There is continuing interest in natural products as sources of potentially new and exciting chemical compounds. This book brings together the knowledge, perspectives and research findings of a varied group of scientists on a wide range of topics, from microarrays, genetics and bioinformatics to yeast-based technologies and enzyme studies.

An ideal text for the natural product scientist looking for new techniques in research, this volume comprises the latest information on natural/plant resources.The comprehensive chapters cover the chemistry and pharmacology of a range of natural products — from Chinese herbal medicine to tea extracts, microbes to marine sponges, and the latest technologies to enhance the synthesis, isolation and purification of bioactive herbal compounds from these products. Adding additional value to the book are chapters on new tools in information technology that can greatly facilitate the research of natural product scientists, and the technologies available for evaluating medicinal herbal products for purity.

Bioactive natural products are a rich source of novel therapeutics. Thus, the search for bioactive molecules from nature continues to play an important role in fashioning new medicinal agents. This volume, which comprises sixteen chapters written by active researchers and leading experts in natural products chemistry, brings together an overview of current discoveries in this remarkable field. It also provides information on the industrial application of natural products for medicinal purposes. This book will serve as a valuable resource for researchers to predict promising leads for developing pharmaceuticals to treat various ailments and disease manifestations.

This book deals with a variety of aspects of natural product research. It includes review articles and revised original contributions involving analysis, isolation and structure elucidation, synthesis and bioactivity of terrestrial and marine natural products. Plant cell biotechnology for the production of secondary metabolites is discussed. This volume provides also outstanding information about the industrial application of natural products for medicinal purposes. The broad interdisciplinary approach found in this book, which comprises 50 papers, makes it interesting to the scientists, whose work is in any way related to the research or use of natural products.

This guide covers classes of natural products in medicine, whether derived from plants, micro-organisms or animals. Structured according to biosynthetic pathway, it is written from a chemistry-based approach.

Interest in the molecular and mechanistic aspects of cosmetic research has grown exponentially during the past decade. Herbal Principles in Cosmetics: Properties and Mechanisms of Action critically examines the botanical, ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and molecular aspects of botanical active ingredients used in cosmetics. Along with dermato

Plants produce a huge array of natural products (secondary metabolites). These compounds have important ecological functions, providing protection against attack by herbivores and microbes and serving as attractants for pollinators and seed-dispersing agents. They may also contribute to competition and invasiveness by suppressing the growth of neighboring plant species (a phenomenon known as allelopathy). Humans exploit natural products as sources of drugs, flavoring agents, fragrances and for a wide range of other applications. Rapid progress has been made in recent years in understanding natural product synthesis, regulation and function and the evolution of metabolic diversity. It is timely to bring this information together with contemporary advances in chemistry, plant biology, ecology, agronomy and human health to provide a comprehensive guide to plant-derived natural products. Plant-derived natural products: synthesis, function and application provides an informative and accessible overview of the different facets of the field, ranging from an introduction to the different classes of natural products through developments in natural product chemistry and biology to ecological interactions and the significance of plant-derived natural products for humans. In the final section of the book a series of chapters on new trends covers metabolic engineering, genome-wide approaches, the metabolic consequences of genetic modification, developments in traditional medicines and nutraceuticals, natural products as leads for drug discovery and novel non-food crops.

Phytochemistry, the Military and Health: Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses comes as a response to the gap that there has for so long existed between phytochemistry and survival of both service personnel and civilian communities during and after conflicts. Armed conflicts cause a lot of devastation to communities and should be avoided as much as it can be possible. The devastation is usually evident in service provisions such as Health, Education, Water, and Food among many others. Both service personnel and civilians are affected to various degrees. Facilities usually end up being physically destroyed, with no essential supplies and/or having dysfunctional systems. Going with untreated wounds, communicable and non-communicable diseases for weeks with no medical interventions due to the conflicts, disease burdens heavily weigh down on communities as well as security personnel. To make the situation even more complicated, masses of people are forced to migrate for safety and security reasons, likely going with diseases along wherever they go. In such instances, phytochemicals become handy in providing solutions from first aid, basic analgesia, antimicrobials, and the general improvement of health. Phytochemicals are known to play a major role in the day to day management of diseases and health. There has been much research into their effectiveness as community medicines and as alternatives to conventional drugs. However, the role that phytochemicals play in the military, counterterrorism, and security has been overlooked. Phytochemistry, the Military and Health: Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses discusses the roles that phytochemicals play as friends and foes in the military, including insights aimed to help develop antidotes against phytochemicals and other chemical agents used maliciously as weapons. Filling a gap between drug discovery, security, and emergency medicine, this book describes which plants can be categorized for protection and controls, which can be helpful in times of conflicts and soon after conflicts, in military operations, and those that can be used as deterrents and as emergency medicines. Carefully designed to show the contribution that phytochemicals play in safety and security, this book is useful for researchers, regulators and anyone interested in plant chemistry. - Covers the contribution that phytochemicals play in safety and security - Contains insights that will help in the development of antidotes against phytochemical and other chemical weapons - Categorizes plants in terms of their usefulness as well as the potential security risks they possess

This work responds to the need to find, in a sole document, the affect of oxidative stress at different levels, as well as treatment with antioxidants to revert and diminish the damage. Oxidative Stress and Chronic Degenerative Diseases - a Role for Antioxidants is written for health professionals by researchers at diverse educative institutions (Mexico, Brazil, USA, Spain, Australia, and Slovenia). I would like to underscore that of the 19 chapters, 14 are by Mexican researchers, which demonstrates the commitment of Mexican institutions to academic life and to the prevention and treatment of chronic degenerative diseases.

This book presents up-to-date information on a total of 75 native and non-native medicinal plants growing in Singapore. Comprehensive and useful information from the published literature — including plant descriptions and origins, traditional medicinal uses, phytoconstituents, pharmacological activities, adverse reactions, toxicities, and reported drug-herb interactions — is presented in an easy-to-read manner for easy and quick reference. There is no minimum level of knowledge required to read this book, and botanical and medical glossaries are also provided for readers' convenience.The book will be of great practical benefit to a wide-ranging audience. Educators and students in complementary medicine and health, pharmacognosy, medicinal chemistry, natural products, pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacovigilance, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, botany, biology, chemistry and life sciences will find the information useful. The book will also appeal to clinicians, pharmacists, nurses and researchers, as it contains a comprehensive reference list at the end for further reading.