Editorial: “Carotenoids, polyphenols and phytocannabinoids: new perspectives in the prevention of chronic diseases”

Plant-based food matrices are rich in phytochemicals, which are bioactive compounds that can enhance human health and wellbeing when combined with other lifestyle changes. The term “phytochemicals” refers to several classes of compounds including phenolic compounds, alkaloids, carotenoids, and organosulfur compounds (Muscolo et al., 2024). In this regard, polyphenols have been extensively investigated for their ability to protect human health against oxidative damage, which is involved in the development of chronic degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and metabolic diseases, as well as cancer (Russo et al., 2021). Among these, type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by an alteration in the quantity of insulin or its mechanism of action (American Diabetes Association, 2009). In this context, herbal medicine is gaining attention as a complementary or alternative treatment (Choudhury et al., 2017) and this approach has also been explored by Erukainure et al. analyzing the effect of C. volubile leaves against type 2 diabetic rats. In the study, two flavones isolated from the dichloromethane (DCM) fraction of the methanolic extract of C. volubile leaves, biochanin, and 5,7,4′-trimethoxykaempferol, demonstrated the highest levels of anti-oxidative activity, β-cell distribution and function, and glucose tolerance. Additionally, treatment with the DCM fraction induced an increase in serum insulin and Ca2+ levels, as well as a dosedependent inhibition of Angiotensin 1 Converting Enzyme (ACE) activity, suggesting potential antihypertensive effects.