Nutraceutical Attributes of Tamarindus indica L. - Devils’ Tree with Sour Date

Tamarindus indica L. (Fabaceae) plant has a dominion for its usage in culinary additional to medicinal and nutritional value globally. It is used as a preservative and savory in Indian dishes from time immemorial. Traditional nutritional constituents and its significance with respect to leaf, flower, fruits and seeds have been reported in folklore and Ayurvedic practice. This chapter primarily focuses on the various bioactivities (anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antidote, anti-diabetic) and their probable known mode of action in combating the disorder/disease. Further, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were performed with lead phytobioactives to understand potential pathways. However, with the tamarind fruit and seeds, many controversial myths also exist. This comprehensive chapter depicts and contemplates the unexplored science of this Devils’ tree with Sour date which is extensively used in nutritional, pharmaceutical with pharmacological attributes with clinical significance “Making Food as Medicine”.

Keywords: Biologicals, Functional food, Imli, Phytochemistry, Processing, Therapeutics.