Flax is one of the important oil crops in China. In addition to rich oil and protein, flaxseed also contains high dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins A, B, C, D, e, phenolic acids, flavonoids, phytic acids, lecithin and other nutrients. Flaxseed is rich in essential fatty acids - α - linolenic acid and linoleic acid, and the natural ratio of these two fatty acids is more suitable for human beings, so flaxseed has been considered as the best source for human beings to obtain essential fatty acids. However, in recent years, studies have found that flaxseed also contains a potential component - lignans. Lignans are a kind of physiologically active substances in the seed coat of flaxseed. Its structure is very similar to human estrogen, and it is considered as a kind of phytoestrogen. It is a natural component of cinnamyl alcohol obtained from phenylalanine through bimolecular polymerization. As a kind of phytoestrogen, lignans have aroused great interest.
Due to the unique role of lignans, the development of new drugs, health products and cosmetics with lignans as the main raw materials has become a research hotspot. Netherlands Unilever Co., Ltd. and aierkangmu Biotechnology Co., Ltd. have applied for patents for the application of lignans in food, drugs and cosmetics respectively. Therefore, the practical application of lignans is of great significance.
1. Application in food
The research shows that due to the special use of lignans, especially one or more health care components of ring opening isolarch resin phenol and ornithophenol, in the production of functional foods with anti-inflammatory or anti-aging properties, as a kind of healthy food, lignans extracted from flaxseed have unique applications in the form of powder, tablet or syrup, fruit juice as mayonnaise, ice cream, cream substitutes, health drinks containing anti wrinkle agents, sports drinks, chocolate, candy, baked food, soup, grain, seasoning and anti wrinkle agent coating of food epidermis. The addition of these lignans to food can not only improve the product quality, especially the stability of these products, but also improve the taste and physical structure of the food, so as to improve its nutritional value. The disclosed flaxseed friction fragments rich in lignans can be used in food, which can change the taste, structure or color of the food, and increase the intake of fiber by the human body. It can be seen that the application prospect of lignans in functional foods is very optimistic.
2. Application in clinical medicine
Because of its antiviral activity, anti mitotic activity and fungicidal activity, lignans have strong antioxidant properties, which can prevent or inhibit hormone dependent cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It can effectively curb the growth of cancer, reduce the size of tumor and reduce the probability of its occurrence. Clinically, lignans extracted from flaxseed are used as adjuvant therapy for anti-tumor, prevention of colon cancer, prostate cancer, thymus cancer, diabetes, lupus nephritis, arteriosclerosis, especially atherosclerosis, and hormone disorders in women, including osteoporosis, hypertension, depression, obesity, hot flashes and other symptoms in desperate women.
3. Application in cosmetics
The main reason is that lignans have strong antioxidant properties. As a vehicle or anti-aging active agent in cosmetics, lignans have a broad application prospect in preventing or treating skin aging, especially skin relaxation, lack of elasticity, reducing wrinkle formation, making skin more elastic, preventing or treating dry skin, keeping skin moist and improving skin appearance.
With the in-depth study of the function of lignans, the important role of lignans in human health has been confirmed by more and more experiments. If the chemical components of lignans in flaxseed are combined with pharmacological activities to study, health care products, medicinal functional products and cosmetics with high economic, nutritional and medicinal values can be obtained. The economic added value of flaxseed can be greatly improved, and huge economic and social benefits will also be generated!