Cereal grains and germs are good sources of various phytochemicals. The major phytochemicals present in cereal grains are: phenolic acids, flavones, phytic acid, flavanoids, coumarins, and terpenes. Cereal germs are good sources of ferulic acid, phytic acid, glutathione, and phytosterols. In addition, the cereal germ acontains the vitamins E, B 1 , B 2 , and B 3 , the minerals P, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, and S, and fiber. Because of its rich nutrient content, cereal germ would be a valuable ingredient for production of functional foods. Our article examines the feasibility of using constituents of selected cereal grains such as wheat, oat, psyllium, and barley in producing functional foods.

To study the effect of Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) and Maitake (Grifola frondosa) on hypertension, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were fed a diet containing 5% mushroom powder and 0.5 NaCl solution as drinking water for 9 weeks. The dietary mushrooms decreased the blood pressure. The plasma free cholesterol level decreased in Shiitake-fed animals, whereas in Maitake-fed animals the total choles terol level decreased. There was no difference in the plasma triglyceride and phospholipid levels among the experimental groups. Shiitake feeding resulted in a decrease in VLDL-and HDL-cholesterol whereas Maitake feeding caused a decrease in VLDL-cholesterol only. Plasma LDLcholesterol was not affected by dietary mushrooms. The results suggest that dietary mushrooms prevent blood pressure increase in hypertension.

Nature has always been an excellent source for many therapeutic compounds providing us with many medicinal plants and microorganisms producing beneficial chemicals. Therefore, the demand for medicinal plants, cosmetics, and health products is always on the rise. One such plant from the Leguminosae family is licorice and the scientific name is Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. It is an herb-type plant with medicinal value. In the following article, we shall elaborately look at the plants' phytochemical constituents and the pharmacological impact of those substances. Several compounds such as glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinic acid, isoliquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid have been found in this plant, which can provide pharmacological benefit to us with its anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic, antidiabetic, anti-asthmatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antispasmodic activity. Alongside, these products have a different role in hepatoprotective, immunologic, memory-enhancing activity. They can stimulate hair growth, control obesity, and have anti-depressants, sedatives, and anticoagulant activity. This review examines recent studies on the phytochemical and pharmacological data and describes some side effects and toxicity of licorice and its bioactive components.

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Prenatal and postnatal zinc supplementation marginally improved T cell-dependent antibody responses in infants along with IL-7, a cytokine involved in human T cell development and maintaining homeostasis.