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Category: Science and Technology
Date Submitted: 10/11/2016 01:08 PM
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1. DEFINITION OF NUTRACEUTICALS
Nutraceuticals can be defined as, "a food or part of a food that provides medical or
health benefits, including the prevention and / or treatment. Nutraceuticals must not only
supplement the diet but should also aid in the prevention and / or treatment of disease
and/or disorder”.
The
term
"nutraceutical"
was
coined
from
"nutrition" and
"pharmaceutical" in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice1. About 2000 years ago, Hippocrates
correctly emphasized “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food". Currently,
there is an increased global interest due to the recognition that “nutraceuticals” play a
major role in health enhancement. There are several definitions for nutraceuticals each of
them describes the different attributes of nutraceuticals.
Nutraceuticals can be defined as nonspecific biological therapies used to promote
wellness, prevent malignant processes and control symptoms.
Fig. 1.1. A graphical representation of nutraceuticals
1
Nutraceuticals can also be defined as natural bioactive, chemical compounds that
have health promoting, disease preventing and / or medicinal properties.
Most of the nutraceuticals have multiple bioactive compounds, which are used to
prevent or control the disease or symptom of the disease. The use of nutraceuticals, as an
attempt to achieve desirable beneficial outcomes with reduced side effects, as compared to
other therapeutic agents2,3. The preference for the discovery and production of
nutraceuticals over pharmaceuticals is well seen in pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies.
1.2. CATEGORIES OF NUTRACEUTICALS
Nutraceuticals can be grouped into the following three broad categories4:
1. Substances with established nutritional functions such as vitamins, minerals,
amino acids and fatty acids - Nutrients
2. Herbs or botanical products as concentrates and extracts - Herbals
3. Reagents derived from other sources (e.g....