Pharmacological, nutraceutical, and nutritional properties of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): An insight into its functionality and disease mitigation

Abstract

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is derived from the flax plant, an annual herb. The primary relevance of flaxseed is in the human nutrition sector, where it is emerging as a significant functional food component due to its high level of active chemicals, which have been linked to health benefits. Flaxseed may be consumed in numerous forms, including milled, oil, and bakery items. The phytochemicals that are present in flaxseed have greatly drawn interest as bioactive molecules beneficial for health. It is naturally enriched with alpha‐linolenic acid, omega‐3 fatty acid, lignin, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, and fiber which are physiologically active in the protection of some chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular stroke. Furthermore, the benefits of flaxseed eating have been demonstrated in the animal nutrition industry, resulting in healthier food from animal origin. In reality, the fatty acid profile of meat and fat in swine and poultry is directly impacted by the source of fat in the diet. Feeding omega‐3‐enriched diets with flaxseed will improve the omega‐3 content in eggs and meat, enriching the products. The current study focuses on the latest evidence on the chemical makeup of flaxseed and its positive benefits.

Signaling pathways regulated by natural active ingredients in the fight against exercise fatigue-a review

“…Lignans are widely distributed in plants, being found in the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and other parts ( Lu and Liu, 1992 ; Wu et al, 2019 ). Recently, researchers have found that higher concentrations of lignans in flaxseed extracts protect against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when secoisolariciresinol (SECO) released by gastrointestinal bacteria is hydroxylated and demethylated to produce mammalian lignan enterodiol (END) ( Noreen et al, 2023 ). The structural diversity of lignans has been studied in depth, and many lignans have been found to exhibit fatigue-relieving pharmacological activities.…”

The Antitumor Effects of α-Linolenic Acid

“…Laura E Voorrips [ 17 ] showed that ALA was the only n-3 PUFA that was effective at reducing the risk of breast cancer (BC). Based on global medical and nutritional studies [ 9 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ], ALA can regulate blood lipids, reduce blood viscosity, lower blood pressure, support weight loss, suppress allergic reactions, inhibit inflammation, affect diabetes and bone health, and inhibit cancer occurrence and metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish ALA from other n-3 PUFAs.…”

Exploring the cholesterol‐lowering effects of cereal bran cell wall‐enriched diets

“…Studies have shown that soluble‐fiber‐rich whole grains like oats and barley reduce blood cholesterol better than insoluble‐fiber‐rich grains like wheat or rice. Adding dietary fiber, a variety of plant compounds that resist digestion by human gastrointestinal enzymes, lowers cholesterol (Noreen, Tufail, Ul Ain, et al., 2023 ). The structural or matrix fibers (lignins, cellulose, and some hemicelluloses) are insoluble in water, while the natural gel‐forming fibers (pectins, gums, mucilages, and the rest of the hemicelluloses) are soluble.…”