Authors: Akwasi Afrane Bediako & Ohene Gyan Raymond
Affiliation: Faculty of Biosciences, University For Development Studies, Ghana
Date: 21/09/2024
INTRODUCTION
Since ancient times, a variety of plants have been used for their ability to treat human illnesses because they contain secondary metabolites, which have been discovered more recently to have antibacterial effects against human pathogens. In the last 10 years, a lot of focus has been on investigating phytochemicals’ antibacterial properties, particularly their ability to fight microbes that are resistant to drugs in the human body (Jubair, 2021).
Many antioxidant compounds can be found in fruits, vegetables, and leaf extracts of plants, including phenolics, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and tocopherols (Amaglo et al., 2010). Approximately 20% of known plants have been used in pharmaceutical studies, impacting the healthcare system in positive ways such as treating cancer and harmful diseases. Many different kinds of bioactive chemicals may be produced by plants. Fruits and vegetables include high amounts of phytochemicals that may shield against harm from free radicals (Hollman, 2001).
PHYTOCHEMICAL
Various chemical substances called phytochemicals naturally occur in plants, providing plants with their colour, flavour, texture, and scent. Through millions of years of evolution, these substances have evolved to protect organisms from the impacts of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and free radicals. Plant-based drinks like wine, tea, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fungus, herbs, and spices all contain them in large quantities. Based on their chemical composition, phytochemicals may be categorized into many key classes, including terpenoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids (Naczk, 2006).
PHYTOCHEMICALS AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Phytochemicals exhibit strong properties in enhancing the body’s mechanisms of defense. Organic compounds like flavonoids, which are found in vegetables, fruits, roots, and plant bark, help in procuring and activating white blood cells, therefore improving the immune system mechanisms. Also, the immune system is well developed by the conversion of carotenoids, which can be found in green leafy plants and carrots into vitamin A (Suffredini, 2004).
Furthermore, the immune cells that are the macrophages, T cells, and B cells are well enhanced by phytochemicals, thus improving the ability of the immune system to fight infections. Cytokine production has been regulated in the prevention of signalling efficiency in excessive immune responses that can severely cause cancer cells (Kennedy, 2011).
Thulasiraman (2014) demonstrated that treatment of retinoic acid-resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells with curcumin sensitized these cells to retinoic acid-mediated growth suppression, as well as suppressed incorporation of BrdU. Further studies demonstrated that curcumin showed a marked reduction in the expression level of FABP5 and PPARβ/δ. The study provides evidence that curcumin suppresses p65, a transcription factor known to regulate FABP5. The combination of curcumin with retinoic acid suppressed PPARβ/δ target genes, VEGF-A and PDK1 (Thulasiraman, 2014).
POTENTIAL FOR HUMAN AILMENTS
Phytochemicals have the potential to prevent and treat several human ailments. These organic compounds possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties (Liu, 2022).
The main benefit of phytochemicals is their antioxidant properties, which can stabilize and neutralize harmful radicals in the human system, inhibiting oxidative stress, which has a great contribution in chronic ailments such as cancer. By limiting the rate of oxidative stress, phytochemicals can reduce the risk caused by free radical elements (Kennedy,2011).
In chronic ailments such as cancer, phytochemicals show promising effects on the inhibition of tumours and apoptosis of cancer cells. Researchers are using phenols of flavonoids and curcumin in cancer research to inhibit cancer growth.
Phytochemicals also show a great anti-inflammatory effect, which is important in several human diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, and other chronic inflammatory conditions.
Moreover, phytochemicals exhibit strong anti-microbial properties, eliminating some infections caused by microbes. This serves as an important solution to the problem of antibiotic resistance (Hollman, 2001).
Alkaloid
Organic nitrogenous bases are known as alkaloids. They have very different chemical structures. The term “alkaloids” was first used in 1819 by German scientist W. Meissner to describe naturally occurring substances that react as bases (Liu, 2022). These compounds affect humans and other animals physiologically in a variety of significant ways.
The antibacterial and antivirulence properties of alkaloids and their value in the treatment of a variety of infectious disorders have been studied extensively by researchers (Liu, 2022). Alkaloids extracted from the bark of plants such as mahogany have been used in the treatment of malaria and the elimination of other chronic diseases during old age in Africa (Hollman, 2001).
Flavonoid
Flavonoids are the pigments that give most flowers, fruits, and seeds their colour in the kingdom of plants. Szent-Gyorgyi made the initial discovery of these kinds of compounds in 1930 after isolating a novel chemical from oranges. However, it was once thought to be a new type of vitamin and was categorized as vitamin P. Subsequent studies verified that the novel material was routine, a flavonoid. With the progress of science today, we have more than 8000 flavonoids isolated from natural sources. Flavonoids appear to have the ability to alter how neurons operate. Many neurodegenerative illnesses are linked to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, yet dietary flavonoids have been demonstrated to effectively prevent oxidative neuronal damage. It has been shown that using the gingobiloba plant’s rich flavonoid extract may have a positive impact on the way that Alzheimer’s and age-related dementia are treated (Kennedy,2011).
CONCLUSION
Phytochemicals, organic compounds found in plants, offer immense potential for preventing and treating a variety of human diseases. Their crucial benefits include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects, which have a strong impact on preventing or treating some chronic diseases. In collaboration with traditional medicine experts, more research is needed in Ghana to uncover the therapeutic properties of phytochemicals found in local plants, which may pave the way for a future of hope for the healthy living of humans and animals.
REFERENCES
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