Editorial: Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods in Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment – what does this special issue offer?

Alina Kurylowicz^1,2*

• ¹Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
• ²Instytut Medycyny Doswiadczalnej i Klinicznej im M Mossakowskiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Warsaw, Poland

prevention is a key element of health promotion strategies. In this special issue, Yatian Jia et al.'s meta-analysis clearly shows the beneficial effects of consuming polyphenol-rich seeds (e.g., Brazil nuts, almonds, and flaxseed) on lipid profiles and inflammatory parameters in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) [1]. In turn, a meta-analysis by Donya Arjmandfard et al. summarizes recent studies on the effects of apple cider vinegar on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes, showing that this intervention reduces fasting glucose and HbA1c levels and improves insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner [2]. A series of meta-analyses, conducted by Himanshu Jangid et al., complements a study covering papers published over the past 60 years and suggesting the potential of cranberryderived bioactive compounds, particularly proanthocyanidins (PACs), in preventing and treating urinary tract infections [3].Since the XXI century brought as a pandemic of obesity and related complications, in addition to the meta-analyses mentioned above, the collection includes several original papers evaluating the potential of nutritional interventions for various metabolic disorders.Chin-Yuan Liu et al. demonstrated the beneficial effect of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) on oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia in mice, comparable in efficacy to allopurinol [4]. Two studies on a mouse model with a high-fat diet (HFD) suggest the potential of Polygonatum sibiricum insoluble dietary fiber (PIDF) and the natural disaccharide trehalose to reduce hyperlipidemia, body weight, and improve carbohydrate metabolism [5,6]. As one of the consequences of the obesity pandemic is an increasing frequency of steatotic liver disease, this special issue includes two original research studies by Jiajun Tan et al. [7] and Mingyun Tang [8], who conducted experimental studies on the use of nutraceuticals in treating liver diseases. The first study utilized a mouse model of liver steatosis to demonstrate the potential of D-psicose (DPS), a sucrose substitute providing only 0.3% of sucrose's energy content, in reducing lipid accumulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress parameters in this organ. The second study found that the traditional Chinese herbal formula, Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen Beverage (LGS), activates the SCFAs/GPR43/GLP-1 pathway, reducing liver damage in Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD). Notably, both nutraceuticals exerted a beneficial effect on the microbiome. Subsequently, three consecutive articles in this special issue are devoted to dietary interventions that modulate the gut microbiota. A study by Jing Lian et al. [9] demonstrates the beneficial, synergistic effect of cistanche polysaccharides and acteoside in regulating gut microbiota diversity and increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in rats. In turn, Wei Y and al. in their work show that restoring normal gut microbiota can be achieved through the use of a hawthorn postbiotic probiotic, which regulates intestinal water and sodium metabolism, maintains the intestinal barrier, promotes epithelial cell proliferation, reduces inflammatory responses, and improves short-chain fatty acid metabolism [10]. Finally, the work by Claudia Bellomo et al. provides evidence of the potential of milk-based postbiotics from Lactobacillus plantarum to reduce gliadin peptide-induced inflammation in vitro and in intestinal organoids from patients with celiac disease [11].We hope that these papers in this special issue will inspire future research on nutraceuticals and functional foods for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.