Title:Pharmacological Potentials and Nutritional Values of Tropical and Subtropical
Fruits of India: Emphasis on their Anticancer Bioactive Components
Volume: 17
Issue: 2
Author(s): Arunaksharan Narayanankutty*
Affiliation:
- Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, St. Joseph's College
(Autonomous), Devagiri, Calicut, 673 008, Kerala, India
Keywords:
tropical fruits, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, cancer, degenerative diseases.
Abstract:
Background: Fruits are an important dietary component, which supply vitamins, minerals,
as well as dietary fiber. In addition, they are rich sources of various biological and pharmacologically
active compounds. Among these, temperate fruits are well studied for their pharmacological
potentials, whereas tropical/subtropical fruits are less explored for their health impacts. In India,
most of the consumed fruits are either tropical or subtropical.
Objectives: This mini review aims to provide a health impact of major tropical and sub-tropical
fruits of India, emphasizing their anticancer efficacy. In addition, the identified bioactive components
from these fruits exhibiting anticancer efficacy are also discussed along with the patent literature
published.
Methods: The literature was collected from various repositories, including NCBI, ScienceDirect,
Eurekaselect, and Web of Science; literature from predatory journals was omitted during the process.
Patent literature was collected from google patents and similar patent databases.
Results: Tropical fruits are rich sources of various nutrients and bioactive components including
polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanin, etc. By virtue of these biomolecules, tropical fruits have
been shown to interfere with various steps in carcinogenesis, metastasis, and drug resistance. Their
mode of action is either by activation of apoptosis, regulation of cell cycle, inhibition of cell survival
and proliferation pathways, increased lipid trafficking or inhibiting inflammatory pathways.
Several molecules and combinations have been patented for their anticancer and chemoprotective
properties.
Conclusion: Overall, the present concludes that Indian tropical/ subtropical fruits are nutritionally
and pharmacologically active and may serve as a source of novel anticancer agents in the future.