Pharmacological and nutritional benefits of flaxseed’s (Linum usitatissimum Linn.) biocomponents

Linum usitatissimum (Linn.), Commonly known as flaxseed or flaxseed, belongs to the family Linaceae. Flaxseed is a crop of blue flowers that produce small, flat seeds of golden yellow to reddish-brown color. It is a native of the Mediterranean and West Asia. Due to its health benefits associated with the high content of linolenic acid (ALA), flaxseed has played a major role in diet and research. The ALA is an essential omega-3-fatty acid, and also due to its presence a major lignan, i.e. secoisolaricyrcinol diglucoside (SDG). There is also a wide range of uses of flaxseed oil in skin health, anticoagulants, anticancer, ulcer treatment, muscle growth, and weight loss. The nutritional composition of flaxseed is about 30% carbohydrate, 18% protein, and 39% fat. Flaxseed contains most carbohydrates in the form of fiber and contains more than 45% omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains dietary fibers, proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All the ingredients possess different health benefits. Although plant resources are the key ingredient in drug discovery, the popularity of flaxseed always fascinate scientists, the number of articles giving information about the chemical components of flaxseed and its potential clinical use is very little. This review provides a systematic summary of the research completed over the past decade and provides an up-to-date summary of the various bioactive and outlines the relationship between the nutritional and pharmacological use of chemical ingredients and its flaxseed.

Current Phytochemical and Pharmacological Outlook of Actinidia deliciosa (Kiwi Fruit)

: Worldwide health and therapeutic practices seek to amalgamate alternative medications with evidence-based medicine for an improved understanding of metabolic progression and its influences on the human body. Actinidia deliciosa, also known as “Kiwi fruit”, is a dioecious plant that is native to China and distributed widely across the Asian continent. Commercial planting of kiwifruit was started in the early 20th century when it reached New Zealand from China. In recent times, Kiwi fruit has gained a major demand due to its high content of vitamin C. Kiwi fruit also contains dietary fiber, iron, carotenoids and is a rich source of antioxidants. These may aid in lowering blood pressure, improve wound healing, blood glucose control and improve bowel health. Vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that assist in the removal of free radicals from the body and may prevent the body from various diseases and inflammations. Herein, we state the health benefits found in diverse compounds from Actinidia deliciosa, highlighting the source, morphology, chemical constituent, cultivation, production, traditional uses, nutritional value, health benefits, toxicity studies, clinical trials, and pharmacological activities while highlighting side effects associated with kiwifruit. This review provides a bird’s eye insight mainly on the morphological, phytochemical, and pharmacological activity, which could be beneficial in making use of technological and scientific advances. This plant can be used as a current medical adjuvant for its potential. The complete plant must be broadly investigated for further future perspective.