Abstract
Nutraceuticals are the combination of Nutrition and Pharmaceuticals and refer to the ‘food’ possessing pharmaceutical properties. They are classified into traditional (herbals, phytochemicals, probiotic, prebiotic) and non-traditional (fortified and recombinant) categories; nutraceuticals are mainly intended for preventing and treating diseases. Nutraceuticals possess several therapeutic activities, which can be exploited to treat disorders like cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer, inflammations, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Nutraceuticals are mainly obtained from natural sources, hence they are comparatively safer and cheaper alternatives than pharmaceuticals, which leads to tremendous growth and flourishing markets for these kind of products. The main objective of this review is to determine the advancement made in the field of nutraceuticals and their potential as pharmaceutical alternatives. This article focuses on the present and past market scenario of nutraceuticals, their therapeutic effects and advantages over pharmaceuticals products. Secondly, with the advancement of novel drug delivery systems, the drawbacks of nutraceuticals have been resolved, and efficacy has been improved, which resulted in gaining the interests of scientists and researchers in this field for further improvement. Thus, we can expect the lucrative market of nutraceuticals in the upcoming days. It is clear that nutraceuticals have great potential to replace pharmaceuticals and serve the wellbeing of mankind.
Keywords: Nutraceuticals, probiotic and prebiotic, fortified, recombinant, novel drug delivery system, nanoparticles.
Graphical Abstract
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Functional Foods in Human Health and Beyond
Foods are important source of nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and other minerals. Furthermore, the functional foods are those agents that have additional components that are essential supports to the body in terms of antioxidant and pharmacologically active agents. The predominant functional foods are of plant in origin, whereas some ...read more
Harnessing Bioactive Compounds from Food Waste: Sustainable Extraction Strategies and Health Applications
Food waste presents a significant challenge across the postharvest cycle, from agricultural production to distribution. However, within this waste lies a treasure trove of bioactive chemicals that hold immense potential for nutraceuticals, functional foods, and postharvest additives, including antimicrobials. Various extraction methods, such as solvent extraction (SE), supercritical fluid extraction ...read more
Natural Bioactive Compounds Derivatives in Nutraceutical and Food Science
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