PHYTOCHEMICALS – A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE OF THEIR ROLE IN NUTRITION AND HEALTH Edited by Venketeshwer Rao Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health Edited by Venketeshwer Rao Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Masa Vidovic Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published March, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health, Edited by Venketeshwer Rao p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0296-0 Contents Preface IX Chapter 1 Phytochemicals: Extraction Methods, Basic Structures and Mode of Action as Potential Chemotherapeutic Agents 1 James Hamuel Doughari Chapter 2 Structural Analysis of Flavonoids and Related Compounds – A Review of Spectroscopic Applications 33 Pedro F. Pinheiro and Gonçalo C. Justino Chapter 3 Analytical Methods for Isolation, Separation and Identification of Selected Furanocoumarins in Plant Material 57 Katarzyna Szewczyk and Anna Bogucka - Kocka Chapter 4 Analytical Methods and Phytochemistry of the Typical Italian Liquor “Limoncello”: A Review 93 Marcello Locatelli, Giuseppe Carlucci, Salvatore Genovese and Francesco Epifano Chapter 5 The Effects of Non-Thermal Technologies on Phytochemicals 107 Gemma Oms-Oliu, Isabel Odriozola-Serrano and Olga Martín-Belloso Chapter 6 Phytochemical Constituents and Activities of Morinda citrifolia L. 127 Duduku Krishnaiah, Rajesh Nithyanandam and Rosalam Sarbatly Chapter 7 Flavonoids in some Iranian Angiosperms 151 Mitra Noori Chapter 8 Phytochemicals from Beilschmiedia anacardioides and Their Biological Significance 167 Nkeng-Efouet-Alango Pépin VI Contents Chapter 9 Phenolic Constituents and Antioxidant Properties of some Thai Plants 187 Pitchaon Maisuthisakul Chapter 10 Lignans: Chemical and Biological Properties 213 Wilson R. Cunha, Márcio Luis Andrade e Silva, Rodrigo Cassio Sola Veneziani, Sérgio Ricardo Ambrósio and Jairo Kenupp Bastos Chapter 11 The Genus Galanthus: A Source of Bioactive Compounds 235 Strahil Berkov, Carles Codina and Jaume Bastida Chapter 12 Silymarin, Natural Flavonolignans from Milk Thistle 255 Sameh AbouZid Chapter 13 Phytocannabinoids 273 Afeef S. Husni and Stephen J. Cutler Chapter 14 Alkaloids and Anthraquinones from Malaysian Flora 287 Nor Hadiani Ismail, Asmah Alias and Che Puteh Osman Chapter 15 Phytochemistry of some Brazilian Plants with Aphrodisiac Activity 307 Cinara V. da Silva, Fernanda M. Borges and Eudes S. Velozo Chapter 16 A Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Review of the Genus Erythrina 327 João X. de Araújo-Júnior, Mariana S.G. de Oliveira, Pedro G.V. Aquino, Magna S. Alexandre-Moreira and Antônio E.G. Sant’Ana Chapter 17 Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Agronomy of Medicinal Plants: Amburana cearensis, an Interdisciplinary Study 353 Kirley M. Canuto, Edilberto R. Silveira, Antonio Marcos E. Bezerra, Luzia Kalyne A. M. Leal and Glauce Socorro B. Viana Chapter 18 General Introduction on Family Asteracea 375 Maha Aboul Ela, Abdalla El-Lakany and Mohamad Ali Hijazi Chapter 19 Bioavailability of Phytochemicals 401 Indah Epriliati and Irine R. Ginjom Chapter 20 Ximenia americana: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Properties, a Review 429 Francisco José Queiroz Monte, Telma Leda Gomes de Lemos, Mônica Regina Silva de Araújo and Edilane de Sousa Gomes Contents VII Chapter 21 Phytochemicals and Their Pharmacological Aspects of Acanthopanax koreanum 451 Young Ho Kim, Jeong Ah Kim and Nguyen Xuan Nhiem Chapter 22 Polyphenol Antioxidants and Bone Health: A Review 467 L.G. Rao, N. Kang and A.V. Rao Chapter 23 The Pentacyclic Triterpenes , -amyrins: A Review of Sources and Biological Activities 487 Liliana Hernández Vázquez, Javier Palazon and Arturo Navarro-Ocaña Chapter 24 Phytochemical Studies of Fractions and Compounds Present in Vernonanthura Patens with Antifungal Bioactivity and Potential as Antineoplastic 503 Patricia Isabel Manzano Santana, Mario Silva Osorio, Olov Sterner and Esther Lilia Peralta Garcìa Chapter 25 The Inhibitory Effect of Natural Stilbenes and Their Analogues on Catalytic Activity of Cytochromes P450 Family 1 in Comparison with Other Phenols – Structure and Activity Relationship 519 Renata Mikstacka, Zbigniew Dutkiewicz, Stanisław Sobiak and Wanda Baer-Dubowska Preface Since global recognition of the dietary guidelines that include increased consumption of plant-based foods for the prevention of chronic diseases and maintaining good health, there has been a considerable interest in the biologically active compounds that are present in plant foods. These compounds have been referred to, among other terms, as ‘Phytochemicals’, ‘Phytonutrients’, ‘Nutraceuticals’ and ‘Functional ingredients”. They include a multitude of compounds having different chemical identities, biological activities and mechanisms of action. The scope of ‘Phytochemicals’ has expanded beyond their initial applications to food to include therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals. Although advancements have been made in the field of phytochemicals in the past few decades, more information on the analytical methods of isolation and characterization, their occurrence, biological activity, mechanisms of action and applications to the food and other health industries need to be obtained through systematic scientific investigations. Recognizing this need for more information, a plan to publish a book that brings together up to date information on various aspects of phytochemicals was initiated. This book is a collection of several articles that range in scope from the diversity of their occurrence and chemical characteristics, analytical challenges in their isolation and characterization, and the undertaking of basic and clinical researches to evaluate their biological activities both in animal and human health. The book provides a global perspective related to the phytochemicals present not only in foods but also in medicinal plants. Internationally recognized authors that have expertise in their own respective areas within the phytochemical discipline have contributed to this book. Contents of this important and timely book are useful not only to the researchers but also to health professionals, government regulatory agencies and industrial personnel. It is with this vision that we present this book to our readers and are confident that it will serve as a standard reference book in this important field of human nutrition and health. Dr. A. V. Rao Professor Emeritus, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Toronto, Canada [...]... antibiotics sanguinafine and berberine, the anticancer agent vinblastine, the antiarrythmic ajmaline, the pupil dilator atropine, and the sedative scopolamine Other important alkaloids of plant origin include the addictive stimulants caffeine, nicotine, codeine, atropine, morphine, ergotamine, cocaine, nicotine and ephedrine (Fig 1) Amino acids act as precursors for biosynthesis of alkaloids with ornithine and. .. Cinnamon’s insulin-like activity may be in part due to increase in the amounts of TTP, IRβ, and GLUT4 and that Cinnamon polyphenols may have additional roles as anti-inflammatory and/ or anti-angiogenesis agents (Jakhetia et al., 2010) 3.6 Anti-inflammatory Essential oil of C osmophloeum twigs has excellent anti- inflammatory activities and cytotoxicity against HepG2 (Human Hepatocellular Liver Carcinoma... g.day–1) miraculously causes a very fast (say within a span of 3 weeks) an appreciable enhancement in the glutathione-Stransferase, and a subsequent noticeable reduction in the urinary concentration of a specific purine meltabolite that serves as a marker of DNA-degradation in cancer Isothiocyanates and the indole-3-carbinols do interfere categorically in the metabolism of carcinogens thus causing inhibition... unconventional part of the plant, contains a good amount of phenolic antioxidants to counteract the damaging effects of free radicals and may protect against mutagenesis Antioxidants are often added to foods to prevent the radical chain reactions of oxidation, and they act by inhibiting the initiation and propagation step leading to the termination of the reaction and delay the oxidation process Due to safety... as pharmaceuticals, stimulants, narcotics, and poisons due to their potent biological activities In nature, the alkaloids exist in large proportions in the seeds Fig 1 Basic structures of some pharmacologically important plant derived alkaloids 4 Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health and roots of plants and often in combination with vegetable acids Alkaloids have... rapid as possible An in vitro test is more desirable than a bioassay using small laboratory animals, which, in turn, is more desirable than feeding large amounts of valuable and hard to obtain extract to larger domestic or laboratory animals In addition, in vivo tests in mammals are often variable and are highly constrained by ethical considerations of animal welfare Extraction from the plant is an empirical... complexes with proteins, carbohydrates, gelatin and alkaloids Tannins are divided into hydrolysable tannins and condensed tannins Hydrolysable tannins, upon hydrolysis, produce gallic acid and ellagic acid and depending on the type of acid produced, the hydrolysable tannins are called gallotannins or egallitannins On heating, they form pyrogallic acid Tannins are used as antiseptic and this activity is due... presence of the source material, to purify and subsequently identify the compounds therein Assay methods vary depending on what bioactivity is targeted and these may include antimicrobial, anti-malarial, anticancer, seed germination, and mammalian toxicity activities The assay method however 16 Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health should be as simple, specific, and rapid... poisonous, as they cause heamolysis of blood and are known to cause cattle poisoning (Kar, 2007) They possess a bitter and acrid taste, besides causing irritation to mucous membranes They are mostly amorphous in nature, soluble in alcohol and water, but insoluble in non-polar organic solvents like benzene and n-hexane 8 Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health Saponins are... response of experimental animals to the administration of plant alkaloids is usually detected by assay of the serum ALT and AST of the animal as sensitive indicators of hepatocellular damage (Chapatwala et al., 1982) Any toxicity usually results in distortion of hepatocytes membrane integrity due to hepatocellular injury and plasma levels rise, as a consequence of high toxin levels present within hepatocytes . Bezerra, Luzia Kalyne A. M. Leal and Glauce Socorro B. Viana Chapter 18 General Introduction on Family Asteracea 375 Maha Aboul Ela, Abdalla El-Lakany and Mohamad Ali Hijazi Chapter 19 Bioavailability. structures of some pharmacologically important plant derived alkaloids Phytochemicals – A Global Perspective of Their Role in Nutrition and Health 4 and roots of plants and often in combination. diversity of their occurrence and chemical characteristics, analytical challenges in their isolation and characterization, and the undertaking of basic and clinical researches to evaluate their