Open AccessHormetic Effects of Bioactive Compounds from Foods, Beverages, and Food Dressing: The Potential Role in Spinal Cord Injury
Author(s) -
Anna Lucia Fedullo,
Mario Ciccotti,
Paolo Giannotta,
Federica Alviti,
Marco Bernardi,
Anna Raguzzini,
Elisabetta Toti,
Tommaso Sciarra,
Ilaria Peluso
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
oxidative medicine and cellular longevity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.494
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1942-0900
pISSN - 1942-0994
DOI - 10.1155/2021/6615752
Subject(s) - hormesis , oxidative stress , antioxidant , food science , curcumin , reactive oxygen species , mediterranean diet , functional food , chemistry , ginseng , spinal cord injury , medicine , pharmacology , biochemistry , spinal cord , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a damage or trauma to the spinal cord resulting in a total or partial loss of motor and sensory function. SCI is characterized by a disequilibrium between the production of reactive oxygen species and the levels of antioxidant defences, causing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. This review is aimed at highlighting the hormetic effects of some compounds from foods, beverages, and food dressing that are able to reduce oxidative stress in patients with SCI. Although curcumin, ginseng, and green tea have been proposed for SCI management, low levels of antioxidant vitamins have been reported in individuals with SCI. Mediterranean diet includes food rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Moreover, food dressing, including spices, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), contains multiple components with hormetic effects. The latter involves the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2, consequently increasing the antioxidant enzymes and decreasing inflammation. Furthermore, EVOO improves the bioavailability of carotenoids and could be a delivery system for bioactive compounds. In conclusion, Mediterranean dressing in addition to plant foods can have an important effect on redox balance in individuals with SCI.