Sarcopenia is a progressive, systemic skeletal muscle disorder associated with aging. With the increase in the global aging population, sarcopenia has become a significant health issue for the elderly. Studies have shown that natural bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids, play an important role in alleviating the progression of sarcopenia by regulating protein homeostasis, improving mitochondrial function, inhibiting inflammation, and mitigating neuromuscular junction (NMJ) degeneration. However, due to the diversity of natural bioactive compounds and the complexity of their molecular mechanisms, their application still faces some challenges. Therefore, this article systematically reviews the literature on the pathogenesis of sarcopenia, the mechanism of action of natural bioactive compounds in alleviating sarcopenia, and their application for preventing this disease, aiming to provide scientific references for the development and application of natural bioactive compounds in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia.

In this paper, zein and gallic acid (GA) were used to prepare zein/gallic acid composite nanoparticles (ZGP) by antisolvent precipitation. Meanwhile, ZGP was used as stabilizer to prepare antioxidant Pickering emulsion. The results showed that ZGP exhibited good dispersivity in the nanometer scale and positive zeta potential. The bonding between Zein and GA was achieved mainly through hydrogen bonds, and X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that the resultant complex showed an amorphous structure. Thermodynamic analysis proved that the reaction between Zein and GA was spontaneous and exothermic, the surface hydrophobicitygradually decreased, and the thermal stability of ZGP increased with increasing GA addition. Furthermore, the Pickering emulsion stabilized by ZGP showed a shear thinning phenomenon typical of a non-Newtonian fluid, and the storage modulus (G’) was higher than the loss modulus (G”). During the storage period (50 ℃, 20 d), the amounts of primary and secondary lipid oxidation products both gradually decreased with an increase in GA concentration, indicating that the ZGP stabilized Pickering emulsion has antioxidant capacity and can inhibit lipid oxidation.

In this study, the extraction process of Hosta ventricosa root polysaccharide (HVRP) was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM), and the protective effect of HVRP on oxidative injury induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) in HepG2 cells was explored. Under the optimized conditions: extraction temperature 84 ℃, extraction time 3 h and solid-to-liquid ratio 1:31, the average extraction yield of HVRP was 23.9%, The mass fractions of reducing sugar, protein and uronic acid in HVRP were 11.17%, 0.6% and 12.31%, and HVRP showed absorption peaks characteristic of polysaccharides but no triple-helical conformation. HVRP had strong in vitro antioxidant activity and could significantly reduce the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increase the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot analysis showed that HVRP could promotes the expression of antioxidant enzymes and consequently protect HepG2 cells from t-BHP-induced oxidation damage by regulating the Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-associated protein 1/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Keap1/Nrf2/ARE) signaling pathway. This study provides a theoretical basis for clarifying the antioxidant mechanism of HVRP and its application in functional foods.

The inhibitory mechanism of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was investigated by ultrafiltration, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzyme kinetics, and molecular docking. The results indicated that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase in a reversible and non-competitive manner. Besides, the fluorescence quenching analysis indicated that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside combined with the two enzymes by hydrogen bonds to form a complex. Molecular docking analysis showed that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside interacted with the key amino acid residues of α-amylase and α-glucosidase through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces, and the binding energies were-7.8 and-9.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Our research suggests that cyanidin-3-O-glucoside has the potential to be used as an inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in the development of functional foods.

In this study, Penaeus vannamei was used to analyze the quality of sous-vide combined with high pressure cooked and freeze-dried shrimp (SPF) and boiled and hot air dried shrimp (BH) prepared by traditional thermal processing. The results showed that compared with BH, SPF had lower hardness, fuller color and higher sensory score, which was more popular with consumers. The content of benzaldehyde was significantly higher in SPF than in BH, and SPF had a more prominent seafood-like flavor. The content of polyunsaturated fatty acids was also higher in SPF than in BH. Meanwhile, a dynamic model was established for shelf life prediction. According to the model, SPF had high oxidative stability. Therefore, sous-vide combined with high pressure can improve the quality and flavor of ready-to-eat shrimp. The results from this study provide a theoretical basis for the large-scale production of high-quality, convenience and ready-to-eat shrimp with unique flavor.