Abstract
Culinary herbs are herbaceous (leafy) plants that add flavour and colour to all types of meals. There is a wide variety of herbs that are used for culinary purposes worldwide, which are also recognized for their beneficial health effects, and thus have also been used in folk medicine. Besides their nutritional value herbs are rich in many phytochemical components with bioactive effects, thus improving human health. The aim of the present work was to make a general overview of some of these herbs, including their gastronomic usage, their chemical composition in bioactive components and their reported health effects. This work showed that the health effects are very diverse and differ according to the herb in question. However, some of the most frequently citted biological activities include antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects.
Keywords: Aromatic herbs, bioactive compounds, chemical constituents, culinary herbs, health effects, human health.
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Bioactive Compounds in Some Culinary Aromatic Herbs and Their Effects on Human Health
Volume: 16 Issue: 11
Author(s): Raquel P.F. Guiné and Fernando J. Gonçalves
Affiliation:
Keywords: Aromatic herbs, bioactive compounds, chemical constituents, culinary herbs, health effects, human health.
Abstract: Culinary herbs are herbaceous (leafy) plants that add flavour and colour to all types of meals. There is a wide variety of herbs that are used for culinary purposes worldwide, which are also recognized for their beneficial health effects, and thus have also been used in folk medicine. Besides their nutritional value herbs are rich in many phytochemical components with bioactive effects, thus improving human health. The aim of the present work was to make a general overview of some of these herbs, including their gastronomic usage, their chemical composition in bioactive components and their reported health effects. This work showed that the health effects are very diverse and differ according to the herb in question. However, some of the most frequently citted biological activities include antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects.
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Cite this article as:
P.F. Guiné Raquel and J. Gonçalves Fernando, Bioactive Compounds in Some Culinary Aromatic Herbs and Their Effects on Human Health, Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry 2016; 16 (11) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557516666160211120540
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389557516666160211120540 |
Print ISSN 1389-5575 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5607 |
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