The Role of Phytochemicals in The Management of Lifestyle Disorders

Abstract

Phytochemicals are natural chemical constituents or bioactive compounds found in medicinal plants, aromatic plants, vegetables, fruits, leaves, flowers and roots which work in conjunction with nutrients and dietary fibers to act as defense against diseases and to slow the aging process. The medicinal values of plants lie in the abilities of these phytochemicals to produce definite physiological action on the human body. A variety of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides and steroids present in plants and their products are key factors in the treatment of several disorders including lifestyle disorders. Lifestyle disorders, also known as non-communicable diseases, are conditions associated with the way people live and behave. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheets, lifestyle disorders like obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases account for 59 percent of the 56.5 million deaths annually and 45.9 percent of the global burden of disease (WHO, 2021). This review introduced and identified various phytochemicals reported with beneficial effects or roles and their functional classification or subclasses that have been identified to help prevent diseases associated with lifestyle changes.