Much of what we consume as foods have been shown to contain pharmacoactive substances some of which are immediate biological modulants while others, like phytoestrogens, have more lasting genomic effects. Are these substances in food by design or by default? Is the overall biologic effect of food dependent on these active constituents? Pharmacoactive food constituents are by definition orally compliant, have acceptable toxicity profiles and their observed effects in man make powerful

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... etic and pharmacodynamic statements. Detailed evaluation of dietary factors with demonstrable activities may generate high value drug candidates and dietary "pharmaco typing" may be a useful guide to more healthy food intake. In a proof of concept study, significant negative correlation was found between symptom score and type or quantity of dietary additives consumed by self reported asthmatics in an urban northwestern Nigerian setting.