The Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Syndrome and its Components

Objectives: The aim of this study was to meta-analyze epidemiological studies and clinical trials that have assessed the effect of a Mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome (MS) as well as its components. Background: The Mediterranean diet has long been associated with low cardiovascular disease risk in adult population. Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review […]

Characterisation of selected hazelnut cultivars: phenology; growing and yielding capacity; market quality and nutraceutical value

Abstract BACKGROUND: Sixteen hazelnut cultivars growing in the continental climate of Slovenia were analysed over 15 years for their phenology; growth habit; yield potential; susceptibility to hazelnut weevil and the pomological traits and phenolic content of their nuts in order to obtain a complex value of these cultivars for growers; the confectionary industry and consumers. […]

A randomized controlled study of peanut oral immunotherapy: Clinical desensitization and modulation of the allergic response

Abstract BACKGROUND: Open-label oral immunotherapy (OIT) protocols have been used to treat small numbers of patients with peanut allergy. Peanut OIT has not been evaluated in double-blind; placebo-controlled trials. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of OIT for peanut allergy in a double-blind; placebo-controlled study. METHODS: In this multicenter study; children ages 1 to […]

Animal studies of the functional consequences of suboptimal polyunsaturated fatty acid status during pregnancy; lactation and early post-natal life

Abstract: Scores of animal studies demonstrate that seed oils replete with linoleic acid and very low in linolenic acid fed as the exclusive source of fat through pregnancy and lactation result in visual; cognitive; and behavioural deficits in the offspring. Commodity peanut; sunflower; and safflower oils fed to mother rats; guinea pigs; rhesus monkeys; and […]

Production of fungicidal oil and activated carbon from pistachio shell.

ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of pistachio shell as a biomass feedstock for the production of fungicidal oil and a precursor for production of activated carbon by physical activation. For this purpose; pistachio shell was pyrolyzed in a fixed bed reactor at the different temperatures (300-600 °C). The […]

Biological Activity of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Phytoalexins and Selected Natural and Synthetic Stilbenoids

Abstract: The peanut plant (Arachis hypogaea L.); when infected by a microbial pathogen; is capable of producing stilbene-derived compounds that are considered antifungal phytoalexins. In addition; the potential health benefits of other stilbenoids from peanuts; including resveratrol and pterostilbene; have been acknowledged by several investigators. Despite considerable progress in peanut research; relatively little is known […]

Characteristics and pathways of bioactive 4-desmethylsterols; triterpene alcohols and 4a-monomethylsterols; from developing Tunisian cultivars and wild peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

ABSTRACT: Seven 4-desmethylsterols; five triterpene alcohols and three 4a-monomethylsterols were identified by GC–MS during the development of wild peanut; which is Arbi (AraA); and cultivars peanut; which are Trabelsia (AraT) and Chounfakhi (AraC). Our results showed that the maximum level of 4-desmethylsterols (881.07 mg/100 g of oil) was reached at 12 days after flowering (DAF) […]

In vitro cytotoxic and antiviral activities of Ficus carica latex extracts.

Abstract: The latex of fig fruit (Ficus carica) is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of skin infections such as warts and also diseases of possible viral origin. Five extracts (methanolic; hexanic; ethyl acetate; hexane-ethyl acetate (v/v) and chloroformic) of this species were investigated in vitro for their antiviral potential activity against herpes simplex […]