Botanicals, nutraceuticals and functional foods: from preventive medicine to sustainability

Our research is aimed at studying botanical extracts, characterized as phyto-complexes or purified bioactive compounds, with a systematic approach that takes into account the entire research flow: from plant biology to their beneficial effects in preclinical studies. Given the broad ethical framework on which One Health is based, our research is conducted in preferring the choice of sustainable processes when applicable. Exploring plant fitness, the phytochemical characterization of plant-based extract, the purification of bioactive compounds, and understanding their biological effects in in-vitro and in-vivo models are some of the activities carried out by the research group. The laboratory also supports companies in providing robust scientific evidence of the beneficial effects of novel functional foods and following them in regulatory processes. Another line of research is the study of the contribution of dietary Advance Glycation End products (dAGEs) to the ageing processes and degenerative diseases. In fact, besides the importance of diet as a source of bioactive compounds in preventing chronic diseases, food can also be a reservoir of detrimental compounds, including glycotoxins derived from non-enzymatic Maillard reactions. In particular, this research project is focused on better understanding how dAGEs can affect brain functions, exploring also the involvement of the gut-brain axis, with the final aim of identifying new anti-glycating compounds able to counteract age-related diseases.