Potential Role of Phytochemicals of Fruits and Vegetables in Human Diet

 

Mahima Chauhan*, Vandana Garg, Ghazala Zia, Rohit Dutt

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana- 124001

School of Medical and Allied Sciences, G. D. Goenka University, Sohna, Gurugram, 122301

 

ABSTRACT:

Intake of fruit and vegetables, pigments, juices and nutraceuticals prevent the risk of common form of cancer and many other harmful diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, neurological disorders and eye related disorders etc. Phytochemicals show strong antioxidant activity either alone or in combination form. β-carotene, lycopene and vitamin C and other phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables offers beneficial roles in prevention of various diseases Literature revealed that lycopene has a protective effect against carcinogens in liver, brain, colon, breast, cervix and in prostate. Lycopene is present in tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas. Vitamin C have an excellent antioxidant potential which plays a very crucial role in bone formation, wound healing, and protect immune system. Vitamin C is mainly found in Indian gooseberry, citrus fruits like orange and lemon, tomatoes, potatoes, papaya, kiwifruit, strawberries, broccoli. The purpose of this review is to provide a general description or awareness of phytochemicals and their role in prevention of many diseases such as- cancer, cardiovascular disorders, eye disorders and hypertension.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Phytochemicals are biologically active and naturally occurring chemical compounds present in all natural sources that promote human health and prevent diseases. We are surrounded by many colors and natural pigments which have different biological functions and play a positive role in human health. Pigments are found in flowers, leaves roots stems, fruits, legumes, grains nuts, fungi and herbs. About 10,000 different phytochemicals have been identified, and still some are unknown. Based on their chemical structure, phytochemicals can be classified into following groups like phenolic acid, flavonoids, flavonoids, flavonols and anthocyanidins as shown in Fig 1. However, the levels  of  these  pigments differ  from  plant  to  plant  depending upon  the  variety and climatic conditions. In this review authors have studied vitamin C, plant pigments like carotenoids especially β-carotene and lycopene^[1-2]

 

Pharmacological action

Sources

 

Figure 1: Based on their sources and pharmacological structure classification of phytochemicals ^[3]

 

Carotenoids:

Carotenoids are oil soluble pigments which are present in orange yellow, red fruits, vegetables, plants and marine sources, photosynthetic bacteria, some non-photosynthetic bacteria, yeast and moulds. Carotenoids act as powerful antioxidant and protect the body cells from damage caused by oxidation. Carotenes and xanthophyll are basic moieties of Carotenoids. The chief compound among carotenes is β-carotene^[4].

 

 

β-carotene:

As the name suggests, the name carotene is derived from the vegetable carrot, In Latin Terms it is known as “carota”. β-carotene was named after carrots because this chemical was first discovered via crystallization of carrot roots in 1831^[5].Carotenes act as principal products in our body to produce vitamin A. Thus, it is known as precursor of vitamin A.

 

β-carotene is found in yellow, orange fruits and vegetables like spinach, carrot, red peppers, watermelon, potatoes, beet root, apricots, pumpkin, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, watermelon, mango, papaya, peaches, prunes, squash and in oranges. Vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, kale, kiwi, lettuce, peas and spinach are also rich sources of β-carotene^[6].  

 

Mechanism of action:

β-carotene is lipophilic hydrocarbon that is naturally synthesized by plants. It scavenges radical species by at least two independent pathways, electron transfer and radical-addition. β-carotene inhibit cellular modulation and regulatory cycle of proteins. It induce the production of glutathione enzyme in our cells which helps to increase antioxidant activity. β-carotene helps to elevate the number of cancer fighting enzymes in cells and also promote the stimulation of T- helper lymphocytes cell which are natural form of cancer killing cells^[7]. Various pharmacological activities of β-carotene are presented in table no 1.

 

Table 1: Pharmacological activity of β-carotene

Sr. No	Activity	Pharmacological role	Ref.
1	Antioxidant	invivo and invitro studies β-carotene shows higher antioxidant activity β-carotene protect human liver cells against oxidant induce lipid peroxidation.	[7]
2	Cancer	β-Carotene containing rich diet decrease the risk of skin cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer. In mice it inhibit sarcomas and skin cancer. It inhibit micronuclei in exfoliated oral mucosal cells and prevent oral cancer.	[8, 9]
3	Immune response	β-carotene protect neutrophils, mast cells and macrophages cells from auto-oxidative damage.	[10]
4	Photosensitivity disorders	β -carotene have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties so it has been studied that it protect the skin from photo damage and skin disorder	[11]
5.	Cardiovascular	Intake of β-carotene rich diets may prevent cardiovascular disease.	[12]
6	Age-related eye diseases	β- carotene containing diet neutralize the oxidation reaction in photoreceptor cells and protect the eyes.	[13]
7	Anti-diabetic	β-carotene and α-carotene containing rich diet decrease the causes of type 2 diabetes in healthy volunteers.	[14]

Lycopene:

Lycopene is lipophilic pigment and a member of carotenoid family. Lycopene is synthesized by many plants and microorganism but not synthesized by humans and animals. It is a red pigment which imparts colour to many fruits and vegetables. Epidemiological studies suggest that higher intake of lycopene may reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease and many other diseases as depicted in table no 2^[15]. Lycopene is an unique phytoconstituent as it has no provitamin A activity, as compared to other carotenoids, like α-carotene and β-carotene^[16]. The highest source of lycopene is present in tomatoes, providing at least 85% of all the dietary lycopene. Although other food sources of lycopene such as guava, cranberry, peaches, pink grapefruit, apricot, watermelon, pink guava, apricot, papaya and pink grapefruit, pink grapefruit and papaya. It shows synergistic antioxidant activity when it is used in combination with β-carotene, vitamin E, and lutein^[17].

 

Mechanism of action:

Lycopene has strong anti-oxidant defence system, due to lipophilic nature of lycopene it prevents beginning of thermogenesis and carcinogenesis processes^[18]. Lycopene possesses the ability to quench singlet oxygen and undergoes different mechanisms such as electron transfer, adduct formation and hydrogen atom transfer. It has been reported that lycopene and torulene are highly reactive scavengers, than β-carotene^[19].

 

Ascorbic acid:

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble substance which is highly present in citrus fruits and juices. In humans the absorption of vitamin C is found in buccal mucosa, small intestine and stomach. It is also known as ascorbic acid which plays significant functions in the human body.  Vitamin C is available in most of the natural sources like-Indian gooseberry, citrus fruits, such as limes, oranges and lemon, tomatoes, potatoes, green and red peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries and cantaloupes,  broccoli and in cereals^[25]. Vitamin C is needed for collagen and protein synthesis that serves so many connective functions in the body^{[26, 27]}_.  Intake of Vitamin C in diet may prevent many diseases some are listed in table 3.

 

Mechanism of action:

Ascorbic acid is water soluble chain breaking antioxidant. In cell membrane Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E in combination with glutathione. Ascorbic acid convert into ascorbate radical by donating an electron to terminate the lipid peroxidation chain reaction and it also promote regeneration of α-tocopherol^[28]_. Vitamin C plays crucial role in immune defence, it fights with free radicals and protect our body from many chronic diseases to neutralize oxidative stress of body cells. It also reduce the inflammatory effect.

 

Fruits and vegetables are excellent source of bioactive compounds like carotenoids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids etc. may play significant role to promote human health. Different part of the plant, from fruits and vegetables have numerous bioactive compounds that can also contribute a specific role in our body to prevent various diseases.

 

Table 2: Pharmacological potential of lycopene

Sr. No.	Activity	Pharmacological role	Ref.
1	Anticancer activity	Tomato and their products inversely associated with digestive tract cancer, bladder cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.	[20]
2	Cardiovascular Disease	Lycopene have cholesterol synthesis-inhibiting effect and enhances LDL degradation.Adipose tissue associated with lycopene lowers the risk.	[21]
3	Oxidative stress	In vitro, ex vivo and in vivo studies done demonstrating t effects of lycopene against oxidative stress.	[22]
4	Eye disorders	Lycopene protects the human retinal pigment epithelium cell line ARPE-19 which protect against peroxide induced oxidative stress in vitro.	[23]
5	Skin disorders	Lycopene and their formulations reflect UV light and protects against UV-induced erythema in humans.	[24]

 

Table 3: Potential role of ascorbic acid

Sr. No	Activity	Potential role	Ref.
1	Antioxidant	Ascorbic acid is considered as potent antioxidant, which eliminates reactive oxygen and nitrogen.	[29]
2	Anticancer	It has the ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation by enhancing the immune system, stimulation of collagen synthesis, inhibiting the hyaluronidase and generate reactive oxygen or increased levels of H2O2, induction of apoptosis which damaged the Tumor cells.	[30]
3	Anti-hypertension	Vitamin C act as diuretics and it reduce or eliminate the sodium and potassium and water from body and dilate the blood vessels, another study demonstrate the relationship between level of vitamin C in fasting time and cerebrovascular disease’s risk factors reduction in hypertension in men.	[31]
4	Antiaging	In-vitro studies revealed that vitamin C inhibits the enzyme catalysed process of elastin, which decrease skin wrinkling.	[32]
5	Anti-pigmentation	Vitamin C reduce the dark color (oxidized hyper chromic) melanin to colorless (achromasia) reduce melanin. It also reduce the mealanin synthesis pathway.	[33]

 

Table4:  β-carotene, Lycopene and Ascorbic acid and their pharmacological potential

Sr No.	Plant name	Part of plant	Active constituents	Activity	Ref.
1	Mango (Mangifera indica L.)	Pulp	β-carotene from 661.27- 2,220 µg/100 g, ascorbic acid - 9.79 to 77.71 mg/100	Antioxidant	[34]
2	Carrot (Daucus carota L.)	Root	Total carotenoid 0.96 µg/g.	Anticancer activity against cell lines of  human breast cancer (MCF 7)	[35]
3	Beet root (Beta vulgaris L.)	Root	Total carotenoid   0.56 µg/g.	Supress the breast cancer cell lines (MCF 7)	[35]
4	Green spinach (Sauropus androgynous L.)	Whole Green leafy vegetable	Total carotenoid  0.96 µg/g.	Human breast cancer cell lines (MCF 7)	[35]
5	Red spinach (Amaranthus dubius Mart. exThell.)	Red spinach	Total carotenoid 0.88 µg/g.	Anticancer activity against Human breast cancer cell lines(MCF 7)	[35]
6	Red fleshed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)	Whole fruit	Ascorbic acid content  (86.32 mg/kg) and lycopene (9.50 mg/kg) contents	The anti-radical power and ferrous ion chelating activity	[36]
7	Yellow fleshed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)	Whole fruit	ascorbic acid content  (52.05 mg/kg) and lycopene (0.04 mg/kg)	Antioxidant activity	[36]
8	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)	Whole fruit	Lycopene content  (3.05-11.77), ascorbic acid(12.72-20.41)	Antioxidant and anticarcinogen against Cervical HeLa, Metastatic prostate DU 145	[37]
9	Yellow guava (Psidium guajava)	Pulp , leaves	Vitamin C content (228.3mg), β-carotene(374mg),	Ex vivo myeloid leukemia blasts, Cervical HeLa, Metastatic prostate DU 145, Human mouth KB,	[38]
10	Japanese blue tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	Peel, seed, pulp	Lycopene(1.13, 0.05, 0.68mg/gm) and β-carotene in seed 0.02mg/gm	Antioxidant activity and prevention of eye diseases	[39]
11	Red berries (Rivinahumilis L.)	Whole fruit	Lycopene	Strong antioxidant activity	[40]
12	Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima)	Pulp	β-carotene 3100mg , vitamin C content 9mg	Strong antioxidant, cardiovascular disorder, anti-diabetic, Hepatoprotective, breast cancer MCF-7, colon cancer CT-26, prostate cancer RM-1	[41]
13	Araza fruit (Eugenia stipitata mcvaugh)	Pulp	Vitamin C amount 44mg/100gm	Strong antioxidant activity	[42]
14	Amla (Emblica officinalis)	Pulp	Vitamin C content 379.7mg/100gm	Strong antioxidant activity	[42]
15	Mausami (Citrus medica L.)	Pulp	Vitamin C content 11.7mg/100gm	Strong antioxidant activity	[42]

 

Some examples like pulp of mango contain β-carotene from 661.27- 2,220µg/100g, ascorbic acid - 9.79 to 77.71mg/100 which have shown antioxidant effect  Root part of the beet root contain total carotenoid   0.56µg/g which supress the breast cancer cell lines (MCF 7). Pulp of the pumpkin contain β-carotene 3100mg, vitamin C 9 mg which have several pharmacological activities. Some other examples of fruits and vegetables containing β-carotene, Lycopene and Ascorbic acid and their pharmacological potential are reported in table no 4.

 

CONCLUSION:

Now a-days percentage of peoples suffering from various diseases has been increased. Reason behind increase in percentage are poor dietary practices and environmental changes. Fruits and vegetables have nutritional value in the treatment and prevention of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, aging, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Antioxidant compounds present in them reduces the production of free radicals scavenging activity and protect the cells from damage. This review concluded that fruits like tomato, yellow guava, pumpkin and amla, vegetables such as green spinach, yellow and red spinach may provide several human health benefits when   consume in a regular diet. Therefore authors suggest that people should consume fruits and vegetables in a regular balanced diet so as to prevent the occurrence of many disease.

 

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Accepted on 03.07.2019                                 © RJPT All right reserved

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2020; 13(3):1587-1591.