Abstract

Prunes are dried plums and consumed as food or medicine. Prunus domestica, Prunus salicina and Prunus americana are the important sources of prunes. Prunes are highly reputed in folk medical practices for nutritive, laxative and digestive properties and used for treatment of hypertension, diabetes, jaundice and fever. The recent studies showed that it has antioxidant, anticancer, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, anti-osteoporosis, laxative and hepatoprotective activities. Prunes contain dietary fibers, carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant polyphenolic phytochemicals. Therapeutically active constituents and their possible mechanisms of actions are also been discussed.

Key words: Prunes, antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, antihyperlipedimeic, osteoporosis, laxative, anxiolytic.