This new volume, Health Benefits of Secondary Phytocompounds from Plant and Marine Sources, looks at a selection of important issues and research topics on phytochemicals in plant-based therapeutics, covering bioactive compounds from both plant and marine sources. Natural products and their bioactive compounds are increasingly utilized in preventive and therapeutic medication, as pharmaceutical supplements, as well as in functional foods and nutraceuticals, all of which have potentially positive effects on health and have preventive and curative properties for various diseases and health conditions. The first section of the book, on Bioactive Compounds from Plant Sources, describes the concept of extraction of bioactive molecules from plant sources, both conventional and modern extraction techniques, available sources, biochemistry, structural composition, and potential biological activities. Advanced extraction techniques, such as enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, pressurized liquid extraction, and super critical extraction techniques, are described in detail.

Plant-Based Functional Foods and Phytochemicals: From Traditional Knowledge to Present Innovation covers the importance of the therapeutic health benefits of phytochemicals derived from plants. It discusses the isolation of potential bioactive molecules from plant sources along with their value to human health. It focuses on physical characteristics, uniqueness, uses, distribution, traditional and nutritional importance, bioactivities, and future trends of different plant-based foods and food products. Functional foods, beyond providing basic nutrition, may offer a potentially positive effect on health and cures for various disease conditions, such as metabolic disorders (including diabetes), cancer, and chronic inflammatory reactions. The volume looks at these natural products and their bioactive compounds that are increasingly utilized in preventive and therapeutic medications and in the production of pharmaceutical supplements and as food additives to increase functionality. It also describes the concept of extraction of bioactive molecules from plant sources, both conventional and modern extraction techniques, available sources, biochemistry, structural composition, and potential biological activities.

This new book discusses plant-derived bioactive compounds, covering their sources, biological effects, health benefits, and potential prevention and treatment properties for multifactorial diseases. It first describes in detail how encapsulation methods and plant-based materials may be used in a variety of ways, covering the concepts, advantages, and techniques for encapsulating bioactives based on cereals, spices, and coffee. The volume also looks at the functional aspects of plant-based foods and nutraceutical-based functional food design. The role of functional foods in food safety and industrial food safety issues and techniques for monitoring food quality and safety are also addressed.

This volume looks at the importance of medicinal plants and their potential benefits for human health, providing insight with scientific evidence on the use of functional foods in the treatment and management of certain diseases. Divided into four sections, the volume covers the assessment and identification of medicinal plants, the role of medicinal plants in disease management, the ethnobotany and phytochemistry of medicinal plants, and novel applications of plants. Assessment of Medicinal Plants for Human Health: Phytochemistry, Disease Management, and Novel Applications sheds light on the potential of certain plants and will be of value to faculty and advanced-level students of natural products, food science, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and biochemistry. It will also be of interest to researchers in the area of drug discovery and development.

Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal Plants for Human Gastrointestinal Disorders: Health Benefits and Safety presents valuable information for exploring the health claims of plant-based phytochemicals for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders. It details the healing benefits of specific spices and herb plant-based remedies, such as garlic, onion, black pepper, aloe vera, Indian gooseberry, chamomile, and dandelion for the treatment of colorectal cancer and hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, gallstones, celiac disease, peptic ulcers, etc. It also discusses the therapeutic properties of fermented foods and beverages and the healing benefits of lectins in the management of gastrointestinal disorders. The abundance of research presented in this volume will be valuable for researchers, scientists, growers, students, processors, traders, industries, and others in the development of plant-based therapeutics for gastrointestinal diseases.

Plants are a source of bioactive compounds that act as important components in medicines. The Himalayan region especially has been found to be brimming with medicinal plants that have the potential to prevent as well as cure a number of diseases. This new book, Himalayan Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Depression: A Source of Rich Antidepressant Agents, presents research on the importance of bioactive compounds derived from Himalayan plants, focusing specifically on their beneficial antidepressant activities. The volume discusses a wide range of Himalayan plants, vegetables, fruits, flowers, mushrooms, grains, beans, nuts, spices, beverages, roots and tubers, and even microalgae, along with their traditional applications, chemical compositions, and antidepressant effects with the help of scientific literature. The book explores how bioactive compounds from Himalayan botanicals and foods can alleviate depression ailments. It documents the traditional uses, phytochemicals, and biological applications in terms of antidepressant agents in a systematic manner. The new volume sheds a bright light on the antidepressant potential of the rich source of plants of the Himalayas. The documented information presented here will be valuable to researchers for new drug discovery and for knowledge for isolating and purifying novel compounds from Himalayan botanicals as a cure and treatment for depression.

Divided into two sections, the volume first examines health claims of food-based bioactive compounds, which are extra-nutritional constituents that typically occur in small quantities in foods. This section lays out the concepts of extraction of food-based bioactive molecules, along with both conventional and modernized extraction techniques. The book goes to present new research on health claims of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants, their importance, and health perspectives. Both sections cover the various pharmacological and therapeutic aspects of bioactive compounds, along with their methods of extraction, their phytochemistry, their pharmacological and biological activities, their medicinal properties, and their applications for disease management and prevention. This volume sheds new light on the potential of natural and plant-based foods for human health from different technological aspects, contributing to the ocean of knowledge on food science and technology.

This book volume sheds light on the health benefits of selected cereal grains, processing technologies of cereals, specific roles of bioactive compounds of cereals in chronic disease prevention, and traditional and latest technologies to improve the functional benefits of cereal-based products. It presents a thorough review of the functional components of some lesser known or forgotten cereals and their role in maintaining good health. With advancements in cereal science and technology, new methods of processing have emerged that help to preserve or even enhance the health-benefitting properties of cereal grains. Further, plant breeding and biotechnology have contributed greatly in improving nutritional quality and functionality of these grains. This book provides comprehensive information on the simple as well as advanced methodologies for enhancing the properties of cereals that benefit human health. Some new approaches such as bio-fortification and extraction of bioactives from cereals are also included in the text.

This book provides scientific reports on the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants using animal models and provides information on the beneficial role of medicinal plants on human diseases. It looks at a number of medicinal plants and examines the medicinal properties and activities of the plants for a variety of health issues, such as for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, organ dysfunctions, cancer, labor and postpartum issues, and more. The therapeutic mechanisms of some phytoconstituents are also discussed.

The consumption of functional foods is growing in the health and wellness communities because of their range of potent nutrients and health advantages, such as the ability to shield against illnesses, stop vitamin deficiencies, and encourage healthy growth and development. This new volume discusses the nutritional and health benefits of functional foods. The volume first looks at the functional activities of plants and their derivatives, discussing microgreens as functional foods as well as functional foods for certain populations, including those involved in sports and the elderly. The volume includes chapters on antiviral activities of functional foods for first helping to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as combating the disease once contracted. Several chapters detail the beneficial antidiabetic activities of plants, looking particularly at mushrooms and guava. Probiotics as functional foods for human health is investigated as well, discussing the role of probiotics in gut microflora, probiotics as dietary supplements, various extraction methods, and more. Finally, the volume addresses the quality aspects of functional foods, providing an overview of foodborne pathogens and food-related microorganisms. This volume will aid experts working in food science and technology, agricultural science, food safety, and Ayurveda around the world. It will be of interest and use to professional food scientists, nutritionists and dieticians, academicians researching food engineering problems, and graduate-level students in related fields.