Percorrer por autor "Almeida Vieira, Mónica Andreia"
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- Betulinic acid and obesity-related disordersPublication . Azevedo, Lara; Ferraz, Ricardo; Vieira, Mónica; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, Sílvia; Ferraz, Ricardo; Almeida Vieira, Mónica Andreia; Prudêncio, Cristina; Fernandes, SílviaThe obesity epidemic is not just a health issue, it is increasingly driving a shift in the prevalence of chronic diseases, affecting 890 million adults and straining healthcare systems worldwide. Conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and various cancer types are closely tied to this growing crisis. Betulinic acid has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer properties and modulates key metabolic pathways such as NF-κB and AMPK signaling. This compound improves insulin sensitivity, reduces hepatic steatosis, mitigates the progression of atherosclerosis and fibrosis, and suppresses inflammatory responses, which are important in treating those obesity-related disorders. Additionally, betulinic acid use in cancer treatment has been explored due to its potential in angiogenesis and metastasis inhibition and promotion of apoptosis. This review spotlights the therapeutic potential of the natural compound betulinic acid in processes such as insulin sensitivity, glucose and lipid metabolism, adiposity, inflammation, oxidative stress, intestinal microbiota, and other mechanisms underlying different obesity-related disorders. Overall, besides strong therapeutic potential of betulinic acid, described limitations such as poor aqueous solubility, limited bioavailability, production and extraction have resulted in scarce clinical data making it premature to draw definitive conclusions regarding its application in clinical practice.
- Evaluation of adherence to different pureed diets in a hospital contextPublication . Serdoura, Sara; Lopes, Mariana; Gomes, Isabel; Rodrigues, João Costa; Vieira, Mónica Almeida; Almeida Vieira, Mónica Andreia; Costa-Rodrigues, JoaoFood waste in hospital settings is higher than in other food sectors. Hospital diets constitute the main food and nutritional source for patients, so that incomplete food intake can have negative clinical consequences. In the pureed texture diet, foods are presented in a homogeneous, moist, cohesive manner and without lumps or pieces, resembling the texture of a pudding. The aim of present study was to evaluate adherence to a homogeneous and tri-compartmentalized pureed diet in adult patients admitted to a public hospital. Observational study to assess adherence to a creamy diet at lunch and dinner, on three different days. The pureed tri-compartmentalized diet dish was provided at lunch and a homogeneous diet at dinner. The tricompartmental diet plate presented individualized macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and vegetables) and in the homogeneous diet these components were mixed. As regards the soup and dessert provided, there was no distinction between the meals. To quantify food waste, the physical method of individual weighing was considered. A satisfaction questionnaire was applied to determine patient preferences. A total of 152 complete meals were evaluated from 76 patients with a mean age of 78.9 years (SD=9.4), of which 51.3% were male (n=39). Plate waste in the homogeneous diet was 71.0% and in the tri-compartmentalized diet it was 65.8%. Regarding the waste of soup and dessert, it was greater at lunch than at dinner. It was found that 33.3% of patients preferred the tri-compartmentalized pureed diet due to its improved presentation and flavor, however 45.1% of patients reported having no preference regarding the presentation of the dish in this diet (Table 1). The high food waste of the pureed diet requires intervention, so presenting the meal plate in a tri-compartmentalized format appears to be a possible action to improve food intake.
- Unraveling the nutraceutical potential of Salicornia ramosissima by-product – impact of gastrointestinal digestion and intestinal permeability on in vitro bioactivityPublication . Pinto, Diana; Santos, Inês; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Teixeira, Filipa; Sut, Stefania; Dall’Acqua, Stefano; Vieira, Mónica; Rodrigues, Francisca; Almeida Vieira, Mónica AndreiaSalicornia ramosissima by-product (SP) is an underexploited antioxidant-rich by-product. This study explored the phytochemical profile, bioaccessibility, and biological activity of SP before and after extraction (SBE and SAE, respectively) upon gastrointestinal simulated digestion and intestinal permeability. The phenolic and flavonoid concentrations increased during digestion, reaching bioaccessibility rates above 95 % for both SBE and SAE. Promising antioxidant/antiradical properties and neuroprotective effects were attested upon digestion. Regarding the phytochemical profile, 17 compounds were identified, including (di)caffeoylquinic acids, gallocatechin, and triterpenoid saponins. The intestinal absorption of bioactive compounds from SAE and SBE intestinal digests was proven through a Caco-2/HT29-MTX cells co-culture model, with 4-caffeoylquinic acid (34.84 %) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (26.73 %) reaching the highest permeation rates after 4 h, respectively, for SAE and SBE. These findings support the harnessing of SP as a promising functional and nutraceutical ingredient rich in pro-healthy compounds with proven bioactivity upon in vitro digestion and intestinal permeation.