Background/Objectives: Conventional pharmacotherapy for the most prevalent human diseases still has limited efficacy. Natural medicines are recognized for their therapeutic efficacy and low side effects. Tamarindus indica is a tropical tree of the Fabaceae family, valued for its multiple uses and the nutritional properties of its fruits. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the nutraceutical value of T. indica, focusing on its phytochemical composition and main health benefits. Methods: For this purpose, a bibliography search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases, including all articles published between 2000 and December 2025. Results: The T. indica fruit contains different phytochemical compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins, with therapeutic potential. These compounds exert free radical scavenging activity, improve antioxidant and detoxification enzyme activities, exert antimicrobial effects, attenuate the activation of pro-inflammatory mediators, and regulate the expression of lipid metabolism genes. Conclusions: This article presents an integrated analysis summarizing the phytochemical characteristics, mode of action, medical utility, and safe use of T. indica, thereby contributing to a greater understanding of its potential health benefits.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease driven by persistent inflammation and oxidative stress. Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) contains bioactive compounds—particularly chlorogenic acids, quercetin, and rutin—with documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Objectives: To systematically review the mechanistic and clinical evidence on Ilex paraguariensis and its main constituents in RA-relevant inflammatory, oxidative, and bone metabolic pathways. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020, PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, and SciELO were searched up to September 2025. Eligible studies included yerba mate preparations (last 10 years) or isolated compounds (last 5 years) assessing RA-relevant clinical, inflammatory, oxidative, or bone metabolic outcomes. Non-original studies were excluded. Owing to heterogeneity, findings were narratively synthesized, and risk of bias was evaluated using RoB 2, ROBINS-I, OHAT, and SYRCLE. Results: Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria: 11 human (clinical or observational), 7 human-based in vitro, and 5 animal studies. Interventions with yerba mate infusions or standardized extracts suggest reductions in inflammatory markers (e.g., C-reactive protein, interleukin-6) and indicate improvements in glutathione-related oxidative balance. Evidence from isolated compounds, particularly quercetin and rutin, suggests comparable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Preclinical studies appear to indicate modulation of inflammatory and redox pathways relevant to RA. Conclusions: Yerba mate and its constituents show preliminary indications of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects with potential relevance to RA pathophysiology. However, in the absence of clinical trials in RA patients, conclusions remain tentative, constrained by small sample sizes, methodological heterogeneity, species differences, and internal validity concerns. Future research should include rigorously designed randomized trials and mechanistic studies using advanced human-relevant platforms, such as organoids and organ-on-chip systems.

The response of breast cancer to chemotherapy is strongly influenced by tumor–microenvironment interactions and the presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which are associated with therapy resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether modulation of adipocyte–tumor crosstalk by licorice root extract (LRE) could influence doxorubicin response in CSC-enriched MCF-7 mammospheres. MCF-7 cells were pretreated with conditioned media derived from preadipocytes, mature adipocytes, or LRE-treated mature adipocytes, or were directly exposed to LRE, and subsequently cultured as mammospheres. CSC enrichment was supported by increased expression of CD44 and CD133. Mature adipocyte-conditioned medium promoted the formation of larger and more compact spheroids, reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis, and decreased doxorubicin uptake. In contrast, conditioned medium from LRE-treated adipocytes partially counteracted these effects by increasing oxidative stress, apoptotic response, and intracellular doxorubicin accumulation. Collectively, these findings support the involvement of adipocyte–tumor crosstalk in modulating functional parameters associated with doxorubicin responsiveness and suggest that modulation of the adipose microenvironment by LRE may represent a promising area for further investigation in the context of microenvironment-driven chemoresistance.