Horseradish: A Neglected and Underutilized Plant Species for Improving Human Health

Horseradish is a flavorful pungent herb that has been used for centuries to enhance the flavor of food, aid in digestion, and improve human health. Horseradish is a neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS), especially concerning the potential benefits to improve human health. The roots of this plant have been known for centuries to provide effective treatments for various human health disorders and has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Horseradish is a source of many biologically active compounds and its richness in phytochemicals has encouraged its recent use as a functional food. The medicinal benefits of horseradish are numerous, and this plant should be promoted more as being beneficial for human health. Glucosinolates or their breakdown products, isothiocyanates, are responsible for most of the claimed medicinal effects. Recent studies have suggested that glucosinolates provide prevention and inhibitory influences on different types of cancer, and horseradish contains high amounts of these compounds. Other medicinal benefits of horseradish include its well-known antibacterial properties that are also attributed to isothiocyanates, and its high content of other antioxidants that benefit human health. Additionally, horseradish contains enzymes that stimulate digestion, regulate bowel movement, and reduce constipation. Horseradish is a species that is vastly underexploited for its abilities as a medicinal plant species for improving human health. The health promoting effects of horseradish are numerous and should be used in an extensive marketing campaign to improve consumption habits. Consumers need to be made more aware of the tremendous health benefits of this plant, which would most likely increase consumption of this valuable NUS. Although horseradish is a highly versatile plant species and holds great potential for improving human health, this plant can also be used to enhance biodiversity in landscapes and food systems, which will also be briefly discussed.

Download Full-text

Is Eating Raisins Healthy?

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12010054 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 54 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alexandra Olmo-Cunillera ◽

Danilo Escobar-Avello ◽

Andy J. Pérez ◽

María Marhuenda-Muñoz ◽

Rosa Mª Lamuela-Raventós ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Model ◽

Cell Line ◽

Human Health ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Intervention Studies ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Model Studies ◽

Daily Diet ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Potential Benefits

Raisins are dried grapes consumed worldwide that contain beneficial components for human health. They are rich in fiber and phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds. Despite a 60% sugar content, several studies have reported health-promoting properties for raisins and this review compiles the intervention studies, as well as the cell line and animal model studies carried out to date. It has been demonstrated that raisins possess a low-to-moderate glycemic index, which makes them a healthy snack. They seem to contribute to a better diet quality and may reduce appetite. Their antioxidant capacity has been correlated to the phenolic content and this may be involved in the improvement of cardiovascular health. In addition, raisins maintain a good oral health due to their antibacterial activity, low adherence to teeth and an optimum oral pH. Raisin consumption also seems to be favorable for colon function, although more studies should be done to conclude this benefit. Moreover, gut microbiota could be affected by the prebiotic content of raisins. Cell line and animal model studies show other potential benefits in specific diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. However, deeper research is required and future intervention studies with humans are needed. Overall, incorporating an 80–90 g portion of raisins (half a cup) into the daily diet may be favorable for human health.

Download Full-text

Phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical studies of petasites hybridus (l.) P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb. A review /

Herba Polonica ◽

10.2478/hepo-2013-0028 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 59 (4) ◽

pp. 108-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marcin Ożarowski ◽

Jędrzej Przystanowicz ◽

Artur Adamczak

Keyword(s):

Clinical Studies ◽

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ◽

Folk Medicine ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Future Application ◽

Migraine Treatment ◽

Toxicological Studies ◽

Botanical Description ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use

Abstract Preparations from rhizomes of Petasites hybridus (L.) Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb. (common butterbur) have a long history of use in folk medicine in treatment of several diseases as anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic drugs. Extracts from this species are of interest to researchers in the field of phytopharmacology due to their biologically active compounds, particularly two eremophilane sesquiterpenes (petasin and isopetasin), which are contained not only in rhizomes and roots, but also in leaves. Moreover, P. hybridusa contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which showed hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Hence, special extracts devoid of alkaloids obtained by sub- and super-critic carbon dioxide extraction were used in the preclinical, clinical studies and phytotherapy. Our review aims to provide a literature survey of pharmacological as well as clinical trials of P. hybridus, carried out in 2000-2013. Also several studies of other species used in non-European countries have been included. Besides, the botanical description of Petasites genus and phytochemical characteristic of P. hybridus and toxicological studies of pyrrolizidine alkaloids as well as chemical profile of patented commercial extracts from rhizomes, roots and leaves of this species used in European phytotherapy have been performed. In this review, attention has also been paid to the promising and potential application of special extracts of P. hybridus not only in the prevention of migraine, treatment of allergic rhinitis symptoms, asthma and hypertension, but also in prevention and slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases developing with the inflammatory process in the CNS as a new therapeutic strategy. In fact, there is already an evidence of promising properties of P. hybridus extracts and sesquiterpens - decrease in the prostaglandins and leukotrienes release, inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2 activity, as well as antagonism of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels. In order to explain the new mechanisms of action of P. hybridus extracts in the CNS and their future application in phytotherapy of diseases with neuroinflammatory process, further studies should be performed.

Download Full-text

Plant-Derived Chemicals: A Source of Inspiration for New Drugs

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9111562 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 1562

Author(s):

Veronique Seidel

Keyword(s):

Biologically Active ◽

New Drugs ◽

Plant Biodiversity ◽

Ethnobotanical Knowledge ◽

Special Issue ◽

Traditional Remedies ◽

Future Drug ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use ◽

Plant Sources

Plants have a long history of use as traditional remedies to treat a range of diseases and the diverse chemicals that they produce have provided great inspiration for the design of new drugs to date. Many plants have yet to be investigated for the presence of biologically-active products. This Special Issue presents a collection of scientific studies which report on the medicinal potential of plants. It also highlights the importance of preserving ethnobotanical knowledge and plant biodiversity worldwide to sustain future drug discovery from plant sources.

Download Full-text

Variation in the Breeding System of Prunella vulgaris L.

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.46.5.688 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 688-692 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Luping Qu ◽

Mark P. Widrlechner

Keyword(s):

Breeding System ◽

Seed Set ◽

Floral Morphology ◽

Antibacterial Properties ◽

Perennial Herb ◽

Prunella Vulgaris ◽

Selfed Seed ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use

Prunella vulgaris (Lamiaceae), commonly known as selfheal, is a perennial herb with a long history of use in traditional medicine. Recent studies have found that P. vulgaris possesses anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, and it is likely that this will lead to increased commercial demand for this species. To date, research publications on P. vulgaris cultivation and genetics are scarce. Using accessions originally collected from different geographical regions, we investigated the breeding system of this species by observing variation in floral morphology, time of pollen release, and selfed-seed set in bagged flowers and isolated plants. Two types of floral morphology, one with exerted styles, extending past open corollas when viewed from above, and the other with shorter, inserted styles, were found among 30 accessions. Two accessions originally collected from Asia uniformly displayed exerted styles, and 27 accessions had inserted styles. One accession from Oregon displayed variation in this trait among individual plants. Microscopic observation of seven accessions, including ones with both exerted and inserted styles, revealed that they all release pollen to some degree before the flowers open. Using bagged flowers, we found that selfed-seed set varied widely among eight accessions, ranging from 6% to 94%. However, bagging may underestimate seed set for some accessions. The two accessions with the lowest rates when using bagged flowers increased in seed set by 350% and 158%, respectively, when we evaluated single, unbagged plants in isolation cages. The accession with 6% selfed-seed set when bagged also had exerted styles. These findings suggest that mating systems in P. vulgaris may be in the process of evolutionary change and that understanding breeding-system variation should be useful in developing efficient seed-regeneration protocols and breeding and selection strategies for this species.

Download Full-text

Marine Health-Promoting Compounds: Recent Trends for Their Characterization and Human Applications

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10123100 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 3100

Author(s):

Eva Quitério ◽

Cristina Soares ◽

Ricardo Ferraz ◽

Cristina Delerue-Matos ◽

Clara Grosso

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Chemical Degradation ◽

Potential Health ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Degradation Reactions ◽

Food And Feed ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Marine Compounds ◽

Valuable Compounds

Seaweeds represent a rich source of biologically active compounds with several applications, especially in the food, cosmetics, and medical fields. The beneficial effects of marine compounds on health have been increasingly explored, making them an excellent choice for the design of functional foods. When studying marine compounds, several aspects must be considered: extraction, identification and quantification methods, purification steps, and processes to increase their stability. Advanced green techniques have been used to extract these valuable compounds, and chromatographic methods have been developed to identify and quantify them. However, apart from the beneficial effects of seaweeds for human health, these natural sources of bioactive compounds can also accumulate undesirable toxic elements with potential health risks. Applying purification techniques of extracts from seaweeds may mitigate the amount of excessive toxic components, ensuring healthy and safer products for commercialization. Furthermore, limitations such as stability and bioavailability problems, chemical degradation reactions during storage, and sensitivity to oxidation and photo-oxidation, need to be overcome using, for example, nanoencapsulation techniques. Here we summarize recent advances in all steps of marine products identification and purification and highlight selected human applications, including food and feed applications, cosmetic, human health, and fertilizers, among others.

Download Full-text

Skuteczność i bezpieczeństwo stosowania korzenia Symphytum officinale L. – przegląd danych literaturowych

Postępy Fitoterapii ◽

10.25121/pf.2021.22.1.23 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Katarzyna Kimel ◽

Mirosława Krauze-Baranowska

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Herbal Products ◽

Plant Raw Materials ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

History Of ◽

Ancient Times ◽

History Of Use

Comfrey root – Symphyti radix has been present in medicine since ancient times. Nowadays, European Medicine Agency (EMA) restricts its only for external use, in short therapies not exceeding 10 days. The last decade has been characterized by the progress in research on the chemical composition and metabolism of biologically active compounds present in the root and leaves. The result is the presence of herbal medicinal products containing comfrey root extracts with reduced content or free of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids on the European market of herbal products. Moreover, the medicinal properties of leaves from another Symphytum species, namely Russian comfrey, are also in the use. The results of clinical trials indicate the beneficial effects of plant raw materials obtained from comfreys in musculoskeletal system disorders – comfrey root and skin inflammations – leaves of Russian comfrey. The paper presents the history of use, chemical composition, therapeutic effect and toxicity of comfrey, as well as characterizes clinical trials on products containing comfrey extracts from root and leaves.

Download Full-text

The identification of a cannabinoid-like compound (adrenoyl-EA), in the flowers of a South African medicinal plant (Leonotis leonurus)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-61760/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ethan Hunter ◽

Marietjie Stander ◽

Jens Kossmann ◽

Suparna Chakraborty ◽

Sharon Prince ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Plant Species ◽

High Performance ◽

Global Trends ◽

Psychoactive Effects ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use ◽

Therapeutic Compounds ◽

Layer Chromatography ◽

Leonotis Leonurus

Abstract Objective Current global trends on natural therapeutics suggest an increasing market interest toward the use and discovery of new plant-derived therapeutic compounds, often referred to as traditional medicine (TM). The Cannabis industry is currently one such focal area receiving attention, owing to the occurrence of phytocannabinoids (pCBs) which have shown promise in health-promotion and disease prevention. However, the occurrence of pCBs in other plant species are often overlooked and rarely studied. Leonotis leonurus (L.) R. Br. is endemic to South Africa with a rich history of use in TM practices amongst indigenous people and, has been recorded to induce mild psychoactive effects akin to Cannabis. While the leaves have been well-reported to contain therapeutic phytochemicals, little information exists on the flowers. Consequently, as part of a larger research venture, we targeted the flowers of L. leonurus for the identification of potential pCB or pCB-like compounds.Results Flower extracts were separated and analyzed using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). A single pCB candidate was isolated from HPTLC plates and, using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), identified as 7,10,13,16-Docosatetraenoylethanolamine (adrenoyl-EA). Adrenoyl-EA is a known bioactive pCB-like compound reported to occur in only one other plant species, Tropaeolum tuberosum.

Download Full-text

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF HERICIUM ERINACEUS

Chronos Journal ◽

10.52013/2658-7556-60-10-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (10(60)) ◽

pp. 3-8

Author(s):

Bulat Musulmanbekovich Aikeshev ◽

Ayaulym Arystanbay

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Edible Mushroom ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Medicinal Mushrooms ◽

Hericium Erinaceus ◽

Parkinson’S Diseases ◽

History Of ◽

Medicinal Properties ◽

History Of Use

Medicinal mushrooms have become an attractive topic due to their bioactive compounds potentially useful for therapeutic use. Among the growing popularity of medicinal mushrooms is Hericium erinaceus. Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal edible mushroom with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine as well as in other countries of the East. Along with this, several of its biologically active compounds served as the basis for the creation of nutritional supplements. Its fruiting bodies and mycelium are rich in active substances that promote health. Tests of substances extracted from this fungus in animals and in vitro have given good results. They are beginning to be used in the treatment of cancer, liver diseases, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and wound healing. They improve cognitive abilities, support the nervous and immune systems.

Download Full-text

Health and Medicine in the Islamic Tradition

American Journal of Islam and Society ◽

10.35632/ajis.v7i1.2670 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 89-90

Author(s):

Dennis Michael Warren

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Medical Care ◽

Human Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Islamic Tradition ◽

Medical Tradition ◽

Islamic Thought ◽

History Of ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

The late Dr. Fazlur Rahman, Harold H. Swift Distinguished Service Professor of Islamic Thought at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, has written this book as number seven in the series on Health/Medicine and the Faith Traditions. This series has been sponsored as an interfaith program by The Park Ridge Center, an Institute for the study of health, faith, and ethics. Professor Rahman has stated that his study is "an attempt to portray the relationship of Islam as a system of faith and as a tradition to human health and health care: What value does Islam attach to human well-being-spiritual, mental, and physical-and what inspiration has it given Muslims to realize that value?" (xiii). Although he makes it quite clear that he has not attempted to write a history of medicine in Islam, readers will find considerable depth in his treatment of the historical development of medicine under the influence of Islamic traditions. The book begins with a general historical introduction to Islam, meant primarily for readers with limited background and understanding of Islam. Following the introduction are six chapters devoted to the concepts of wellness and illness in Islamic thought, the religious valuation of medicine in Islam, an overview of Prophetic Medicine, Islamic approaches to medical care and medical ethics, and the relationship of the concepts of birth, contraception, abortion, sexuality, and death to well-being in Islamic culture. The basis for Dr. Rahman's study rests on the explication of the concepts of well-being, illness, suffering, and destiny in the Islamic worldview. He describes Islam as a system of faith with strong traditions linking that faith with concepts of human health and systems for providing health care. He explains the value which Islam attaches to human spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. Aspects of spiritual medicine in the Islamic tradition are explained. The dietary Jaws and other orthodox restrictions are described as part of Prophetic Medicine. The religious valuation of medicine based on the Hadith is compared and contrasted with that found in the scientific medical tradition. The history of institutionalized medical care in the Islamic World is traced to awqaf, pious endowments used to support health services, hospices, mosques, and educational institutions. Dr. Rahman then describes the ...

Download Full-text

Jojoba Oil: An Updated Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Uses, and Toxicity

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13111711 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 1711

Author(s):

Heba A. Gad ◽

Autumn Roberts ◽

Samirah H. Hamzi ◽

Haidy A. Gad ◽

Ilham Touiss ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Industrial Applications ◽

Literature Survey ◽

Jojoba Oil ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Wide Range ◽

Liver Functions ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use ◽

Pharmaceutical Uses ◽

Obesity And Cancer

Jojoba is a widely used medicinal plant that is cultivated worldwide. Its seeds and oil have a long history of use in folklore to treat various ailments, such as skin and scalp disorders, superficial wounds, sore throat, obesity, and cancer; for improvement of liver functions, enhancement of immunity, and promotion of hair growth. Extensive studies on Jojoba oil showed a wide range of pharmacological applications, including antioxidant, anti-acne and antipsoriasis, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antipyretic, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperglycemia activities. In addition, Jojoba oil is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in cosmetics for topical, transdermal, and parenteral preparations. Jojoba oil also holds value in the industry as an anti-rodent, insecticides, lubricant, surfactant, and a source for the production of bioenergy. Jojoba oil is considered among the top-ranked oils due to its wax, which constitutes about 98% (mainly wax esters, few free fatty acids, alcohols, and hydrocarbons). In addition, sterols and vitamins with few triglyceride esters, flavonoids, phenolic and cyanogenic compounds are also present. The present review represents an updated literature survey about the chemical composition of jojoba oil, its physical properties, pharmacological activities, pharmaceutical and industrial applications, and toxicity.

Download Full-text