The role of food products in increasing the body’s resistance to the action of nanoparticles (literature review)

Abstract

Long-term scientific research of the Yekaterinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers has shown the feasibility of increasing the body resistance (especially that in risk groups) to potentially dangerous levels of adverse exposure to be being considered as a counter path to biomedical prevention. As a result, “bioprophylactic complexes” containing vitamin and mineral components have been developed. An important pattern identified in the conducted studies is that the complex use of bioprophylactic agents with not completely identical directions and different mechanisms of action gives a more pronounced preventive effect than individual bioprotectors. In a large number of experiments, the team of the above mentioned Center successfully tested ways to increase the body resistance to such pollutants as mineral dusts (silicon dioxide, asbestos, monazite); salts and oxides of lead, arsenic, chromium, manganese, fluorine, vanadium, and nickel; organic substances (phenol, formaldehyde, benzo(a)pyrene); various combinations of metals and their compounds, including nanoparticles, e.g., Pb and Cd; Pb and F; Pb, As, Cu, Cd; Pb, Cr, As, Cd; Pb, Cr, Se, As, Ni; Mn, Al, Ti, Si, etc., found in the environment of regional cities and/or the workplace air of certain industries. We claim that our experience in this area is unique and that some results have been obtained for the first time, especially with regard to nanoparticles. The role of nutritional components in increasing the body resistance to adverse effects of nanoparticles is still poorly studied. Here we present a review of publications by other researchers on the use of natural components to increase the body resistance to detrimental effects of nanoparticles on health . Our purpose was to review available sources on the ability of natural components to increase the resistance of the human body to effects of nanoparticles to further deepen theoretical and methodological foundations of the system of biological prophylaxis. We reviewed Russian and English-language original research reports published in 2014–2023 and found in PubMed, Google Scholar, e-Library, CyberLeninka, and Scopus databases using the following keywords: additives, nanoparticles, toxicity, and resistance enhancement. The inclusion criterion was information on the ability of natural food additives to mitigate unfavourable effects of poisoning with nanoparticles sized 1 to 100 nm. Of more than 200 sources originally found, 60 full-text papers were selected, of which over 60 % were written by Egyptian research teams. We revealed the possibility of using certain natural foods and components, i.e. spices and plant parts (turmeric, arugula seeds, algae), carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene, crocin), plant extracts (ginkgo biloba extract, chicory, Chinese cinnamon bark, green tea, pomegranate, etc.), essential oils (thyme, cinnamon, basil, etc.), juices (beets, pomegranate), and flavonoids, to increase the resistance of a living organism to toxicity of nanoparticles and to reduce severity of their neuro-, cardio-, repro-, nephro- and hepatotoxic effects. Conclusion. This literature review describes the most effective natural foods and their components enhancing the resistance of a living organism to adverse effects of nanoparticles.