Abstract
Spice plants have a great influence on world history. For centuries, different civilizations have used them to condiment the foods of kings and nobles and applied them as embalming preservatives, perfumes, cosmetics, and medicines in different regions of the world. In general, these plants have formed the basis of traditional medicine and some of their derived substances have been utilized to treat different human diseases. Essential oils (EOs) obtained from these plants have been also used as therapeutic agents and have shown supportive uses in remedial practices. The discovery and development of bioactive compounds from these natural products, based on their traditional uses, play an important role in developing the scientific evidence of their potential pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications. In the present review, using recent studies, we exhibit a general overview of the main aspects related to the importance of spice plants widely used in traditional medicine: Cinnamomum zeylanicum (true cinnamon), Mentha piperita (peppermint), Ocimum basilicum (basil), Origanum vulgare (oregano), Piper nigrum (black pepper), Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), and Thymus vulgaris (thyme); and we discuss new findings of the bioactive compounds obtained from their EOs, their potential applications, as well as their molecular mechanisms of action, focusing on their antioxidant activity. We also exhibit the main in vitro methods applied to determine the antioxidant activities of these natural products.
Highlights
Seeds, gums, leaves, and roots from these plants with a pleasant odor and taste were used as a condiment by ancient civilizations
Several spice plants have essential oils (Eos) described by their antioxidant activity, which may vary depending on their chemical composition
We exhibit a general overview of the main aspects related to the importance of commonly used spice plants that have been applied in traditional medicine around the world: Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, Mentha piperita L., Ocimum basilicum L., Origanum vulgare L., Piper nigrum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., and Thymus vulgaris L., and discuss the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications of bioactive compounds obtained from their Essential oils (EOs) and their molecular mechanisms of action, focusing on their antioxidant activity
Summary
Spice plants have a great influence on world history They have been used to condiment the foods of kings and nobles and as medicines to treat several human diseases. Spices are defined as products derived from plants and characterized by aromatic or pungent substances that are used to flavor foods. Spices have a color that varies from black to shades of brown and red, with striking and pungent flavor [8,10] Condiment species have their aromatic properties distributed in different organs of plants, such as in leaves (rosemary, marjoram, oregano, basil, mint, and parsley), flowers (clove, turmeric, lavender, and orange), fruits (peppers, star anise, and tamarind), roots (turmeric and ginger), twigs or bark of trees (cinnamon), bulbs (garlic and onion), seeds and grains (coriander, cumin, fennel, nutmeg, and sesame), and resin (myrrh). We exhibit a general overview of the main aspects related to the importance of commonly used spice plants that have been applied in traditional medicine around the world: Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume (true cinnamon), Mentha piperita L. (peppermint), Ocimum basilicum L. (basil), Origanum vulgare L. (oregano), Piper nigrum L. (black pepper), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), and Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme), and discuss the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications of bioactive compounds obtained from their EOs and their molecular mechanisms of action, focusing on their antioxidant activity
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