A large amount of waste is generated within the different steps of the food supply chain, representing a significant loss of natural resources, plant material, and economic value for producers and consumers. During harvesting and processing, many parts of edible plants are not sold for consumption and end up as massive waste, adding environmental hazards to the list of concerns regarding food wastage. An example is Brassica oleracea var. Italica (broccoli) by-products, which represent 75% of the plant mass-generated. A growing concern in the Western world is obesity, which results from incorrect lifestyles and comprises an extensive array of co-morbidities. Several studies have linked these co-morbidities to increased oxidative stress, thus, naturally occurring and readily available antioxidant compounds are an attractive way to mitigate metabolic diseases. The idea of by-products selected for their biomedical value is not novel. However, there is innovation underlying the use of Brassica by-products in the context of obesity. For this reason, Brassica by-products are prime candidates suggested to be used in the treatment of obesity due to its bioactive compounds, such as sulforaphane, with antioxidant activity. Here, we review the economic and health potential of Brassica bioactive compounds in the context of obesity.

Obesity, a rising concern in the Eastern world, encompasses several co-morbidities, namely non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Potential natural-based interventions to decrease the burden of obesity complications are being investigated. Many of the edible parts of plants are not sold for consumption and end up as massive waste, losing nutritional potential. In fact, a sizeable amount of waste is generated within the different steps of the food supply chain, representing a massive loss of both plant material and natural resources. A good example is Brassica by-products (BBPs). The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of three different extracts from broccoli (Brassica oleracea var italica) by-products in an in vitro model of free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipotoxicity using human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Broccoli leaf, stalk, and inflorescence extracts induced a dose-dependent decrease in the cell viability of HepG2 cells. However, the maximal non-lethal concentrations of leaves, stalks, and inflorescences (10 μg/mL) did not compromise mitochondrial function or neutral lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. The extracts significantly decreased FFA-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells either in a co-incubation or pre-incubation strategy. The broccoli extracts’ capacity to prevent the FFA-induced decrease in catalase activity in HepG2 may explain the observed effects.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used in cancer treatment. Despite its antitumor efficacy, its clinical application is significantly limited because of its cardiotoxicity originated, among other factors, from pro-oxidant damage to cardiac mitochondria. Phytochemicals represent a potentially attractive strategy to mitigate Dox cardiotoxicity due to their antioxidant properties, with plant extracts used in traditional medicine often being ignored in terms of potential therapeutic uses. Aim of the Study. The present study aimed at investigating the protective effects of two native Cameroonian plants, Afrostyrax lepidophyllus Mildbr. (A. lepidophyllus) and Monodora myristica (Gaertn.) Dunal (M. myristica), against Dox-induced cytotoxicity on cultured H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. Materials and Methods. Bark extracts of these plants (1 and 25 µg/mL) were added 3 hours before coincubating H9c2 cardiomyoblasts with Dox (0.5 and 1 µM) for 24 hours more. We measured cell mass and metabolic viability, mitochondrial transmembrane potential, superoxide anion content, and activity-like of caspase-3 and caspase-9 following treatment with the extracts and/or Dox. Also, selenium and vitamin C contents were measured in the plant extracts. Results. The results confirmed that Dox treatment decreased cell mass, mitochondrial membrane potential and metabolic viability, increased mitochondrial superoxide anion, and stimulated caspase-3 and caspase-9-like activities. Pretreatment of the cells with the plant extracts significantly inhibited Dox cytotoxicity, with more significant results at the higher concentration. Measurements of selenium and vitamin C in the extracts revealed higher concentration of both when compared with other Cameroonian spices. Conclusion. Both extracts of A. lepidophyllus and M. myristica were effective against Dox-induced cytotoxicity, most likely due to their content in antioxidants.