Immunoboosting Potential of Spices with Special Reference to North East India against the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic- A Review
Rahul Malakar
Department of Botany, Gauhati University, India.
Amrit Kumar
Department of Botany, Gauhati University, India.
Priyanka Das
Department of Botany, Gauhati University, India.
Khusbu Pathak
Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, India.
Rajesh Dev Sarkar *
Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Spices, which is key ingredient in every household products not only used for adding aroma to food but however, has health promoting and protective activity against foreign pathogens. Different spices used in day to day life boosts the immune system that leads to healthy and prosperous life. The commonly used spices not only have antimicrobial or antiviral activity, but also serve as a rich source of various vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc. The medicinal importance of spices dates from ancient Ayurveda and many studies indicating the potential of spices as immunoboosting agent had been carried out in the recent years. Therefore, this review highlights the medicinal importance of commonly used spices in North-East India as immunobooster against the current coronavirus pandemic.
Keywords: Immunity, spices, antimicrobial, medicinal importance, health, antioxidants, antiviral