Biological Activity of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis Linneo) and Potential Uses in Human Health: A Review

Abstract

Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis Linneo) is an ancestral plant originating in the Amazon jungle that has been adopted as a food source due to its high nutritional value, which has gradually been attributed with potential benefits for human health. Diverse prospective studies have evaluated the effect of consuming components from the plant, derivatives from its seeds, leaves and shell on preventing the risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammatory disease, dermatitis and controlling tumor proliferation, especially given its recognized high content of essential fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and vitamin E, showing antioxidant, hypolipemic, immunomodulation, and emollient activity, as well as the capacity to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. This review offers a complete description of the information existing on the use and biological activity of P. volubilis L., based on its essentially lipid components and evidenced on its use in the field of human health, in prevention, therapeutic, and nutritional contexts, along with industrial uses, making it a promising bioresource.

Cold-Pressed Sacha Inchi Oil: High in Omega-3 and Prevents Fat Accumulation in the Liver

“…Moreover, SIO has pharmacological properties that make it suitable for use as a food supplement. For example, SIO has shown anticancer activity by reducing tumor mass in animal trials [ 19 ]. In addition, SIO has antidyslipidemia properties at a dose of 0.5 mL/kg, which can reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in Holtzman rats and BALB/c mice treated with a high-fat diet [ 20 ].…”

“…The oral gavage dose of SIO supplement at 2.5 mL/kg, assuming the rat’s metabolic rate is 10-fold higher than humans, is referred to as 0.25 mL/kg in humans. Therefore, a 60 kg adult human was given oil at 15 mL per day, and that dose was similar to improving dyslipidemia in the previous study [ 19 , 23 ]. In addition, this dose showed antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antilipidemic, and protective liver health by improving the gut microbiome in rat metabolic syndrome models induced by a high-fat diet [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Anti-Arthritis Effect of Ethanol Extract of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Leaves Against Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis Model in Mice

“…Sacha inchi ( Plukenetia volubilis L.) is an oleaginous plant of the Europhobiaceae family which is originated from the Amazon basin and then cultivated in several Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, etc., as well as South and Central America as an edible crop ( Cárdenas et al . 2021 ; Kodahl & Sørensen 2021 ).…”

“…2021 ; Kodahl & Sørensen 2021 ). Sacha inchi seed oil also has been used as a traditional remedy in Peruvian ethnomedicine, especially for the treatment of cutaneous wounds, aching muscles, and rheumatoid arthritis ( Cárdenas et al . 2021 ; Kodahl & Sørensen 2021 ; Chirinos et al .…”

“…2013 ). Recently, some research suggested that Sacha inchi possesses some bioactivities and beneficial effects such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-cancer effects, as well as alleviating hypertension ( Cárdenas et al . 2021 ; Nascimento et al .…”