Liu Yi, Kai Yi, Huang Dejian, Liu Shao Quan, Lu Yuyun
Department of Food Science and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2025 Nov;24(6):e70296. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.70296.
Germination is emerging as a promising bioprocess to produce edible moringa sprouts with enhanced nutritional value and health benefits. Germinated moringa seeds could be marketed as a novel food ingredient for functional food formulations. Attempts to understand the bioactive compounds and their associated health benefits of moringa seeds and sprouts would be conducive to developing functional foods and nutraceuticals. This review summarizes germination and its impact on the bioactive compounds in moringa seeds and sprouts and discusses their bioactivities, with the mechanisms of action in cell and animal models being elucidated. Some applications of moringa seeds and sprouts in functional food formulations are also provided. Germination accumulates a range of bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic compounds, glucosinolates (GSLs), and their corresponding isothiocyanates (ITCs) in moringa seeds and sprouts. Of these, glucomoringin is the most abundant GSL. The health-promoting properties of moringa seeds and sprouts may be prominently associated with the glycosylated ITC, moringin, which is produced by the hydrolysis of glucomoringin. The reported bioactivities of moringa seeds and their extracts include antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antidiabetes, anti-carcinogenesis, and hepatoprotection. Multiple cell and animal studies have demonstrated the protective effects of moringa seeds and their extracts by activating antioxidant gene expression, thereby mitigating oxidative stress. Additionally, their ability to downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines helps alleviate inflammation-associated chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. In conclusion, germination is an effective approach to enriching bioactive compounds in moringa seeds, which could be consumed as functional foods or serve as a novel bioingredient for the development of functional foods to prevent and/or alleviate chronic diseases.
发芽正成为一种很有前景的生物工艺，用于生产具有更高营养价值和健康益处的可食用辣木芽。发芽的辣木种子可作为功能性食品配方的新型食品成分进行销售。了解辣木种子和芽的生物活性化合物及其相关健康益处的尝试，将有助于开发功能性食品和营养保健品。本综述总结了发芽及其对辣木种子和芽中生物活性化合物的影响，并讨论了它们的生物活性，同时阐明了在细胞和动物模型中的作用机制。还提供了辣木种子和芽在功能性食品配方中的一些应用。发芽会在辣木种子和芽中积累一系列生物活性化合物，特别是酚类化合物、硫代葡萄糖苷（GSLs）及其相应的异硫氰酸酯（ITCs）。其中，葡萄糖辣木素是最丰富的GSL。辣木种子和芽的健康促进特性可能与糖基化ITC——由葡萄糖辣木素水解产生的辣木素密切相关。报道的辣木种子及其提取物的生物活性包括抗氧化、抗炎、抗糖尿病、抗癌和保肝。多项细胞和动物研究表明，辣木种子及其提取物通过激活抗氧化基因表达发挥保护作用，从而减轻氧化应激。此外，它们下调促炎细胞因子的能力有助于缓解与炎症相关的慢性疾病，如糖尿病和癌症。总之，发芽是一种富集辣木种子中生物活性化合物的有效方法，这些种子可作为功能性食品食用，或作为开发功能性食品以预防和/或缓解慢性疾病的新型生物成分。
