Growing awareness about the role of diet and quest for human wellness has fuelled interest in 'Functional foods' and functional attributes of many traditional foods are being reinvented. Flax continues to surge forward in its recognition as a functional food and has recently gained attention in the area of cardiovascular disease primarily because it is the richest known source of alpha-linolenic acid, the phytoestrogen, lignans, as well as being a good source of soluble fiber. Lignans have diverse range of biological activities and flax seeds contain a lignin derivative, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside which get metabolized into the mammalian lignans. The flax lignans influence the early risk markers of mammary and colonic carcinogenesis in animal models. Regular consumption of flaxseed products can affect serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, reduce postprandial glucose absorption, decrease some markers of inflammation and raise serum levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid. The flax seed has been shown to possess significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions in experimental as well as human studies. The flax seed supplementation in diet revealed potential health benefits in situations like cardiovascular risk, certain types of cancers and other metabolic disorders. There are number of studies indicating the role of raw flaxseed and its baked products in health promotion and disease prevention. This review highlights the potential of 'flax seed' as a 'neutraceutical' and its role as a protective and therapeutic medicinal food. Fatty acids Flaxseed has been valued historically for its abundance of fat, which provides a unique mix of fatty acids (Figure 2). Flaxseed is rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid. The omega-3 fatty acids have biologic effects that make them useful in preventing and managing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer disease, alcoholism and certain types of cancers [9]. The high alpha linolenic acid

Aims: Flax seeds and soya bean are a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and fibers known to have anti-atherogenic activities. The study attempted to evaluate the effect of flaxseed and soya bean supplementation on serum lipids of dyslipidemic subjects. Methods: The subjects were divided into three groups: Experimental group-I (E-I), experimental group-II (E-II) and a control group (C). Group E-I was given 30 g of roasted flaxseed chutney powder and group E-II was given 30 g of soya nuts for 12 weeks. Both groups and the control group were prescribed with similar dietary guidelines. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and blood lipid profile were estimated before and after completion of the study. Results: Twelve week therapeutic intervention indicated significant drop (P < 0.05) in blood pressure, whereas a highly significant reduction (P < 0.01) was noted in Total cholesterol and triglycerides. A significant improvement in high density lipoprotein cholesterol was recorded in the groups receiving flaxseed (P < 0.01) and soya bean (P < 0.05). Body mass index, cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient and atherogenicity index of plasma were also found to improve significantly. Conclusion: These findings suggest that therapeutic intervention with flaxseed and soya may be a preliminary, but efficacious means of improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels in those diagnosed with dyslipidemia and may also be advocated in place of drug therapy when cholesterol levels soar just above the normal range. New features on the journal's websiteOptimized content for mobile and hand-held devices HTML pages have been optimized for mobile and other hand-held devices (such as iPad, Kindle, iPod) for faster browsing speed. Click on [Mobile Full text] from Table of Contents page. This is simple HTML version for faster download on mobiles (if viewed on desktop, it will be automatically redirected to full HTML version)

The supplementation of roasted flaxseed powder for 3 months improved the BMI, blood pressure, and lipid profile of dyslipidemic subjects, thus exhibiting cardio protective effect.

The study validated the antidyslipidemic, antioxidant, and antihyperglycemic effects of Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract in human subjects with dyslipidemia along with subjects of normal health. A total of 200 mL of freshly prepared Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract was administered daily on empty stomach for 90 days. Significant reductions (P < .01) were found in triglycerides and total cholesterol levels in blood. Cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient, and atherogenicity index of plasma were also improved. Appreciable reductions in body mass index (P < .01) and blood pressure (systolic P < .01, diastolic P < .05) along with a significant reduction (P < .05) in fasting blood glucose levels were also observed in these subjects. Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract exhibited significant antioxidant activity in dyslipidemic subjects as evident from elevations in SOD (P < .05) and GSH levels (P < .01) with marked improvement in catalase (P < .01) and TBARS levels (P < .05). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds. Lagenaria siceraria fruit extract serves as dietary adjunct in treatment of human dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease.

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