This reprint includes 16 original articles published in a Special Issue that focuses on the pathological significance of amyloid-β in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, the main cause of dementia. Collections in this reprint provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic potentials of repositioning drugs and new agents for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of innovative strategies for the prevention and treatment of such diseases.

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“Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenolic Plant Extracts” is a collection of scientific articles regarding polyphenols, that is, substances occurring naturally in plants and exhibiting many beneficial effects on human health. Among polyphenols’ interesting biological properties, their antioxidant activity is considered the most important. This book brings together experts from different research fields on topics related to polyphenols, such as their isolation and purification, assessment of their antioxidant activity, prevention from oxidative stress-induced diseases and use as food additives. The polyphenols used in the present studies are derived from a great variety of plants, ranging from well-known species to rare ones that are only found in specific regions. Moreover, some of the studies provide evidence that polyphenols may be used for the prevention and treatment of common diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Alzheimers’ disease, cardiovascular and intestinal diseases. Importantly, in several of the studies “green extraction methods” for the isolation of polyphenols were developed using modern technologies, where few or no organic solvents were used, in order to minimize environmental and health impacts.

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This reprint contains thirteen contributions on recent advances in the field of anthocyanins and other vegetal pigments and state-of-the-art extraction methods applied to different matrices. The interdisciplinary character of the subject and the breadth of the contents presented by the authors make this book very interesting and comprehensive. This reprint covers different topics such as the most modern and cutting-edge methods for the analysis and extraction of anthocyanins, their geographical variability, the improvement and protection of their antioxidant properties, the valorization of by-products, stability studies and the metabolomics of chlorophylls and carotenoids, all of which are the subject of research and review in this reprint.

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Brown algae comprise approx. 2040 species grown in various climatic conditions. They represent a reservoir of various bioactive compounds, including fucoidan, alginate, phlorotannins, and fucoxanthins. They have shown an array of applications in pharmaceutical and medical fields. Hence, the Guest Editor invites all interested authors to submit their contributions to the current issue in Marine Drugs entitled “Bioactive Compounds from Brown Algae”. It aims to highlight different aspects of bioactive compounds found in brown algae, in either research or review articles. Specifically, we are interested in downstream processes, chemistry, biotechnology, and applications of, for example, heteropolysaccharides and other brown algae bioactives. In addition, the structure elucidation and enzymatic modification of these components are also within the scope of the present Issue.

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The close relationship between food intake and health promotion is not new; it dates back to Hippocrates’s famous “let food be your medicine and medicine be your food”, which is still as timely as ever. In recent years, some scientific evidence has supported this statement, showing that dietary plant extracts, or bioactive compounds isolated therefrom, are able to prevent or slow down the progression of chronic and degenerative diseases, making them particularly interesting from a nutraceutical point of view. On the other hand, extensive chemical investigations of functional plant extracts’ constituents are needed to rationalize certain bioactivity, in terms of efficacy and safety.

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Epidemiological evidence from the last fifty years has demonstrated that nutrition plays a decisive role in human health. Eating properly is not only necessary to meet energy demands. It also actively contributes, through both preventive actions and therapeutic effects, to improving human wellness. Nutrition owes its functional role in human health to the biological activity of specific, small dietary molecules. Plants are the most important source of bioactive molecules, and dietary phytochemicals are mainly responsible for the documented protective effects of diets which are rich in plant foods. Dietary phytochemicals have attracted increasing interest in human nutrition research over the past few years due to their ability to exert several biological effects that are potentially useful for human health, In this Special Issue, the biological activity of dietary phytochemicals, either purified or in extracts from plant foods, and their potential effects on human health are addressed and investigated.

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Oral health is general health. If the oral cavity is kept healthy, the whole body is always healthy. Bacteria in the oral cavity do not stay in the oral cavity, but rather they travel throughout the body and can induce various diseases. Periodontal pathogens are involved in tooth loss. The number of remaining teeth decreases with age. People with more residual teeth can bite food well and live longer with lower incidence of dementia. There are many viruses in the oral cavity that also cause various diseases. Bacteria and viruses induce and aggravate inflammation, and therefore should be removed from the oral cavity. In the natural world, there are are many as yet undiscovered antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory substances. These natural substances, as well as chemically modified derivatives, help our oral health and lead us to more fulfilling, high quality lives. This Special Issue, entitled “Biological Efficacy of Natural and Chemically Modified Products against Oral Inflammatory Lesions”, was written by specialists from a diverse variety of fields. It serves to provide readers with up-to-date information on incidence rates in each age group, etiology and treatment of stomatitis, and to investigate the application of such treatments as oral care and cosmetic materials.

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This book entitled “Cocoa, Chocolate, and Human Health” presents the most recent findings about cocoa and health in 14 peer-reviewed chapters including nine original contributions and five reviews from cocoa experts around the world. Bioavailability and metabolism of the main cocoa polyphenols, i.e., the flavanols like epicatechin, are presented including metabolites like valerolactones that are formed by the gut microbiome. Many studies, including intervention studies or epidemiological observations, do not focus on single compounds, but on cocoa as a whole. This proves the effectiveness of cocoa as a functional food. A positive influence of cocoa on hearing problems, exercise performance, and metabolic syndrome is discussed with mixed results; the results about exercise performance are contradictive. Evidence shows that cocoa flavanols may modulate some risk factors related to metabolic syndrome such as hypertension and disorders in glucose and lipid metabolism. However, several cardiometabolic parameters in type 2 diabetics were not affected by a flavanol-rich cocoa powder as simultaneous treatment with pharmaceuticals might have negated the effect of cocoa. The putative health-promoting components of cocoa are altered during processing like fermentation, drying, and roasting of cocoa beans. Chocolate, the most popular cocoa product, shows remarkable losses in polyphenols and vitamin E during 18 months of storage.

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Polyphenols are a heterogeneous group of bioactive compounds mainly found in plant-based foods. Numerous clinical and epidemiological studies have led to the result that polyphenol intake may protect against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, or type 2 diabetes, to name some. Polyphenol intake estimation can be obtained through food frequency questionnaires and nutritional biomarkers, both having their own advantages and disadvantages. Although the association between these bioactive compounds and health seems irrefutable, many questions remain still unanswered. For instance, more studies are needed to identify possible interactions and effect-modulating variables, such as smoking habit, body mass index, sex, alcohol, hormones, other foods, etc. Moreover, intestinal microbiota seems to play an important role in the metabolism of polyphenols, but it is still unclear how.

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Phenolic compounds are non-essential dietary compounds that are found in many vegetables (i.e. onion, cabbage, broccoli and parsley), fruits (i.e. cherries, grapes, berries and pears), cereals and beverages (i.e. red wine, tea and chocolate). These heterogeneous compounds are produced as secondary metabolites. Structurally, these compounds are characterized by comprising an aromatic ring with one or more hydroxyl groups that can be classified into two groups: flavonoids and non-flavonoids. Phenolic compounds have received considerable attention for its health-promoting properties in many chronic disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, among others. These health benefits are mainly attributed to its antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds act as antioxidant by scavenging free radicals, metal chelation and endogenous antioxidant system upregulation (enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione).The consumption of exogenous medicinal plants and food rich in phenolic compounds represent a promising therapeutically to prevent many chronic diseases and improve health.This Special Issue entitled “Effect of Phenolic Compounds on Human Health” include research articles and review articles on phenolic compounds and its role in health (i.e. flavonoids and diabetes, polyphenols and liver diseases, polyphenols and obesity, polyphenols and cardiovascular diseases and polyphenols and neuroprotection).

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Polyphenols are a group of bioactive compounds in plant foods that have been gaining attention since the 1990s due to their health implications. However, it is still difficult to define their implications concerning health maintenance and chronic disease prevention or even treatment. There are many difficulties in their study, with the first being the fact that this group of compounds includes such a diverse array of chemical structures and effects as part of the food products in which they coexist with many other nutrients and non-nutrients. However, today, it is generally accepted that they exert a vasoprotective effect, that they may modulate blood pressure and exert a regulatory effect both on lipid and glucidic metabolism, and that they have an immunomodulatory and gut microbial effect. It is through all these means that polyphenols may be of use in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases as prevalent as obesity and cardiovascular disease or neurocognitive decline.

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Special Issue of Molecules entitled “Food Processing and Its Impact on Phenolic and Other Bioactive Constituents in Food—Second Edition”. Bioactive compounds, including phenolic ingredients, have long been used as important constituents of a healthy diet. As a result, consumer awareness about the important role of high-quality products rich in bioactive compounds—especially phenolic compounds—in human nutrition, health, and prevention against diseases has increased. Additionally, methods for food processing, regardless of the technology used, have a huge impact on the quality of the final products. Therefore, the big challenges for scientists lie in the monitoring of changes during food processing and the optimization of technology to achieve minimal degradation of nutrients (including phenolic compounds). Thus, for this Special Issue, we published the latest scientific news, insights, and advances in the field of food processing and its impact on bioactive constituents in food, especially phenolic compounds. The information presented will certainly attract considerable interest among a large group of our readers from different disciplines and research fields.

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The purpose of this book was not to provide a comprehensive overview of the vast arena of how fungi and fungal metabolites are able to improve human and animal nutrition and health; rather, we, as Guest Editors, wished to encourage authors working in this field to publish their most recent work in this rapidly growing journal in order for the large readership to appreciate the full potential of wonderful and beneficial fungi. Thus, this Special Issue welcomed scientific contributions on applications of fungi and fungal metabolites, such as bioactive fatty acids, pigments, polysaccharides, alkaloids, terpenoids, etc., with great potential in human and animal nutrition and health.

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Based on their potent antioxidant properties, the possible exploitation of natural phenolic compounds as food supplements as well as functional ingredients in the food and cosmetic industry is gaining more and more attention. This book contains original research articles and a review reporting innovative applications of natural phenolic compounds in the field of nutrition and biomedicine, as active ingredients for the prevention of oxidative-stress-related diseases, and as additives in smart food packaging, biomedical devices, and cosmetic products. The growing importance of agri-food wastes as easily accessible sources of phenolic compounds as well as of synthetic derivatives of natural compounds with improved antioxidant properties is also highlighted. Finally, novel technologies to improve extraction yields, stability, bioavailability, and delivery of antioxidant compounds for healthcare products or for skin applications are described.

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The active molecules or bioactives (i.e., polysaccharides, fatty acids, proteins, polyphenols, diterpenes, steroids and alkaloids) from algae (seaweed and microalgae) have been widely studied in recent years for multiple pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Innovative and emerging technologies, including but not limited to ultrasounds, microwaves, electric fields, high-pressure supercritical fluids, ionic fluids and plasma, are currently being explored throughout multiple stages of the pre-treatment, extraction, isolation/purification and preservation of biomolecules from algae. This Special Issue will target research papers, reviews, short communications and perspectives on the use of novel technologies for the pre-treatment, extraction, isolation‒purification, characterization and preservation of marine compounds from algae. It will particularly focus on novel research related to algal bioactives with clear and demonstrated industrial applications and focuses.

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Hypertension is a major health problem worldwide, increasing cardiovascular (CV) risk and mortality. Together with pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological approaches, such as nutrient intake modifications, play an important role in optimizing treatment. A link has been demonstrated between hypertension and body weight as well as dietary habits. The aim of this Special Issue is to improve the understanding of the relationships between some nutrients and hypertension, and of the effects of different dietary approaches on hypertension regulation from different points of view.

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During the menopausal transition and postmenopausal periods, women are affected by a variety of symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Non-specific somatic symptoms are also common, including muscle and joint pain, tiredness, and dizziness. Some of these effects (particularly vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy) are closely associated with estrogen deficiency, but the exact mechanisms underlying the other symptoms are not fully understood. Postmenopausal women are also at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity as a net effect of central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, as well as for osteoporosis, cognitive decline, and genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has played a central role in improving menopausal symptoms and reducing the disease risks associated with estrogen deficiency. However, due to growing concern for the side effects of HRT, especially in patients with hormone-sensitive cancer such as breast and uterus cancer, research has turned to the effects of nutraceutical approaches to these symptoms and diseases. In this Special Issue of Nutrients, we would like to bring together manuscripts dealing with the topic of “Nutrition Challenges for Middle-Aged and Older Women”. Topics may include dietary interventions with foods, altered nutrient intake or food supplements, and specific dietary pattern interventions, such as the Mediterranean Diet or calorie restriction, in humans.

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High-quality primary data publications and review articles have been selected for publication in this Special Issue. They, collectively, draw a comprehensive picture of some of the most relevant questions linking (healthy) nutrition to brain development and brain disorders.

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Tannins are a family of versatile, natural phenolic biomolecules whose key role is to protect plants against insects and fungi. They are also valuable in use for humans. We show tannins' antioxidant and antibacterial properties, in addition to their potential application in the food industry. We prove the accessibility of condensed tannins to a wide range of potential applications, including NH3 neutralizer, the building block of numerous porous materials, such as foams, organic, and carbon gels. Finally, they are known as wood adhesives, heavy metal scavengers, and corrosion inhibitors. With this book, we want to present the most promising perspectives of tannin.

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Phenolic compounds in food such as fruits, vegetables, wine, spices, and oils have been characterized and their possible effects on human health has been studied in depth. Several technological aspects have also been considered concerning the sustainable extraction of phenolic compounds, the long-term storage effects, and the influence of fermentation and boiling techniques on their properties.

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This Special Issue of Life, entitled "Plants as a Promising Biofactory for Bioactive Compounds," showcases the latest research that explores the utilization of plant biofactories for the production of compounds with multiple biological effects, including antioxidant, antitumor, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-Alzheimer, antihemolytic, neuroprotective, and pesticide activities.

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Polyamines are ubiquitous polycations essential for all cellular life. The most common polyamines in eukaryotes, spermine, spermidine, and putrescine, exist in millimolar intracellular concentrations that are tightly regulated through biosynthesis, catabolism, and transport. Polyamines interact with, and regulate, negatively charged macromolecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, and ion channels. Accordingly, alterations in polyamine metabolism affect cellular proliferation and survival through changes in gene expression and transcription, translation, autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of these multifaceted polyamine functions contribute to multiple disease processes, thus their metabolism and function have been targeted for preventive or therapeutic intervention. The correlation between elevated polyamine levels and cancer is well established, and ornithine decarboxylase, the rate-limiting biosynthetic enzyme in the production of putrescine, is a bona fide transcriptional target of the Myc oncogene. Furthermore, induced polyamine catabolism contributes to carcinogenesis that is associated with certain forms of chronic infection and/or inflammation through the production of reactive oxygen species. These and other characteristics specific to cancer cells have led to the development of polyamine-based agents and inhibitors aimed at exploiting the polyamine metabolic pathway for chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive benefit. In addition to cancer, polyamines are involved in the pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, parasitic and infectious diseases, wound healing, ischemia/reperfusion injuries, and certain age-related conditions, as polyamines are known to decrease with age. As in cancer, polyamine-based therapies for these conditions are an area of active investigation. With recent advances in immunotherapy, interest has increased regarding polyamine-associated modulation of immune responses, as well as potential immunoregulation of polyamine metabolism, the results of which could have relevance to multiple disease processes. The goal of this Special Issue of Medical Sciences is to present the most recent advances in polyamine research as it relates to health, disease, and/or therapy.

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This reprint describes the polyphenolic composition of wine and beer, with a special emphasis on extractive and analytical aspects. Furthermore, the effects of wine and beer polyphenols on human health are studied in the depth.

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Herein we describe some molecular aspects of the recent anti-COVID-19 research, including some approaches making use of natural remedies, especially from medicinal plants, in silico methods, and different experimental procedures that led to the discovery of novel targets of SARS-CoV-2 and consequently novel potential COVID-19 therapeutics. COVID-19 vaccines also find mention in this book with also a description of some adverse effects reported in some cases. Considering that the different beta coronaviruses present certain conserved biomolecular mechanisms and, thus, some common therapeutic targets, finding effective therapies for a specific member of their family (such as SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV) even in a scenario of a reduced impact at the time of the related disease on humankind is still relevant as it could offer or inspire efficacious therapeutic strategies not only in the context of novel pathogenic mutations of the already known beta coronaviruses, but also when future zoonoses caused by other beta coronaviruses will emergence, which is not unlikely to occur in the current world where the interactions between humans and wildlife are made more and more frequent due to the growing loss of intact ecosystems worldwide.

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Mental health disorders represent a major public health issue due to their impact on years lived with disability, and cross-talk with other non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. Importantly, most of these conditions can be prevented by implementing healthy dietary habits. Consequently, a recently developed field of psychiatry, “nutritional psychiatry”, is focused on investigating the relationships among dietary factors, eating habits, and mental disorders in order to form methods for the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.This Special Collection from Nutrients will focus on both observational and molecular studies that investigate the effects of nutrients, foods, and whole dietary patterns on mental health. We invited authors to submit reviews and studies providing evidence of the effects of nutritional factors on cognitive function, depression, sleep patterns, stress, and quality of life.

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Today, spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques are the gold standard for studying food quality and safety. They are ideal and versatile tools in the evaluation of functional components, such as proteins and lipids, as well as key components related to food safety, such as pesticide residues, pollutants, authentication, and illicit adulterants. Spectrometry and spectroscopy are also the cornerstone of many modern biochemical techniques, such as proteomics and metabolomics. This Special Issue, entitled "Recent Advances of Spectrometric and Spectroscopic Techniques in Food Quality and Safety" introduced explorations and advancements in food quality and safety and prospects for future application trends related to spectrometry and spectroscopy.

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