Introduction: Foods play an important role in the prevention of several neurodegenerative diseases. Chenopodium pallidicaule flour (cañihuaco) is characterized by its phytonutrients content, among them polyphenols which have the potential to exert neuroprotective properties. Objective: is to evaluate the effect of the administration of cañihuaco suspension against ethanol toxicity in mice Materials and methods: Experimental design. 35 male mice were used, receiving the following treatments, for five days: groups I-II water 10mL/kg, groups III-V received cañihuaco at doses of 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg respectively. On the fifth day, 99% ethanol was administered subcutaneously, 5g/kg, except for group I. After four hours mice were sacrificed by decapitation. The brain and cerebellum were extracted, weighted, and stored for histological analysis. Biochemical indicators were determined in the right hemisphere. Results: Group III and IV showed higher tissue protein levels (p<0.05). Groups III-V showed higher levels of protein sulfhydryl groups being significant in group V (p<0.01). There was no difference in GSH levels in any treatment group with respect to group II. At the histological level, group V showed preservation of nervous tissue. Conclusion: The administration of Chenopodium pallidicaule (cañihuaco) flour suspension at doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg exhibits a dose-dependent reduction in histological damage in the brain and cerebellum. Additionally, it enhances the levels of protein SH groups.

Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production by fermented foods is a promising health strategy regarding inflammation and oxidative stress regulation. However, there is uncertainty whether probiotic yogurt (PY) is truly superior to conventional yogurt (CY). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate current evidence on the effect of PY on SCFAs, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers. A systematic literature search was performed up to December 2025 on PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and LILACS. Only randomized controlled parallel trials and crossover studies were included. A random effects meta-analysis of standardized mean difference (SMD) and mean differences (MD) was performed. A total of 15,326 articles were selected. After full-text review, 33 trials were considered. Pooled analysis showed a statistically significant increase in fecal acetate levels (SMD 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02; 0.57). No significant differences were found for propionate, butyrate, and total SCFAs when combining parallel and crossover studies. Subgroup analysis revealed significant differences between study designs in acetate and butyrate. No significant differences were found for C-reactive protein (MD -0.61 mg/L; 95% CI: -2.25; 1.03) and oxidative stress biomarkers. In contrast, interleukin-10 showed a significant increase (SMD 0.48; 95% CI: 0.15; 0.80). Current evidence comparing PY with CY is very limited. Preliminary findings suggest increments of clinically uncertain relevance in fecal acetate levels and interleukin-10. However, due to the very low certainty of the evidence, superiority over CY is uncertain. Further trials are needed to standardize follow-up time doses and to address possible effect modification by study design. Registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024534718.

Plant-based dietary patterns are typically discussed in terms of nutrients of concern—iron, creatine, indispensable amino acids, and rapidly fermented carbohydrates—based on the assumption that reduced dietary exposure necessarily translates into reduced physiological availability. This review examines physiological adaptation as an alternative framework, drawing on human intervention and observational evidence across five biological systems: iron homeostasis, endogenous biosynthesis of creatine and carnosine, protein metabolism, fermentation of dietary fiber by the gut microbiota, and the microbial biotransformation of plant polyphenols. Sustained changes in dietary exposure are accompanied by coordinated homeostatic responses, including increased intestinal iron absorption, upregulated endogenous synthesis, improved nitrogen economy, functional remodeling of the gut microbiota, and enhanced polyphenol biotransformation, which contribute to maintaining physiological function. However, adaptive capacity is not unlimited: pregnancy, chronic inflammation, malabsorptive disease, and severe or prolonged dietary insufficiency can exceed adaptive capacity and increase the physiological relevance of dietary intake, planning, or supplementation. Recognizing physiological adaptation as a distinct, measurable phenomenon reframes plant-based diets less as inherently deficient patterns requiring correction and more as a physiological model for understanding how the human body responds to sustained dietary change, with implications for interpreting acute versus long-term evidence and for nutritional counseling.