This document provides information about nutraceuticals from K.Sudheer Kumar of the Department of Pharmacognosy at Chilkur Balaji College of Pharmacy in Hyderabad. It defines nutraceuticals as nutrient and non-nutrient compounds in food that have health promoting or disease preventing properties. Some examples of nutraceuticals described include prebiotics, probiotics, dietary fibers, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. The document also discusses various nutrients and herbal compounds that are commonly used as nutraceuticals and provides examples of their health benefits.
2. Nutraceutical, functional food ingredients and dietary supplements are important for
health promotion and disease risk reduction.
Greek physician HIPPOCRATES
KNOWN AS FATHER OF MEDICINES
SAID
“LET FOOD BE THE MEDICINES”
The term “Nutraceutical” was coined from “Nutrition” & “Pharmaceutical” in 1989
by Stephen De Felice,MD, Founder and Chairman of the Foundation for Innovation
in Medicine (FIM).
3. NUTRACEUTICALS
Nutrient and non-nutrient compounds in food that have health promoting, disease
prevents or medicinal properties are called Nutraceuticals.
NUTRACEUTICALS
“ A food or part of food or nutrient, that
provides health benefits, including the
prevention and treatment of a disease.”
4. According to dietary supplement, health and education act (DSHEA) dietary
supplements are products intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains
one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb or
other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance for use by man to supplement
the diet by increasing the total daily intake, or a concentrate, metabolite,
constituent, extract, or combinations of these ingredients
5. Nutraceuticals is a term used to describe any
product derived from food sources that provides
extra health benefits in addition to the basic
nutritional value found in foods. Products
typically claim to prevent chronic diseases,
improve health, delay the aging process, and
increase life expectancy.
6. Why nutraceuticals……………?
The regular consumption of synthetic drug may cause organ failure
and so many other after effects.
Numerous epidemiological studies suggest that the risks for many
chronic diseases are diet related and could be decreased significantly
through the change of dietary habits.
7. Prebiotics
Probiotics
Dietary fibers
Omega 3 fatty acids
Antioxidants
Nutraceuticals can be classified in to two groups-
Potential nutraceuticals. Established nutraceuticals.
TYPES
Nutrients: Substances which have established
Nutritional functions e.g. Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Fatty acids, etc.
Herbals/ Phytochemicals: Herbs or Botanical products
Dietary Supplements
8. Probiotics:-These are living microorganisms, improve intestinal microbial balance, and
also involves functioning of large Intestine ex., Lactobacillus species
Prebiotics :-These are nutraceuticals which promote the flourishing of probioics.bedore
reaching the colonic region,ex.,Inulin it also acts as Dietary fiber
Dietary fibers:-Fibers are non- digestible polysaccharides found in plant cell
wlls,fibers which we eat in diet are called dietary fibers, insufficient intake of fibers
cause Constipation, Colorectal cancer etc..
Omega 3 fatty acids (Poly unsaturated Fatty Acids PUFA)
present in various vegetable and marine animals,ex.,mustarad oil, cod liver, fish liver oil,
they helps in prevention of cholesterol formation/deposition.(EPA,DHA)
Antioxidants :-Most importantly reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other free
radicals.These species are continuously produced during physiological cellular
metabolism. To counteract the harmful effects of ROS, Vitamin C. Vitamin E (alpha-
tocopherol) antioxidant system to maintain equilibrium between the pro-oxidants, or
damaging agents,
9. NUTRIENTS
Most common Nutrients used/ supplemented as Nutraceutical are:
Minerals and Vitamins.
or in combination
or in combination with other antioxidants
10. Fat Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A: Acts as antioxidant, essential for growth and development, maintains
healthy vision, skin and mucous membranes,
Vitamin D: Essential for formation of bones and teeth, helps the body to absorb
and use calcium
Vitamin E: Antioxidant, helps to form blood cells, boosts immune system
Vitamin K: Essential for blood clotting
Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin C: Antioxidant, necessary for healthy bones, gums, teeth and skin.
Helps in wound healing, prevent from common cold
Vitamin B 1: Helps in carbohydrate metabolism, essential for neurological
function.
11. Vitamin B 2: Energy metabolism, maintain healthy eye, skin and nerve function.
• Vitamin B 3: Energy metabolism, brain function
• Vitamin B 6: Helps to produce essential proteins, convert proteins to energy
• Vitamin B 12: Help in producing genetic material, formation of RBC,
maintenance of CNS, synthesis of amino acids, involved in metabolism of
protein, fat and carbohydrate.
• Folic acid: Helps in RBC formation, formation of genetic material of cell, very
much essential during pregnancy
• Pantothenic acid: Aids in synthesis of cholesterol, steroids, and fatty acids,
crucial for intra neuronal synthesis of acetylcholine
12. Minerals:
• Calcium: essential for bone and teeth, maintaining bone strength, nerve,
muscle and glandular function, blood clotting,
• Iron: energy production, Hb, oxygen transport,
• Magnesium: for healthy nerve and muscle function, bone formation,
• Phosphorous: energy production, phosphorylation process, bone and teeth,
for genetic material,
• Cobalt: component of Vit. B 12 and B 12 coenzymes,
• Copper: Hb and collagen production, function of heart, energy production,
absorption of Iron,
• Iodine: proper function of Thyroid gland,
• Chromium: with insulin it helps in conversion of carbohydrate and fat into
energy, treatment of diabetes,
13. Selenium: Antioxidant, functioning of heart muscle, part of GPX enzyme,
Zinc: Essential for cell reproduction, for development in Neonates, wound healing,
production of sperm and testosterone hormone,
14. Herbals:
• Aloe vera: Anti-inflammatory, emollient, wound healing,
• Evening Primrose oil: Dietary supplement of linoleic acid, treatment of atopic
eczema,
• Garlic: Antibacterial, antifungal, antithrombotic, antiinflammatory,
• Ginger: carminative, antiemetic, treatment of dizziness
• Ginseng: Adaptogen,
• Green tea: Antioxidant, reduces risk of CVD, enhances humoral and cell
mediated Immunity,
• Vegetables, fruits, whole grain, herbs, nuts and various seeds contain an
abundance of phenolic compounds, terpenoids, sulphur compounds, pigments
etc.
15. Phytochemicals could provide health benefits as
1. Substrate for biochemical reactions
2. Cofactors of enzymatic reactions
3. Inhibitors of enzymatic reactions
4. Absorbents that bind to & eliminate undesirable constituent in the intestine
5. Scavengers of reactive or toxic chemicals
6. Enhance the absorption and / or stability of essential nutrients
7. Selective growth factor for beneficial bacteria
8. Fermentation substrate for beneficial bacteria
9. Selective inhibitors of deleterious intestinal bacteria
16. Various Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals Source Role
Tocotrienols & tocopherols Grains Suppressed the growth of diverse tumors
cell lines via initiation of apoptosis and
concomitant arrest of cells in the G1 phase
of the cell cycle
Carotenoids Fruits &
vegetables
Antioxidants, protects against uterine,
prostate, colorectal, lung and digestive tract
cancers, and protection to other
antioxidants.
Limonoids Citrus fruits Inhibiting phase I enzymes & inducing
phase II detoxification enzymes in liver,
provide protection to lung tissue.
Phytosterols Various plants Exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic,
anti-pyretic & immune- modulating
activity, decrease cholesterol
Phenolic constituents Various plants,
wholegrain
Antioxidants, lowers the risk of CHD,
diabetes, hypertension etc.
17. Flavanoids Grapes, wines Action against free radicals, free
radicals mediated cellular signaling,
inflammation, allergies, platelet
aggregation, & hepatotoxins
Catechin & gallic acids Grapes, berries, cocoa,
green tea, acacia spp.
Antioxidants, free radical scavenging
ability, inhibition of eicosanoid
synthesis, reduces CHD
Isoflavonoids Soybeans Treating cancers & osteoporosis
Anthocyanidins Fruits & flowers Antioxidants & anti-mutagenic
properties
Glucosinolates Cruciferous Activators of liver detoxification
enzymes, inhibit the neoplastic
effect of various carcinogens
Indoles Reduces estrogen-dependent
cancer risk,
Fiber Various vegetables, fruits, Protects against colorectal
diseases,
18. EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONAL COMPONENTS
Class /
components
Source Potential benefit
1. Fatty acids Milk & Meat Improve body
composition, reduce
cancers
n-3 FA(DHA,
EPA)
Fish oils, berseem & maize
fodder,mustard,linseed,rapese
ed
Reduce CVD & improve
mental, visual function
2. Polyphenols
Anthocyanidine Fruits Nutralises free radicals,
reduce risk of cancerCatechins Tea,babul pods,mustard
cake,rape seed,salseed
Flavonone Citrus
Flavones Fruits, vegetables,soya bean
proanthocyanidine Cocoa, chocolate,tea,rape seed Reduce CVD
19. 3. Saponins Soybeans,GNC,lucerne,chi
ck pea
Lower cholesterol, anti
cancer
4.Probiotics / Prebiotics / Synbiotics
Lactobacillus Dahi,yogurt Improve GI health
Fructo -
oligosaccharides
Whole grains, onions,
combination of Pro &
Prebiotics
5.Phytoestrogen
Daidzein ,
Zenistein
Soybean, flax,
lentilseed,maize,
berseem,lucerne,subabul
fodder
Reduce menopause
symptoms, bone health
Lignans Flax,rye, vegetables Reduce cancer and heart
diseases
21. S.NO NUTRACEUTICAL SOURCE CONSTITUENTS USES
1. Garlic Ripe bulbs of
Allium
Sativum,Liliaceae
Allin,Allicin, Amoebic
dysentery,rubefacie
nt,condimentexpect
orant,
2 Blue green
algae
Spiruelina platensis
Oscillatoriace
Protiens,lipids,
Carbohydrates,vitamin
s
Antiviral,Anti-
HIV,Anti cancer
3 Soya Seeds of Glycine
soja ,Leguminaceae.
Protiens ,fats,Omega 3
fatty acids.
Soya milk is rich
nutrient,used to
treat brest and
prostate cancers
4 Royal jelly Salivery secretion
of Apis
mellifera,Apidae
Essential amini
acids,vitamins,
carbohydrates.
Antiageing agent,
nutrient suppliment,
health onic
Garlic Blue green algae Soya Royal jelly