This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the potential health benefits of Thai basil extracts from two species, Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflorum and Ocimum basilicum cv. Jumbo 4320, by investigating their bioactivities, phytochemical composition, and in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antithrombotic activities. Thai basil extracts from two species (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflorum and cv. Jumbo 4320) were obtained using water, ethanol, and ethyl acetate. Phytochemical analysis revealed chlorophylls, carotenoids, and diverse phenolic compounds. Its water extract boasted the highest total phenolics (459.62 ± 3.07 mg GAE/100 g), outperforming ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts (171.20 ± 1.10 and 66.02 ± 0.99 mg GAE/100 g, respectively). The ethanol extract of Jumbo 4320 also reigned supreme in total flavonoids (557.12 ± 14.27 mg CE/100 g), surpassing its counterparts (209.07 ± 23.31 and 131.41 ± 0.37 mg CE/100 g). O. basilicum cv. Jumbo 4320 extracts exhibited superior antioxidant activity by various assays. Jumbo 4320′s water extract further dominated in the DPPH assay (IC₅₀ 48.52 ± 1.15 mg/mL), demonstrating superior free radical scavenging compared to ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts (IC₅₀ 60.54 ± 0.52 and 82.09 ± 3.18 mg/mL), respectively. While thyrsiflorum’s ethanol extract claimed the top spot in the FRAP assay (0.0186 ± 0.00 mmol Fe²⁺/g), Jumbo 4320′s water extract showcased the highest cellular antioxidant activity (80.62 ± 0.00% relative fluorescence intensity) in the DCFH-DA assay. Interestingly, Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflorum extracts demonstrated stronger antithrombotic activity at prolonging the prothrombin time at 78.3 ± 17.56 s. While the antimicrobial activity against most tested pathogens was limited, both species’ extracts inhibited Bacillus cereus. These findings suggest the potential of Thai basil extracts, particularly from Jumbo 4320, as functional food ingredients with antioxidant and antithrombotic properties.

Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. (Rang Chuet, RC), a Thai medicinal plant, possesses various bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. This study aimed to identify detoxifying compounds within RC crude extract. RC leaves were extracted using the Soxhlet method with chloroform. Total carotenoids, chlorophylls, extract yield, total phenolic contents (TPCs), and total flavonoid contents (TFCs) were measured. The extract’s composition was analyzed. Cytotoxicity and effects on the detoxification enzyme NQO-1 were assessed in liver cell lines (AML12 and HepG2) using MTT and NQO-1 assays, respectively. Bioactive fractions were identified using fractionation techniques and mass spectrometry (LC-MS). RC extract displayed significant levels of carotenoids (0.375 mg/g), chlorophylls (2.682 mg/g), and favorable yield (15.3%). TPC and TFC were 363.776 mg/g and 112.22 mg/g of extract, respectively. Analysis revealed phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid), flavonoid (apigenin), chlorophylls (chlorophylls a, b, pheophytin a and b), and lutein. Among the fractions, Fraction 3 (F3) exhibited the highest NQO-1 enzyme activity. F3 contained pheophytin a and hydroxy pheophytin a, confirmed by LC-MS (m/z 871.59⁺ [M + H]⁺ and 887.59⁺ [M + H]⁺). F3 significantly induced NQO-1 activity in both HepG2 (3.908-fold) and AML12 (1.99-fold) cells. This study identified F3 from RC extract as a promising fraction containing pheophytin a and hydroxy pheophytin a, responsible for inducing the detoxification enzyme NQO-1 in liver cells. These findings suggest RC’s potential for promoting detoxification.

The dietary fiber extracted from cassava pulp, composed of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and cellulose content, demonstrates promise as a functional food ingredient. The study’s objectives encompassed the assessment of short-term toxicity and the evaluation of its potential cholesterol-lowering effects. The results indicated that cassava pulp dietary fiber (CDF) is well-tolerated with non-toxic thresholds determined at 10.01 g/kg body weight/day for male rats and 11.21 g/kg body weight/day for female rats during the short-term toxicity assessment. Furthermore, CDF exhibited notable cholesterol-lowering effects, significantly reducing serum triglyceride and serum total cholesterol levels, along with decreased liver total lipids and liver cholesterol levels. In contrast, it led to significant increases in fecal total lipids and cholesterol when compared to the control group. Most notably, there were no significant differences in terms of serum triglyceride, serum total cholesterol, liver total lipids, and liver cholesterol between CDF and the conventional cholesterol-lowering medication, simvastatin. These findings underscore the potential of cassava pulp dietary fiber as a natural and safe alternative for managing hyperlipidemia and related conditions. It offers a valuable avenue for the development of functional foods aimed at improving cardiovascular health and further investigation for its potential application in the field of nutraceuticals.

Ginseng and L-carnitine are natural compounds often used as dietary supplements to enhance athletic performance. However, their combined effects on exercise endurance remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation on exercise endurance in a rat model. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into 10 groups (n = 5 per group): control, ginseng extract (250 and 500 mg/kg/day), L-carnitine (250 and 500 mg/kg/day), and combined treatment. Half of the groups underwent a 16-day exercise training program of swimming without loading. Exercise endurance was assessed using a tail-suspended forced swimming test. Relative organ weight, glycogen content, blood biochemistry, and gene expression were analyzed. Results: Both ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased exercise endurance, particularly in the exercise group. Ginseng extract and L-carnitine also increased liver glycogen content and upregulated the expression of AMPKα1 and PGC-1α genes in the liver and muscle. In addition, both supplements reduced oxidative stress by decreasing MDA levels and increasing SOD activity. Conclusions: Ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation may enhance exercise endurance by improving energy metabolism, reducing oxidative stress, and upregulating key genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis.

A comprehensive analysis of phytochemicals, digestive stability, and bioaccessibility was conducted on a golden barrel cactus extract from 3- and 6-year-old plants. Both ages contained lutein and four chlorophyll derivatives (chlorophyll a, b, pheophytin a, and b), but younger cacti revealed a significantly higher abundance. Total phenolics reached 3545.35 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g dry weight in the 3-year-old extracts compared to 2557.96 mg/100 g in the older ones. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, was consistently higher in the younger group. While digestion impacted all compounds, lutein exhibited relative stability at 69.03% and 58.33% retention for 3- and 6-year-old extracts, respectively. Chlorophylls displayed lower stability (37.64% and 33.34% remaining for younger and older cacti) despite showing higher bioaccessibility (73.385% and 64.65%). Phenolics also demonstrated promising bioaccessibility (76.39% and 69.88%) despite moderate digestive degradation (60.52% and 56.89% retained). Conclusively, all investigated attributes—phytochemical content, digestive stability, and bioaccessibility—favored the younger golden barrel cactus extracts. This highlights the crucial role of plant age in maximizing the potential health benefits of these extracts.

For the treatment of menopausal symptoms, nutraceuticals and herbal remedies are thought to be more natural and safer than hormones. Attention has been paid to the winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.)) DC. seed oil. They are constituted of phytosterols, which may be effective in preventing menopausal symptoms. The purpose was to determine the optimal conditions for supercritical fluid extraction of oleic-rich oil from winged bean seeds. To optimize the condition, the response surface methodology (RSM) and probabilistic neural network (PNN) were utilized. In this research, PNN was used to improve RSM estimation by reducing the number of calculations. The optimized extraction conditions for winged bean seed oil entailed a CO₂ flow rate of 21.3 L/h, a pressure of 30 MPa, a temperature of 55 °C, and an extraction time of 90 min. Under these conditions, the extraction process yielded a maximum oil yield of 36.27%. Ultimately, winged bean seed oil included a greater proportion of unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linoleic acid than oil produced using cold pressing or co-solvent extraction.