Importance of Barley (Hordeum vulgare Linn.) as food and medicine from past to present: A brief overview

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most ancient cereals that has been used for food and medicinal purposes since the distant past. Historically, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian civilizations have relied heavily on barley as a nutritious food source as well as a therapeutic agent for various ailments. Its health-protective activity is endorsed by many religions and traditional medicines including the Unani system of medicine. In Unani medicine, barley is prescribed for many health conditions such as anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, etc. In Prophetic medicine, barley is prescribed to be consumed as talbina (porridge made from barley flour, milk and honey) to remove weakness of the heart. Because of its unique chemical composition and health effects, barley is gaining unprecedented attention from food scientists, dieticians, food industries and consumers throughout the world. In comparison with other cereal crops, like wheat, rice and maize, barley grains are superior in dietary fiber (such as β-glucan) and tocols, which are valuable for human health. It is well-documented that diets rich in these chemical compounds can protect against hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Owing to the present knowledge of barley’s health-promoting constituents, it can also understand why it was a popular food ingredient in the diets of our ancestors. This review article attempts to briefly summarize the origin, classification, and description of barley grain besides its use as a food and medicinal supplement from ancient times to the present era with scientific evidence.