Nutritional properties and medicinal derivatives of fruits and cladodes

NAZARENO, M. A.

Crop ecology, cultivation and uses of cactus pear (Opuntia sp.pl.)

FAO-UNITED NATIONS-ICARDA

Lugar: Roma; Año: 2017; p. 151 - 158

Scientific investigation has confirmed that fruitsand cladodes of cacti may be efficiently used asa source of nutrients and phytochemicals (e.g.sugars, mucilage, fibres, vitamins and pigments)of nutritional and functional importance. Cactusproducts show promising functional characteristicsdue to their health−promoting properties.This chapter presents a detailed description of themajor active components of the different cactusspecies studied worldwide.Since ancient times, cactus plants have beenused to cure diseases and heal wounds. Cacti aretraditionally used as natural medicines in severalcountries for the treatment of many diseases.Moreover, cladodes and cactus pear fruits arestill used today in folk medicine as therapeuticagents. Remarkable progress has been made inrecent decades to characterize plant constituentsand explain the role of natural molecules in relationto disease prevention. In this context, thereare strong recommendations to incorporate fruitand vegetables in the diet. Several manufacturedproducts are currently available on the global marketthat exploit the medicinal properties of cactusplants; there is increasing interest in the industrialuse of cactus products as nutraceuticals.