11 - Phytochemicals: Extraction process, safety assessment, toxicological evaluations, and regulatory issues

Abstract

Phytochemicals are bioactive components that are naturally present in plants and their presence and secretions vary from plant to plant. The most predominant classes are terpenoids, polyphenols, phenolic constituents, alkaloids, carotenoids, phytosterols, saponins, and fibers. They play a pivotal role in human health through various effective ways like antioxidant properties, effect of cell differentiation, increased activity of enzymes that detoxify, effect of DNA metabolism, maintenance of DNA repair, increase in apoptosis of cancer cells, decreased cell proliferation, etc. Phytochemicals have been consumed by the civilizations all over the world since times immemorial, but the same has not been supported by scientific data. This ethnobotanical data has been passed from generation to generation. These phytochemicals are supposed to be safe as they are produced naturally. However, this is not always true. Few toxicity cases also have been reported with various potential risks of diseases. A lot of in vitro studies and data have been collated, but the data on the in vivo efficacy and safety is still scarce. The functional food sector is facing a substantial challenge and the genuine concern is related to the safety assessment, toxic evaluation, and the pertaining regulatory issues of the same. Therefore, in the present chapter an attempt has been made to give an overview on the phytochemicals, their extraction, safety assessment, toxicological evaluations, and regulatory issues.