Several plant bioactive compounds have exhibited functional activities that suggest they could play a remarkable role in preventing a wide range of chronic diseases. The largest group of naturally-occurring polyphenols are the flavonoids, including apigenin. The present work is an updated overview of apigenin, focusing on its health-promoting effects/therapeutic functions and, in particular, results of in vivo research. In addition to an introduction to its chemistry, nutraceutical features have also been described. The main key findings from in vivo research, including animal models and human studies, are summarized. The beneficial indications are reported and discussed in detail, including effects in diabetes, amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease, depression and insomnia, cancer, etc. Finally, data on flavonoids from the main public databases are gathered to highlight the apigenin’s key role in dietary assessment and in the evaluation of a formulated diet, to determine exposure and to investigate its health effects in vivo.

This review gives an updated picture of each class of phenolic compounds and their properties. The most common classification implies the subdivision of phenolics in two main groups: flavonoids (e.g., anthocyanins, flavanols, flavanones, flavonols, flavonones, and isoflavones) and non‐flavonoids (e.g., phenolic acids, xanthones, stilbens, lignans, and tannins) polyphenols. The great interest in polyphenols is associated with their high potential application for food preservation and for therapeutic beneficial use. The relationship between polyphenol intake and human health has been exploited with special reference to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and cancer. The use of current existing databases of bioactive compounds including polyphenols is described as key tools for human health research.

Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are particles within the size range from 1 to 1000 nm and can be loaded with active compounds entrapped within or surface-adsorbed onto the polymeric core. The term “nanoparticle” stands for both nanocapsules and nanospheres, which are distinguished by the morphological structure. Polymeric NPs have shown great potential for targeted delivery of drugs for the treatment of several diseases. In this review, we discuss the most commonly used methods for the production and characterization of polymeric NPs, the association efficiency of the active compound to the polymeric core, and the in vitro release mechanisms. As the safety of nanoparticles is a high priority, we also discuss the toxicology and ecotoxicology of nanoparticles to humans and to the environment.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the major health problems in the world, the incidence and associated mortality are increasing. Inadequate regulation of the blood sugar imposes serious consequences for health. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective, however, also with unavoidable side effects. On the other hand, medicinal plants may act as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents. Examples of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential are described, with focuses on preclinical and clinical studies. The beneficial potential of each plant matrix is given by the combined and concerted action of their profile of biologically active compounds.

Protein solubility of raw and cooked faba bean, lentil, chickpea, and dry bean was tested in water and in NaCl in the pH range 1.0−13.0. The solubility of all legume proteins in water typically increased on both sides of pH 4.0. In NaCl, only solubility of raw dry bean proteins was improved. A marked reduction in protein solubility was observed after cooking of all legumes up to pH 10.0, where solubilization occurred, suggesting that it was dependent on deprotonation of lysine and arginine. Amino acid analysis showed that the protein fraction that retained solubility in water (pH 6.5) after cooking had a high amount of arginine and glutamic acid, low levels of hydrophobic amino acids, and, therefore, a much higher charge density than proteins in the whole flour. The SE-HPLC profiles indicated that water-soluble raw faba bean and lentil had main protein peaks of a higher molecular weight than those of dry bean or chickpea, thus suggesting a higher trend toward association. In vitro protein digestibility of faba bean and lentil, unlike that of chickpea and dry bean, was not improved upon cooking. The results indicate that, in addition to hydrophobic forces, basic residues are involved in the stabilization of heat-induced aggregates of legume proteins, possibly contributing to their low digestibility. Keywords: Legumes; globulins; solubility; digestibility

Yellow plums (Prunus domestica L) conventionally and organically grown in the same farm were selected to study the influence of different agronomic practices on antioxidant vitamins (ascorbic acid, vitamin E, beta-carotene) and phenolics (total polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonols) concentration. Conventional plums were grown on tilled soil. Three organic cultivations were performed: tilled soil, soil covered with trifolium, and soil covered with natural meadow. Differences in macronutrients were marginal, whereas antioxidant vitamins and phenolic compounds concentration markedly differed among cultivations. Ascorbic acid, alpha-, gamma-tocopherols, and beta-carotene were higher in organic plums grown on soil covered with natural meadow. The highest phenolic acids content was detected in plums grown on soil covered with trifolium. Total polyphenols content was higher in conventional plums. Quercetin was higher in conventional plums, but myrecitin and kaempferol were higher in organic plums. Under the same cultivar and climate conditions, the type of soil management turned out of primary importance in influencing the concentration of health-promoting compounds.

This review offers a systematic discussion about nanotoxicology and nanosafety associated with nanomaterials during manufacture and further biomedical applications. A detailed introduction on nanomaterials and their most frequently uses, followed by the critical risk aspects related to regulatory uses and commercialization, is provided. Moreover, the impact of nanotoxicology in research over the last decades is discussed, together with the currently available toxicological methods in cell cultures (in vitro) and in living organisms (in vivo). A special focus is given to inorganic nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). In vitro and in vivo case studies for the selected nanoparticles are discussed. The final part of this work describes the significance of nano-security for both risk assessment and environmental nanosafety. “Safety-by-Design” is defined as a starting point consisting on the implementation of the principles of drug discovery and development. The concept “Safety-by-Design” appears to be a way to “ensure safety”, but the superficiality and the lack of articulation with which it is treated still raises many doubts. Although the approach of “Safety-by-Design” to the principles of drug development has helped in the assessment of the toxicity of nanomaterials, a combination of scientific efforts is constantly urgent to ensure the consistency of methods and processes. This will ensure that the quality of nanomaterials is controlled and their safe development is promoted. Safety issues are considered strategies for discovering novel toxicological-related mechanisms still needed to be promoted.

The present study provides the dietary intakes of macro elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, P) and trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Se) from the Italian total diet. The contribution of the most representative food groups of the total diet (cereals and cereal products, vegetables, fruit, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, fish) to the daily intakes of these nutrients was also evaluated. The Italian total diet was formulated following the 'market-basket' approach. Cereals represented the primary sources of Cu (35 %), Fe (30 %) and Mg (27 %). About 89 % of the total daily intake of Fe was derived from plant foods. The vegetables food group was the main source of dietary K (27 %). Most of the Ca (59 %) and P (27 %) was derived from the milk-and-dairy food group. Of the dietary Zn, 41 % was provided by meat, which, together with the fish food group, was the primary source of Se (20 %). The adequacy of the Italian total diet with respect to nutritional elements was assessed by comparing the daily intakes with the average requirement values of the Italian recommended dietary allowances. The present findings indicated that the dietary patterns of the Italian total diet were generally consistent with current Italian dietary recommendations for both macro and trace elements. The major concern was for Ca, for which daily intake was 76 % of the average recommendation for the Italian population. It should not be ruled out that there could be a potential risk of inadequate Fe intake in some segments of the population.