Prickly pear fruits from "Opuntia ficus-indica" varieties as a source of potential bioactive compounds in the Mediterranean diet
Article
Subjects > Biomedicine
Subjects > Nutrition
Europe University of Atlantic > Research > Scientific Production
Fundación Universitaria Internacional de Colombia > Research > Scientific Production
Ibero-american International University > Research > Scientific Production
Ibero-american International University > Research > Scientific Production
Universidad Internacional do Cuanza > Research > Articles and books
Cerrado
Inglés
Cactus has been used in traditional folk medicine because of its role in treating a number of diseases and conditions. Prickly pear fruit is an excellent source of secondary metabolites (i.e., betalains, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid) with health-promoting properties against many common human diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, rheumatic pain, gastric mucosa diseases and asthma. In addition, prickly pears are potential candidates for the development of low-cost functional foods because they grow with low water requirements in arid regions of the world. This review describes the main bioactive compounds found in this fruit and shows the in vitro and some clinical studies about the fruit of most important cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and its relationship with some chronic diseases. Even though a lot of effort have been done to study the relationship between this fruit and the human health, more studies on Opuntia ficus-indica could help better understand its pharmacological mechanism of action to provide clear scientific evidence to explain its traditional uses, and to identify its therapeutic potential in other diseases.
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Armas Diaz, Yasmany and Machì, Michele and Salinari, Alessia and Mazas Pérez-Oleaga, Cristina and Martínez López, Nohora Milena and Briones Urbano, Mercedes and Cianciosi, Danila
mail
UNSPECIFIED, UNSPECIFIED, UNSPECIFIED, cristina.mazas@uneatlantico.es, nohora.martinez@uneatlantico.es, mercedes.briones@uneatlantico.es, UNSPECIFIED
(2022)
Prickly pear fruits from "Opuntia ficus-indica" varieties as a source of potential bioactive compounds in the Mediterranean diet.
Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 15 (4).
pp. 581-592.
ISSN 1973798X
Abstract
Cactus has been used in traditional folk medicine because of its role in treating a number of diseases and conditions. Prickly pear fruit is an excellent source of secondary metabolites (i.e., betalains, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid) with health-promoting properties against many common human diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, rheumatic pain, gastric mucosa diseases and asthma. In addition, prickly pears are potential candidates for the development of low-cost functional foods because they grow with low water requirements in arid regions of the world. This review describes the main bioactive compounds found in this fruit and shows the in vitro and some clinical studies about the fruit of most important cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and its relationship with some chronic diseases. Even though a lot of effort have been done to study the relationship between this fruit and the human health, more studies on Opuntia ficus-indica could help better understand its pharmacological mechanism of action to provide clear scientific evidence to explain its traditional uses, and to identify its therapeutic potential in other diseases.
Item Type: | Article |
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Uncontrolled Keywords: | Opuntia ficus-indica, flavonoids, betalains, health-promoting properties |
Subjects: | Subjects > Biomedicine Subjects > Nutrition |
Divisions: | Europe University of Atlantic > Research > Scientific Production Fundación Universitaria Internacional de Colombia > Research > Scientific Production Ibero-american International University > Research > Scientific Production Ibero-american International University > Research > Scientific Production Universidad Internacional do Cuanza > Research > Articles and books |
Date Deposited: | 11 Jan 2023 23:30 |
Last Modified: | 17 Jul 2023 23:30 |
URI: | https://repositorio.unic.co.ao/id/eprint/5365 |
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