Phytochemical and pharmacological review of Cinnamomum verum J. Presl-a versatile spice used in food and nutrition

Cinnamomum verum is the widely used spice for its medicinal and culinary uses since ages. It is native to Sri Lanka and southern India but also distributed in many Asian, Caribbean, Australian and African countries. It is widely used in food preparations and industrial products like candies, chewing gums, mouthwash and toothpaste. It is also used to treat asthma, bronchitis, diarrhea, headache, inflammation and cardiac disorders. Cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, caryophyllene, cinnamyl acetate and cinnamic acid are the major compounds found in its essential oil. These compounds exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, wound healing, anti-HIV, anti-anxiety and antidepressant, etc. This review highlights its comprehensive and up-to-date information on taxonomy, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical composition, pharmacological and toxicity activities. Structure-activity relationship, mechanism of action and some research gaps has also been provided. Owing to its immense medicinal importance, more well-designed in-vivo and clinical studies are required.

Subcritical Water Extraction of Antioxidants from Curculigo latifolia Root

This study aims to extract antioxidant compounds from Curculigo latifolia root by subcritical water extraction (SWE). The influence of extraction temperature and time on the antioxidant activity of C. latifolia root extract was investigated in terms of extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2, 2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. The highest extraction yield (36.5%), TPC (92.55 mg GAE/g), TFC (13.26 mg RE/g), and antioxidant activities by ABTS (66.8 mg trolox equivalent/g sample) and DPPH (128.7 mg trolox equivalent/g sample) were detected at 180°C and 30 minutes extraction time. Based on the results, the optimum condition was selected at 180°C and 30 minutes of extraction. The sample was screened by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis where the phenolic compounds detected were structured based on their [M-H]-peak. The detected phenolic compounds were monobenzone, hydroquinone, phloridzin, pomiferin, mundulone, scandenin, and dimethyl caffeic acid. According to these findings, SWE is a promising, environmentally friendly, and efficient technology in the exploitation of natural products for the development of food and nutraceutical commodities.