A growing awareness of the mechanisms by which phytochemicals can influence upstream endogenous c... more A growing awareness of the mechanisms by which phytochemicals can influence upstream endogenous cellular defence processes has led to intensified research into their potential relevance in the prevention and treatment of disease. Pharmaceutical medicine has historically looked to plants as sources of the starting materials for drug development; however, the focus of nutraceutical medicine is to retain the plant bioactive in as close to its native state as possible. As a consequence, the potency of a nutraceutical concentrate or an extract may be lower than required for significant gene expression. The molecular structure of bioactive phytochemicals to a large extent determines the molecule’s bioavailability. Polyphenols are abundant in dietary phytochemicals, and extensive in vitro research has established many of the signalling mechanisms involved in favourably modulating human biochemical pathways. Such pathways are associated with core processes such as redox modulation and immun...
Once considered to function somewhat in isolation of other physiological systems largely by virtu... more Once considered to function somewhat in isolation of other physiological systems largely by virtue of the blood-brain barrier, it is now known that the brain is connected in a bidirectional manner with the gastrointestinal tract and the resident microbes that make up the microbiota. Diet and lifestyle significantly impact the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota, existing in a symbiotic relationship with the host. Because the microbiota can influence the nervous system, imbalances in the microbiota known as dysbiosis can have marked effects on neurological function and neurodegeneration. Antimicrobial therapies directed at eradicating undesirable microbes or probiotic therapies directed at replacing or increasing levels of commensals have had mixed results. Recent suggestions that the host colonocyte may be the primary driver of the gut ecosystem is highlighted in this chapter as an alternative therapeutic strategy to address gut health and conditions aligned with the concep...
European Journal of Gastroenterology Hepatology, Feb 1, 2011
... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensl... more ... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensland, Blair Drive, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia Tel: +61 73 4880385; fax: +61 73 4880389; e-mail: christine.houghton@uqconnect.edu.au; christine.houghton@cell-logic ...
European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2011
... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensl... more ... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensland, Blair Drive, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia Tel: +61 73 4880385; fax: +61 73 4880389; e-mail: christine.houghton@uqconnect.edu.au; christine.houghton@cell-logic ...
Urine collected into absorbent pads is commonly contaminated, making this method unreliable for r... more Urine collected into absorbent pads is commonly contaminated, making this method unreliable for ruling out urinary-tract infection in young children. Bag samples are equally unhelpful, whereas clean-catch samples are least likely to need repeating.
Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, as well as diet and exercise, play an important role in the deve... more Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, as well as diet and exercise, play an important role in the development and treatment of obesity and its comorbidities. If an individual's susceptibility to becoming obese and their responsiveness to weight loss interventions are to be understood, then it needs to be addressed at a molecular and metabolic level, including genetic interaction. This review proposes a three-pillar approach to more fully comprehend the complexity of diet-gene interactions in obesity. Peroxisomal proliferating-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) are explored in detail. Illustrating how an understanding of nutritional biochemistry, nutrigenomics, and nutrigenetics may be the key to understanding differences observed in the obese phenotype that vary both within and across populations.
The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence... more The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence intracellular molecular mechanisms has seen the emergence of the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. The aim of this review is to describe the properties of nutrigenomic activators of transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), comparing the potential for sulforaphane and other phytochemicals to demonstrate clinical efficacy as complementary medicines. Broccoli-derived sulforaphane emerges as a phytochemical with this capability, with oral doses capable of favourably modifying genes associated with chemoprevention. Compared with widely used phytochemical-based supplements like curcumin, silymarin, and resveratrol, sulforaphane more potently activates Nrf2 to induce the expression of a battery of cytoprotective genes. By virtue of its lipophilic nature and low molecular weight, sulforaphane displays significantly higher bioavailability than the polyphenol-based dietary supplements that also activate Nrf2. Nrf2 activation induces cytoprotective genes such as those playing key roles in cellular defense mechanisms including redox status and detoxification. Both its high bioavailability and significant Nrf2 inducer capacity contribute to the therapeutic potential of sulforaphane-yielding supplements.
From its humble origins in the medicine of traditional cultures, Complementary Medicine, or CAM, ... more From its humble origins in the medicine of traditional cultures, Complementary Medicine, or CAM, is now a burgeoning industry, fuelled partly by consumer demand for safer, more natural and efficacious medicines but also by commercial goals. Complementary medicines now boast a large body of scientific evidence to support the observed medicinal effects of the many phytochemicals employed over centuries as traditional medicines. A questionable marketing model has emerged in which the summarised findings of a published study are reported in the mass media; resultant sales of the associated product increase exponentially. Typically, such a study is based on an 'in vitro' trial or an animal study but there is no 'disclaimer' to indicate to the reader that no clinical trials exist to justify expectation of the same effect in humans. Without efficacy guidelines, the manufacturer must arbitrarily select a dose, conveniently satisfying criteria for manufacture and cost. A slic...
The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence... more The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence intracellular molecular mechanisms has seen the emergence of the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. The aim of this review is to describe the properties of nutrigenomic activators of transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), comparing the potential for sulforaphane and other phytochemicals to demonstrate clinical efficacy as complementary medicines. Broccoli-derived sulforaphane emerges as a phytochemical with this capability, with oral doses capable of favourably modifying genes associated with chemoprevention. Compared with widely used phytochemical-based supplements like curcumin, silymarin, and resveratrol, sulforaphane more potently activates Nrf2 to induce the expression of a battery of cytoprotective genes. By virtue of its lipophilic nature and low molecular weight, sulforaphane displays significantly higher bioavailability than the polyphenol-based dietary supplements that also activate Nrf2. Nrf2 activation induces cytoprotective genes such as those playing key roles in cellular defense mechanisms including redox status and detoxification. Both its high bioavailability and significant Nrf2 inducer capacity contribute to the therapeutic potential of sulforaphane-yielding supplements.
A growing awareness of the mechanisms by which phytochemicals can influence upstream endogenous c... more A growing awareness of the mechanisms by which phytochemicals can influence upstream endogenous cellular defence processes has led to intensified research into their potential relevance in the prevention and treatment of disease. Pharmaceutical medicine has historically looked to plants as sources of the starting materials for drug development; however, the focus of nutraceutical medicine is to retain the plant bioactive in as close to its native state as possible. As a consequence, the potency of a nutraceutical concentrate or an extract may be lower than required for significant gene expression. The molecular structure of bioactive phytochemicals to a large extent determines the molecule’s bioavailability. Polyphenols are abundant in dietary phytochemicals, and extensive in vitro research has established many of the signalling mechanisms involved in favourably modulating human biochemical pathways. Such pathways are associated with core processes such as redox modulation and immun...
Once considered to function somewhat in isolation of other physiological systems largely by virtu... more Once considered to function somewhat in isolation of other physiological systems largely by virtue of the blood-brain barrier, it is now known that the brain is connected in a bidirectional manner with the gastrointestinal tract and the resident microbes that make up the microbiota. Diet and lifestyle significantly impact the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota, existing in a symbiotic relationship with the host. Because the microbiota can influence the nervous system, imbalances in the microbiota known as dysbiosis can have marked effects on neurological function and neurodegeneration. Antimicrobial therapies directed at eradicating undesirable microbes or probiotic therapies directed at replacing or increasing levels of commensals have had mixed results. Recent suggestions that the host colonocyte may be the primary driver of the gut ecosystem is highlighted in this chapter as an alternative therapeutic strategy to address gut health and conditions aligned with the concep...
European Journal of Gastroenterology Hepatology, Feb 1, 2011
... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensl... more ... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensland, Blair Drive, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia Tel: +61 73 4880385; fax: +61 73 4880389; e-mail: christine.houghton@uqconnect.edu.au; christine.houghton@cell-logic ...
European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2011
... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensl... more ... Correspondence to Christine Houghton, BSc, Grad Dip Hum Nutr, PhD Cand, University of Queensland, Blair Drive, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia Tel: +61 73 4880385; fax: +61 73 4880389; e-mail: christine.houghton@uqconnect.edu.au; christine.houghton@cell-logic ...
Urine collected into absorbent pads is commonly contaminated, making this method unreliable for r... more Urine collected into absorbent pads is commonly contaminated, making this method unreliable for ruling out urinary-tract infection in young children. Bag samples are equally unhelpful, whereas clean-catch samples are least likely to need repeating.
Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, as well as diet and exercise, play an important role in the deve... more Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, as well as diet and exercise, play an important role in the development and treatment of obesity and its comorbidities. If an individual's susceptibility to becoming obese and their responsiveness to weight loss interventions are to be understood, then it needs to be addressed at a molecular and metabolic level, including genetic interaction. This review proposes a three-pillar approach to more fully comprehend the complexity of diet-gene interactions in obesity. Peroxisomal proliferating-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and mitochondrial uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) are explored in detail. Illustrating how an understanding of nutritional biochemistry, nutrigenomics, and nutrigenetics may be the key to understanding differences observed in the obese phenotype that vary both within and across populations.
The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence... more The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence intracellular molecular mechanisms has seen the emergence of the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. The aim of this review is to describe the properties of nutrigenomic activators of transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), comparing the potential for sulforaphane and other phytochemicals to demonstrate clinical efficacy as complementary medicines. Broccoli-derived sulforaphane emerges as a phytochemical with this capability, with oral doses capable of favourably modifying genes associated with chemoprevention. Compared with widely used phytochemical-based supplements like curcumin, silymarin, and resveratrol, sulforaphane more potently activates Nrf2 to induce the expression of a battery of cytoprotective genes. By virtue of its lipophilic nature and low molecular weight, sulforaphane displays significantly higher bioavailability than the polyphenol-based dietary supplements that also activate Nrf2. Nrf2 activation induces cytoprotective genes such as those playing key roles in cellular defense mechanisms including redox status and detoxification. Both its high bioavailability and significant Nrf2 inducer capacity contribute to the therapeutic potential of sulforaphane-yielding supplements.
From its humble origins in the medicine of traditional cultures, Complementary Medicine, or CAM, ... more From its humble origins in the medicine of traditional cultures, Complementary Medicine, or CAM, is now a burgeoning industry, fuelled partly by consumer demand for safer, more natural and efficacious medicines but also by commercial goals. Complementary medicines now boast a large body of scientific evidence to support the observed medicinal effects of the many phytochemicals employed over centuries as traditional medicines. A questionable marketing model has emerged in which the summarised findings of a published study are reported in the mass media; resultant sales of the associated product increase exponentially. Typically, such a study is based on an 'in vitro' trial or an animal study but there is no 'disclaimer' to indicate to the reader that no clinical trials exist to justify expectation of the same effect in humans. Without efficacy guidelines, the manufacturer must arbitrarily select a dose, conveniently satisfying criteria for manufacture and cost. A slic...
The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence... more The recognition that food-derived nonnutrient molecules can modulate gene expression to influence intracellular molecular mechanisms has seen the emergence of the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. The aim of this review is to describe the properties of nutrigenomic activators of transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), comparing the potential for sulforaphane and other phytochemicals to demonstrate clinical efficacy as complementary medicines. Broccoli-derived sulforaphane emerges as a phytochemical with this capability, with oral doses capable of favourably modifying genes associated with chemoprevention. Compared with widely used phytochemical-based supplements like curcumin, silymarin, and resveratrol, sulforaphane more potently activates Nrf2 to induce the expression of a battery of cytoprotective genes. By virtue of its lipophilic nature and low molecular weight, sulforaphane displays significantly higher bioavailability than the polyphenol-based dietary supplements that also activate Nrf2. Nrf2 activation induces cytoprotective genes such as those playing key roles in cellular defense mechanisms including redox status and detoxification. Both its high bioavailability and significant Nrf2 inducer capacity contribute to the therapeutic potential of sulforaphane-yielding supplements.
Uploads