INTRODUCTION:

Dramatic changing lifestyles have changed people's habits and forced them to eat fast, junk food. These habits directly affect our aspect of healthy eating and gradually reduce the amount and quality of nutrients. As a result of these changed eating habits, the population has increased the incidence of malnutrition, dementia and degenerative diseases. In recent years, people have become more concerned about health and more concerned about the health care.

Significant advances have been made in nutraceuticals, food products, and phytonutrients. It is a good idea for pharmaceutical companies to be healthy and to prevent disease and treatment. Ayurvedic treatment regimens depend directly on the life of Aahar and Vihaar. Aahar was regarded as food and ancient medicine. The concept of Rasayana (rehealing) is a widespread concept in Ayurveda and in addition to current nutraceuticals (Nistha et al., 2018).

Nutraceuticals as a Functional Foods:

The term ‘Nutraceutical’ is defined as a diet or part of a diet that provides health benefits of nutritious foods and helps prevent many diseases (Filippis et al., 2008; Keppel et al., 2013). Chemicals are natural compounds that are present in our diet by the standards of healthy foods such as minerals, vitamins, fatty acids and polysaccharides. Many natural food sources such as fruits, dairy products, vegetables, poultry contain all the nutrients that are important in our diet. For this reason, these nutrients are used to treat and prevent many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, various types of cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, osteoarthritis and many other diseases. These nutrients contain many water-soluble minerals, antioxidants, fats and vitamins extracted from our diet and are helpful in many of our health problems (Kumar et al., 2015).

Reasons for Shifting Towards Nutraceuticals:

· Increase the number of consumers who are concerned about the cost of healthcare.

· Dissatisfied with medical agents in promoting health. They turn to medication to improve their health and prevent chronic diseases.

· Healthcare professionals note that our supply of highly processed foods derived from plants grown with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified seeds, lacks the nutrients needed for the good health.

· People do not believe in prevention more than in healing.

· People suffer from chronic diseases and have not found a solution to allopathical medicine.

· Patients with financial problems (Varigos et al., 2006).

Benefits of Nutraceuticals:

There are various benefits of nutraceuticals which are given below as;

· It can increase the value of our health food.

· It can help us to live longer.

· It can help us avoid certain medical conditions.

· It can be seen as more "natural" than traditional medicine and is less likely to cause side effects.

· It is possible to introduce foods for people with special needs (for e.g., nutritious foods for the elderly).

· It can be easily obtained and inexpensive (Pandey et al., 2010).

· Reduce the spread and duration of infectious and viral diarrhea.

· Reduce inflammation and symptoms associated with intestinal illness.

· It has protective effects to prevent colon cancer.

· It improves the availability of bioavailability and absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and possible iron.

· Reduce other risk factors for heart disease.

· It promotes saturation and weight loss and prevents obesity (Garima et al., 2016).

Classification of Nutraceuticals:

Nutraceuticals are grouped on the basis of their nature and properties which are given below;

· Nutraceuticals Based on Food Availability

·Traditional Nutraceuticals:

They are directly obtained from the nature. These are of following types;

(1) Chemical Constituents:

(a) Nutrients: Key metabolites such as amino acids, various vitamins and fatty acids have well-defined roles in various metabolic pathways. Plant and animal products, as well as vitamins, have many health benefits and are useful in treating diseases related to the heart, kidneys, lungs, etc. hemoglobin counting, and energy to the bones and muscles, contributes to neuronal transfer and maintains the rhythm of the heart muscle. Fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon have an effect on inflammation and brain function and reduce cholesterol in the blood vessels.

(b) Herbals: Nutraceuticals and herbs have had a positive effect on the prevention of various chronic diseases to improve health. Salicin present in willow bark (Salix nigra) has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, astringent and antiarthritic response. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) contains several terpenoids, especially menthol, a living thing, and it cures colds and flu. The tannin content of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) helps to reduce stress and blood pressure and also helps with lung disorders such as asthma (Ehrlich et al., 2008).

(c) Phytochemicals: Carotenoids (isoprenoids) are present in vegetables, which improve the immune system, especially the deadly cells that represent the anticancer response. Legumes (chickpeas and soy), whole grains and palm oil contain carotenoids, eliminate cholesterol and are a starting point for cancer. Flavonoids prevents various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and kidney problems due to their antioxidant properties and their biological properties. (UEhrlich et al., 2009). One of the oldest examples is curcumin (turmeric), which is used as a phytochemical in many recipes.

(2) Probiotic Microorganisms:

Probiotics remove toxic intestinal flora and maintain a good environment. For e.g., Bacillus bulgaricus (Holzapfel et al., 2001). Currently there are many probiotic products available on the market that have the right ingredients to fight various pathogens, so that you can treat many diseases related to the human body.

(3) Nutraceutical Enzymes:

Enzymes have a protein structure, are produced by the cell and act as biocatalysts. It helps regulate metabolism and speeds up the process of life. A medical problem that is closely related to GIT, either GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or constipation or diarrhea or ulcerative colitis can be treated with enzyme supplements. An enzyme may be the best option for patients with diabetes. Today enzyme therapies are used for a few rare diseases such as Gaucher's disease, Hunter's syndrome, Fabry's disease, and Pompe's disease.

Non- traditional Nutraceuticals:

It is a diet rich in biotechnological pills or plants designed to supplement nutrients; for e.g., rice and broccoli are rich in βcarotene and vitamins, respectively. Food samples contain organisms designed to produce human life products. They are arranged as follows:

(1) Fortified Nutraceuticals: These types of nutraceuticals include agricultural development or supplementation with key nutrients, such as grains, calcium enriched flour, iron and folic acid, and the strong milk of cholecalciferol commonly used for vitamin deficiencies.

(2) Recombinant Nutraceuticals: Biotechnology tools have been put to good use in the process of fermentation in various foods, such as cheese and bread, to release the enzyme that provides the necessary nutrients at the right level.

Nutraceuticals Based on Mechanism of Action:

Nutraceuticals are categorized on the basis of therapeutic action like anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, analgesic and antipyretic, antioxidants properties etc.

Nutraceuticals Based on Chemical Nature:

Nutraceuticals are categorized on the basis of metabolites like primary and secondary metabolites and their derivatives (Casey et al., 2010).

Nutraceuticals That Can Boost The Immune System:

The immune system protects the body against infections. Many cells and organs work together to protect the body against infections caused by bacteria. Leukocytes and phagocytes play an important role in the immune system, as cells allow the body to remember previous invaders and help the body destroy them. Certain factors that may affect the immune system, such as poor nutrition, insomnia, certain medical conditions, depression, alcoholism, overeating, and the use of certain medications such as corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents used to treat allergies (Abdelaziz et al., 2011).

Nutraceuticals play an important role in boosting the immune system without damaging the body's natural immune system. Nutraceuticals are found in dietary supplements that offer additional health benefits also called medical diets, designer foods, active foods, and dietary supplements. Many products are marketed for boosting the immune system, some examples of leading healthy diet foods such as Vitamin A, B, C, D and E, zinc, selenium, beta glucan, echinacea, probiotics, selenium, cereals, etc. In 2018, a market research report predicted that the global nutraceutical market would represent more than US $ 80.7 billion (Balsa et al., 2009).

Role of Nutraceuticals in Health Benefits:

The role of nutraceuticals along with their health benefits are given below;

Table Ayurvedic supplements available in market (Sharfuddin et al., 2020):

There are various ayurvedic formulations are available in market that helps to boost the body immunity. Some of the formulations with their health benefits are given below;

Ayurvedic supplements	Uses
Ashwagandha capsules	Stress, provide strength, diabetes, male infertility.
Guduchi capsules	Enhance memory, improve health, improve voice and complexion.
Vacha capsules	Improve intelligence, voice, memory.
Amalaki rasayana	Good for brain, eyes, heart, liver and hairs.

Current Trends and Future Prospects of Nutraceuticals:

Over the past 20 years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of nutraceuticals due to the vast amount of information available on Internet resources and the growing public awareness of health problems (Ortega et al., 2013). Nutraceuticals for medical use are proven on the basis that they cure diseases caused by malnutrition. There has been strong evidence that nutraceutical supplementation improves health and prevents disease (Anita et al., 2020). Healthcare professionals and regulatory persons can also strategically work to develop appropriate guidelines for providing superior medical benefits to people (Taylor et al., 2004). In terms of nutraceutical production processes, quality controls, such as the composition and content of active ingredients in natural plants and their storage, are very important. 2004). DNA micro array technology can be used to test the safety and efficacy of drugs, chemicals, dietary supplements and nutraceuticals. Agriculture, food and biomedical biotechnologies continue to grow relentlessly to change our lives and it is very likely that one day our food will act as a medicine (Roy et al., 2004).

Table 1. List of herbal immunomodulatory plants and their effect on immune function.

Medicinal Plants	Family	Phytochemicals	Effect on Immune Function/ Type of Immunomodulation	References
Acacia catechu	Fabaceae	Flavonoids, phenolic acids, catechins	Anti-inflammatory activity/ Immunoadjuvant	Stohs et al., 2015
Aloe barbadensis	Asphodelaceae	Acemannan, dihydro coumarins	Adaptive immunity activation/Immunostimulant	Zhang et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2019; Phug et al., 2001
Astragalus membranaceous	Fabaceae	Polysaccharides	Activation of cellular immunity/ Immunostimulant	Zheng et al., 2020
Boswellia serrata	Burseraceae	Boswellic acid	Anti-anaphylactic and mast cell stabilization/ Immunosuppressor	Sharma et al., 1996
Curcuma longa	Zingiberaceae	Curcuminoids	IL-10-mediated anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity/ Immunosuppressor	Mollahzadeh et al., 2019
Glycyrrhiza glabra	Fabaceae	Triterpene saponins (glycyrrhizin)	Enhanced cellular immunity and ant inflammatory activity/ Immunostimulant	Guo et al., 2016
Ocimum sanctum	Lamiaceae	Monoterpenes (Eugenol and methyl eugenol), sesquiterpenes (β-caryophyllene)	Activation of innate and adaptive immunity/ Immunostimulant	Jeba et al., 2011
Tinospora cordifolia	Menispermaceae	Arabinogalactan	Activation of adaptive immunity/ Immunostimulant	Haque et al., 2017
Withania somnifera	Solanaceae	Steroidal lactones (withaferin A)	Adaptogen effects, stimulation of adaptive humoral and cellular immunity/ Immunostimulant	Chandran et al., 2017; Kalra et al., 2017
Zingiber officianalis	Zingiberaceae	Phenolics (gingerols)	Activation of adaptive humoral immunity/ Immunostimulant	Ali et al., 2008

Herbal Plants with Their Medicinal Benefits:

The medicinal plant contains many types of active phytochemicals that have therapeutic properties that address various health problems. They have been shown and their therapeutic properties have been scientifically proven by the combination of in vitro and in vivo studies in various biological experiments, this type of treatment should be considered an old treatment. Medicinal plants are widely regarded as a continuing source of safe and effective drugs that have the potential to produce new drugs. Therefore, scientists involved in drug discovery are taking urgent steps to document and study the bioactivity of medicinal plants used to control and release viral infections. Remedies are the most sought after in the world today in the primary health care system, not only because they are less expensive, but also because of their better compatibility with the human body and its side effects (Amon et al., 1991).

CONCLUSION:

It is to be concluded from above data that Nutraceuticals have great benefits for our body and have been used since ancient times. There are many herbal remedies available in the market. Many people use supplements in their daily routine. Nutraceuticals are very good for our body. It increases our immune system and fights various diseases. Natural products have been known for their medicinal properties for hundreds of years. In modern times, these substances have been used to boost the immune system; antidiabetic, antitumor, antimicrobial and gastroprotective agents and so on. Therefore, these herbs may be proven as better alternatives as nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals have a variety of therapies which protect the human body from various ailments. Nutraceutical in chronic disorders play important roles such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, osteoarthritis and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the future nutraceutical program focuses on specific diagnostic models, clinical studies in humans, understanding the exact mechanism of action that is useful in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Nutraceuticals has demonstrated health benefits and immunity, which should be taken as recommended.

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Received on 24.02.2022 Modified on 18.04.2022

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2022; 12(3):277-281.

DOI: 10.52711/2231-5713.2022.00045