Phyto-Pharmacological Importance with Nutritional Potential of Eleusine coracana Linn.: A Review

Abstract

The majority of millet is grown in Nigeria, Mali, Faso, Burkina, Chad, China and India. There are many different types of millet found throughout the universe, but finger millet, small millet, foxtail millet, and proso millet are the most prevalent millets. Among the tiny millets, finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) has the most area under cultivation in India. Finger millet is the only minor cereal with better nutritional value than barley, rye, and oats, and it has exceptional features as a livelihood food product. It is one of the most significant minor millets, with a high calcium content (344 mg/100g), dietary fibre (18%), phytates (0.48%), and phenolics (0.3-3%). Other than that, it contains significant amounts of iron (3.9 mg), riboflavin (0.19 mg), thiamine (0.42 mg), and amino acids including isoleucine, phenylalanine, leucine, and methionine. Due to its nutraceutical potential, these phytochemicals make finger millet a powerhouse of health-promoting nutrients. It has anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-bacterial, and hepatoprotective characteristics along with other health benefits. We are exploring the potential of Eleusine coracana through this review.