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Pharmacological and other beneficial effects of
anti-nutritional factors in plants - A review
Soetan, K. O.
Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and
Pharmacology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail:
soetangboye@yahoo.com.
Accepted 21 November, 2008 |
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The health and other benefits of plant’s
secondary metabolites, also known as antinutritional factors
are reviewed. Examples of these natural compounds of plant
origin are saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins,
oxalates, phytates, trypsin (protease) inhibitors,
phytohaemagglutinins (lectins), just to mention a few.
Emphasis has always been laid on the toxic and anti-nutrient
effects of these compounds in the natural state even though
many of them are detoxified by several processing methods
such as soaking, germination, boiling, autoclaving,
fermentation, genetic manipulation and other processing
methods. In recent years, there has been an increasing
interest by researchers in the use of naturally occurring
biologically active compounds of medicinal value (phytomedicines).
The plant kingdom still contains many species of
plant-containing substances of pharmacological and other
benefits. In the search for new drugs to combat the problem
of drug resistance, natural products of plant origin play a
vital role. This review is an attempt to redefine the
importance of these natural compounds as a possible solution
to the problem of drug resistance and to explore their
potentials for the benefit of humans and animals.
Key words:
Pharmacological, beneficial effects, anti-nutritional
factors, plants. |
