Current advances of functional phytochemicals in Nicotiana plant and related potential value of tobacco processing waste: A review

• Main Authors: Xinda Zou, Amrit BK, Tareq Abu-Izneid, Ahsan Aziz, Popy Devnath, Abdur Rauf, Saikat Mitra, Talha Bin Emran, Adil A.H. Mujawah, Jose M. Lorenzo, Mohammad S. Mubarak, Polrat Wilairatana, Hafiz A.R. Suleria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-11-01
• Series: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
• Subjects: Tobacco; Processing waste; Phytochemicals; Healthy functions; Intestinal flora; Antioxidant activity
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332221009756

Tobacco is grown in large quantities worldwide as a widely distributed commercial crop. From the harvest of the field to the process into the final product, a series of procedures generate enormous amount of waste materials that are rarely recycled. In recent years, numerous potential bioactive compounds have been isolated from tobacco, and the molecular regulatory mechanisms related to the performance of some functionalities have been identified. This review describes the source of tobacco waste and expounds a large amount of biomass during the tobacco processing, and the necessity of exploring the reuse of tobacco waste. In addition, the review summarizes the bioactive compounds from tobacco that have been discovered so far, and links them to various functions from tobacco extracts, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, and antioxidant, thus proving the potential value from tobacco waste reuse. In this regard, nornicotine in tobacco is the culprit of many health issues, while the polyphenols and polysaccharides often contribute to the health benefits of tobacco extract. In addition, it is hard to ignore that realization of these functions of tobacco extracts require the involvement of intestinal flora metabolism, which should be considered in the development of new product dosage forms.