Other names include
ARABIC: Hindiba, Kasiniyah. |
DANISH: Endivie. |
ESTONIAN: Endiiviasigur. |
FINNISH: Endiivi. |
FRENCH: Chicorée blanche, Petite endive, Scarole.. |
GERMAN: Endivienwegwarte, Endivien, Endivie, Escariol. |
ITALIAN: Indivia. |
JAPANESE: Kiku jisha. |
NEPALESE: Kassinii.. |
MALAY: Andewi. |
POLISH: Endywia. |
RUSSIAN: Endivij. |
SWEDISH: Endiv. |
TURKISH: Hindiba, Yaban marulu.. |
Endive is a cultivated plant consisting of a dense rosette of curly leaves arising from the base. Leaves are brittle, oblong, and lobed or cut. Flowers are purple, the upper ones passing into leafy bracts.
Distribution
– Native of the Mediterranean region.
Nutrition/ Constituents
– Excellent source of calcium and iron.
– Leaves contain inosit, a bitter principle, ceryl alcohol, d- and B-lactucerol and traces of urea.
Medicinal Properties of endive
– Considered resolvent and cooling.
– Roots considered tonic, demulcent, stimulant, and febrifuge.
Parts used
Leaves.
Uses
Culinary
– Used for salads, like lettuce.
Folkloric traditional medicine uses, remedies and benefits of endive
– Much valued by the Hakims as a resolvent and cooling medicine and prescribed in bilious complaints.
– Roots used for dyspepsia and fever, as a tonic and demulcent.
– Root considered warm stimulating, and febrifuge.
– Fruit is a cooling remedy for fevers, headaches and jaundice.
Scientific proven health benefits and uses of Endive
Study of the roots isolated twelve known sesquiterpene lactones and a new gualanolid 10b-methoxy-1a,11b,13-tetrahydrolactucin with three known phenolic esters.
Application of a root extract on the skin prior to UVB irradiation totally prevented erythema. Study suggests C. endivia extracts might possess sun-protective qualities that make them potentially useful as sunscreens.
• Hepatoprotective/ protects liver:
Study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hepatoprotective properties of C. endivia extract. Results showed CEE significantly blocked oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by t-BPH in HepG2 cells. Phytochemical screening yielded five compounds: 2-furanmethanol-(5’→11)-1,3-cyclopentadiene-[5,4-c]-1H-cinnoline, 2-phenylethyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, kaempferol, and adenosine. Results suggest CEE may be a valid safe remedy to cure liver disease.
• Antiproliferative / Breast Cancer:
The anticancer activity of root extract was examined on a breast cancer line MFC7 and compared with anticancer 5FU (5-fluorouracil). The expression of DNA markers was high both in cells treated with 5FU and root extract. Results show C. endivia contains a combination of phenolic compounds and presents as anticancer especially for breast cancer.
Study evaluated the antidiabetic effect of an aqueous suspension of CE leaves powder in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Results indicated the role of oxidative stress in diabetes induction and showed a protective and/or ameliorative effect of CE, similar to glibenclamide.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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