Can Buckwheat Affect Health and Female Reproductive Functions?

Abstract

The aim of the present narrative review is to summarise the existing knowledge concerning physiological and reproductive effects of buckwheat, its mechanisms of action on various targets, as well as outlines the direction of the further studies of this functional food plant. Search for literature was performed in agreement with the PRISMA criteria in Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Web of Science, SCOPUS databases between the year 1995 and 2023. Words used to search were buckwheat, review, fertility, ovarian and mechanisms. The current review of the available literature demonstrates the high nutritional value of buckwheat, as well as high contents and number of regulatory molecules in this functional food plant. These molecules can, via multiple signalling pathways, affect a wide spectrum of physiological processes and illnesses, which suggests a therapeutic value of buckwheat substances. Furthermore, recent reports demonstrate ability of buckwheat extract to directly affect basic ovarian cell functions (proliferation, apoptosis, viability, steroidogenesis). On the other hand, understanding the character and applicability of buckwheat influence on female reproductive processes requires further studies. Keywords: Buckwheat, Nutrition, Health, Ovary, Signalling.

Fig. 1

The possible targets of buckwheat and environmental contaminants controlling female reproductive processes. For details see the main text.