Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Some Indian Medicinal Plants

Phytochemicals, also known as phytonutrients, are naturally occurring protective chemicals that are found in foods of plant origin (phyto is derived from the Greek word for plant).Phytochemicals are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties. They are nonessential nutrients, meaning that they are not required by the human body for sustaining life. It is well-known that plant produce these chemicals to protect themselves but recent research demonstrate that they can also protect humans against diseases. There are more than thousand known phytochemicals.273 There are hundreds of phytochemicals found in plants. The key benefits of some of the best known phytochemicals are listed below. 275 1.Bioflavonoids 2.Carotenoids 3.Glucosinolates 4.Organosulphides 5.Flavonoids 6.Indoles 7.Isoflavones 8.Limonoids 9.Phytoestrogens 10.Lycopene 11.Para-coumaric acid 12.Phenols and polyphenol 13.Phytosterols 14.Terpenes