Nobiletin

Recent studies underscore the therapeutic potential of citrus polymethoxylated flavonoids-such as tangeretin, sinensetin, and nobiletin-in attenuating inflammation, mitigating oxidative stress, and enhancing metabolic health in individuals with obesity. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessed the effects of a functional orange juice enriched with flavonoids (200 mL/day) combined with a low-calorie diet over six weeks in 44 obese participants. All subjects adhered to a hypocaloric diet and were randomly assigned to receive either flavonoid-enriched juice (n = 22) or placebo juice (n = 20). Both groups experienced significant reductions (p < 0.05) in weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, and waist circumference. However, the flavonoid-enriched juice group showed more pronounced improvements in metabolic biomarkers, including significant decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and glycated hemoglobin (A1c) levels. Critically, the intervention enhanced systemic antioxidant defense, evidenced by increased total antioxidant capacity and upregulation of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), an essential enzyme that reduces hydrogen peroxide and lipid hydroperoxides. This suggests a direct impact on cellular redox homeostasis. Additionally, the enriched juice group exhibited reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), indicating an anti-inflammatory effect. Favorable modulation of adipokines was also observed, with elevated adiponectin-a hormone associated with improved insulin sensitivity-and decreased leptin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), both linked to obesity-related inflammation and thrombosis risk. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with flavonoid-enriched orange juice, in conjunction with caloric restriction, can enhance antioxidant defenses, reduce inflammation, and improve key metabolic parameters in obese individuals.

Abandoning the traditional way of constructing delivery carriers with structural materials, the natural food system is used as the steady-state basis of functional factors. This study innovatively proposes directly using the original green tea infusion, rich in tea polyphenols, to construct a stable system, thereby achieving the efficient loading and long-term stability of nobiletin (NOB). Specifically, the concentration of NOB in the system reaches up to 1 mg/mL, with an encapsulation rate and loading rate exceeding 95 % and 75 %, respectively. Importantly, it is found that the assembly of key small molecules EGCG and caffeine achieves NOB homeostasis. Moreover, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction are the main forces stabilizing the assembly, and the binding ratio of NOB to EGCG and Caffeine is 1:0.4 and 1:1.2, separately. The design strategy is expected to provide a new idea for the directional design of healthier future food.