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Beneficial Effects of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and Steviol-Related Compounds on Health

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Sweeteners

Part of the book series: Reference Series in Phytochemistry ((RSP))

Abstract

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) extracts and/or leaves have gained almost worldwide approval as a low-calorie sweetener. This fact has stimulated the research on potential additional functionalities of stevia as food additives and possible beneficial effects on health. The chapter analyzes the abundant evidence related to the potential effects of stevia in diabetes, cancer, and hypertension, among others. It also discusses, on the basis of the biopharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic knowledge on stevia and its glycosides, possible causes of the majorly disappointing results obtained at clinical studies when examining their effects in humans. Finally, the use of steviol and related compounds as starting points for drug discovery campaigns is overviewed.

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Acknowledgments

The author is a researcher from the University of La Plata and the Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET). The author declares no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of la Plata (UNLP) - Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), B1900GGD, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Alan Talevi

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  1. Alan Talevi
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Correspondence to Alan Talevi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Jean-Michel Mérillon

  2. Botany Department, M.L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur, India

    Kishan Gopal Ramawat

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Talevi, A. (2018). Beneficial Effects of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and Steviol-Related Compounds on Health. In: Mérillon, JM., Ramawat, K. (eds) Sweeteners. Reference Series in Phytochemistry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27027-2_24

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