Prosopis Genus as Food and Drug Repository: Exploring the Literature Databases

Abstract

The genus Prosopis, a member of Fabaceae family grows profusely in arid regions of the world. Native tribes have used this plant as a source of subsistence for generations. The high-protein, low-carbohydrate flour of its pod is touted to be a potential food source. Some recently reported bioactive potentials range from functional food, antioxidant, hypolipemic, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antinociceptive, estrogenic, anticancer, antimicrobial and neurostimulator to larvicide. This chapter furnishes a comprehensive account of the current state of knowledge and proposes future scopes.