Flavoring agents used in Indian cooking and their anticarcinogenic properties.

Spices are mainly used for taste and flavor. Mostly all Indian spices are associated with home remedies. They were mainly used for indigestion, chronic diarrhea, common cold, blood pressure, blood sugar. The majority of these spices are rich sources of flavonoids. Some epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that have some protective role against cancer. Further investigation is required to find the role of individual spice. Detailed study of their mechanism of actions is needed to find out at which stage these chemopreventive agents modulate or reverse the process of carcinogenesis. Thus there is a long way to go before scientific validation of the role of flavoring agents of cancer can be achieved.