Table 3.

Barley bioactives and their role in cardiovascular and diabetic management

Bioactive Compound	Source	Concentration Range	Purity (%)	Molecular Weight (kDa)	Potential Health Benefits	References
β-glucan	Grain	2.5–11.3 %	85–90 %	0.2–0.5	Cardiovascular health, blood sugar control	[31,33,90,92]
Fatty acids	Grain	1.18–3.09 %	90–95 %	0.3–0.5	Cardiovascular health	[35,46,47]
Phytosterols	Grain	820–1153 mg/g	90–95 %	0.4–0.6	Cholesterol reduction	[[51], [52], [53]]
Minerals (Ca, Fe, Mg, K)	Grain and grass	Varies by mineral	N/A	N/A	Regulation blood pressure	[59,127]
Phenolic compounds	Grain and grass	4.6–23 mg/g	80–90 %	0.3–1.0	Antioxidant, cardiovascular health, Regulation blood pressure	[76,38,133]
Saponarin	Grass	0.5–1.5 %	85–90 %	0.5–1.0	Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, blood pressure regulation	[80,81,83,127]
GABA	Grass	0.1–0.5 %	90–95 %	0.1–0.3	Blood pressure regulation	[119,127]
Polyamines	Grain and grass	10–50 mg/100g	85–90 %	0.2–0.5	Insulin-like, antiglycation effects	[140]