Studies on the Determination of Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content of Plant Products in India (2000-2017).

Background: Ayurveda, the traditional Indian therapeutic system, involves herbs and spices as drug ingredients and a kind of food intake regulation. The health and curative aspects of plant products are often ascribed to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities (AA). However, it seems somewhat possible to correlate the AA of herbal extracts or plant isolates with their phenolic contents (PC). Objective: Indian researchers have carried out some tests for the determination of AA and PC of plant products that are worth mentioning. Methods: Among the herbal analysis techniques, the important contributions of Indians and people of Indian origin in this field include the remarkable separation of phenolic compounds, including the use of reversed-phase columns, on-line HPLC, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to effectively screen and identify antioxidant compounds from herbal extracts, and other chromatographic, spectrographic, and spectroscopic techniques, in the analysis of complex biological matrices. Results: The aim of this paper is to present an overview of such arguments with reference to herbal drugs and food intake regulation for specific ailments. Conclusions: The lack of uniformity in the use of test protocols for antioxidant assays (particularly using the DPPH free radical) and differences in in vitro mechanisms of antiradical activity and in vivo metabolism of polyphenols have been the issues associated with these experiments that have been raised by researchers in the period from 2000 onward.

Processed Meat and Polyphenols: Opportunities, Advantages, and Difficulties.

Currently, processed meats appear increasingly as a nonhealthy food because of their content of fat, salt, nitrite, and particularly in red meat, for the heme-iron concerning oxidant effect and radicals formation in human gut. Polygonum cuspidatum and rosemary extract has been tested to counteract these effects and experiments were carried out to add polyphenols into whole meat cuts with the aims to improve their healthiness. The addition of these extracts can reduce the oxidation-reduction potential of products, increasing the antioxidant power. Nevertheless, a low percentage of polyphenols were found in the products because of the process effects and an interaction with the ascorbate residue was observed. In addition, some drawbacks were a decrease in of yield and a worsening of some sensorial properties when large amount of extract was added. The balance between the improvement of the wholesomeness content and the acceptability of products is the challenge the current research have to overcome.

Perceptions of self-image and physical appearance: conversations with typically developing youth and youth with idiopathic scoliosis.

PURPOSE: To report how youths, both with and without idiopathic scoliosis (IS), respond to questions about their self-image and perceptions of body shape. An additional purpose is to describe themes that emerged as important to youths with IS to better understand scoliosis from their perspective. METHODS: Descriptive qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized. Subject interviews were conducted, as part of a larger cognitive interviewing study on the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire, using a cross-sectional sample of 76 females between 8 and 16 years of age with IS and who were typically developing (TD), without scoliosis. RESULTS: IS and TD subjects revealed similar findings when asked what makes them look good versus their peers; self-image ratings were also positive. Predominant themes from open-ended responses include physical appearance, feelings, brace wear, and discomfort. CONCLUSION: Self-image and body shape did not differ significantly between groups. The identified themes warrant further exploration as they are significant and important to youth with scoliosis.

Cognitive testing of the spinal appearance questionnaire with typically developing youth and youth with idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: The Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) underwent initial psychometric studies, which suggested good reliability and discriminative ability. Although the SAQ is used as a self report of appearance, our center was concerned about its use with youth owing to complex words and vague questions. We conducted this cross-sectional study to evaluate the readability, comprehension, and interpretation of items on the SAQ. METHODS: Cognitive interview methodology of 76 youths (8 to 16 y; average age 13) included 31 with scoliosis and 45 typically developing. Subjects were required to read each SAQ item and think aloud to capture cognitive processes about the items and responses. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Problems were categorized and frequencies for each category were calculated. RESULTS: There were reading and comprehension problems and problems understanding the illustration with every written and pictorial SAQ item, respectively. The percent of subjects who encountered at least one problem ranged from 16% to 96%. Subjects had difficulty with understanding the intent of every SAQ item and with understanding the meaning of specific words such as "prominence" and "flank." The pictorial illustrations for items 2 and 3 were problematic for 58% and 49% of subjects, respectively. The illustrations of the lungs (item 4) and hips (items 4 and 5) were problematic for 42% and 27% of subjects, respectively. These results were consistent regardless of age or diagnoses. CONCLUSION: This study does not support the use of the SAQ as currently used with youth owing to use of complex medical words, vague questions, difficult illustrations, and various interpretations of the intent of many of the items. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not applicable (not an intervention study).