Biopeptides for Management of Chronic Non Communicable Diseases (A Review)

Chronic diseases have been on the increase due to modifications on lifestyle, inappropriate dietary habits, and certain disease conditions. Emphasis has been laid on the improvement of nutrition and the search for dietary compounds that could be beneficial in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Favorable health effects have indeed been claimed for some peptides derived from dietary proteins, were able to positively affect cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, and immune systems. The activities of these peptides encompass antimicrobial properties, blood pressure-lowering effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, anti-tumor/anti-cancer, antioxidant activities and immunomodulatory effects. This review seeks to highlight the usefulness, efficacies, therapeutic applications, bio-properties and some mechanisms of action of selected peptides in management of chronic diseases. These may go in line of drawing the attention of researchers of developing countries to venture into areas of research especially on their verging wild portentous plants.