Finger millet bioactive compounds, bioaccessibility, and potential health effects - a review

Abstract

Udeh H.O., Duodu K.G., Jideani A.I.O. (2017): Finger millet bioactive compounds, bioaccessibility, and potential health effects -a review. Czech J. Food Sci., 35: 7-17.Finger millet is among minor cereal grains that are underutilised. However, over the years, research interest in the millet has increased owing to its abundance of bioactive compounds. These compounds which include, among others, ferulic acid-rich arabinoxylans or feraxans, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and quercetin have been associated with certain health promoting properties and have been found bioaccessible in the grain. Following the recent interest in natural curative substances over their synthetic counterparts in the treatment of food dependent diseases, finger millet has shown potential nutraceutical effects. Some important health effects such as antidiabetic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties have been reported in recent trials with the grain. This review emphasises the dietary fibre -arabinoxylan, and phenolic compounds of finger millet and their properties, and further discusses available evidence on their bioaccessibility and bioactivity. The information presented will further explore the potential of finger millet utilisation, its bioactive compounds, bioaccessibility, and potential health benefits, in view of stimulating further research.

Healthy and Resilient Cereals and Pseudo-Cereals for Marginal Agriculture: Molecular Advances for Improving Nutrient Bioavailability

“…Seed germination of finger millet can increase the bioavailability of iron from 0.75 to 1.25 mg/100 g and is a potential alternative to mitigate anemia (Tatala et al, 2007). The preprocessing of grains can drastically reduce the impact of antinutrients and can improve iron bioavailability and bioactive compounds, which are confirmed by several scientific studies (Tatala et al, 2007;Hithamani and Srinivasan, 2014;Udeh et al, 2017) (Tables 5 and 6). Singh et al (2018) showed that traditional knowledge practiced by farmers to roast finger millet decreases phytochemical composition, moisture, protein, and antioxidant action, but increases fat, ash, and fiber and improves the bioavailability of iron and calcium.…”

“…Finger millet is relatively popular in India and many countries in Africa because of its resilience and nutrientdense grain profile. It has been promoted in Africa to reduce anemic incidence in children (Tripathi and Patel, 2010;Udeh et al, 2017). The nutraceutical importance of finger millet lies in its high content of calcium (0.38%), protein (6-13%), dietary fiber (10-18%), carbohydrate (65-75%), and minerals (2.5-3.5%).…”

“…The diversity of finger millet offers a rich source of several antioxidants and calcium in the grains as polyphenols (0.3-3.0%) that possess hypoglycemic, hypercholesterolemic, and anti-ulcerative properties (Chethan and Malleshi, 2007). Growing research interest exists in finger millet that could be attributed to several bioactive compounds such as ferulic acid-rich arabinoxylans, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and flavonoids, which are bio-accessible and have multiple therapeutic effects (Udeh et al, 2017). Hithamani and Srinivasan (2017) demonstrated that the bioavailability of phenolic compounds extracted from finger millet grain and coadministered to rats with piperine had a therapeutic benefit.…”

Processing, nutritional composition and health benefits of finger millet in sub-saharan Africa

“…Polyphenols are regarded as major antioxidants that conduct activities which help to maintain the body immune system. Polyphenols occur naturally in a wide range of food products including FM grains (Siwela et al, 2007;Devi et al, 2014;Udeh et al, 2017). Tannins in the outer layer of the grain, serves as a physical barrier to fungal invasion (Devi et al, 2014) and plays an important role in the biological function of plants and humans.…”

Oviposition and development response of perilla seed bugs (Nysius sp.) (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) to five crop seeds

“…Millets are typically rich in phenolic compounds (Chandrasekara & Shahidi, 2011). As in most cereal grains, sorghum and millets contain major polyphenol groups such as phenolic acids and flavonoids (Awika & Rooney, 2004;Dykes & Rooney, 2006;Udeh, Duodu, & Jideani, 2017). Furthermore, several studies have reported that bran of sorghum and millets possess the higher phenolic acids as compared to the seed coat of dicotyledonous legumes (Duodu & Awika, 2019;Dykes & Rooney, 2007;Liu, 2007).…”