Nutraceuticals: Classification, Sources and Relation with Medicine

Nutraceuticals, a term combining the words ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’, are diet supplements that deliver a concentrated form of a presumed bioactive agent from a food, presented in a non-food matrix. Consumers who are concerned about their health are becoming more and more interested in health-promoting products, and as a result, a wide variety of nutraceuticals that contain phytochemicals from food are now offered on the market. The main plant compounds known as terpenoids, phenolic metabolites, alkaloids and other nitrogen-based plant elements are the majority of phytochemicals found in the nutraceutical industry. Certain nutraceuticals are said to have a positive effect on cardiovascular disorders such deep vein thrombosis, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, cor pulmonale and chronic disease like heart attack/ischaemia. It has been shown that bacopa monnieri is an Ayurvedic nerve tonic, suggesting that it may have a role in preventing dementia and acting as a cutting-edge memory booster. Green tea and cinnamon tea can be beneficial for diabetics. Psyllium-derived dietary fibres have been used to lower lipid levels in hyperlipidaemia and manage blood sugar in diabetic individuals. Ѡ-3 fatty acid supplementation in type 2 diabetes is beneficial for bring down blood pressure, inflammatory indicators and triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol.