Anemia, characterized by a decrease of the hemoglobin level in the blood and a reduction in carrying capacity of oxygen, is a major public health problem which affects people of all ages. The methods used to treat anemia are blood transfusion and oral administration of iron-based supplements, but these treatments are associated with a number of side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, and stomach pain, which limit its long-term use. In addition, oral iron supplements are poorly absorbed in the intestinal tract, due to overexpression of hepcidin, a peptide hormone that plays a central role in iron homeostasis. In this review, we conducted an analysis of the literature on biologically active compounds and plant extracts used in the treatment of various types of anemia. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date information on the use of these compounds and plant extracts, in order to explore their therapeutic potential. The advantage of using them is that they are available from natural resources and can be used as main, alternative, or adjuvant therapies in many diseases, such as various types of anemia.

Chrysin is a bioflavonoid that can be found in natural products such as honey and propolis, and it possesses several biological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activity. However, it is poorly soluble in water, and its bioavailability is limited. The aim of this research is to investigate the chrysin solubilization capacity of different β-cylcodextrin derivatives and compare their biological activities. Chrysin was complexed with β-cyclodextrin (βCD), hydroxypropyl-β-, (HPBCD) sulfobutylether-β-, (SBECD), and randomly-methylated-β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB) by the lyophilization method in 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios. The solubilities of the chrysin–cyclodextrin complexes were tested, and the solubilization abilities of cyclodextrins were studied by phase solubility experiments. The cytotoxicity of the complexes was measured by the MTT method, and the permeability enhancement was tested on Caco-2 monolayers. The solubility study showed that the complexes formed with RAMEB had the highest solubility in water. The phase solubility experiments confirmed the strongest interaction between RAMEB and chrysin. In the viability test, none of the complexes showed cytotoxicity up to 100 µM concentration. The permeability study revealed that both at 1:1 and 1:2 ratios, the RAMEB complexes were the most effective to enhance chrysin permeability through the Caco-2 monolayers. In conclusion, cyclodextrins, especially RAMEB, are suitable for improving chrysin solubility and absorption.

Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae) has its origins in Eastern North America and is cultivated in Europe and Brazil as an ornamental tree, being known as the “tree of life” or “white cedar”. In traditional medicine, it is commonly used to treat liver diseases, bullous bronchitis, psoriasis, enuresis, amenorrhea, cystitis, uterine carcinomas, diarrhea, and rheumatism. The chemical constituents of T. occidentalis have been of research interest for decades, due to their contents of essential oil, coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, and proanthocyanidines. Pharmacology includes antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antiviral, protective activity of the gastrointestinal tract, radioprotection, antipyretic, and lipid metabolism regulatory activity. Therefore, the present review represents the synthesis of all the relevant information for T. occidentalis, its ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and a thorough analysis of their pharmacological activities, in order to promote all the biological activities shown so far, rather than the antitumor activity that has promoted it as a medicinal species.

Since cadmium is a toxic metal that can cause serious health problems for humans, it is necessary to find bioremediation solutions to reduce its harmful effects. The main goal of our work was to develop a functional food based on elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) obtained by green synthesis using Lactobacillus casei and to validate their ability to annihilate the hepatic toxic effects induced by cadmium. The characterization of SeNPs was assessed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, DLS and TEM. In order to investigate the dose-dependent protective effects of SeNPs on Cd liver toxicity, mice were assigned to eight experimental groups and fed by gavage, with 5 mg/kg b.w. cadmium, respectively, with co-administration with SeNPs or lacto-SeNPs (LSeNPs) in 3 doses (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg b.w.) for 30 days. The protective effect was demonstrated by the restoration of blood hepatic markers (AST, ALT, GGT and total bilirubin) and antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Moreover, the antioxidant capacity of mice plasma by the FRAP assay, revealed the highest antioxidant capacity for the 0.2 mg/kg LSeNPs group. Histopathological analysis demonstrated the morphological alteration in the group that received only cadmium and was restored after the administration of SeNPs or LSeNPs, while the immunohistochemical analysis of the bcl family revealed anti-apoptotic effects; the Q-PCR analysis showed an upregulation of hepatic inflammatory markers for the group exposed to Cd and a decreased value for the groups receiving oral SeNPs/ LSeNPs in a dose-dependent manner. The best protective effects were obtained for LSeNPs. A functional food that includes both probiotic bacteria and elemental SeNPs could be successfully used to annihilate Cd-induced liver toxicity, and to improve both nutritional values and health benefits.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dietary inclusion of two additives at the final concentration of 0.5% bilberry (E1) and 1% walnut (E2) leaves powder in the basal diet on digestive health of hens. A total number of 90 Tetra SL hens were divided into two experimental groups (E1 and E2) and one control group (C) consisting of 30 hens each. After four weeks, 10 hens of each group were sacrificed and tissue samples and intestinal content were taken from the duodenum, jejunum, and cecum in order to perform histological, enzymatic, and microbiota analyses. In groups E1 and E2, the histological analysis showed a significant increase of villus height, resulting probably in increased absorption of nutrients in duodenum and jejunum. A decrease in the specific activity of alpha-amylase and trypsin in E1 and E2 for both duodenum and jejunum compared to the control one was also recorded. In addition, the maltase and invertase specific activity in duodenum increased, a tendency that was kept for maltase but not for invertase in jejunum. The cecal microbiota of E1 and E2 individuals was characterized by an increase of Firmicutes and Lactobacilli and a decrease of Enterobacteriaceae. In conclusion, our results indicate that bilberry and walnut leaves additives in feed may improve the health status of the poultry gastrointestinal tract.