Leveraging Underutilized Sri Lankan Fruits in the Fight against Autoimmune Disorders

Abstract

The potential of underutilized plant species to improve food security, health, eco-nomic output, and the environment has not been fully realized. Sri Lanka an island on the Indian Ocean is home to numerous plant species with significant medicinal potential, in-cluding many underutilized plants that could help meet the growing demand for food, en-ergy, medicines, and industrial resources. Globally, there are over a thousand known and unknown phytochemicals derived from plants. Although these compounds are primarily produced by plants for self-defence, in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated their anti-inflammatory properties. Recent research indicates that several phytochemicals can also protect humans from disease by regulating key inflammatory pathways, such as NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT and Nrf-2, which are involved in autoimmune diseases. Thus, these bioactive compounds are vital for managing autoimmune disorders. This review will ex-plore underutilized fruit crops from Sri Lanka that could be used against inflammation, in-cluding autoimmune diseases.