Archives of Orofacial Sciences 2018;13(2):55-62

Linum usitatissimum as an antimicrobial agent and a potential natural healer: A review

Ummu Afifa Fadzir 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

Alpha linolenic acid; antimicrobial; flaxseed; lignan; phenolic compound.

Country

Malaysia

Language

English

Abstract

Linum usitatissimum commonly known as flaxseed is one of the oldest crops traditionally cultivated mainly for its oil purposes. Flaxseed is widely known for its rich source of nutritive and bioactive compounds. Recently, it has gained considerable interest due to the potential health benefits attributed to its component of metabolites, including its antimicrobial properties. Two main components of flaxseed, the unsaturated fatty acids and lignan, are suggested as the main metabolites that exhibit antimicrobial activities. This paper aims to give an overview on fatty acid and phenolic compound in flaxseed and their possible activities as antimicrobial agents.