Nutrients, Vol. 18, Pages 576: The Health Benefits of Tamarindus indica: A Focus on the Relationship Between Phytochemical Composition and Physiological Effects
Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu18040576
Authors:
Carlos Rabeiro Martinez
Yasmany Armas Diaz
Danila Cianciosi
Qingwei Cao
Haixia Hu
Ge Chen
Zexiu Qi
Bei Yang
José L. Quiles
Maurizio Battino
Francesca Giampieri
Background/Objectives: Conventional pharmacotherapy for the most prevalent human diseases still has limited efficacy. Natural medicines are recognized for their therapeutic efficacy and low side effects. Tamarindus indica is a tropical tree of the Fabaceae family, valued for its multiple uses and the nutritional properties of its fruits. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the nutraceutical value of T. indica, focusing on its phytochemical composition and main health benefits. Methods: For this purpose, a bibliography search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases, including all articles published between 2000 and December 2025. Results: The T. indica fruit contains different phytochemical compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins, with therapeutic potential. These compounds exert free radical scavenging activity, improve antioxidant and detoxification enzyme activities, exert antimicrobial effects, attenuate the activation of pro-inflammatory mediators, and regulate the expression of lipid metabolism genes. Conclusions: This article presents an integrated analysis summarizing the phytochemical characteristics, mode of action, medical utility, and safe use of T. indica, thereby contributing to a greater understanding of its potential health benefits.
Background/Objectives: Conventional pharmacotherapy for the most prevalent human diseases still has limited efficacy. Natural medicines are recognized for their therapeutic efficacy and low side effects. Tamarindus indica is a tropical tree of the Fabaceae family, valued for its multiple uses and the nutritional properties of its fruits. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the nutraceutical value of T. indica, focusing on its phytochemical composition and main health benefits. Methods: For this purpose, a bibliography search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases, including all articles published between 2000 and December 2025. Results: The T. indica fruit contains different phytochemical compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins, with therapeutic potential. These compounds exert free radical scavenging activity, improve antioxidant and detoxification enzyme activities, exert antimicrobial effects, attenuate the activation of pro-inflammatory mediators, and regulate the expression of lipid metabolism genes. Conclusions: This article presents an integrated analysis summarizing the phytochemical characteristics, mode of action, medical utility, and safe use of T. indica, thereby contributing to a greater understanding of its potential health benefits. Read More