Sequential Acid,Alkaline, and Enzymatic Modifications of Chickpea and Lentil Flours Impacted Batter Physical Properties

The effect of sequential acid, alkaline, and enzymatic treatment of chickpea and lentil flours on batter rheological properties was investigated. Substitution of wheat with disrupted chickpea and lentil flours significantly (P < 0.05) increased water‐holding capacity from 66.8% in wheat flour to more than 70.0% based on the disruption treatment, indicating an improved adhesion of coated batter. Flow behavior index of batter treatments of partially replaced wheat flour with various ratios of disrupted chickpea and lentil flours ranged from 0.88 to 1.36 and was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the flour (i.e., 2.15) and nondisrupted control (i.e., 1.28–1.38 for chickpea and 1.22–1.28 for lentil) flours. Consistency coefficients of disrupted chickpea and lentil flours were significantly (P < 0.05) greater when replacing wheat control, indicating a best fit for the shear‐thickening model. Flour disruption decreased the treatment's pasting properties, except the setback, providing support for the significant role of proteins in dictating the pasting characteristics of batter flour treatments. Results of this study suggested a potential use for treated chickpea and lentil flours in enhancing batter rheological properties including adhesion and water‐holding capacity.     

Molecular Mechanisms of Astaxanthin as a Potential Neurotherapeutic Agent

Neurological disorders are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system that affect millions of people, and the numbers are rising gradually. In the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, the roles of many signaling pathways were elucidated; however, the exact pathophysiology of neurological disorders and possible effective therapeutics have not yet been precisely identified. This necessitates developing multi-target treatments, which would simultaneously modulate neuroinflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. The present review aims to explore the potential therapeutic use of astaxanthin (ASX) in neurological and neuroinflammatory diseases. ASX, a member of the xanthophyll group, was found to be a promising therapeutic anti-inflammatory agent for many neurological disorders, including cerebral ischemia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and neuropathic pain. An effective drug delivery system of ASX should be developed and further tested by appropriate clinical trials.     

Anti-Alzheimer’s Molecules Derived from Marine Life: Understanding Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia. It has been confirmed that the pathological processes that intervene in AD development are linked with oxidative damage to neurons, neuroinflammation, tau phosphorylation, amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation, glutamate excitotoxicity, and cholinergic deficit. Still, there is no available therapy that can cure AD. Available therapies only manage some of the AD symptoms at the early stages of AD. Various studies have revealed that bioactive compounds derived from marine organisms and plants can exert neuroprotective activities with fewer adverse events, as compared with synthetic drugs. Furthermore, marine organisms have been identified as a source of novel compounds with therapeutic potential. Thus, there is a growing interest regarding bioactive compounds derived from marine sources that have anti-AD potentials. Various marine drugs including bryostatin-1, homotaurine, anabaseine and its derivative, rifampicins, anhydroexfoliamycin, undecylprodigioisin, gracilins, 13-desmethyl spirolide-C, and dictyostatin displayed excellent bioavailability and efficacy against AD. Most of these marine drugs were found to be well-tolerated in AD patients, along with no significant drug-associated adverse events. In this review, we focus on the drugs derived from marine life that can be useful in AD treatment and also summarize the therapeutic agents that are currently used to treat AD.