Phytochemical Profile, Biological Properties, and Food Applications of the Medicinal Plant <i>Syzygium cumini</i>

oleh: Muhammad Qamar, Saeed Akhtar, Tariq Ismail, Muqeet Wahid, Malik Waseem Abbas, Mohammad S. Mubarak, Ye Yuan, Ross T. Barnard, Zyta M. Ziora, Tuba Esatbeyoglu

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-01-01

Deskripsi

<i>Syzygium cumini</i>, locally known as Jamun in Asia, is a fruit-bearing crop belonging to the Myrtaceae family. This study aims to summarize the most recent literature related to botany, traditional applications, phytochemical ingredients, pharmacological activities, nutrition, and potential food applications of <i>S. cumini</i>. Traditionally, <i>S. cumini</i> has been utilized to combat diabetes and dysentery, and it is given to females with a history of abortions. Anatomical parts of <i>S. cumini</i> exhibit therapeutic potentials including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antimalarial, anticancer, and antidiabetic activities attributed to the presence of various primary and secondary metabolites such as carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, alkaloids, flavonoids (i.e., quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol), phenolic acids (gallic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid) and anthocyanins (delphinidin-3,5-<i>O</i>-diglucoside, petunidin-3,5-<i>O</i>-diglucoside, malvidin-3,5-<i>O</i>-diglucoside). Different fruit parts of <i>S. cumini</i> have been employed to enhance the nutritional and overall quality of jams, jellies, wines, and fermented products. Today, <i>S. cumini</i> is also used in edible films. So, we believe that <i>S. cumini</i>’s anatomical parts, extracts, and isolated compounds can be used in the food industry with applications in food packaging and as food additives. Future research should focus on the isolation and purification of compounds from <i>S. cumini</i> to treat various disorders. More importantly, clinical trials are required to develop low-cost medications with a low therapeutic index.