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1.
Bisphenol A and Male Fertility: Myths and Realities.
Castellini, C, Totaro, M, Parisi, A, D'Andrea, S, Lucente, L, Cordeschi, G, Francavilla, S, Francavilla, F, Barbonetti, A
Frontiers in endocrinology. 2020;:353
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) represents the main chemical monomer of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The environmental presence of BPA is widespread, and it can easily be absorbed by the human body through dietary and transdermal routes, so that more than 90% of the population in western countries display detectable BPA levels in the urine. As BPA is qualified as an endocrine disruptor, growing concern is rising for possible harmful effects on human health. This review critically discusses the available literature dealing with the possible impact of BPA on male fertility. In rodent models, the in vivo exposure to BPA negatively interfered with the regulation of spermatogenesis throughout the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Furthermore, in in vitro studies, BPA promoted mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative/apoptotic damages in spermatozoa from different species, including humans. To date, the claimed clinical adverse effects on male fertility are largely based on the results from studies assessing the relationship between urinary BPA concentration and conventional semen parameters. These studies, however, produced controversial evidence due to heterogeneity in the extent of BPA exposure, type of population, and enrollment setting. Moreover, the cause-effect relationship cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design of the studies as well as the large spontaneous between- and within-subject variability of semen parameters. The best evidence of an adverse effect of BPA on male fertility would be provided by prospective studies on clinically relevant endpoints, including natural or medically assisted pregnancies among men either with different exposure degrees (occupational/environmental) or with different clinical conditions (fertile/subfertile).
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2.
The impact of xenoestrogens on effectiveness of treatment for hormone-dependent breast cancer - current state of knowledge and perspectives for research.
Boszkiewicz, K, Sawicka, E, Piwowar, A
Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM. 2020;(4):526-534
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Breast cancer is the most common cancer occurring in women and causing the highest number of deaths among them. The role of xenoestrogens has been the subject of many studies in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Less is known about the impact of xenoestrogens on the effectiveness of hormone therapy used to treat breast cancer, and thus possible drug-xenostrogen interactions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge and present perspectives for further research on the impact of xenoestrogens on the effectiveness of drugs used in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancer. CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE Phytoestrogens, in particular flavonoid genistein, are the best studied group of xenoestrogens in terms of interaction with drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer, due to their frequent use, including their use in alleviating the adverse effects of hormone therapy. Analyzing the current state of knowledge, it seems that phytoestrogens intake should be avoided during conventional anti-cancer treatment. Of the other xenoestrogens, bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the best-tested compounds for interactions with drugs used to treat breast cancer. It has been shown that bisphenol A could reduced therapeutic effect of active tamoxifen metabolite and cytostatics used in breast cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS Confirmation in clinical trials of the results obtained in vitro and in vivo tests, would enable the creation of specific recommendations for patients undergoing breast cancer treatment, especially hormone therapy. An area requiring further research is the analysis of the effects of xenoestrogens other than phytoestrogens, e.g. metalloestrogens, on the effects of drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer.
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3.
Honey and Its Phenolic Compounds as an Effective Natural Medicine for Cardiovascular Diseases in Humans?
Olas, B
Nutrients. 2020;(2)
Abstract
Honey is a sweet, viscous syrup produced by the honey bee (Apis mellifera). It is probably the first natural sweetener ever discovered, and is currently used as a nutritious food supplement and medicinal agent. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize and update the current knowledge regarding the role of honey in CVDs based on various experimental models. It also describes the role of its phenolic compounds in treating CVDs. Many such phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and caffeic acid, have antioxidant and anti-platelet potential, and hence may ameliorate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) through various mechanisms, such as by decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting blood platelet activation. However, as the phenolic content of a particular type of honey is not always known, it can be difficult to determine whether any observed effects on the human cardiovascular system may be associated with the consumption of honey or its constituents. Therefore, further experiments in this area are needed.
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4.
Inhibitory effect of phenolic compounds and plant extracts on the formation of advance glycation end products: A comprehensive review.
Khan, M, Liu, H, Wang, J, Sun, B
Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.). 2020;:108933
Abstract
Advance glycation end products (AGEs) are a diverse group of compounds formed through the non-enzymatic maillard reaction of reducing sugars with the free amino groups in proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. Accumulation of AGEs has been suggested to be a pathogenic mechanism of oxidative stress, inflammation and structural tissue damage leading to chronic vascular problems in many ailments including diabetes, atherosclerosis, neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, aging, and chronic renal disease. Treatment with AGEs inhibitors is believed to be a potential strategy for preventing lifestyle-related diseases. To inhibit the AGEs development is supposed to show part in the inhibition of diabetic problems. Study of dietary bioactive combinations with antiglycation properties delivers future views for inhibition or mediation associated to AGEs complications. Many study show the possibility of dietary constituents to stop AGE development. Therefore, search for natural compounds able to prevent glycation and have the potential therapeutic ability to inhibit diabetes and age associated diseases. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the existing literature on different phenolics on AGEs inhibition.
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5.
Bisphenols and Male Reproductive Health: From Toxicological Models to Therapeutic Hypotheses.
De Toni, L, De Rocco Ponce, M, Petre, GC, Rtibi, K, Di Nisio, A, Foresta, C
Frontiers in endocrinology. 2020;:301
Abstract
Bisphenols, and in particular bisphenol A (BPA), have been widely used for the production of plastic manufacts in the last 50 years. Currently, BPA is present in a variety of daily use polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, and dietary ingestion is considered the main route of human exposure. Accordingly, BPA is the chemical pollutant with the widest exposure in humans, involving nearly 90% of general population, according to recent studies. Concerns about BPA effects on human health date back to 1930s, when severe impact on male sexual development was suggested. Now, the acknowledged biological effects of BPA are various. In regard to human fertility, BPA has been shown to disrupt hormone signaling even at low concentrations. Results from human epidemiological studies have reported BPA interference with follicle stimulating hormone, inhibin B, estradiol, testosterone levels, and sexual function in male subjects. Moreover, recent studies have reported an association between BPA levels and reduced sperm concentration, motility, normal morphology, sperm DNA damage, and altered epigenetic pattern, resulting in trans-generational legacy of BPA effects. In this review, the recognized effects of BPA on male reproductive health are described, from the most recent issues on experimental models to epidemiological data. In addition, the very recent interest about the use of nutraceutical remedies to counteract BPA effects are discussed.
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6.
Bisphenol S in Food Causes Hormonal and Obesogenic Effects Comparable to or Worse than Bisphenol A: A Literature Review.
Thoene, M, Dzika, E, Gonkowski, S, Wojtkiewicz, J
Nutrients. 2020;(2)
Abstract
In recent years, bisphenol analogues such as bisphenol S (BPS) have come to replace bisphenol A in food packaging and food containers, since bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to leach into food and water, causing numerous negative health effects. Unfortunately, little or no research was done to determine the safety of these BPA-free products before they were marketed to the public as a healthier alternative. The latest studies have shown that some of these bisphenol analogues may be even more harmful than the original BPA in some situations. This article used a literature survey to investigate the bisphenol analogue BPS and compare it to BPA and other analogues with regards to increased obesity, metabolic disorders, cancer, and reproductive defects; among others. It was found that BPS works via different pathways than does BPA while causing equivalent obesogenic effects, such as activating preadipocytes, and that BPS was correlated with metabolic disorders, such as gestational diabetes, that BPA was not correlated with. BPS was also shown to be more toxic to the reproductive system than BPA and was shown to hormonally promote certain breast cancers at the same rate as BPA. Therefore, a strong argument may be made to regulate BPS in exactly the same manner as BPA.
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7.
Phenols and Melanoidins as Natural Antioxidants in Beer. Structure, Reactivity and Antioxidant Activity.
Martinez-Gomez, A, Caballero, I, Blanco, CA
Biomolecules. 2020;(3)
Abstract
Beer is one of the most consumed drinks around the world, containing a variety of compounds that offer both appreciated sensorial characteristics and health advantages. Important healthy compounds in beer are those with antioxidant properties that attenuate the content of free radicals produced as by-products in the human metabolism, exerting an appreciable effect against cancers or cardiovascular diseases. This work details a study of antioxidant compounds present in beer, focusing on the two main groups: phenols (including polyphenolic forms) and melanoidins, formed specifically during brewing as Maillard products. The fundaments of the most important methods to evaluate beer antioxidant activity, the main antioxidant compounds present in beer-especially those with healthy properties-and the new trends to increase beer antioxidant activity are also discussed.
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8.
Modulation of the Gut Microbiota by Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Implications for Lipid Metabolism, Immune System, and Obesity.
Farràs, M, Martinez-Gili, L, Portune, K, Arranz, S, Frost, G, Tondo, M, Blanco-Vaca, F
Nutrients. 2020;(8)
Abstract
There is extensive information of the beneficial effects of virgin olive oil (VOO), especially on cardiovascular diseases. Some VOO healthy properties have been attributed to their phenolic-compounds (PCs). The aim of this review is to present updated data on the effects of olive oil (OO) PCs on the gut microbiota, lipid metabolism, immune system, and obesity, as well as on the crosstalk among them. We summarize experiments and clinical trials which assessed the specific effects of the olive oil phenolic-compounds (OOPCs) without the synergy with OO-fats. Several studies have demonstrated that OOPC consumption increases Bacteroidetes and/or reduces the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, which have both been related to atheroprotection. OOPCs also increase certain beneficial bacteria and gut-bacteria diversity which can be therapeutic for lipid-immune disorders and obesity. Furthermore, some of the mechanisms implicated in the crosstalk between OOPCs and these disorders include antimicrobial-activity, cholesterol microbial metabolism, and metabolites produced by bacteria. Specifically, OOPCs modulate short-chain fatty-acids produced by gut-microbiota, which can affect cholesterol metabolism and the immune system, and may play a role in weight gain through promoting satiety. Since data in humans are scarce, there is a necessity for more clinical trials designed to assess the specific role of the OOPCs in this crosstalk.
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9.
Occurrence of Bisphenol A and its analogues in some foodstuff marketed in Europe.
Russo, G, Barbato, F, Mita, DG, Grumetto, L
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association. 2019;:110575
Abstract
Bisphenol A and its analogues belong to the class of endocrine disrupting chemicals, massively employed by industries to produce polycarbonate and epoxy resins, designed to be in direct contact with foodstuffs. Their leaching from the canned packaging into its content results in food contamination. This review aims at offering a country-specific overview of the occurrence of bisphenols in six main categories of foodstuff marketed in the EU, based on monitoring studies performed in the 27 EU countries for which data are available and prevalently published in the last five years. The general overview of the literature data shows that concentration values of BPs detected into foodstuff is lower in Northern Europe than Southern Europe. A probable daily intake was hypothesized for some countries to provide an EU population exposure assessment. The consumption of canned meat and vegetables is responsible of PDI values higher than those of other food categories. These data emphasize that food and beverage monitoring should deserve greater attention especially by European countries for which no studies are available and especially with regards to bisphenols other than BPA whose limits are not set by the European regulations and whose toxicity has not been fully established.
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10.
The phenolic interactome and gut microbiota: opportunities and challenges in developing applications for schizophrenia and autism.
Jaskiw, GE, Obrenovich, ME, Donskey, CJ
Psychopharmacology. 2019;(5):1471-1489
Abstract
Schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder have long been associated with elevated levels of various small phenolic molecules (SPMs). In turn, the gut microbiota (GMB) has been implicated in the kinetics of many of these analytes. Unfortunately, research into the possible relevance of GMB-mediated SPMs to neuropsychiatry continues to be limited by heterogeneous study design, numerous sources of variance and technical challenges. Some SPMs have multiple structural isomers and most have conjugates. Without specialized approaches, SPMs can be incorrectly assigned or inaccurately quantified. In addition, SPM levels can be affected by dietary polyphenol or protein consumption and by various medications and diseases. Nonetheless, heterotypical excretion of various SPMs in association with schizophrenia or autism continues to be reported in independent samples. Recent studies in human cerebrospinal fluid demonstrate the presence of many SPMs A large number of these are bioactive in experimental models. Whether such mechanisms are relevant to the human brain in health or disease is not known. Systematic metabolomic and microbiome studies of well-characterized populations, an appreciation of multiple confounds, and implementation of standardized approaches across platforms and sites are needed to delineate the potential utility of the phenolic interactome in neuropsychiatry.