Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Cancer Properties of Selected Green Leafy Vegetables - A Review

Abstract

Green leafy vegetables are edible leaves of plants and are important components of a balanced. They are consumed alone or alongside other dishes as sauces or soups. Green leafy vegetables are packed with nutrients predominantly bioactive compounds that have been reported to promote a healthy state and ameliorate disease conditions. These bioactive compounds exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and other biological activities. Non-communicable diseases including cancers, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases have been reported to be aggravated by inflammation and oxidative stress. This paper, therefore, aimed to provide the scientific validation for the selected green-leafy vegetables as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. Databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect were used to perform the search. The reviewed vegetables include Vernonia amygdalina, Corchorus olitorius, Talinum triangulare, Telfairia occidentalis, Gongronema latifolium, Moringa oleifera and Celosia argentea. Although the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties of these vegetables were presented, detailed studies from multiple researchers were scanty. Therefore, further studies on these vegetables are encouraged to have sufficient data to ascertain scientific validation for anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer claims.