1. ethylthomethyl) benzene10. 3-hydroxymorindone
55. 8,11,14-eicostrienoic acid
61. methyl oleate
107. sodium
What are phytochemicals?
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties. There are more than thousand known phytochemicals. It is well-known that plant produce these chemicals to protect itself but recent research demonstrate that they can protect humans against diseases. Some of the well-known phytochemicals are lycopene in tomatoes, isoflavones in soy and flavanoids in fruits. They are not essential nutrients and are not required by the human body for sustaining life.
How do phytochemicals work
There are many phytochemicals and each works differently. These are some possible actions:
Antioxidant - Most phytochemicals have antioxidant activity and protect our cells against oxidative damage and reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer.
Hormonal action -Imitate human estrogens and help to reduce menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis.
Stimulation of enzymes - Stimulate enzymes that make the estrogen less effective and could reduce the risk for breast cancer.
Interference with DNA replication - Interfere with the replication of cell DNA, thereby preventing the multiplication of cancer cells.Anti-bacterial effect - The phytochemical allicin from garlic has anti-bacterial properties.
Physical action - Some phytochemicals bind physically to cell walls thereby preventing the adhesion of pathogens to human cell walls.
How do we get enough phytochemicals?
Foods containing phytochemicals are already part of our daily diet. In fact, most foods contain phytochemicals except for some refined foods such as sugar or alcohol. Some foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, fruits and herbs, contain many phytochemicals. The easiest way to get more phytochemicals is to eat more fruit and vegetables. It is recommended take daily at least 5 to 9 servings of fruits or vegetable. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in minerals, vitamins and fibre and low in saturated fat.
Future of phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are naturally present in many foods but it is expected that through bioengineering new plants will be developed, which will contain higher levels. This would make it easier to incorporate enough phytochemicals with our food.
History of Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals exists as long as plants exist but we only know about hundred years about their existence. Medicinal plants are widely used by traditional cultures all over the world. It is likely that the knowledge of traditional medicine developed through trial and error over many centuries. The Chinese have the oldest medicine system. More than 5000 years ago, the Chinese based their medicine on the influence of yin and yang, and on the five elements. The earliest records about herbal medicine dates back to 2800 BC when the Chinese emperor Shen Nong wrote the text The Great Native Herbal.
Hippocrates (460-377 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC) introduced the herbal medicine from India and Egypt to Europe.
The Greek physician Dioscorides wrote the book De Materia Medica in the first century AD. During the 19th and 20th century, the main strategy of the scientists was to discover the active ingredients, which had medicinal or pesticidal properties. Examples of these discoveries are salicylic avid, morphine and pyrethroids (pesticides). During the 1980s many laboratories started to identify phytochemicals in plants that might be used as medicines. Many of these discovered phytochemicals seems to fight diseases such as cancer, heart attack and stroke. At the same time other scientist conducting epidemiological studies to determine the relationship between the consumption of phytochemicals and human health. Most studies showed that diets rich in plants gave lower rates of cancer and heart disease.
Today, most new pharmaceuticals are not discovered in plants but are new synthetic creations. Recently there is a renewed interest in the discovery of phytochemicals. This renewed interest is our awareness has already developed many chemicals, which still have to be discovered. New modern laboratory techniques have made it easer to discover and identify new phytochemicals.
Noni (Morinda citrifolia)
Other names: Indian mulberry, nono, nonu, cheese fruit, Ba Ji Tian
Description:
The noni plant is a small evergreen shrub or tree that grows from three to six metres. The noni plant has a straight trunk, large elliptical leaves, white tubular flowers and ovoid yellow fruits of up to 12 cm in diameter. The ripe noni fruit has a not so pleasant taste and odour.
Parts used:
All parts of the noni plant can be used: roots, stems, bark, leaves, and flowers and of course the fruits.
Some of the over 150 Phytochemicals include:
Octoanoic acid, Scopoletin, Damnacanthal, Terpenoids, Anthraquinones, Caproic acid, Ursolic Acid, Rutin, etc
Medicinal properties:
Noni has been reported to have a range of health benefits for colds, cancer, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, pain, skin infection, high blood pressure, mental depression, atherosclerosis and arthritis.
The noni contain the antibacterial compounds in the fruits (acubin, L-asperuloside and alizarin) and roots (anthrauinones). Noni conatins scopoletin which inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli, which is responsible for intestinal infections, and Heliobacter pylori, which causes ulcers
Damnacanthal, which is found in the noni roots, inhibits the tyrosine kinase and gives noni antitumor activity.
Other facts:
The medicinal properties of Noni were discovered, more than 2000 years ago, by the Polynesians, who imported the fruit from Southeast Asia. Today the noni fruits is eaten in many parts of the world, mainly in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Those who recovered from illness after eating the noni fruit called it "the fruit of God". In 2003, noni juice was approved by the European Commission as a novel food and was allowed to be commercialized in the EU. A novel food is food or a food ingredient that was not used to a significant degree in the EU before May 15, 1997. Before any new food product can be introduced on the European market it must be rigorously assessed for safety.
Noni Benefits
Induction of extracellular matrix synthesis in normal human fibroblasts by anthraquinone isolated from Morinda citrifolia (Noni) fruit.
Journal of Medicinal Food. 2005 Winter;8(4):552-5
Previous in vitro studies with cultured human dermal fibroblasts have shown that extract from noni increased production of collagen. The aim of this study was to identity the phytochemicals responsible for this action. The researchers succeeded in isolating the phytochemical 1,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-7-methylanthraquinone. This anthraquinone significantly increased production of procollagen and glycosaminoglycans and reduced expression of the collagenase. The study concluded that anthraquinone from Noni extract could be used as a possible anti-wrinkle agent.
Hepatotoxicity of NONI juice: report of two cases.
World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2005 August 14;11(30):4758-60
NoniI juice (Morinda citrifolia) is becoming more popular as a health ingredient in wellness drinks. Noni has been claimed to be beneficial for many diseases. But recently there were cases of liver intoxication. Therefore the toxicity of noni juice was reassessed. One patient had to undergo a liver transplantation and another patient recovered after stopping intake of noni juice. The first patient with previous toxic hepatitis associated with paracetamol developed hepatic failure after consuming nearly two liters of noni juice. The hepatotoxicity is probably linked to anthraquinones. Following this negative publicity, most noni juice producers recommend a daily intake of max 30 ml noni juice.
Inhibition of angiogenic initiation and disruption of newly established human vascular networks by juice from Morinda citrifolia (noni).
Angiogenesis. 2003;6(2):143-9
Noni juice has been used traditionally for its medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of noni juice on the development of blood vessel. The study used a fibrin clot matrix model with human placental vein and human breast tumor explants. The researchers found that noni juice at concentrations of 5 percent effectively reduced blood vessel development and reduced the growth rate of new vessels.
Phytochemicals in Noni Juice
An anthraquinone with potent quinone reductase-inducing activity and other constituents of the fruits of Morinda citrifolia (noni).
The Journal of Natural Products. 2005 December;68(12):1720-2
Noni has long been used as a medicinal plant in Polynesia. Recently noni has become popular in the United States and other Western countries. This study was the first to isolate a special anthraquinone: 2-methoxy-1,3,6-trihydroxyanthraquinone. This anthraquinone is a strong quinone reductase inducer. It is about 40 times more active than sulphoraphane.
Chemical constituents of the fruits of Morinda citrifolia (Noni) and their antioxidant activity.
The Journal of Natural Products. 2005 April;68(4):592-5
The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify phytochemicals in noni fruits. First the phytochemicals were first extracted with methanol and then separated in a N-Butyl Alcohol -soluble fraction. The researchers isolated and identified 17 known phytochemicals and two new phytochemicals: 6-alpha-hydroxyadoxoside and 6-beta,7-beta-epoxy-8-epi-splendoside. The researchers also isolated 6 know phytochemicals for the first time from noni: borreriagenin, cytidine, deacetylasperuloside, dehydromethoxygaertneroside, epi-dihydrocornin, methyl alpha-d-fructofuranoside and methyl beta-d-fructofuranoside. The phytochemicals with the highest antioxidant activity were neolignan and americanin A.
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