Plant Food Supplements with Anti-Inflammatory Properties: A Systematic Review (I)

Abstract

Plant food supplements (PFS) receive great acceptance by European consumers. However, quality and efficacy of these products remain a question of concern. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence for or against the efficacy of PFS for coping inflammatory conditions by considering epidemiological and human intervention studies. The review, which consists of two parts, considers Olea europea L., Camellia sinensis L., Vitis vinifera L., and Matricaria recutita L., which are herbal material frequently used also as food. The search retrieved 1251 publications. By applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, the final number of papers was 91. Vitis vinifera L. showed promising results, but other trials should be performed in order to assessing the efficacy. Surprisingly, it was impossible to draw conclusions for the anti-inflammatory effect of Camellia sinensis L. as green tea. No studies were found on the leaves of Olea europea L. whereas more human trials are needed to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of olive oil. Only one study for Matricaria recutita L. was selected. In conclusion, it is advisable to conduct further studies with more homogeneous population and larger number of subjects by avoiding the heterogeneity of the herbal preparations considered.

Keywords :

• Olea europea L., Matricaria recutita L.
• Vitis vinifera L.
• Camellia sinensis L.
• green tea
• olive oil

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The writing of this review was funded by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement no 245199. It has been carried out within the PlantLIBRA project (website: http://www.plantlibra.eu). “This report does not necessarily reflect the Commission's views or its future policy on this area.”

Mario Dell’Agli and Chiara Di Lorenzo contributed equally to this paper.