Review Balkans' Asteraceae species as a source of biologically active compounds for pharmaceutical and food industry.

Review Balkans' Asteraceae species as a source of biologically active compounds for pharmaceutical and food industry. Chem Biodivers. 2020 Apr 03;: Authors: Kostić AŽ, Janaćković P, Kolašinac SM, Dajić-Stevanović ZP Abstract Herbal drugs are a useful source of different bioactive compounds. Asteraceae species, as the most widespread vascular plants can be used both as food and as medicine due to the great diversity of recorded chemical components - different phenolic compounds, terpenes, carotenoids, vitamins, alkaloids, etc. The Balkan Peninsula is characterized by great diversity of plants from Asteraceae family, including presence of rare and endemic species. In this review, results of the survey of chemical composition and biological activity, mainly focusing on antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer effects of selected Balkans' Asteraceae species were provided. In addition, information on edible plants from Asteraceae family is presented, due to growing interest for the so-called "healthy diet" and possible application of Balkans' Asteraceae species as food of high nutritional value or as a source of functional food ingredients. PMID: 32243062 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Chemistry and Biodiversity - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Chem Biodivers Source Type: research