AN UPDATE ON PHYTOCHEMICALS, NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PRUNUS AMYGDALUS BATSCH: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Prunus amygdalus Batsch (family-Rosaceae), popularly known as Badam, Almond, is the most important familiar nuttree for global nut production that includes apples pears, prunes and raspberries. Almond seed skin is a prominent source of polyphenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids, bioflavonoids, flavanones, isoflavones, flavonol glycosides and lignans that are reported in a ripened nut. Bioflavonoids such as flavanolglycosides, chieflycatechins, epicatechin, procyanidins and flavonol include 3-hydroxyflavone backbone glycosides, particularly isorhamnetin, isorhamnetin, naringenin and kaempferol are novel agents isolated from ripened seeds. The review aims to renew the interest in this promising plant, thus stimulating researchers to go further with the study for discovering novel medicinal agents for the treatment and management of several kinds of ailments. The present study compiled a detailed and unique summary of traditional folk medicine Prunus amygdalus based on screening the various databases from traditional textbooks, Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Springer Nature, and Research Gate, etc. The kernels of the seeds are a major source of vitamin E and B, dietary fiber, essential elements calcium and magnesium, monounsaturated fatty acids, and phytosterols with significant cholesterol-lowering effects. It is the most popular folk remedy and nutritive food that can relieve different kinds of ailments. This review summarizes recent advances in the studies regarding Prunus amygdalus nutritional and therapeutic significance. Further, there is a need to isolate and evaluate the active chemical constituents of Prunus amygdalus having significant pharmacological values.