The nutraceuticals industry, like any other mature industry, is constantly looking for new stories in order to reinvent itself. At the same time, consumers are increasingly demanding natural remedies instead of synthetic cures, which encourages research into familiar medicinal plants and boosts efforts to substantiate age-old traditional uses with solid modern research. This paves the way for new applications, as well as new plants with healing properties.

While researchers systematically screen newly discovered plants for functional actives, efforts continue into the substantiation of traditional uses of familiar plants. Just recently, one such effort paid off for researchers at Thomas Jefferson University. Under Dr. Hwyda Arafat, MD, PhD, they found indications for Nigella sativa extract, which showed that it might play a role in halting growth of pancreatic cancer and even inhibit the development of tumors.

Nigella sativa seed and oil have been traditionally used in many Middle Eastern and Asian countries for a variety of indications, ranging from immune to inflammatory disorders. Black seed (or black cumin, as it is also called) contains a multitude of fixed and essential oils, with thymoquinone being the main active constituent. So far, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-microbial and anti-neoplastic activities have been reported. The oil is also known for decreasing blood pressure and increasing respiration.

According to the new results, which were presented this year at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 100th Annual Meeting, and have been accepted for publication in the Oxford journal Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB), anti-inflammatory activity resulting in lower levels of inflammatory compounds linked to pancreatic cancer have been found for thymoquinone. These results show promise as both a potential preventive and a therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.

Another traditional herbal remedy that also happens to double as a spice is turmeric, which is currently in the spotlight of scientific research. The immune-boosting capabilities of its main constituent, curcumin, are generally acknowledged, as are its other benefits such as reducing cholesterol levels, improving cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and protecting against cancer.
Turmeric is traditionally used for the treatment of wounds and infections. Recent research published in a March edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society shows that the health boosting activity of curcumin may be due to the substance's ability to stabilize cell membranes. More particularly, curcumin can induce a negative curvature of the membrane, which in turn may increase the activity of proteins that play an important role in programmed cell death.

Looking at another popular spice, thyme is a staple of many cooking traditions and a functional ingredient in and of itself. The major active components of thyme oil-thymol, carvacrol and gamma-terpenine-have been found to act as inhibitors of lipid peroxidation and to be free radical scavengers, suggesting that thyme oil possesses useful antioxidant properties. The dried herb, too, has been proven to have high antioxidant effects, leading to the inhibition of inflammatory processes in the body. In a recent study published in Food Microbiology, thymol showed its potential in prolonging the shelf-life of pasta, and might thus be a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives.

Finally, the antioxidant powers of the familiar spice garlic were highlighted earlier this year. The compound in question was allicin. It is not found in fresh garlic and is only formed when garlic is crushed. During the decomposition of allicin, sulfenic acid is formed, which acts as a free radical scavenger. According to the research, the reaction between sulfenic acid and the free radicals happens very quickly, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. These findings have caused some manufacturers to spotlight the allicin content in their garlic supplements.
Other Allium species, such as onions, leeks and shallots, also have antioxidant properties, and they contain a compound that is very similar to allicin. However, the properties are not the same, which is probably due to the slower rate of decomposition of the allicin analogs. Garlic and its health benefits are well known among consumers, which has certainly played a role in supporting their trust in natural remedies and functional foods.

The current trend toward natural and exotic plants and ingredients will no doubt continue to provide incentives for similar research into other familiar spices. After all, the boundaries between spice and medicine have historically been blurry. In fact, it can be argued that plants with antioxidant or anti-bacterial properties were first used to ease digestion after eating a meal. Only later were spices appreciated for their taste as well. In any case, we can probably expect many more such substantiations of traditional medicinal uses for spice plants in the future.