Abstract:
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is acknowledged as golden grains, is widely regarded as a multipurpose crop. The nutritional and health benefits of quinoa have made it a popular food around the world in the last decade. It is a nutrient-rich pseudo-cereal crop that has been introduced in Pakistan in the recent past, because of its medicinal, commercial value. The plant contains huge number of phytochemicals i.e. amino acids, fiber, minerals, vitamins, secondary metabolites, bioactive proteins and peptides which could be used in various medicine for human and other animal's health. It has been reported that the quinoa leaves, root, and seed are used in the treatment of diabetes, cancer, inflammations, fungal infections, and other numerous health problems. In addition, its high energy, nutrient content, therapeutic properties, and lack of gluten, it is considered to be useful for children, the elder, lactose-intolerant people, and osteoporosis in women. Besides, it is considered a crop oil, because the seed oil fractions are extremely nutrient-dense and can be used in skin care, cosmetics, and as a raw material for other products. This comprehensive study provides medical uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of quinoa. Also, the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antitumor, antilipidemic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects have been reviewed. This review is providing the detail study about the phytochemicals and pharmacological evaluation of quinoa till date, and also provides pave for future investigations and exploitation of C. quinoa.
Keywords:
Phytochemicals
,
pharmacological properties
,
Chenopodium quinoa
,
Ethnomedicinal study