Sesame seed is a reservoir of nutritional components with numerous beneficial effects along with health promotion in humans. The bioactive components present in the seed include vital minerals, vitamins, phytosterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols and unique class of lignans such as sesamin and sesamolin. The presence of phenylpropanoid compounds namely lignans along with tocopherols and phytosterols provide defense mechanism against reactive oxygen species and increases keeping quality of oil by preventing oxidative rancidity. In this article, we have reviewed the nutraceutical, pharmacological, traditional and industrial value of sesame seeds with respect to bioactive components that hold high antioxidant value. Valuable information on superior functional components of sesame will strongly promote the use of sesame seeds in the daily diet world-wide. In spite of huge repertoire of sesame germplasm collection, limited research efforts on the use of conventional and biotechnological methodologies have resulted in minimal success in developing nutritionally superior cultivars. In consequence, value addition efforts in sesame would enable development of genotypes with high antioxidant activity and subsequently prevention of free radical related diseases. Modification of bioactive components in sesame would enable production of stabilized sesame oil with enhanced shelf life and better market value.

Sesame, an important oilseed crop, highly valued for its oil quality contains plethora of nutritive substances such as proteins, carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), lignans (sesamin and sesamolin), tocopherol, phytosterols, phytates and other micronutrients. The presence of these substances enhances the keeping quality of oil by preventing oxidative rancidity. Benefits of this underexploited crop include antioxidative, anticancer, antihypersensitive and tumor-suppressive properties. Despite of its high nutritional value, research on this valuable oilseed is meagre due to several biotic and abiotic stresses and absence of non-shattering cultivars. Thus, to explore the potential of sesame as an important oilseed possessing multifarious property, we have tried to provide a detailed overview of the crop and its genetic diversity available throughout the world. Sesame is a promising target oilseed crop for biotechnological applications and marker based studies. The genetic manipulation in the crop along with other strategies would enable development of varieties with high nutritional and functional value. Our aim is to explore the hidden heterogeneity in the crop and provide impetus for valuable oilseed research.

Lapachol, a naphthaquinone isolated from the roots of Tectona grandis given at a dose of 5 mg kg-1 p.o. twice daily for 3 days was found to have an anti-ulcerogenic effect on subsequently induced experimental gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats and guinea-pigs. Its action appears to be associated with an effect on the protein content of gastric juice, and it reversed aspirin-induced changes in peptic activity, protein and sialic acid.

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