Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs - Latest Laboratory, Pre-clinical, and Clinical Studies

Pimpinella anisum L. is an aromatic species of the Apiaceae (Parsley) family, commonly known as anise or aniseed. Fruits of the plant, which are also known as seeds, have widespread usage throughout the world for culinary and medicinal purposes, in cosmetics industry, and also is used in the flavoring of some alcoholic beverages, candies etc. Usage of the plant for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient Egypt and the plant is currently being used mainly for its digestive properties and hormonal activities such as increasing milk production in breast feeding mothers. The plant is sometimes confused with star anise, another species called Illicium verum Hook. f. from Schisandraceae family due to the fact that they both have trans-anethole within the composition of their volatile oils, though anise is an annual herbaceous plant and star anise is an evergreen tree. In this chapter composition, traditional usages, biological activities and some issues related to the utilization of this world-renowned plant are focused on.

This chapter concisely presents the state of knowledge about the taxonomical and ethnobotanical aspects of the seeds of Sinapis alba L. (S. alba), known as white or yellow mustard, belonging to the famous Cruciferaceae (or Brassicaceae) family. It starts with an introduction to medicinal plants, the seeds of S. alba, and their benefits for humans. This is followed by the systematics and taxonomy of the seeds, which are very important for the identification and reconstruction of the phylogeny of spices. In addition, the physical description of the plant and seeds has also been explained in detail in this section. The main part of this chapter is devoted to the extraction methods used to prepare essential oils and/or crude extracts from S. alba seeds for chemical and biological valorization. The last part deals with the history and the ethnomedical uses of the seeds.

Cinnamon, also known as Cinnamomum verum, has long been recognized for its therapeutic benefits. The inner bark of trees, known as Cinnamomum, is used to make the spice cinnamon. It has been used as a component since the dawn of time, possibly as early as Ancient Egypt. It was once considered a blessing fit for a lord and was unusual and remarkable. These days, cinnamon is inexpensive, available at every general store and used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes and recipes. Cinnamon comes in two primary varieties: Ceylon cinnamon, also called “true” cinnamon, and Cassia cinnamon, which is the more widely available variety and what most people call “Cinnamon” nowadays. Cutting the stems of cinnamon trees yields cinnamon. After that, the woody portions are released, and the inner bark is split apart. When it dries, it becomes cinnamon sticks, which are strips that twist into rolls, and these sticks can be ground to make cinnamon powder. The major component of cinnamon is cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamaldehyde is concentrated in the slick section of the plant, which gives cinnamon its unique flavours and fragrance. In addition, it is also responsible for the majority of cinnamon's health benefits, including its antiinflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-infective, and anti-diabetic properties. Furthermore, it can bring down glucose levels, decrease coronary illness chance factors and has plenty of other great medical advantages. The cinnamon variant has significant amounts of coumarin, a substance that is known to be harmful in high concentrations. While all cinnamon should offer health benefits, Cinnamon's high coumarin level may cause major problems with large doses. In this way, Ceylon, often known as “true” cinnamon, is greatly enhanced, and research indicates that it has far less coumarin than cinnamon. In the end, one of the world's tastiest and healthiest flavors is cinnamon.

Tamarindus indica L. is a multifunctional plant native to Madagascar that may now be found in most tropical and subtropical climates from Africa through South Asia, northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and China. Almost every part of the tree is used in the food, chemical, pharmaceutical, or textile industries, as well as for fodder, wood, and fuel. It has been connected to a variety of therapeutic uses, including inflammation, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, flatulence, and more. The purpose of this chapter is to review research subjects on phytochemical elements in tamarind and their relationship to health that have recently been published in peer-reviewed journals. We gathered data from original peer-reviewed studies that focused on Tamarindus indica L., its phytochemicals, and health/medicinal-related issues. We used four NIH Library-registered databases to perform our literature search. We included open access research and review publications in English (2010 to 2021). A total of 124 articles were used to form the basis of the discussion. Among the phytochemical components found in tamarind stem bark aqueous extract were saponin, catechin, iristectorin A, proanthocyanidin B1, procyanidin tetramer, and procyanidin trimer (bergenin, catechin, iristectorin A, proanthocyanidin B1, procyanidin tetramer, and procyanidin trimer). The essential oil (limonene, linalool anthranilate, p-cymene), 3-eicosyne, cryptopinone, free and conjugated fatty acids (malic, tartaric, phthalic, palmitic, 10-octadecenoic, and nnonadecanoic), flavones (luteolin 7-o-glucoside, luteolin, apigenin, isorientin (caffeic acid) were most identified in tamarind leaf. Diphenyl-ether, longifolene, caryophyllene, and 6, 10, 14-trimethylpentadeca-5, 9, 13-trien-2-one were among the new chemicals discovered in the leaf extract. 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 2, 3-butanediol, and 2- furancarboxaldehyde, 5-methyl were the most common phytochemicals found in pulp extracts. These chemicals are known for their antioxidant properties, treatment of allergic rhinitis, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, antidiabetic and antibacterial activity, etc. Because this versatile plant has been widely utilised as herbal medicine, the findings of this review could be used as a database for future phytochemicals and clinical studies of this plant. Considering the plant's uses and benefits, it can be recommended as a valuable multifunctional medicinal plant for both animals and humans.

Curcumin, a key component of Curcuma longa L.'s rhizome, has a wide range of biological activities, as evidenced by intensive research over the last five decades. Curcumin has recently been utilized as an alternative medical ingredient in Southeast Asia to cure a variety of diseases, including stomach trouble, flatulence, jaundice, arthritis, sprains, wounds, skin infections, etc. Curcumin has also been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. Medicinal chemists employ rational structural modifications to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of a potential candidate to make them a therapeutically useful candidate. The objective of the chapter is to summarise the various modifications that have been carried out in curcumin’s structural framework concerning its medicinal property. An elaborate discussion will be presented on antioxidant and anticancer activities.

Licorice, derived from the dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. or Glycyrrhiza glabra L., has been utilized in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. Licorice serves not only as a sweetener, but also as a remedy for various ailments, including cough, fever, pain, heartburn, kidney stones, and skin ulcers. Glycyrrhizin is a major compound of licorice that contains high amounts of flavonoids, saponins, triterpenes, isoflavonoids, and chalcones. The gut microbiota contains trillions of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal system, and the balance/imbalance of gut microbiota composition is related to healthy state and disease susceptibility. Moreover, gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the metabolism of herbal medicines. Following ingestion, glycyrrhizin undergoes conversion by gut microbiota, resulting in the formation of 18βglycyrrhetinic acid (GA). Notably, GA represents a bioactive form of glycyrrhizin, responsible for both the pharmacological effects and adverse reactions associated with licorice. Conversely, oral administration of herbal medicines, including licorice, may impact the gut microbiota composition. Licorice and its metabolites possess the potential to modulate the abundance of gut microbiota members. This chapter aims to explore the intricate relationship between licorice and gut microbiota while specifically evaluating the effects of licorice and gut microbiota on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive summary of the adverse effects of licorice and its potential interactions with other drugs. Further studies focused on elucidating the interplay between licorice and gut microbiota will improve our understanding of the neuropharmacological profile and adverse effects of licorice, thus facilitating the development of novel treatment approaches using licorice.