From:  Nutritional and bioactive characterization of pistachio—a review with special focus on health

Summary of research supporting pistachio’s health benefits

Health benefitsType of studyPrincipals resultsReferences
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentialRCT: parallel-design study in healthy individuals, n = 44
G1: regular diet, n = 22
G2: regular diet + pistachios, n = 22		↑: AOP
↓: MDA		[56]
RCT: prospective study in healthy young men, n = 32↑: SOD
↓: TOS, MDA, LOOH, IL-6
=: CRP, TNF-α		[57]
In vitro assay in macrophages cell line J774-A1 stimulated with LPS (from Escherichia coli 1.0 µg/mL)↓: TNF-α, IL-1β, NO, ROS, MDA, iNOS, COX-2[58]
In vivo assay with Sprague-Dawley male rats with paw edema induced by CAR, n = 30
CAR: n = 10
CAR + NP: n = 10
CAR + RP: n = 10		With NP
↓: MPO, edema volume, number of inflammatory cells
Normal appearance of muscle fibers
With RP
No significant changes		[58]
Cardioprotective and antihypertensive effectsRCT: parallel-design study in healthy individuals. n = 44
G1: regular diet, n = 22
G2: regular diet + pistachios, n = 22		↑: HDL
↓: TC
=: LDL, TG		[56]
RCT: prospective study in healthy young men, n = 32↑: BAFMVD
↓: LDL, TC, TG, CT/HDL, LDL/HDL
=: HDL, blood pressure		[57]
RCT: parallel-design study in individuals with hyperlipemia, n = 56
G1: regular diet, n = 27
G2: regular diet + pistachios, n = 29		↑: HDL, BAFMVD
↓: LDL, TC/HDL, PWV		[59]
In vitro assays: ACE enzyme inhibitory activity by pistachio peptides↓: confirmation of ACE inhibitory activity[60]
Glycemic control and T2-DMRCCT: Crossover clinical trial in prediabetic patients, n = 54↓: glycemia, insulin, HOMA-IR, IL-18
=: HbA1c		[61]
RCT: Parallel-design study in individuals with hyperlipemia, n = 56
G1: regular diet, n = 27
G2: regular diet + pistachios. n = 29		↓: glycemia[59]
RCCT: double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in prediabetic individuals, n = 48↓: glycemia, HbA1c
=: HOMA-IR		[62]
RCT: prospective study in healthy young men, n = 32↓: blood glucose[57]
RCT: patients with metabolic syndrome, n = 10↓: glycemic index[63]
In vitro assay: α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymatic activity↓: α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity[53]
Weight controlRCT: patients with obesity, n = 52↓: BMI, body weight[64]
RCCT: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in prediabetic individuals↓: BMI[62]
Gut microbiota modulation and antimicrobial effectAnimal’s trial: healthy rats and with T1-DM
G1: Healthy animals + control diet, n = 6
G2: Healthy animals + pistachio diet, n = 6
G3: diabetic animals + control diet, n = 6
G4: diabetic animals + pistachio diet, n = 6		↑: fecal lactobacilli and bifidobacterial irmicutes population in healthy animals, Bifidobacterium genus in diabetic rats
↓: Bacteroidetes levels in healthy animals		[65]
Animal’s trial: mice fed a HFD
G1: control animals + standard diet, n = 8
G2: obese animals + HFD, n = 8
G3: obese animals + HFD+pistachio, n = 8		↑: Parabacteroides, Dorea, Allobaculum, Turicibacter, Lactobacillus, Anaeroplasma, Oscillospira, Desulfovibrio, Coprobacillus, Bilophila
↓: Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes		[66]
RCCT: randomized cross-over, n = 16↑: LAB
=: Bifidobacterium		[67]
In vitro: antimicrobial potential of phenolic extracts from NP and RP. ATCC strains↑: bactericidal activity on L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains (NP > RP)[68]
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↑: increase; ↓: decrease; =: remains unchanged; n: number of individuals. RCT: randomized controlled trial; RCCT: randomized crossover clinical trial; AOP: antioxidant potencial; MDA: malonaldehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; TOS: total oxidant status; LOOH: lipid hydroperoxides; IL-6: interleukin-6; CRP: C-reactive protein; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; NO: nitric oxide; ROS: reactive oxygen species; iNOS: inducible NO synthetase; COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2; NP: natural pistachio; RP: roasted pistachio; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; CAR: carrageenan; MPO: myeloperoxidase; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; TC: total cholesterol; TG: triacyclglycerols; BAFMVD: brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation; PWV: pulse wave velocity; ACE: angiotensin-converting enzyme; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; HbA1c: glycated hemoglobin A1c; BMI: body mass index; HFD: high-fat diet; ATCC: American Type Culture Collection; LAB: lactic acid bacteria; T2-DM: type 2 diabetes mellitus