PAK. J. FOOD SCI., 25(4), 2015: 204-215 ISSN: 2226-5899 Pakistan Journal of Food Sciences (2015), Volume 25, Issue 4, Page(s): 204-215 204 Phytochemical profiling of curry (Murraya koenijii) leaves and its health benefits Syed Muhammad Nouman, Aamir Shehzad, Masood Sadiq Butt, Muhammad Issa Khan and Mahwish Tanveer National Institute of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Home Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan Corresponding author: aamir1326@yahoo.com ABSTRACT Nutraceuticals and functional foods provide a chance to attenuate different physiological threats by improving the human health. Powerful bioactive components are responsible for antioxidant properties of herbs that help to alleviate different metabolic disorders. Plant based products are defensive against various metabolic disorders because of their bioactive components. Murraya Koenijii is a spicy plant that contains significant amount of vitamin C and minerals viz., calcium, iron, potassium and sodium. Major phyto-chemicals present in curry leaves are phenolic, carbazole alkaloids and phenols. Bioactive components in Murraya Koenijii can be extracted by different methods i.e. solvent extraction, soxhlet extraction and hydro-distillation. Antioxidant property of curry leaves helps to protect from high cholesterol level, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and many other degenerative illnesses. In bakery products, replacement of wheat flour with curry leaf powder increase the carotenoid content and extract replaces the shortening along with improvement in phytochemicals content via lowering calories. Conclusively, the aim of this review is to explore the nutraceutical and functional aspects of Murraya Koenijii and its utilization in baked product to mitigate the lifestyle related ailments. Keywords: Nutraceuticals, Antioxidants, Phytochemistry, carbazole alkaloids, Hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia Introduction The main purpose of eating food is our appetite but it also gives nutrients which are required by the human body. It also helps to prevent the human body from different dietary diseases and keeps the health in good condition (Menrad, 2003). Consumer preference regarding food commodities has also been changed to promote good health (Mollet and Rowland, 2002). Changing life style has modified basic food habits of people. Consumption of junk food is a major trend leading towards a number of diseases due to improper nutrition. Among them, heart diseases are leading cause of mortality in developing countries followed by cancer, arthritis, diabetes and cholesterol. A good quality food has good impact on consumer health as there is a direct relationship between food and health. In this respect, functional and nutraceuticals have opportunities for food industries not only to develop novel food products but also reduce care cost and improve source of revenue for rural population (Das et al., 2011). Contemporary nutritional regime has revealed diet as one of the primary interventions to alleviate various metabolic syndromes for optimal health. In reliance to the modernized concept, functional and nutraceutical foods are gaining popularity among the masses. There are significant evidences supporting the presence of bioactive moieties in fruits and vegetables, helpful to attenuate lifestyle related disorders. These phytomolecules exert potential health benefits by mitigating degenerative risk factors like cardiovascular complications, diabetes, stroke, cancer etc. The proven facts also provide an insight regarding balanced nutrition and disease prevention. Thereby, functional and nutraceutical foods are imperative due to their assuaging nature, nutritional worth, sustainability and safe status (Aruoma et al., 2012; Barboza et al., 2012). Phytochemical compounds have multiple health benefits so they are introduced in the food products to make the food rich in the nutrients. The benefits of phytochemicals include regulate the glucose level in human blood (Oestmann et al., 2006). They can decrease the blood cholesterol level (Cui et al., 2011), and also have anti-cancer effects (Kesari et al., 2007). Currently, lifestyle matters in a variety of ways; ease in life, diet with less hectic preparation and to relish palatability have adversely affected dietary pattern thereby worsened the metabolic pathways along with production of free radicals (Shahidi, 2009).The antioxidant components e.g. flavonoids and anthocyanin enhance the plasma antioxidant ability and protects from oxidation of LDL, which in turn provide protection from cardiovascular disease. They