ABSTRACT
Recently, there has been a growing realization that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with innumerable health benets. The health-promoting action of fruits and vegetables is due to a number of nutritive (vitamins and minerals) and non-nutritive (polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, steroids, and ber) components. Both these components are synthesized by plants and undergo numerous bioactivities (Bourgaud et al. 2001). Polyphenols are the largest group of phytochemicals and have at least one aromatic ring with reactive hydroxyl groups. Depending upon the structural characteristics, these are classied as avonoids, nonavonoids (phenolic acids-hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid), stilbenes, and lignans. Polyphenols possess a wide spectrum of biological activities such as
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 83 3.2 Citrus-A Complete Fruit ..............................................................................84 3.3 Colon Cancer ..................................................................................................85 3.4 The Role of Natural Phytochemicals in Colon Cancer Treatment .................88
