Dominik Szwajgier

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health threat, necessitating the development of functional foods with chemopreventive potential. This study aimed to evaluate the modulation of the anticancer activity of Hericium erinaceus with different iron forms (FeCl₃, FeSO₄, and FeHBED) as it modulates its anticancer activity against HT-29 cells. The extracts were subjected to simulated in vitro digestion and analyzed for cytotoxicity (MTT), antioxidant capacity (DPPH), and morphological changes, alongside high-throughput RT-qPCR profiling of 92 cancer-related genes. The results demonstrated that iron speciation is critical, with FeHBED-biofortified extracts exhibiting the most potent concentration-dependent cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects. Treated cells displayed apoptotic morphology, including chromatin condensation and cell shrinkage. Molecular analysis revealed significant downregulation of key oncogenes (HRAS, MYC), cell cycle regulators (CDK4), and migration markers (RHOA, ITGB1), whereas VEGFA was upregulated as a stress-induced response. In conclusion, biofortification with FeHBED significantly enhanced the anticancer potential of H. erinaceus by targeting specific proliferative and survival pathways. These findings highlight the potential of iron-biofortified mushrooms as a functional dietary component for colorectal cancer prevention.

Background/Objectives: Population aging is accompanied by a rapidly increasing burden of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Within the geroscience framework, targeting fundamental mechanisms of aging may delay the onset or progression of multiple age-related conditions. Dietary factors, especially plant-derived polyphenols, have gained increasing attention due to their potential to modulate molecular pathways involved in brain aging. This narrative review aims to integrate current evidence on dietary polyphenols and their role in modulating the molecular mechanisms underlying brain aging and neurodegeneration. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes findings from molecular, experimental, epidemiological, and clinical studies to provide an integrated assessment of the effects of dietary polyphenols on key cellular pathways involved in brain aging. Results: Polyphenols are widely present in plant-based foods, and polyphenol-rich dietary patterns—particularly the Mediterranean and MIND diets—have been consistently associated in observational studies with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Mechanistic evidence, derived predominantly from in vitro and animal studies with limited validation in humans, suggests that polyphenols may influence key hallmarks of aging, including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, and impaired proteostasis. These effects are mediated through pathways such as Nrf2, NF-κB, AMPK, mTOR, and SIRT1, as well as via gut–brain axis interactions. However, clinical evidence remains heterogeneous. Conclusions: Dietary polyphenols represent a biologically plausible and promising, yet not fully validated, nutritional strategy for promoting healthy brain aging. Their translation into clinical practice is limited by low bioavailability, substantial interindividual variability, and the lack of large-scale, long-term randomized controlled trials.

Background/Objectives: Dietary strategies targeting oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and cholinergic dysfunction are increasingly investigated as supportive approaches for maintaining cognitive health. Soups constitute a practical functional food matrix due to their compositional complexity and suitability for regular consumption. However, their bioactivity may be substantially altered during digestion. Methods: Previously, we created optimized mushroom, asparagus, leek, and sea buckthorn vegan lunch soups rich in cholinesterase inhibitors. This study evaluated digestion-induced changes in anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities using a standardized static in vitro digestion model (INFOGEST). Results: Fresh soups contained 90.43–247.36 µg GAE/cm³ of total polyphenols, which significantly decreased during oral–intestinal digestion, followed by stabilization or partial recovery during the colonic phase. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities showed soup-specific and digestion stage-dependent patterns, with an overall decline after bacterial incubation. Antioxidant capacity assessed by DPPH^•, ABTS^•+, and cyclic voltammetry revealed dynamic redox shifts across digestion stages, while endogenous antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GR, GPx) and COX-2 activity were differentially modulated. Cell-based assays demonstrated low cytotoxicity and moderate, concentration-dependent cytokine modulation. Conclusions: Overall, gastrointestinal digestion and microbial activity markedly reshape the bioactivity of plant-based soups, indicating that the colonic phase is critical for realistic evaluation of functional food potential and supporting digestion-aware assessment of dietary strategies relevant to cognitive and inflammatory health.

Information on sodium absorption during digestion in various sections of the gastrointestinal tract is limited. Our study aimed to determine whether the cooking method (water with 16 g of salt per 1 L vs. unsalted water) affects sodium bioavailability during in vitro digestion. We analysed five types of pasta that differed in composition. We demonstrated that sodium absorption from cooked pasta in the human gastrointestinal tract ranges from approximately 62% (unsalted water) to nearly 100% (salted water). We also found that the highest sodium absorption occurred in the small intestine, regardless of cooking method or pasta type. Statistically significant higher percent of sodium absorption was confirmed for pasta cooked in salted water compared to that cooked in unsalted water for three of five types of pasta: pasta with seaweed, durum wheat pasta, and whole grain wheat-rye pasta. Cooking in salted water had a significant impact on increasing sodium bioavailability in the gastrointestinal tract, and the degree of sodium absorption from pasta was positively correlated with the sodium content of the product, which in turn depended on the salt concentration in the cooking water. In our study, more than 90% of the Na was absorbed from all types of pasta cooked in salted water.

Peach, apricot, chokeberry, blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, and wild strawberry fruits were used to create a polyphenolic preparation (PP) after enzyme-assisted extraction, ultrafiltration, and concentration. The composition of PP was determined using LC-MS. Gelatin jellies produced with PP, as well as liquid PP, were “digested” in an in vitro model. The entrapment of PP in the gelatin matrix delayed the release of total polyphenolics, flavonoids, flavanols, condensed tannins, and anthocyanins (predominantly during the “small intestinal” phase). PP entrapped in the jelly more effectively (p < 0.05) decreased the activity of acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, cyclooxygenase-2 and catalase (during the “small intestinal” phase). However, no significant (p < 0.05) effects on superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities were observed. FRAP, CUPRAC, HORAC, oxidation of linoleic acid, and ABTS-reducing activities were higher during the “intestinal” phase; however, the DPPH test and β-carotene bleaching tests did not confirm these results. The presented findings may be useful for designing nutraceuticals with programmed release of bioactive compounds during digestion.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterised by memory loss and cognitive disorders. The disease has been related to the presence of so-called senile plaques forming due to the buildup of amyloid β in the hippocampus. The AD therapies developed to date continue to prove insufficient, while long-term exposure to synthetic drugs tends to lead to serious side effects, which is why potential herbal treatments are generally preferable to conventional drug regimens and, as such, have been under considerable research scrutiny in recent years. There are a number of herbs, e.g., lavender Ginkgo biloba, that are already commonly employed in alleviating the symptoms of certain neurological disorders. In light of the above, the aim of the following paper is to discuss the importance of medicinal herbs, their neuroprotective properties, and their mechanisms of activity. The article presents a review of the identified therapeutic properties of phytomedicines that exhibit strong anti-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) activity.

Selected phenotypes of dried maca (Lepidium peruvianum) hypocotyls and supercritical CO₂ extract (USPlus^®) of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) were used to determine their targeted, cytotoxic action in prostate cancer cells. Fingerprinting by HPLC-MS and PCA analysis showed compositional differences in glucosinolates, amides, macamides, and other alkaloids, which varied based on the color and the size of hypocotyls. These phytochemical differences translated into a higher antioxidant potential of red maca than black maca samples. The greatest COX-2 inhibition was demonstrated with a combination of red maca: saw palmetto (67%:33%) and red maca: saw palmetto: black maca (25%:50%:25%). The LNCaP androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell line was the most sensitive to the three-component mixture of black, red maca, and saw palmetto treatment. This combination provided the most abundant set of high-activity metabolites, and is worthy of consideration in further clinical applications and future in-depth study.

The food coloring agent E171 raises many questions concerning its negative impact on human health because of the fact that it contains nanoparticle fractions (NPs, diameter < 100 nm). Numerous studies showed its influence on organisms, including the ability to disrupt the intestinal barrier. In the present study, we verified the potential toxicity and pro-inflammatory activity of three different E171 samples (containing NPs fractions) and one TiO₂ NPs sample (60–600 µg mL⁻¹) towards Caco-2 colon cancer cells. The experiments revealed no significant changes in terms of the vitality of Caco-2 cells after 24 h of exposure (XTT test). However, after 72 h, a decrease in the proliferation of Caco-2 cells caused by three TiO₂ substances was observed. Moreover, deterioration of the metabolic activity of Caco-2 cells (ATP test) by all analyzed substances at 300 and 600 µg mL⁻¹ was seen. While a 24-h exposure to each tested substance resulted in a negligible release of LDH, a prolonged exposure (72 h) indicated an elevated release of LDH, suggesting potential toxicity. All TiO₂ samples induced the elevated release of two primary proinflammatory cytokines, i.e., IL-1β and TNF-α, in a dose-independent manner. The discrepancies in the results come from the differences in the share of individual sizes in four TiO₂ products.