Naringin exists in a wide range of Chinese herbal medicine and has proven to possess several pharmacological properties. In this study, PC12, HepG2 cells, and female Drosophila melanogaster were used to investigate the antioxidative and anti-aging effects of naringin and explore the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that naringin inhibited H₂O₂-induced decline in cell viability and decreased the content of reactive oxygen species in cells. Meanwhile, naringin prolonged the lifespan of f lies, enhanced the abilities of climbing and the resistance to stress, improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and decreased malondialdehyde content. Naringin also improved intestinal barrier dysfunction and reduced abnormal proliferation of intestinal stem cells. Moreover, naringin down-regulated the mRNA expressions of inr, chico, pi3k, and akt-1, and up-regulated the mRNA expressions of dilp2, dilp3, dilp5, and foxo, thereby activating autophagy-related genes and increasing the number of lysosomes. Furthermore, the mutant stocks assays and computer molecular simulation results further indicated that naringin delayed aging by inhibiting the insulin signaling (IIS) pathway and activating the autophagy pathway, which was consistent with the result of network pharmacological predictions.

The interaction amid Monascus pigment (MP) and ovalbumin (OVA) was studied using multispectral and computer simulations. The fluorescence results demonstrated that MP could effectively quench the fluorescence emission of OVA. According to Stern-Volmer and the double logarithmic equation, the quenching reaction of MP to OVA was static quenching, which was brought on by the combination of two molecules to shape a complex. At 298 K, the conjunction constant K_a of MP and OVA was 1.045 2 × 10⁹ L/mol, and the count of conjunction sites n was 1.955 7. The thermodynamic constant of MP-OVA binding was counted according to Van’s Hoff equation, and the reaction belonged to the active process of reducing Gibbs free energy. The ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy indicated an interaction between MP and OVA. The interaction force between MP and OVA and the steadiness of the conjunction were examined by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. The findings suggested that MP formed a complex with OVA via non-covalent binding, the formation and steadiness of the complex were promoted through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction, and Van der Waals force.

Hyperoside and quercetin are similar in molecular structures. In this study, the antioxidant regulatory targets of hyperoside and quercetin are mainly in the Nrf2 pathway predicted by network pharmacology. And the antioxidant effect and mechanism of hyperoside and quercetin were measured and compared in H₂O₂-induced HepG2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans. The findings indicated that quercetin was more effective than hyperoside in reducing oxidative damage, which was proved by improved cell viability, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased cellular apoptosis, and alleviated mitochondrial damage. In addition, quercetin was more efficient than hyperoside in enhancing the expression of nuclear factor (erythroid-2-derived)-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-associated mRNAs, increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT), and reducing the cellular malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Quercetin was superior to hyperoside in prolonging the lifespan of worms, decreasing the accumulation of lipofuscin, inhibiting ROS production, and increasing the proportion of skn-1 in the nucleus. With the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385, we verified that quercetin and hyperoside primarily protected the cells against oxidative damage via the Nrf2 signalling pathway. Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated that the quercetin- Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) complex was more stable than the hyperoside-Keap1 complex. The stable structure of the complex might hinder the binding of Nrf2 and Keap1 to release Nrf2 and facilitate its entry into the nucleus to play an antioxidant role. Overall, quercetin had a better antioxidant than hyperoside.

Meat products are an important part in our daily diet, providing valuable nutrients for the human body. However, heating processes cause the meat to become more appetizing with changes in texture, appearance, flavor, and chemical properties by the altering of protein structure and other ingredients. As one kind of cooking-induced contaminants, heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are widely present in protein aceous food products with strong carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. In order to promote the safety of traditional meat products, this review focused on the formation, metabolism, biological monitoring and inhibitory mechanism of HAA. An overview of the formation pathways, hazards, and control methods of HAAs during food processing in recent years was studied, aiming to provide some valuable information for exploring effective methods to inhibit the production of associated hazards during food processing. Systematic selection of different types of flavonoids to explore their effects on the formation of HAAs in an actual barbecue system can provide theoretical reference for effectively controlling the formation of HAAs and reducing their harm to human health.