Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs - Latest Laboratory, Pre-clinical, and Clinical Studies

Curcuma longa (C. longa) or turmeric is a plant with a long history of use in traditional medicine, especially for treatment of inflammatory conditions. Also, pharmacological effects such as antioxidant and anti-microbial properties were described for this plant. This chapter reports the latest knowledge on antiinflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of C. longa based on a literature survey using various databases and appropriate keywords until the end of July 2020. Various studies showed anti-inflammatory effects of C. longa, including decreased total white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils and eosinophils, as well as its effects on serum levels of inflammatory mediators such as phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and total protein in different inflammatory conditions. The anti-toxin effects of C. longa were also reported in several studies. The plant extracts decreased malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels but increased thiol, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels in oxidative stress conditions. Treatment with C. longa improved the levels of IgE, pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and IL-17 as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) and T helper cells 1 Th1/Th2 ratio in various conditions with disturbed immune balance. The reviewed papers showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of C. longa, indicating potential therapeutic property of the plant for treatment of inflammatory, oxidative and immune-dysregulation diseases.

Flaxseed is an annual herb commonly known as linseed Linum usitatissimum Family: (Linaceae) comes from the flax plant. This is traditionally used in various diseases, such as asthma, cough, bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, joint pain, renal colic, renal calculi, rheumatic swelling, preparation of paints and coatings, printing inks, soap, core oils, brake linings, and herbicide adjuvant. This is a rich source of various phytoconstituents, such as- omega-3 fatty acid, lignans, linolenic acid, α-lignin, secoisolariciresinol, di-glucoside, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, highquality proteins, fibre, phenolic acids, flavonoids, vitamins, various mineral, phenylpropanoids, and tannins. These mixes give bioactive incentive to the strength of animals and people through their mitigating activity, hostile to oxidative limit, lipid adjusting, antimicrobial properties, many types of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular stroke, antimalarial, anti-obesity, gastrointestinal health, brain development, hormonal status in menopausal women, atherosclerosis, arthritis, osteoporosis, antiestrogen, autoimmune and neurological disorders. As a functional food and nutraceutical fixing, it has been joined into heated nourishments, juices, milk, dairy items, biscuits, dry pasta items, macaroni, and meat items. Also, some clinical preliminaries have been indicated that flaxseed can have a significant role in diminishing bosom malignant growth risk, essentially in postmenopausal ladies. When used orally, ground flaxseed is likely safe and has been used in a variety of dosages and intervals in clinical trials. Flaxseed having lignin, which is possibly safe to use up to 12 weeks while raw and unripe flaxseed can be potentially toxic due to its potential for cyanogenic glycosides. Common adverse effects include gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and it can increase the risk of bleeding. It should be avoided in pregnancy and lactation.

Nigella sativa Linn. belongs to the family Ranunculaceae and is recognized as a prophetic medicine because of its mention in Prophetic Hadith, as a natural remedy for all diseases except death. It is known as Habat-ul-Barakah/Habat-ul-Sauda in Arabian countries and as Kalonji in India. As per Tibb-e-Nabwi (Prophetic Medicine), its daily consumption has been highly suggested. Considering its potential, ancient herbalists have termed it as ‘the Herb from Heaven.’ Ibni Sina, famous as Avicenna in the West, also referred to N. sativa as the seed “that stimulates the body’s energy and helps recovery from fatigue” in his great book “The Canon of Medicine.” Seeds and oil of N. sativa have a long history of folklore usage in various systems of medicines and food like Unani and Tibb, Ayurveda and Siddha. Numerous studies support that the seed of N. sativa and specifically its main active constituent, thymoquinone, has significant potential and possesses a broad range of biological activities like antihypertensive, diuretics, digestive, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, appetite stimulant, anti-diarrheal, nephroprotective, neuroprotective, analgesics, anti-bacterial, and in treating skin disorders. In this chapter, we intend to present a comprehensive review of traditional and ethnomedicinal uses of Nigella seeds in different systems of traditional medicines. Then, the present chapter is directed towards highlighting the beneficial contribution of researchers to explore the pharmacological actions with the therapeutic potential of this miraculous herb and its bioactive compounds in modern medicine as in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies to reveal its potential for the treatment of various diseases.

Aquaculture is an important animal production industry and since its beginnings it has been threatened by the occurrence of infectious diseases of various etiologies. Of these, bacterial diseases are one of the most damaging both to fish and shellfish aquaculture. The use of antibiotics to control such infections poses a number of disadvantages such as low efficacy, antibiotic resistance and antibiotic residues in product, water and soil. One of the alternatives to antibiotic use is the application of plants with antimicrobial properties, and other pharmacological activities. Mexico has an ancient knowledge and use of medicinal plants, which are still used. Many plants of the family Verbenaceae, genus Lippia are commonly known as Mexican oregano. These seem to form a complex of closely related species, including L. graveolens, L. berlandieri, L. alba and other infraspecies which are located between the Chihuahua desert to southern Mexico and Central America. These species are usually used as spices to flavor food. Nonetheless, they also have different medicinal properties and have been traditionally used to treat a number of illnesses and ailments. One of their curative properties is antimicrobial, and therefore, many studies have been done in various species of the complex to elucidate their chemical composition and effect in various biological systems both in human and veterinary medicine. The study of Mexican oregano species in aquaculture is very recent, but it has uncovered a number of very useful pharmacological properties, including anesthetic, anti-stress and anxiolytic, antiparasite and antimicrobial. The present chapter presents a review on general aspects of aquaculture, its history, the main infectious agents affecting the industry and the current control measures used against diseases. It also focuses on the application of essential oils of some Lippia species regarded as Mexican oregano and their use as alternative natural products to antibiotics and other chemicals used in aquaculture.

Throughout human history, medicinal plants are used in traditional medicine systems and are considered a potential source of healthy life. Curry leaf belongs to the family Rutaceae obtained from Murraya koenigii, which has been used widely as a spice, flavouring agent, and as herbal medicine since ancient times in the ayurvedic medicine system. Curry leaf is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is known for its flavour in cooking apart from various health benefits, including antidiabetic, anti-tumour, antiinflammatory, and neuroprotection. Various carbazole alkaloids have been isolated from curry leaves, including mahanimbine, koenine, murrayacine, murrayazoline, koenimbine, murrayazolidine, murrayazoline, murrayacine, girinimbine, and mukoeic acid. Several studies on pharmacological activities of curry leaf in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials confirm the application of curry leaf in traditional medicine and introduce some new medicinal aspects. The current review provides insight into phytochemical constituents, ethnobotany, and numerous pharmacological properties of crude extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds of curry leaf, leading to the development of effective drug candidates to address various ailments. Moreover, a comparison of the reported activities of a curry leaf in traditional medicine will be made with the modern medicine activities to show the potentiality of this precious herb in managing different disease conditions.