This revised and extended edition provides in-depth insights into the benefits and untapped potential of lichen-derived bioactive compounds. The whole spectrum of these compounds’ biological and medical functions, from antibiotic to antiviral and anti-carcinogenic properties, is presented. In addition, a new chapter discusses the anti-neurodegenerative and anti-diabetic activities of lichenic secondary metabolites. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for students and researchers in this field.

A broad-ranging review of organisms which have long-fascinated biologists, ecologists and chemists.

This handbook is an indispensable tool for the isolation, identification and structural analysis of the approx. 700 substances currently known to occur in lichens. The first part covers all necessary methods for the analysis of lichen metabolites; the second part gives the analytical and spectroscopical data of all known lichen substances as well as a key to their identification and differentiation. Besides its high value for all chemists working with these substances as a basis for other products, the book serves as a chemotaxonomical key to the identification of lichen species and as a reference for all those who use lichens for the biomonitoring of environmental pollution.

This Reference Work is devoted to plant secondary metabolites and their evolutionary adaptation to different hosts and pests. Secondary metabolites play an important biological role in plants’ defence against herbivores, abiotic stresses and pathogens, and they also attract beneficial organisms such as pollinators. In this work, readers will find a comprehensive review of the phytochemical diversity, modification and adaptation of secondary metabolites, and the consequences of their co-evolution with plant parasites, pollinators, and herbivores. Chapters from expert contributors are organised into twelve sections that collate the current knowledge in intra-/inter-specific diversity in plant secondary metabolites, changes in secondary metabolites during plants’ adaptation to different environmental conditions, and co-evolution of host-parasite metabolites. Among the twelve themed parts, readers will also discover expert analysis on the genetics and chemical ecology evolution of secondary metabolites, and particular attention is also given to allelochemicals, bioactive molecules in plant defence and the evolution of sensory perception in vertebrates. This reference work will appeal to students, researchers and professionals interested in the field of plant pathology, plant breeding, biotechnology, agriculture and phytochemistry.

The purpose of this book is to provide reference material that includes current developments along with a future outlook on the topic. It is divided into two sections; "Morphological Overview and Extraction Prospects" and "Trends and Applications". Part I contains four chapters that provide an overview and systematically discuss the physical morphology, suitability and extraction aspects of lichens and their secondary metabolites. Part II includes eight chapters that give in-depth insights on recent and valuable applications of lichen and their obtained products in several applied sectors, including ethnopharmacology, therapeutics, paper and dye, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, herbal industries, etc.

Food security and the medicinal needs of billions of people around the world are pressing global issues, and the biodiversity and sustainable utilization of plants is of great significance in this context. Further, ethnobotanical studies are vital in the discovery of new drugs from indigenous medicinal plants, and plants with industrially important metabolites need to be cultivated to meet the growing market demand. In addition, the production of plant metabolites under in vitro conditions also has tremendous possibilities. The totipotency of plant cells plays a valuable role in the sustainable utilization of plant resources through cell, tissue and organ culture. At the same time, production can be enhanced using productive cell lines, treatment with elicitors, changing nutritional parameters and metabolic engineering. This book provides state-of-the-art information on biodiversity, conservation, ethnobotany, various aspects of In vitro secondary metabolite production, bioprospecting from various plant groups and drug discovery. It also discusses methods of extracting and characterizing drug leads from plant sources.​

Advances in Polyurethane Biomaterials brings together a thorough review of advances in the properties and applications of polyurethanes for biomedical applications. The first set of chapters in the book provides an important overview of the fundamentals of this material with chapters on properties and processing methods for polyurethane. Further sections cover significant uses such as their tissue engineering and vascular and drug delivery applications Written by an international team of leading authors, the book is a comprehensive and essential reference on this important biomaterial. - Brings together in-depth coverage of an important material, essential for many advanced biomedical applications - Connects the fundamentals of polyurethanes with state-of-the-art analysis of significant new applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery - Written by a team of highly knowledgeable authors with a range of professional and academic experience, overseen by an editor who is a leading expert in the field

Owing to their importance as primary producers of energy and nutrition, algae and cyanobacteria are found as symbiotic partners across diverse lineages of prokaryotic and eukaryotic kingdoms.Algal and Cyanobacteria Symbioses presents a compilation of recent, updated research in fields of diverse symbioses, including in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. It gives a comprehensive overview of algal and cyanobacteria symbioses, including reviews on their diversity and information on symbiotic specificity and stress tolerance. Also covered is a review of regulatory mechanisms in the communication between symbiotic partners.The highly interdisciplinary character of this book is demonstrated through the range of algae and cyanobacteria as energy-providing symbionts in organismal lineages which are discussed. It is a valuable source of knowledge for researchers, university lecturers, professors and students of biology and life sciences, specifically biochemistry, mycology, cell biology and plant-microbe interactions.

This book provides new information relating recent advances made in the field of plant secondary products. Besides the updation of chapters this edition also includes chapters on secondary metabolites of microorganisms (fungi and lichen).

Fungi research and knowledge grew rapidly following recent advances in genetics and genomics. This book synthesizes new knowledge with existing information to stimulate new scientific questions and propel fungal scientists on to the next stages of research. This book is a comprehensive guide on fungi, environmental sensing, genetics, genomics, interactions with microbes, plants, insects, and humans, technological applications, and natural product development.