Medicinal and Therapeutic Potential of Seed Spices

G Lal* and SS Meena

Received: June 06, 2018;   Published: June 18, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.05.001240

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Abstract

India is well known as “Land of Spices” across the world since long back. We have been cultivating these precious spices for fulfilling our various needs since ages. Our ancestors have been using these seed spices for adding taste and flavor in edibles and beverages. It has been used in treatment of various ailments, which is evident from our old literature. These spices are collections of a wide variety of volatile and non-volatile staple dietary additives. These spices have been known for ages as effective therapeutic food. The power of seed spices to impart biological activity is now slowly re-emerging as an area of interest for human health. Nowadays people are moving towards naturopathy because they don’t want to bear silently the aftermath of allopathic medicines. Now, time has changed and it’s high time for Ayurveda and Unani medicine system to regain its lost glory. In these systems, only natural products are used for preparing medicines, which don’t have any side effects.

In this way, the seed spices, which have many medicinal properties, can be a good alternative. Seed spices produce numerous secondary metabolites or phytochemicals, these are naturally occurring, biologically active chemical compounds in plants, where they act as a natural defense system for host plants and that have historically been used as fragrance and flavor agent and pharmaceuticals compounds. These are a gold mine of possibilities in our search for beneficial bioactive compounds for pharmacology and other health related issues. Seed spices influence various systems in the body such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and reproductive and nervous systems resulting in diverse metabolic and physiologic actions. Seed spices have a diverse array of natural phytochemicals that have complementary and overlapping actions, including antioxidant effects, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial Activity, Hypolipidemic effect, Insecticidal, useful in menstrual disorders, helping in digestion, Modulation of hypertension, detoxification enzymes, reduction of inflammation, modulation of steroid metabolism, stimulation of immune system and helps in improve other several human disorder.The present review on therapeutic potential of seed spices namely Ajwain, Coriander, Cumin, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek and Nigella.

Keywords: Seed spices; Ajwain; Coriander; Cumin; Dill; Fennel; Fenugreek; Nigella; Medicinal; Therapeutic; Nutraceutical; Antioxidant

Abbreviations: TAE: Total Alcoholic Extract; HCH: Hexachlorocyclohexan; GST: Glutathione-S-Transferase; LPO: Lipid Peroxidation; COX: Cycloooxygenase Enzyme; TQ: Thymoquinone; MND: Minimal Neurological Deficit

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