Abstract
Pharmacological properties of Flax seeds: A Review
Nirmala Halligudi
Pharmacy Department, Oman MedicalCollege, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Article history: Received: 30 June2012, revised: 14July, 2012, accepted:16 August 2012, Available online: 10 October 2012
Abstract
Plan: To review on the pharmacological potential of flax seeds
Prologue: Flax oil and flax seeds are being rediscovered as truehealth foods. They definitely merit being included on any top-ten list of foodsthat are good for life. Flax is not a new food. It is actually one of the olderand, perhaps, one of the original "health foods," treasured becauseof its healing properties throughout the Roman Empire. Flax was one of theoriginal "medicines" used by Hippocrates. Flax could be dubbed the"forgotten oil." It has fallen out of favor because oil manufacturershave found nutritious oils to be less profitable.
Outcome: The very nutrients that give flax its nutritional benefits- essential fatty acids - also give it a short shelf life, making it moreexpensive to produce, transport, and store. Besides being the best source ofomega 3's, flax oil is a good source of omega 6, or linoleic acid (LA).Sunflower, safflower, and sesame oil are greater sources of omega 6 fatty acidsbut they don't contain any omega-3 fatty acids. Flax oil is 45 to 60 percentthe omega-3 fatty acid alphalinolenic acid (ALA). In addition to nutritiousfats, flax seeds contain other nutrients which make eating the whole seedsuperior to consuming just the extracted oil.
Key words: Flaxseed, antioxidant, cardiovascular activity, anti cancer, Pharmacological activity
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Hygeia.J.D.Med.Vol.4 (2), Oct. 2012
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