Liver enzymes alterations (activity or quantity increase) have been recognized as biomarkers of obesity-related abnormal liver function. The intake of healthy foods can improve the activity of enzymes like aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST, ALT), γ-glutaminyl transferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Beans have a high concentration of several phytochemicals; however, Restriction Irrigation (RI) during plant development amends their synthesis. Using chemometric tools, we evaluated the capacity of RI-induced phytochemicals to ameliorate the high activity of liver enzymes in obese rats. The rats were induced with a high-fat diet for 4 months, subsequently fed with 20% cooked beans from well-watered plants (100/100), or from plants subjected to RI at the vegetative or reproduction stage (50/100, 100/50), or during the whole cycle (50/50) for 3 months. A partial least square discriminant analysis indicated that mostly flavonols have a significant association with serum AST and ALT activity, while isoflavones lowered GGT and ALP. For AST and ALT activity in the liver, saponins remained significant for hepatocellular protection and flavonoids remained significant as hepatobiliary protectants by lowering GGT and ALP. A principal component analysis demonstrated that several flavonoids differentiated 100/50 treatment from the rest, while some saponins were correlated to 50/100 and 50/50 treatments. The intake of beans cultivated under RI improves obesity-impaired liver alterations.

Coffee is among the most consumed beverages worldwide and is recognized for its bioactive compounds, which exert diverse physiological effects. This study evaluated the impact of roasting degree on the in vitro antioxidant activity and digestive enzyme inhibition of brews from four Mexican regions, as well as their in vivo effects on carbohydrate and lipid absorption. Antioxidant capacity was assessed through radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition, while inhibition of lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase was also determined. Oral starch (OSTT) and lipid (OLTT) tolerance tests were conducted in healthy Wistar rats. Antioxidant activity was strongly influenced by region and roasting degree. All coffee samples exhibited radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition. With respect to enzyme inhibition, all coffees showed ~67–70% inhibition of lipase activity. For amylase, unroasted coffee from Oaxaca displayed the highest inhibition (34%, p < 0.001). For glucosidase, unroasted samples showed low inhibition (~6–19%), which increased substantially at the medium roast degree (~55% across all samples) but decreased again at the high roast degree (~27%). In OSTT, serum glucose levels were reduced after 120 min by ~20%, 21%, and 18% in rats treated with unroasted, medium-roast, and high-roast coffee, respectively, compared with the negative control. In OLTT, serum triglycerides decreased by ~26% (Chiapas), ~58% (Colima), ~32% (Oaxaca), and ~54% (Hidalgo). Crop region and roasting degree influence the phytochemical profile and bioactivity of Mexican coffee. Although unroasted coffees had the highest concentration of bioactive compounds, roasting enhanced specific bioactivities, particularly enzyme inhibition and lipid-lowering effects in vivo.

Cervical cancer is a malignant disease that affects women worldwide and is associated with both high incidence and a high mortality rate. miR-34 is a direct transcriptional-target of p53 and is downregulated in several types of cancers. 1,4-Naphthoquinones (NQs) have anticancer properties and have been used to modulate miR-34 expression. We tested (3-chloro-NQ-2-yl)-alanine (ANQCl), -methionine (MNQCl), -glycine (GNQCl), -phenylalanine (FNQCl), -asparagine (NNQCl), and (1,4-napthoquinon-2-yl)-asparagine (NNQ) in immortal and tumorigenic cells, both HPV-positive and -negative, simulating precancerous and cancerous status to observe the response of the p53-miR-34 system, migration and invasion. A dose–response was achieved to determine the IC50 of the compounds in SiHa, CaLo, C33-A and HaCaT cells. HaCaT cell migration inhibition was more potent than in SiHa, CaLo, and C33-A cells, while invasion hindrance was more evident in the tumorigenic SiHa, CaLo and C33-A. NNQCl, GNQCl, ANQCl and FNQCl compounds induced p53 overexpression in SiHa and CaLo cells. Compound ANQCl in SiHa and FNQCl in CaLo induced miR-34a overexpression, probably via p53. Migration and invasion of most compounds decreased independently of p53-miR-34. NQ-amino acids exert effect on cell proliferation, migration and invasion in cervical cancer cells, suggesting their potential use in the field of cancer treatment.