Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland.
Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
Molecules. 2021 Mar 23;26(6):1814. doi: 10.3390/molecules26061814.
Natural products are gaining more interest recently, much of which focuses on those derived from medicinal plants. The common chicory ( L.), of the Astraceae family, is a prime example of this trend. It has been proven to be a feasible source of biologically relevant elements (K, Fe, Ca), vitamins (A, B, B, C) as well as bioactive compounds (inulin, sesquiterpene lactones, coumarin derivatives, cichoric acid, phenolic acids), which exert potent pro-health effects on the human organism. It displays choleretic and digestion-promoting, as well as appetite-increasing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action, all owing to its varied phytochemical composition. Hence, chicory is used most often to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Chicory was among the plants with potential against SARS-CoV-2, too. To this and other ends, roots, herb, flowers and leaves are used. Apart from its phytochemical applications, chicory is also used in gastronomy as a coffee substitute, food or drink additive. The aim of this paper is to present, in the light of the recent literature, the chemical composition and properties of chicory.
天然产物最近越来越受到关注，其中很大一部分关注的是来自药用植物的产物。菊苣（L.），菊科植物，就是这种趋势的一个典型例子。它已被证明是生物相关元素（K、Fe、Ca）、维生素（A、B、B、C）以及生物活性化合物（菊糖、倍半萜内酯、香豆素衍生物、菊苣酸、酚酸）的可行来源，这些化合物对人体具有强大的促进健康的作用。它具有利胆、促进消化、增加食欲、抗炎和抗菌作用，这都归因于其多样的植物化学成分。因此，菊苣最常用于治疗胃肠道疾病。菊苣也是对抗 SARS-CoV-2 的有潜力的植物之一。为此，人们使用了根、草、花和叶。除了其植物化学应用外，菊苣还在美食学中用作咖啡替代品、食品或饮料添加剂。本文旨在根据最近的文献，介绍菊苣的化学成分和特性。
