Phytochemicals of Nutraceutical Importance from Cactus and their Role in Human Health.

NAZARENO M. A.

Phytochemicals of Nutraceutical Importance and their role in Human Health.

CABI, UK

Lugar: Oxfordshire; Año: 2014; p. 103 - 115

Cactus plants have been used by ancient civilizations to cure diseases and heal wounds for thousands of years. Cactus cladodes, fruits, and flowers have been traditionally used as natural medicines in several countries. Cladodes are still used in folk medicine for the treatment of gastric ulcer and for its healing activity as therapeutic agents. They are also well-known the properties of the infusions of cactus dried flowers to prevent prostate cancer. Remarkable progress has been made over the past decades in disease prevention considering fruit, vegetables and herbs. Scientific investigations confirmed that cactus products may be efficiently used as a source of several phytochemicals of nutraceutical importance, such as mucilage, fibres, pigments and vitamins. Recent data has revealed high contents of these chemical constituents in fruits, cladodes, seeds and flowers, which can be used to add value to cactus products. Additionally, some of their constituents show promising characteristics in terms of functionality as health-promoting phytochemicals. A detailed description of the major active components of the different cactus species worldwide studied will be presented in this chapter. Several manufactured products are currently available in the nutraceutical market to take benefits from the medicinal properties of cactus plants. New insights of the uses of cactus products as nutraceutics will be discussed.