Pharmacological activity of Helianthus annuus seeds: A review

Abstract

The use of biofertilizers in developing environmentally friendly agriculture as an alternative to chemical-based fertilizers in enhancing food production is promising in sustainable agriculture for the improvement in the yield of some commercial crops such as sunflowers and other oilseed crops in terms of quality and quantity. Sunflower is an important oilseed crop native to South America and currently cultivated throughout the world. Generally, the sunflower is considered important based on its nutritional and medicinal value. Sunflower seeds, a nutrient-dense food have been found to have a potential role in chronic inflammatory conditions, bacterial and fungal infections, cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases, and even cancers. Sunflower contains mineral elements and phytochemicals such as dietary fiber, manganese, vitamins, tocopherols, phytosterols, triterpene glycosides, α-tocopherols, glutathione reductase, flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, peptides, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, alkaloids, tannins, and saponins; and these compounds contribute to their functional and nutraceutical development. This article is to give an overview about a wide array of uses of sunflower seeds and to enlighten the therapeutic potential of cheap, accessible, and easily available oil seed crop ‘Sunflower’ in human beings.