Nutraceutical
Food, or parts of food, that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and
treatment of disease." Nutraceutical plants produce healthy phytochemicals that are formulated and
intake is in the form of capsules, tinctures, or tablets. Functional foods are a component of
nutraceuticals and are consumed as foods, and not in dosage form.
Nutraceuticals/functional foods: actives and micro-nutrients, mostly plant extracts, used to reduce the
impact of age-related degenerative disease. The actives concerned can be given in medical formats
(nutraceuticals) or used as food additives in standard food products (functional foods) as a cost-
effective way of raising the health status and average life expectancy of a population.
This is not the same as traditional herbalism; the new industry uses measured doses of the desired
actives, traditional herbalism uses materials with little processing which contain unknown quantities
of both desirable and undesirable actives. Requires ability to extract, maintain high purity. Later
stages involve e.g. microencapsulation.
Dietary Supplements including botanicals
Vitamins, minerals, co-enzyme Q, carnitine
Gingseng, Gingko biloba
Functional Foods
Oats, bran, Psyllium and lignin's for heart disease and colon cancer
Probiotics - oligofructose for control of intestinal flora
Omega-3 milk in prevention of heart disease
Canola oil with lowered triglycerides for cholesterol reduction
Stanols (Benecol) in reduction of cholesterol adsorption
Medicinal Foods
Transgenic cows and lactoferrin for immune enhancement
Transgenic plants for oral vaccination against infectious diseases
Health bars with added medications
Medicinal and nutraceutical plants offer a wide array of products utilized or can be utilized in the
pharma
The following plants have been used since ages for their medicinal and nutraceutical attributes:
Aloe (Aloe vera): Leaves
Amaranth oil (Amaranthus spp.) for cardiovascular disease.
Calendula (Calendula spp.) flower for wound healing (water soluble flavonoids), anti-
inflammatory, may inhibit HIV, anti-bacterial, and anti-tumor. Skin and cancer treatments.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.): seeds (calendic acid).
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea) for reducing the common cold.
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil for osteoporosis.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) for colic and constipation.
Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera) gensenosides for reducing type 2 diabetes and may
reduce respiratory tract infections as well as influenza.
Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) gum relieves constipation, reduces type 1 and 2 diabetes,
and lowers cholesterol. Partially hydrolysed guar gum effective in irradicating small intestinal
bacterial growth.
Herbs (Origanum sp, Pelargonium sp, Lippia sp, Cymbopogon sp, Thymus sp): sources of
essential oils and antioxidant polyphenols, and dried plant parts for use as spices, and herbal
teas.
Herbs (Salvia sp, Teucrium sp, Sideritis sp): diterpenes and flavones against polyphagous
moths
Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa): dried calyces (anthocyanins).
Mint (Mentha spp.) for relieving tension headaches.
Moringa (Moringa oleifera): seeds, leaves (fatty acids, nutritional elements, antioxidant
polyphenols).
Plantago (Plantago psyllium) works as a bulk laxative and reduces constipation.
Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) treats lice
St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) extracts for depression, may improve wound
healing, and reduce scar formation.
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) for sesamin, sesamolin, and tocopherols.
Yuca (Yucca carnerosana), lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla), gobernadora (Larrea
tridentata), quinua (Chenopodium quinoa); and hojasen (Flourensia cernua): Plant extracts
and isolated components against pathogens (e.g. Fusarium oxysporum).
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) contains flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory, vascular
stabilizing and anti-platelet effects. They can be used in the treatment of rheumatoid and
osteo-arthritis, and they are likely to be cardio- and stroke protective.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) contains flavonoids that are anti-inflammatory, and also block
tumor necrosis factor alpha. They are likely to find a use in the treatment of arthritis, asthma
and ulcerative colitis, and their properties also indicate that they will be cardio- and stroke
protective.
Benefits of Nutraceuticals
Higher Confidence in Product Quality and Effectiveness
Improved Market for Nutraceutical Products
Increased Public Awareness
Increased Healthcare Industry Awareness
Medicinal plants used by traditional healers
Asparagus racemosus
Joint pain, stomach pain
For joint pain tuber is crushed and applied.
For stomach pain, tuber is boiled in water and is taken.
Argemone mexicana
Rheumatic pain, infection of eye
Latex is massaged on body to get relieve of rheumatic pain. Thin liquid is applied on eye for eye
infection.
Brassica juncea
Skin disease, cold
For any type of skin disease mustard oil is applied along with turmeric.
For cold mustard oil is heated along with garlic and applied in feet, palm and chest.
Calotropis gigantica
Migraine, Snakebite
In case of migraine the latex is inserted into the vein of the forehead.
The root of the plant is taken orally for snakebite
Curcuma longa
Round worm, Skin disease Snake bite
For children a paste of turmeric and neem is given orally to cure roundworm.
For skin diseases paste of turmeric is applied along with mustard oil.
Turmeric is also used against snake bite.
Ricinus communis
Pain in hands, legs and head
The oil extracted from seeds is locally applied in hand, legs and head to get relieved from pain.
Tamarindus indica
Constipation, Round worm
The fruit is boiled in water and taken orally to cure constipation. For roundworm tender leaves
are crushed and given to children.
Mirabilis jalapa
Fever, Stomach pain
For fever and stomach pain the tuber is grounded and taken.
Zingiber officinales
Cold and cough
Rhizome is burnt and grounded with five to ten seeds of black pepper taken orally to cure cold
and cough
Nicotiana tabacum L.
Snake bite
In snake bite leaf is taken, so that poison does not spread.
Psidium guajava
Dysentry, Blood dysentery
For dysentery tender fruit is taken orally.
Bark of guava along with the bark of Mangifera indica is crushed and taken for blood dysentry.
Mimosa pudica
Tooth pain, Snake bite
The root is chewed orally to get rid of tooth pain. Root paste along with raw rice water is given
against snake bite.
Mangifera indica
Diarrhoea, Bleeding of nose.
The bark of mango along with the bark of Psidium guava is crushed together and taken to cure
diarrhoea.
The juice of mango kernel is poured into nose to stop bleeding in nose.
Allium cepa
Cough and cold
Burned onion and ginger is taken along with flower of Plumeria rubra to cure cough and cold