1) Nutraceuticals provide health benefits and can help prevent diseases. They are derived from foods and have therapeutic effects for conditions like cancer, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. 2) Specific nutraceuticals like curcumin, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help with diseases by reducing inflammation, acting as antioxidants, and positively affecting insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels. 3) While nutraceuticals show promise, there are also challenges to their use in cancer treatment including difficulties achieving high systemic concentrations and insufficient pre-clinical data to advance combinational therapies in clinical settings.

1. Nutraceutical and diseases
By,
Ayeeshya Kolhar
PH.D. (Hort.)
Post harvest technology
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8. •It increase the health value of our diet.
• It help us live longer.
• It help us to avoid particular medical conditions.
• It has a psychological benefit from doing something for oneself.
• It is perceived to be more "natural" than traditional medicine and less likely to
produce unpleasant side-effects.
• May present food for populations with special needs (e.g. nutrient-dense foods
for the elderly)
Benefits
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9. Fig.1 Therapeutic areas covered by nutraceutical products
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Classification based on their use in disease control
Sl.no Condition Nutraceuticals
1. Allergy relief Ginkgo Biloba
2. Arthritis support Glucosamine
3. Cancer prevention Flax Seeds ,Green Tea
4 Cholesterol lowering Garlic
5 Digestive support Digestive Enzymes
6 Diabetic support Garlic,monordica
7 Immunomodulator Ginseng
8 Prostate support Tomato Lycopenes

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32. Persons consuming generous amounts of dietary fibre, compared to those
who have minimal fibre intake, are having low risk of CHR stroke
hypertension diabetes obesity and certain gastrointestinal disorders.
Increase in the intake of high fibre food improves serum lipoprotein values
,lowers blood pressure level, improves blood glucose control for diabetes, aids
weight loss and promotes regularity.
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34. Nutraceuticals in cancer treatment
The leading cause for death of adult is cancer. Treatment of cancer involves expensive and
traumatic use of drugs, surgery and irradiation.
Nutraceuticals have the ability to control and regulate the DNA damaging factors in cancer
cells and DNA transcription in tumours.
They possess numerous therapeutic benefits like anti-obesity, immunity enhancement, natural
antioxidant, cardiovascular, Antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
The herbal-based dietary supplements (or Nutraceuticals) known to antagonize therapy. The
research says that phytochemical are proven to be the potential to interfere even with the late-
stage cancer and altering the metastatic spread of cancer
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35. There has been vast growth in the Nutraceutical industries to yield large number
of phytochemicals containing Nutraceuticals with diverse composition and health
claim due to increased application of phytochemicals in cancer care.
Numerous Nutraceuticals have shown to regulate specific tumour suppressor
genes and cancer driving genes.
By utilizing a daily diet of Nutraceuticals specific to the entire possible gene
combinations found in your particular form of cancer we can inhibit the over-
expressed oncogenes unique to that form of cancer.
There are many cellular mediators involved to be manipulated from initial
development of a single cell, to invasion, angiogenesis, proliferation and
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36. 1) Pleiotropic activity
2) Target Classical signaling Pathways (NF-kappa B, EGFR, AKT, etc.)
3) Sensitize tumour cells to chemo/radio- therapy
4) Generally well tolerated
5) Parent structure usable for design of novel synthetic analogues for improving efficacy
Challenges of Nutraceuticals in cancer research:
1) Bioavailability: metabolized effectively, high systemic concentrations difficult to achieve
2) Insufficient pre-clinical data to advance combinational multi-agent therapy in clinical setting
3) Lower priority by pharmaceutical industry as they may not be patented
Promises of Nutraceuticals in cancer research:
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37. Table 1. Nutraceuticals which as widely used in cancer
therapy
Bioactive
compound
Source Mechanism
Eugenol Cloves Inhibition of cell proliferation Inhibition of cell
proliferation
Diosgenin Fenugreek Supresses proliferation of cancerous cells and
inhibits NFκβ activity
Piperine Pepper Inhibition of cell proliferation
Allicin Garlic Induces apoptosis
Beta-carotene,
lycopene
Tomatoes Induces apoptosis
Quercetin Black tea Induces apoptosis
6-gingerol Ginger Acts as anti-inflammatory and as 5-HT3 receptor
antagonist
Limonene Citrus oils from Has inhibitory effect on cell migration on cancerous37

38. Nutraceuticals as antioxidants
Antioxidants are the substances that act on free radicals or their actions. It has been
proven that higher intake of foods/ compounds with antioxidant can reduce various
human mortalities. Some compounds that possess antioxidant activities are onion, garlic,
turmeric, basil, etc.
Antioxidants (nutraceuticals) play a major role in neurodegenerative diseases like
Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.
Major components that possess antioxidant activities are flavonoid polyphenols - green
tea, apples, non-flavonoid polyphenols- turmeric, grapes, phenolic acids or phenolic
diterpenes- rosemary, organ sulfur compounds- broccoli, garlic, etc.
They act by directly scavenging free radicals or increasing endogenous cellular
antioxidant defenses. They act on ROS and RNS. It also prevents the formation of
oxidized LDL.
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39. In current scenario, there are increased cases of age related degenerative diseases and people are
keener to shift towards better quality of life. Hence, the combination of cosmetics and food
supplements is a new approach used to provide skin care treatment.
It was assumed by Denham Harman in 1950s that aging is a consequence of excessive
production of free radicals. This results to cause damage to human body and even oxidative
damage to DNA. Nutraceuticals useful as anti-aging acts similar as antioxidants. They also affect
the processes that stimulate the production of reactive species; ROS, RON, etc.
Right selection of nutrients plays a vital role in the treatment of various diseases which can be
achieved by proper diet containing intake of food supplements rich in vitamin E, folic acid,
vitamin B12, iron, etc. main food sources includes egg yolk, green leafed vegetables, beans, nuts,
Nutraceuticals as anti-aging
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40. Obesity is a common chronic disease and a major underline reason for metabolic
syndrome which arises when there is an imbalance between energy intake and
energy expenditure. Some components widely used as nutraceuticals in obesity are
curcumin, bottle guard, black gram, green tea, etc. They secrete leptin and other
cytokines like IL-1, IL-6 that are critically involved in obesity and chronic
inflammation.
They also help in reducing LDL and total cholesterol. Some act by limiting overall
food daily intake. Nutraceuticals have ability to affect weight loss and have huge
Nutraceuticals as anti-obesity
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41. Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome where a person suffers from high blood glucose.
It is caused due to lack of insulin production or the body cells do not respond
properly to insulin or both. Some nutraceuticals used to treat and prevent diabetes
are Emblica officinalis, fenugreek, green tea, etc. It also includes anti-oxidant
vitamins like vitamin C and E and minerals like magnesium and chromium. They
generally act by affecting insulin sensitivity and also prevent insulin resistance.
Some act by increasing hepatic glycogen concentration and decreasing the
concentration of glycogen phosphorylase and glyconeogenic enzymes
Nutraceuticals as anti-diabetic
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42. Cardiovascular diseases
The incidence of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes
and obesity is rapidly increasing.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) refers to group of disorders of the heart and blood
vessels and include hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary heart disease
(heart attack), cerebro vascular disease (stroke), heart failure, peripheral vascular
disease, etc.
Majority of the CVD are preventable and controllable. It was reported that low
intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with a high mortality in cardiovascular
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43. Nutraceuticals in the form of antioxidants, dietary fibers, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acids, vitamins, and minerals are recommended together with physical exercise for
prevention and treatment of CVD.
The polyphenols present in grapes and in wine alter cellular metabolism and signalling,
which is consistent with reducing arterial disease.
Flavonoids are widely distributed in onion, endives, cruciferous vegetables, black
grapes, red wine, grapefruits, apples, cherries and berries.
Flavanoids in plants available as flavones (containing the flavonoid apigenin found in
chamomile); flavanones (hesperidins - citrus fruits; silybin- milk thistle flavonols
(tea:quercetin, kaempferol and rutin grapefruit; rutin buckwheat; ginkgo flavon glycosides
-ginkgo) play a major role in curing the cardiovascular diseases.
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44. Flavonoids block the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that raises blood
pressure; by blocking the "suicide" enzyme cyclo oxygenase that breaks down
prosta glandins, they prevent platelet stickiness and hence platelet aggregation.
Flavonoids also protect the vascular system and strengthen the tiny capillaries that
carry oxygen and essential nutrients to all cells. Flavonoids block the enzymes that
produce estrogens, thus reducing the risk of estrogens induced cancers.
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45. Parkinson's disease
Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that results from nerve damage in certain
regions of the brain causing muscle rigidity, shaking, and difficult walking usually
occurring in mid to late adult life.
Creatine appeared to modify Parkinson’s disease features as measured by a
decline in the clinical signs.
Glutathione to determine its effect on nerve and its power as an antioxidant.
Nutritional supplements have shown some promising results in preliminary
studies, it is important to remember that there is not sufficient scientific data to
recommend them for Parkinson's disease at present.
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46. Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is characterized by abnormally high levels of blood glucose, either due to insufficient
insulin production, or due to its ineffectiveness.
The most common forms of diabetes are type 1diabetes (5%), an autoimmune disorder, and type 2
diabetes (95%), which is associated with obesity.
Lipoic acid is a universal antioxidant, for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. It is possible that lipoic
acid may be more effective as a long-term dietary supplement aimed at the prophylactic protection of
diabetics from complications.
Dietary fibers from psyllium have been used extensively both as pharmacological supplements, food
ingredients, in processed food to aid weight reduction, for glucose control in diabetic patients and to
reduce lipid levels in hyperlipidemia extracts of bitter melon and of cinnamon have the potential to treat
and possibly prevent diabetes. However it has been suggested that Nutraceuticals with meaningful doses
of combinations may substantially prevent and presumably could be marketed legally
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47. Osteoarthritis (OA), a debilitating joint disorder.
Joint discomfort from OA and other joint disorders may reduce physical activity in individuals
experiencing this condition, resulting in energy imbalance and weight gain.
Increased weight can exacerbate existing problems, through additional stress on joints.
Glucosamine (GLN) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) are widely used to alleviate symptoms of OA.
These nutraceuticals have both nutrient and pharmaceutical properties and seem to regulate gene
expression thus providing a plausible explanation for their anti inflammatory activities.
Osteoarthritis
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48. Table 2. Various nutraceuticals used against different diseases.
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Not subjected to same testing and regulations as pharmaceuticals
Majority not regulated by FDA in USA
Companies creating unregulated products to create a wide profit
margin
Bioavailability of nutrients is lower
No regulatory definition
Disadvantages

51. CONCLUSION
Nutraceuticals have been emerged as an alternative to modern medicines and
have proven health benefits. Most dietary supplements are derived from plants
and some from animals. Nutraceuticals has disease prevention capability with
good nutritional value and food ingredients with additional health benefits.
They are widely accepted by all age groups due to their higher quality, purity,
safety and efficacy, promoting health and help to cure diseases. The latest
trend is moved towards nutragenomics and nutraceuticals has led to new era of
medicine and health.
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