Nutraceuticals: The New Generation Therapeutics

Nutraceuticals is a broad term which describes any substance extracted from food sources with additional health benefits along with the basic nutritional value already present in them. They act nonspecifically to promote general well-being of the individuals and also to control and prevent virulent conditions. The term “nutraceutical” combines two words – “nutrient” (a nourishing food component) and “pharmaceutical” (a medical drug) [1]. The name was coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, an American organization located in Cranford, New Jersey. They have remarkable role in human nutrition which has recently become one of the most important areas of investigation.