This volume is a compilation of plenary lectures presented at the IOCD/CYTED Symposium held in Panama City, Panama in 1997, and covers different aspects of research into plants from North, South and Central America. The topics treated all revolve around the chemistry, pharmacology, and biology of these plants. The importance of pharmaceuticals derived from plant sources is described, together with the potential of ethnomedicine for providing new leads in the search for bioactive constituents. The biodiversity of the Americas is underlined and an idea is given of the urgency with which the flora must be studied.

Offers an illustrated guide exploring the molecules of medicinal plants and the pharmacology behind their actions on the human body. --From publisher description.

Pengelly's user friendly text will encourage educators in medical science to consider using this material in the complementary medicine/nutraceuticals areas May I congratulate Andrew Pengelly for writing this text as it is going to be very popular with undergraduate students as well as more experienced readers.' D. Green, London Metropolitan University, UK This unique book explains in simple terms the commonly occurring chemical constituents of medicinal plants. The major classes of plant constituents such as phenols, terpenes and polysaccharides, are described both in terms of their chemical structures and their pharmacological activities. Identifying specific chemical compounds provides insights into traditional and clinical use of these herbs, as well as potential for adverse reactions. Features include: * Over 100 diagrams of chemical structures * References to original research studies and clinical trials * References to plants commonly used throughout Europe, North America and Australasia. Written by an experienced herbal practitioner, The Constituents of Medicinal Plants seriously challenges any suggestion that herbal medicine remains untested and unproven, including as it does hundreds of references to original research studies and trials. Designed as an undergraduate text, the first edition of this book became an essential desktop reference for health practitioners, lecturers, researchers, producers and anyone with an interest in how medicinal herbs work. This edition has been extensively revised to incorporate up-to-date research and additional sections, including an expanded introduction to plant molecular structures, and is destined to become a classic in the literature of herbal medicine.

Herbal Biomolecules in Healthcare Applications presents extensive detailed information on all the vital principles, basics and fundamental aspects of multiple herbal biomolecules in the healthcare industry. This book examines important herbal biomolecules including alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, anthraquinones, steroids, polysaccharides, tannins and polyphenolic compounds, terpenes, fats and waxes, proteins and peptides, and vitamins. These herbal biomacromolecules are responsible for different bioactivities as well as pharmacological potentials. A systematic understanding of the extraction, purification, characterization, applications of these herbal biomolecules and their derivatives in healthcare fields is developed in this comprehensive book. Chapters explore the key topics along with an emphasis on recent research and developments in healthcare fields by leading experts. They include updated literature review of the relevant key topics, good quality illustrations, chemical structures, flow charts, well-organized tables and case studies. Herbal Biomolecules in Healthcare Applications will be useful for researchers working on natural products and biomolecules with bioactivity and nutraceutical properties. Professionals specializing in scientific areas such as biochemistry, pharmacology, analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, clinics, or engineering focused on bioactive natural products will find this book useful. - Provides a study of different type of biomolecules from herbal extracts and their bioactivities as well as their application in the healthcare industry - Contributions by global leaders and experts from academia, industry and regulatory agencies, who have been considered as pioneers in the application of herbal biomolecules in the diverse healthcare fields - Includes updated literature review along with practical examples and research case studies

Phytotherapy is probably the oldest form of medicine; however, it represents a new therapeutic tool for healthcare workers. Indeed plants are an infinite source of novel molecules, with countless possible combinations. This collection of articles (a Special Issue from Molecules) brings together the most up-to-date studies on the use of plant-derived compounds, ranging from their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects to the revision of the prominent literature.

Interest in obtaining biologically active compounds from natural sources has recently spiked due to their low toxicity, complete biodegradability, availability from renewable sources, and in most cases, low cost. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Bioactive Compounds from Natural Sources: Isolation, Characterization, and Biological Properties covers general methods and main topics in the research field of bioactive natural products. The book describes general screening methods, modern HPLC hyphenated techniques, and NMR methods in the structural elucidation of compounds and devotes individual chapters to specific topics of research. Surveys on compounds displaying important pharmacological activities are presented in chapters devoted to Mexican medicinal plants, anti-tumor drugs of natural origin, cancer chemopreventive flavonoids, and metabolites displaying anti-HIV, antioxidative, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory activity. The final chapters are devoted to representative examples of research into marine metabolites: immunomodulating marine glycolipids and surveys of bioactive compounds from marine opisthobranchs and Japanese soft corals. With its focus on modern approaches to the isolation of biologically active natural products, this book encourages interdisciplinary work among chemists, pharmacologists, biologists, botanists, and agronomists with an interest in bioactive natural products.