Antioxidant Activity of Areca Nut to Human Health: Effect on Oral Cancer Cell Lines and Immunomodulatory Activity

Many herbs have been discovered to be potential sources of the antitumor and immunomodulatory drug. Areca nut (Areca catechu L.) has a high content of phenols and flavonoids and is highly related to antioxidant activity. Areca nut is a traditional herbal medicine that is popular around Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Taiwan. However, data on its effect on human health showed various results. This chapter’s aim to review the phytochemical and polyphenolic content, the molecular structure of bioactive compounds, the side effect of the crude extract, the role of catechin in cancer mechanism, the antioxidant activity, the cytotoxicity, and immunomodulatory activity of the areca nut. Areca nuts from Aceh province in Indonesia, contain flavonoids, phenolics, catechin, quercetin, and a small percentage of tannins which contribute to antioxidant activity. The areca nut has anticancer potential activity so it can be used in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to enhance the effect at lower doses and thus minimize chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Areca nuts also show immunomodulatory activity which can increase the body’s immune system.

Agro-industrial By-Products from Amazonian Fruits: Use for Obtaining Bioproducts

Fruit processing contributes significantly to the agricultural exportation of the Amazonian; however, it generates large amounts of solid waste, despite its high content of bioactive compounds and nutritional properties, and they are discarded in the environment. Therefore, in order to add economic value and potential reuse of agro-industrial by-products from cocoa, cupuassu, pracaxi, and tucumã, we investigated the chemical characteristics of the seed by-product resulting from the industrial extraction of these oils. The investigation of the nutritional and chemical composition of by-product was submitted to green extraction, besides other qualitative and quantitative techniques for the characterization of the main bioactive compounds. The extracts obtained from these by-products had a significant total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. HPLC analysis identified and quantified some flavonoids present in these by-products (gallic, caffeic and protocatechuic acid, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epicatechin, catechin, and quercetin). The oil from these species is widely used in the treatment of skin scarring and inflammation and is also used by the cosmetic industry. These results show that these by-products have a great potential for use, since they still have bioactive substances in their composition, which could alternatively be used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or food industries.

Nutraceuticals of Tea (Camellia sinensis) for Human Health

This book chapter describes about the phytochemicals in tea which are significantly useful in preparing nutraceutical products. The polyphenols along with other bioactive compounds present in tea have many pharmacological properties which attribute to the development of various food products where tea constitutes as an active ingredient. This chapter also discusses the potential uses of tea and their bioactive constituents in treatment and prevention of diseases in human which infer the potentiality of developing and popularizing nutraceuticals of tea.