Perilla (Perilla frutescens) seeds are emerging as a valuable resource for functional foods and medicines owing to their rich oil and protein content with diverse nutritional and health benefits. Perilla seed oil (PSO) possesses a high level of a-linolenic acid (ALA), a favorable ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, and other active ingredients such as tocopherols and phytosterols, which contribute to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. The balanced amino acid ratio and good functional properties of perilla seed protein make it suitable for a variety of food applications. The chemical composition, health benefits, and potential applications of PSO as well as the structural characterization, functional properties, modification methods, bioactivities, and application scenarios of perilla seed protein are comprehensively presented in this paper. Furthermore, the challenges as well as future prospects and research focus of PSO and perilla seed protein are discussed. The growing interest in plant-based diets and functional foods has made PSO and perilla seed protein promising ingredients for the development of novel foods and health products. The purpose of this paper is to highlight implications for future research and development utilizing these two untapped resources to improve human health and nutrition.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory peptides have emerged as promising functional ingredients for managing type 2 diabetes due to their ability to enhance insulin secretion and improve glycemic control. This review provides a concise overview of current strategies for the preparation and encapsulation of DPP-IV inhibitory peptides, with a focus on food industry application, evaluating bioinformatics for substrate selection, and methods like mild enzymatic hydrolysis, cost-effective fermentation, and high-purity chemical synthesis for peptide production. Challenges associated with incorporating these peptides into food products are addressed, including impacts on sensory properties, stability during processing and digestion, and the need for effective delivery systems to enhance bioavailability. Potential solutions to improve peptide stability and targeted release, such as emulsions, liposomes, and nanoparticles, are explored. Future research directions are outlined, emphasizing the necessity for scalable production methods, co-encapsulation strategies, and consumer acceptance studies to facilitate the commercialization of DPP-IV inhibitory peptides as functional food ingredients. By addressing these key areas, this review aims to provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for the development of DPP-IV inhibitory peptides, paving the way for their broader application in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using medicinal plants has emerged as a promising strategy in nanobiotechnology due to their distinctive therapeutic attributes, including biological specificity, low cytotoxicity, and inherent biocompatibility. This study presents a straightforward phytosynthetic approach that eliminates requirements for additional stabilizing agents, demonstrating exceptional process simplicity and efficiency. The formation of Pk-AuNps was confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy with maximum absorbance at 540 nm. Comprehensive characterization through FE-TEM, EDX, and XRD revealed spherical morphology with face-centered cubic crystalline structure, while FTIR identified critical functional groups responsible for biological activity of Pk-AuNps. DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS inhibition, and ferric reducing power analysis further revealed that Pk-AuNps possess strong antioxidant activity. Cytocompatibility evaluations in RAW264.7 and A549 cell lines revealed excellent biosafety characteristics of Pk-AuNps, highlighting their biocompatibility for potential biomedical applications. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory properties of Pk-AuNps in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages were also investigated. Notably, Pk-AuNps demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-activated macrophages, significantly attenuating pro-inflammatory mediators through dual mechanisms: (1) Inhibition of NO and PGE2 production, and (2) Downregulation of iNOS and COX-2 gene expression. These findings indicate that Pk-AuNps show promise as functional food ingredients, demonstrating multifunctional bioactive properties to developing anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals.

A green synthesis route for silver nanoparticles (Pk-AgNps) has been successfully developed using Pulsatilla koreana root extract as both reducing and stabilizing agent. Optimal synthesis conditions of 80 °C for 60 min produced nanoparticles characterized by a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 464 nm. Comprehensive characterization through field-emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR) confirmed the formation of quasi-cubic, polycrystalline nanoparticles in the size range of 80–100 nm, stabilized by phytochemical constituents from the extract. The synthesized Pk-AgNps demonstrated significant bioactivities including concentration-dependent antioxidant capacity and potent antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, the nanoparticles exhibited selective cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines, with particular efficacy against A549 lung cancer cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that this anticancer activity involves Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis through suppression of the EGFR/MAPK signaling pathway and regulation of Bcl-2/Bax expression. These multifunctional properties of Pk-AgNps as a promising candidate for further exploration in functional food and biomedical applications.

In this study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized using polysaccharides extracted from blueberry pomace (BP) as a stabilizing agent. BP was characterized as an acidic polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 5.4 × 10⁵ Da. The resulting BP-SeNPs were monodisperse spheres with an average size of 94.33 nm, as confirmed by TEM, DLS, FT-IR, XRD, and EDX analyses. Compared to SeNPs, BP-SeNPs demonstrated superior stability under varying conditions of storage time, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. Furthermore, in vitro evaluation using AAPH-induced rabbit erythrocytes revealed that BP-SeNPs offered enhanced protection against hemolysis. This protective effect was attributed to their ability to significantly bolster antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) and preserve membrane integrity by maintaining ATPase function and sialic acid content. These results establish BP as an effective stabilizer for SeNPs and suggest the promising potential of BP-SeNPs as antioxidant agents in functional food or nutraceutical applications.