Species with functional and medicinal characteristics of the agrobiodiversity of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract

Currently, the demands of consumers are focused on the search for new products with functional and medicinal properties that can provide nutritional value and other important components that benefit health. In this context, these foods are evolving as a potential strategy in the prevention of chronic diseases because they have beneficial physiological effects, due to the fact that they have bioactive compounds related to analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, nephrogenic and antioxidant properties; these components are contained in various plants of the agrobiodiversity crops of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The objective of this study was to identify plant species with functional
and medicinal characteristics that contribute to improve the immune system, for which a systematic review of the literature available on digital platforms was carried out, allowing the identification of 15 species with functional and medicinal characteristics due to their antioxidant, immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antimicrobial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. These species are a potential alternative to support the immune system.