Phytochemicals, Nutrition, Metabolism, Bioavailability, and Health Benefits in Lettuce—A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Lettuce is one of the most famous leafy vegetables worldwide with lots of applications from food to other specific uses. There are different types in the lettuce group for consumers to choose from. Additionally, lettuce is an excellent source of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophyll with related health benefits. At the same time, nutrient composition and antioxidant compounds are different between lettuce varieties, especially for green and red lettuce types. The benefit of lettuce consumption depends on its composition, particularly antioxidants, which can function as nutrients. The health benefits rely on their biochemical effect when reaching the bloodstream. Some components can be released from the food matrix and altered in the digestive system. Indeed, the bioaccessibility of lettuce is measuring the quantity of these compounds released from the food matrix during digestion, which is important for health-promoting features. Extraction of bioactive compounds is one of the new trends observed in lettuce and is necessarily used for several application fields. Therefore, this review aims to demonstrate the nutritional value of lettuce and its pharmacological properties. Due to their bioaccessibility and bioavailability, the consumer will be able to comprehensively understand choosing a healthier lettuce diet. The common utilization pattern of lettuce extracted nutrients will also be summarized for further direction.

Natural Small Molecules in Gastrointestinal Tract and Associated Cancers: Molecular Insights and Targeted Therapies

“…Single-agent and combination epigenetic therapies for gastric cancer have both been examined preclinically. Gastric cancer cell line Somatostatin, which may contain powerful anticancer action, has its promoter DNA methylation increased by AGS; treatment with DAC demonstrates promoter dimethylation and reabsorption of somatostatin [ 135 ]. AGS increased the methylation of somatostatin’s promoter [ 136 ].…”

“…Thrombin, serine, and alanine all had values under the diagnostic curve that were more than 0.8, indicating strong diagnostic value for detecting stomach cancer [ 140 , 141 ]. Furthermore, when paired with a specific HDAC inhibitor, certain amino acids have been demonstrated to precisely predict the potential of trichostatin, resulting in a synergistic increase in somatostatin mRNA expression [ 135 ]. This degree of intensity is common in Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea.…”

“…Because there is no sensitive or exact diagnostic test for stomach cancer, the great majority of patients are discovered after their illness has progressed to an advanced stage and the window for surgical therapy has passed. Chemotherapy approaches such as platinum-based fluorouracil and second-tier treatments such as docetaxel, paclitaxel, or arenotecan may be used to treat patients with advanced astrocytic carcinoma [ 135 ]. These therapies are suggested as first-line therapy.…”

“…These therapies are suggested as first-line therapy. While chemotherapy drugs are excellent at killing cancer cells, they can contribute to the development treatment resistance [ 135 ]. The anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) is effective against the great majority of gastrointestinal malignancies.…”

“…The anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) is effective against the great majority of gastrointestinal malignancies. In the realm of tumor chemotherapy, the utilization of therapeutic medications in combination is presently an active and exciting area of research [ 135 ], offering an approach that has the potential to effectively overcome drug resistance. The use of anti-tumor drugs in combination with other treatment modalities may improve the effectiveness of these therapies, reduce the required dosage, provide more effective and better options for the clinical treatment of tumors, and reduce patient suffering [ 142 , 143 ].…”