TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE NUTRACEUTICAL TREATMENT: CARDIOMETABOLIC EFFECTS OF AGRO-FOOD WASTE EXTRACTS ON HUMAN IN VITRO MODELS

Metabolic Syndrome often leads to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Beyond lifestyle changes and conventional therapy, nutraceuticals offer a promising approach for disease prevention and management. The primary aim is to evaluate the in vitro effects of two agro-food waste extracts obtained through sustainable techniques. Specifically, hepatic, adipocyte and intestinal human cell-based models are utilized, contributing to novel treatments and food waste reduction. After screening various agro-food extracts, the A781B herbal extract was tested on HepG2, SW872 and Caco-2 cell models. Secondly, P. domestica extract was tested on normal and dysfunctional models of human SW872 adipocytes, cell models rendered dysfunctional-like with oleic acid addition or spontaneous differentiation strategies. The SW872 in vitro cell models were first characterized by lipid content, gene expression, oxidative stress, and glucose uptake. The effects of the extract were then assessed based on viability changes and modulation of the above indicated cardiometabolic pathways. Characterization revealed a dysfunctional metabolic phenotype in oleic acid-treated and spontaneously differentiated models. None of the extracts showed toxicity in all cell lines and stimulated glucose uptake. P. domestica reduced ROS species and lipid accumulation, and positively modulated gene expression, mostly in a dose-dependent manner. The findings suggest that extracts from agri-food waste can positively influence cardiometabolic health, and the selected cell models are appropriate for such studies. Further validation is needed for the cell models, as well as exploring the full potential of these extracts to improve metabolic syndrome pathophysiology and contribute to food waste management, in alignment with the "One Health" principles.