Abstract
Cynara scolymus, also known as the globe artichoke or artichoke, is grown as a food, mainly in the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and Egypt, as well as in Asia and South America. It has also been associated with various health benefits and is used in plant-based dietary supplements and herbal infusions. Its edible parts, consisting of the head or capitula, flower, and leaves, have shown various biological activities, including anti-cancer, hepatoprotective and antimicrobial potential. The leaves are mainly used in infusions and extracts for their health-promoting properties, although all their edible parts may also be consumed as fresh, frozen, or canned foods. However, its primary health-promoting activity is associated with its antioxidant potential, which has been linked to its chemical composition, particularly its phenolic compounds (representing 96 mg of gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of raw plant material) and dietary fiber. The main phenolic compounds in the heads and leaves are caffeic acid derivatives, while the flavonoids luteolin and apigenin (both present as glucosides and rutinosides) have also been identified. In addition, heat-treated artichokes (i.e., boiled, steamed or fried), their extracts, and waste from artichoke processing also have antioxidant activity. The present paper reviews the current literature concerning the biological properties of different parts of C. scolymus, its by-products and dietary supplements, as well as their chemical content and toxicity. The literature was obtained by a search of PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge, ScienceDirect, and Scopus, with extra papers being identified by manually reviewing the references.