In recent years, there has been a great deal of attention toward the field of free radical chemistry. Free radicals reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are generated by our body by various endogenous systems, exposure to different physiochemical conditions or pathological states. A balance between free radicals and antioxidants is necessary for proper physiological function. If free radicals overwhelm the body's ability to regulate them, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues. Free radicals thus adversely alter lipids, proteins, and DNA and trigger a number of human diseases. Hence application of external source of antioxidants can assist in coping this oxidative stress. Synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene and butylated hydroxyanisole have recently been reported to be dangerous for human health. Thus, the search for effective, nontoxic natural compounds with antioxidative activity has been intensified in recent years. The present review provides a brief overview on oxidative stress mediated cellular damages and role of dietary antioxidants as functional foods in the management of human diseases.
ABSTRACT-Coriandrum sativum Linn. is a promising functional food which is not only known to provide nutrition, but also medicinal benefits and is a potent source of antioxidants. The study monitors effect of storage temperature (-2.2 o C) and duration (0, 3, 6, 9 days) on antioxidant status of the plant. All parameters present in this study-Ascorbic acid, Tocopherol, Total phenols, SOD, POX, CAT, content were studied by spectrophotometric assays. A number of preservation methods have been designed to extent the shelf life of the food product and to maintain their antioxidant potential. The aim of the present study was to monitor changes in the above mentioned antioxidants during refrigerated storage. The study hypothesizes that as the storage period increases the level of enzymatic antioxidants increase with increase in degree of damage whereas the non-enzymatic antioxidants decrease (except phenolic) and concludes that the overall antioxidant status of the plant decreases considerably during storage condition. During storage, these antioxidants probably react with free radical, produced by aerial oxygen and are depleted, decreasing their concentration, despite being stored at refrigerator conditions.
Plants have always been a vital source of medicines and other essential products that have been a part of human life ever since time immemorial. Pharmacognosy and its associated aspects have been going through constant evolution and investigation with every generation revealing different and new pharmaceutical properties of plants and their products. The horticulture sector of India has witnessed a great demand of exotic fruits and vegetables in the last decade. These are either imported or artificially introduced in an exotic and non-indigenous habitat. A large number of these exotic plants which are consumed as fruits and vegetables possess a variety of bioactive phytochemical compounds. These bioactive compounds impart them some really important medicinal and pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, antiulcerogenic, analgesics etc. This review article is an attempt to briefly address such exotic fruits and vegetables, the bioactive compounds associated with them and their medicinal properties useful to mankind.
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