Walnuts are among the commonly consumed oil nuts in the world. The nuts typically contain 40–70% oil, and are a rich source of fatty acids, phenolics, phytosterols, tocopherols and carotenoids. The levels of unsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols in walnuts were significantly higher than those of many other widely consumed oil nuts. The presence of phytochemicals in walnuts gives rise to multiple bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties, and cholesterol lowering activity. The addition of walnut to a diet could enable delay of the onset of neurodegenerative disorders, protection against the development of certain cancers. Agronomic practices, environmental and climatic conditions, geographic locations, harvesting and postharvest handling practices have impacts upon phytochemical levels in walnuts. Abbreviations: LDL: low-density lipoprotein; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; GC-FID: gas chromatography-flame ionization detector; GC-MS: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; HPLC-DAD: high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector; LC-MS/MS: liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; CE-MS: capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry; NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance; Aβ: amyloid beta protein; ROS: reactive oxygen species; DCF: dichlorofluorescein; DCFH-DA: dichlorofluorescin diacetate; SOD: superoxide dismutase; CAT: catalase; GR: glutathione reductase; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; GST: glutathione S-transferase; GSH: glutathione; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; VCAM-1: vascular cell adhesion molecule: ICAM-1: intracellular adhesion molecule; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor α; IL-6: interleukin 6; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells; IL-1β: interleukin 1β; IL-8: interleukin 8; IL-10: interleukin 10; MCP-1: monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; mTOR: mammalian target of rapamycin; ATG7: autophagy related 7; MAP1BLC3: microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3; PMA: phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; COX-2: cyclooxygenase 2; IGF-1: plasma insulin-like growth factor 1; GSTT2: glutathione S-transferase theta 2; GSK3β: glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta; ALA: α-linolenic acid; CD133: CD133 antigen; CD44: CD44 antigen; DLK1: Protein delta homolog 1; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; IL-1α: interleukin 1α; MAO-B: monoamine oxidase B; MPTP: 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; MPP⁺: 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium; BLM: bleomycin; CSE: cigarette smoke emission.

Spent coffee ground (SCG) is a residue released during coffee brewing. Disposal of SCG is able to lead to a loss of bioactive constituents and have a negative impact upon the environment. This study aimed to explore fatty acids, bioactive phenolics, antioxidant and anti-aging potentials of SCG samples obtained from coffee shops in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. The oil content of the SCG samples ranged from 6.3 to 10.5%, and linoleic (43%), palmitic (33.4%) and oleic (11%) acids were identified as major constituents of the oil. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid examined (832.9–7657.7 μg/g of dry weight), followed by ferulic acid (40.5–1041.7 μg/g). Through anti-collagenase and anti-elastase assays, SCG showed a promising anti-aging activity, with IC₅₀ values comparable with those of epigallocatechin gallate. The correlation analysis revealed gallic acid positively correlated with the free radical scavenging potential evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and the inhibitory effect on elastase. The results demonstrated that utilization of SCG prepared from Vietnamese coffee could open new avenues for food and cosmeceutical industry.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) and herbal tea have been recognized as rich sources of bioactive constituents with the ability to exert antioxidant actions. The aims of this study were to analyze phenolic, carotenoid and saccharide contents in a set of Vietnamese tea and herbal tea and compare the results with those of green and black teas marketed in the U.S. In total, 27 phenolics, six carotenoids and chlorophylls, and three saccharides were quantitatively identified. Catechins, quercetin glycosides and chlorogenic acid were the predominating phenolics in the teas, with the concentrations following the order: jasmine/green teas > oolong tea > black tea. Lutein was the dominant carotenoid in the teas and its concentrations were generally found to be higher in the jasmine and green teas than in the oolong and black teas. The study showed that the green teas originating in Vietnam had much higher levels of phenolics and carotenoids than their counterparts stemming from another country. The application of partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) as a chemometric tool was able to differentiate phenolic profiles between methanolic extracts and tea infusions. Through principal component analysis (PCA), the similarities and dissimilarities among the jasmine, green, oolong, black teas and herbal teas were depicted.