Mahesh Mysore Shivananjappa

: Nachos, originating from northern Mexico, are traditionally made using maize flour and commonly served as appetizers or snacks. Little millet, a nutritious alternative to maize, boosts high levels of iron, phosphorous, and protein, making it gluten-free and suitable for those with celiac disease.: This research was conducted to develop a value-based product with a lower gluten and carbohydrate content than standard nachos. : The study involved preparation of Nachos by replacing a portion of wheat flour with Little Millet flour in various ratios. The sensory quality of the developed Nachos was then assessed, and the proximate composition of both the modified version and traditionally prepared Nachos was estimated for comparison. The product, formulated by substituting little millet flour for whole wheat flour in six variations, including a control group, was evaluated for its sensory attributes.: The developed product was a nutritionally superior and health-promoting product when compared to the standard Nachos.: Among the variations, the 30% substitution of wheat flour with Little Millet flour was notably well-received by semi-trained sensory panelists. Proximate analysis of this chosen variation revealed lower carbohydrates but higher fiber and iron content. The iron levels evidently increased, while phosphorus levels showed no significant difference.

India is the world’s largest producer of banana with 13.90 million tons followed by Uganda (10.14 million tons). Banana blossom also known as a banana heart, is a fleshy purple - skinned flower shaped like tear, which grows at the end of banana fruit cluster. Now days researchers aimed to addressing dietary related diseases through promotion of food products enriched with high protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Banana blossom is rich source of nutrients and antioxidants which have several health benefits. The juice from the male bud provides an apparent remedy for stomach problems in people of all ages. Banana blossom is a popular dish in Sri Lanka. It is consumed as a curry as well as a boiled or deep fried salad with rice and wheat bread. It is generally valued as a fiber-rich source. Dietary fiber has demonstrated its benefits in health and disease prevention in medical nutrition therapy. Consumption of dietary fiber is known to lower blood cholesterol level, normalize blood glucose and insulin level, promote normal laxation, avoid constipation, prevent diverticulosis and diverticukitis, lower the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer and prevent obesity. The flower has been used to treat bronchitis, constipation and peptic ulcer. The extract has anti-oxidant property that prevents free radicals and control cell and tissue damage. Based on the main components of banana flower extract and its anti-oxidant properties, we hypothesized that the banana flower extract may have anticancer activities against cancer cell lines.

Formulation and evaluation of mathri developed with partial replacement of wheat flour with buckwheat flour (Fagopyrum esculentuim) - IJNMHS- Print ISSN No: - 2582-6301 Online ISSN No:- 2582-628X Article DOI No:- 10.18231/j.ijnmhs.2023.012, IP Journal of Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Science-J Nutr Metab Health Sci

Brown top millet () is one of the nutri-cereals. It is rich in nutrients such as fibre, calcium, potassium, manganese, and zinc. It is considered a low glycaemic food. Mathri, also known as mathiya, is a ready-to-eat snack served with hot beverages. In this study, Mathri was prepared with brown top millet flour, wheat flour, salt, ajwain, oil, and water in six different variations (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%) and labelled as WHF1, BTM2, BTM3, BTM4, BTM5, and BTM6, respectively. This product was evaluated for its sensory attributes by using 20 semi-trained panellists. It was observed that the 40% variation had high acceptability, while the 100% variation had lower acceptability compared to the standard and other variations. Therefore, Mathri prepared using 40% brown top millet flour was used for further estimation of nutritional components. It was found to be rich in protein, fat, fibre, energy, and calcium when compared with the control.

Background:  The rate of congenital anomalies, as well as morbidity and mortality of both the mother and fetus, is increased in diabetic pregnancy. Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in these effects because of the beneficial effects of several antioxidants in diabetic embryopathy. In the present study, we assessed attenuation of maternal and fetal OS and diabetic embryopathy by Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. (Convolvulaceae).Methods:  Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: Group I, untreated non‐diabetic control; Group II, rats fed a 2%I. aquatica (IA)‐supplemented diet; Group III, streptozotocin (STZ)‐diabetic rats fed a normal diet; Group IV, STZ‐diabetic rats fed an IA‐supplemented diet. Rats were rendered diabetic with a single injection of STZ (40 mg/kg) on gestational day (GD) 4. Dams were killed on GD20 and markers of OS were determined in the maternal liver and fetal brain and liver.Results:  Embryopathy increased significantly in STZ‐diabetic rats (by 40% versus control), but IA supplementation provided significant protection (36% reduction in embryopathy in the IA group versus the STZ‐diabetic group). Interestingly, IA supplementation significantly offset diabetes‐associated OS in the maternal liver, as evidenced by reductions in malondialdehyde (MDA; 25% reduction versus STZ‐diabetes) and reactive oxygen species (ROS; 72% reduction) and increases in glutathione (53% reduction) and total thiols (45% reduction). In addition, IA supplementation offered significant protection against diabetes‐induced OS in the fetal brain and liver, as evidenced by increased levels of antioxidant molecules and enzymes and reductions in ROS and MDA compared with fetuses from STZ‐diabetic rats.Conclusions:  The data suggest that IA supplementation during pregnancy provides considerable protection against diabetes‐induced OS in the mother and fetus. Thus, I. aquatica may be an effective therapeutic supplement.

The effects of Ocimum sanctum (Lamiaceae), Tulsi on the cellular oxidative state in a hepatocyte cell line (HepG2) and its putative potency to enhance endogenous antioxidant defenses were investigated. Cells were incubated with aqueous extracts of Tulsi (1–100 μg·ml⁻¹) between 4 and 48 h, and biochemical markers of OS were determined. Tulsi up to 100 μg·ml⁻¹ concentrations had no effect either on cytotoxicity or cell proliferation but increased the levels of glutathione (18%–32%) and antioxidant capacity (19%–31%) of cells and enhanced activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Results suggested that aqueous extract of Tulsi reduced the basal OS in HepG2 cells, by induction of antioxidant enzymes and enhancing levels of antioxidant molecules either of which can potentially effect faster dissipation of ROS.

Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) is a medicinal plant used in many polyherbal hepatoprotective formulations. Although widely claimed to be antioxidant, data supporting such actions of Arjuna are limited. In the present study, we have investigated the efficacy of the aqueous extract of T. arjuna (AETA) using a standard pro‐oxidant [tertiary butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)] in HepG2 cells. Cells were incubated with AETA (5–100 µg/ml) for a range of time points (4–24 h) with or without TBHP (500 μM), and biochemical markers of oxidative stress (OS) were determined. Cells incubated with TBHP showed the significant induction of OS response in cytosol manifested as lipid hydroperoxide (76%–198%) and the generation of reactive oxygen species (60%–127%). Diminished levels of reduced glutathione (35%–60%) and total antioxidant capacity (20%–61%) suggested an altered redox state. Significant perturbations in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (30%–56%), superoxide dismutase (25%–68%), glutathione S‐transferase (29%–67%), glutathione peroxidase (24%–68%) and glutathione reductase (38%–49%) were discernible suggesting the ongoing OS in the cells. However, cells treated with AETA (100 µg/ml) along with TBHP offered significant protection by reducing levels of lipid hydroperoxide (33%–62%) and ROS (69%) and by increasing antioxidant capacity (54%–81%) and levels of reduced glutathione (49%–82%). Further, it also enhanced the activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, 60%; catalase, 35%–82%; glutathione peroxidase, 42–65 %; glutathione reductase, 48%–62%; and glutathione S‐transferase, 22%–100%). Taken together, these data suggest that Arjuna can protect against the oxidative damage induced by TBHP and may be effectively used as a hepatoprotective adjuvant to abrogate OS in vivo. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In mammals, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential factors for cell proliferation, differentiation, and growth, notably during gestation, but are also potentially damaging agents. The present study describes the extent and pattern of oxidative stress (OS) induction in maternal milieu, placenta, and embryos of rats after in vivo exposure to sublethal doses of a well-known model prooxidant, such as t-butyl hydroperoxide (tbHP). tbHP administered (intraperitoneally) to pregnant rats on specific gestation days (GDs) (either GD_5–7 or GD_8–10) at dosages of [one tenth the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) and one fifth LD₅₀/day) caused significant OS, as evident by enhancement of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS levels, depleted reduced glutathione levels and elevated protein carbonyl content in maternal liver and kidney. Further, tbHP treatment also caused significant oxidative impairments in placenta, whereas the weights were marginally increased. Further, tbHP treatment induced a higher incidence of embryonic lethality (4- to 6-fold higher than controls) and induced marked OS among GD₁₃ embryos, as evidenced by elevated MDA, ROS generation, altered redox status, and enzymatic antioxidant defenses, suggesting the vulnerability of embryos. Interestingly, incidence of embryonic mortality and degree of oxidative dysfunctions caused by tbHP treatment during GD_5–7 was relatively higher, compared with GD_8–10, suggesting differential susceptibility of embryos during the early postimplantation period. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that critical windows during early gestation may account for the differential susceptibility of developing embryos to pro-oxidants and necessitate a better understanding of this embryonic response to pro-oxidant exposures.