commercial IF. Camel milk IF was further fortified with camel casein or whey at different levels to study the effect of different protein supplementations. A simulated infant gastrointestinal digestion (SIGID) model was used to compare the digestibility of different IFs. Protein digestibility of various IFs were studied through degree of hydrolysis (DH), sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC). Upon SIGID, camel milk IF fortified with 10% whey showed the highest DH (3092.2 μg NH3 g−1) followed by camel milk IF (1308.16 μg NH3 g−1) indicating significant hydrolysis of the protein fraction. The fate of proteins and fats after SIGID was also studied using fluorescence microscopy that reflected homogenous breakdown of the proteins and lipid fractions. Furthermore, the effect of SIGID on bioactive properties was also analyzed via antioxidant (ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activities) and anti-inflammatory activities. After SIGID, camel IF samples fortified with whey and casein proteins showed superior radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities. The study concludes that camel milk can be a potential alternative for the development of infant formula with additional health benefits.

Rice plays an important role in the diet of Bahraini people. Rice is usually imported from different countries to Bahrain, as Bahrain does not produce rice. The sources of rice and their growth conditions vary from a country to another, this directly affects the quality of rice and thus it is necessary to analyse the rice content as it has a direct impact on the society's diet. In the present study, the protein content, carbohydrate content, inorganic phosphate content, selected heavy metals (Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) content of 8 rice samples imported in Bahrain were analysed. In addition, the gamma radiation activity concentration of all samples was measured. The rice samples analysed were glutinous rice (from Thailand), long grain parboiled rice (from Thailand), Basmati rice (from Pakistan), Punjabi basmati rice (from Pakistan), brown rice (from U.S.A.), white pudding rice (from U.K.), jasmine rice (from Italy), and organic white rice (from Slovenia). The highest protein content and inorganic phosphate content was determined in Basmati rice from Pakistan. The highest carbohydrate content and Al content was determined in long grain parboiled rice from Thailand. Brown rice from the U.S.A. had the highest Cu, Mn, and Zn content, while the highest Fe content was determined in Jasmine rice from Italy. The lowest radioactive contaminated rice was the organic white rice from Slovenia.

Moringa oleifera (MO) has started to focus the attention of many researchers, especially in the last decade, due to its rich nutrient content and bioactive compounds that have numerous pharmaceutical potentials. In this systematic review, 36 research articles were included that explored the anti-obesity potential of MO through in-vitro and in-vivo studies. The research articles included 9 in-vitro studies, 27 in-vivo studies, and 3 clinical studies. The studies mainly focused on the extract of MO prepared using MO leaves and few studies particularly focused on MO isothiocyanates. The in-vitro studies were mainly based on 3T3-L1 cells, while the in-vivo studies involved a good range of male and female mice and rats. Only two research involved human studies. The major anti-obesity mechanisms of MO were through improving the lipid profile (levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and body weight, regulating significant genes associated with adipogenesis, glucose uptake, insulin resistance, and hormones (such as leptin, vaspin, resistin, and insulin). The clinical trials studying the anti-obesity potential of MO on humans is limited and related to the impact of MO on body mass index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and postprandial blood glucose only.

For more sustainable and environmentally friendly scientific research, it is essential to apply green chemistry principles in all areas of science. A possible area in which green chemistry principles can significantly influence the productivity and the quality of the outcome is extraction of natural products. The conventional toxic solvents can be replaced by environmentally friendly solvents known as deep eutectic solvents, which fortunately, due to their unique properties, can significantly improve extraction efficiency. In this literature review, the extraction of a specific class of natural products, phenolic compounds, using different types of green deep eutectic solvents has been reviewed. Within this review, the composition of those solvents used to extract different types of phenolic compounds has been discussed. In addition, the factors affecting their extraction, extracting solvent component structure, molar ratio of extracting solvent components, extraction temperature, solid to extraction solvent ratio, and water content, have been evaluated.

In this literature review, the removal of heavy metals from aqueous media by an environmentally friendly method, known as biosorption has been discussed. Biosorption can be referred to as an alternative to the common unsustainable industrial methods currently used. Removal of heavy metals from aqueous media by biosorption can take place by the aid of different types of biomass including algae, fungi, bacteria and plants. The mechanism(s) of biosorption can vary accordingly, mechanisms include physical adsorption, ion exchange, complexation, precipitation and transport across the cells. The efficiency of removal of heavy metals by a specific biosorbent at specified conditions can be compared by the calculated biosorption capacity of the respected biosorbent. Several factors can influence the biosorption capacity of different biosorbents, that mainly includes water pH, temperature, contact time, biomass dosage and initial heavy metal concentration. This literature review focuses on the types of biosorbents, mechanisms of biosorption and factors affecting biosorption capacity. In addition, biosorption, as a method which has the potential of competing with common industrial methods has been critically analysed.