Indian Spices for Healthy Heart - An Overview

Abstract

Spices were some of the most valuable items of trade in the ancient and medieval world. Herbalist and folk practitioners have used plant remedies for centuries, but only recently have scientist begun to study the powers of common herbs and spices. In the current set-up, the anti-proliferative, anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory effects of spices have overriding importance, as the key health concern of mankind nowadays is diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, arthritis and cancer. Spices or their active compounds could be used as possible ameliorative or preventive agents for these health disorders. Spices are rich in antioxidants, and scientific studies suggest that they are also potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar and circulating lipids. Because spices have very low calorie content and are relatively inexpensive, they are reliable sources of antioxidants and other potential bioactive compounds in diet. This review outlines the role of some spices used in the Indian kitchen for its flavour and taste which are potential to maintain a healthy heart.

Evaluation of antioxidant capacity of Chinese five-spice ingredients

“…Because spices have very low calorie content and are cost effective, they are considered as reliable sources of natural antioxidants and potential bioactive compounds in diet (Vasanthi & Parameswari, 2010). Five-spice powder, an oriental blend of five fragrant and healthy spices together, including Szechuan pepper, fennel seed, cinnamon, star anise and cloves, is the most widely used spices in Chinese cooking, but found in other Asian and Arabic cuisine as well.…”

[6]-Gingerol: A Novel AT1 Antagonist for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

“…Ginger is pungent in flavor and warm in nature; it is used to improve the flow of body fluids and stimulate blood circulation throughout the body by diluting the blood and has a powerful stimulatory effect on the heart muscle [24]. Ginger also could be used for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders by day-to-day dietary intake [25]. Gingerols are the main pungent and active ingredients of ginger in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders with [6]-gingerol having the highest concentration among them [26], but very little is known about gingerʼs biological targets and the molecular mechanisms underlying its activity.…”

Study on the Antagonistic Potential of Biosynthesized Hematite Nanoparticles During Water and Wastewater Treatment

“…Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. aureus were selected as Gramnegative and -positive bacteria for biofilm formation. Both microbes exhibited higher biofilm capabilities, according to biofilm index reported in Vasanthi et al [33] Sterile, 96-well flat bottom polystyrene microtiter plates were inoculated with 100 μL of trypton soy broth (TSB) containing 10 8 CFU mL À1 of both examined microbes and loaded with 0.15 and 0.3 mg mL À1 of HNPs in parallel to IS. The plates were incubated in a static condition at 37 C for 24 h. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were reported for each concentration and with each microbial strain based on three replicates.…”