Antitumor Potential And Other Emerging Medicinal Properties Of Natural Compounds

The modern unhealthy diet and lifestyle in conjunction with pathogens, environmental carcinogens and multiple other risk factors increase humans’ susceptibility to different diseases exemplified by elevated levels of cancers, cardiovascular and communicable diseases. Screening of potential drugs from medicinal plants and animals provides a promising strategy for the alleviation of the impact of these diseases. Components with potential medicinal applications include RIPs, RNases, lectins, protease inhibitors and numerous small compounds. These compounds have shown both preventive and therapeutic effects for humans. This book is a compilation of articles written by internationally renowned experts exploring the different uses of medicinal compounds in human therapeutics. Here we provide a comprehensive outlook on both qualitative and quantitative studies focusing on medicinal plants and animals, and establishing a link between laboratory research discovery and clinical applications.

Lead Molecules from Natural Products: Discovery and New Trends provides the reader with a thorough overview of current discoveries and trends in Natural Products research. This book consists of 22 chapters from well known scientists all over the world, with topics ranging from Natural Product Chemistry and Phytochemistry in their most basic form, to Molecular Biology and in silico drug design. Contributors describe their own laboratory experiences, revealing their findings, the legal issues encountered. The chapters, all of equally high quality, summarize years of extensive research in each area, and provide insight in the new themes of natural product research. The information will help to predict promising leads, useful for physicians in the treatment of different diseases and disease manifestations. * Explains the effects of plant extracts on gene expression profiling. * Details medicinal plant research from around the world * Explores a variety of medicinal uses of plants from traditional remedies, to anti-cancer agents and anti-salmonella agents.

This volume surveys the chemistry, biochemistry, biosynthesis, metabolism and pharmacological properties of lectins. Lectins, which are most commonly found in plants, are widespread natural products with striking biological activities. Their specific ability to recognise and bind to simple or complex saccharides facilitates their role as effective information protein molecules. As agents of cell-to-cell recognition, lectins promote symbiosis between plants and specific nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria. As natural defensive molecules, they can protect plants against predators such as bacteria, fungi and insects. As part of our diet, lectins are powerful exogenous growth factors in the small intestine and influence our health, the digestive function and the bacterial ecology of the alimentary tract. Lectins are also important research tools in preparative biochemistry and cell science.

Nature has consistently provided human beings with bioactive compounds that can be used directly as drugs or indirectly as drug leads. Some of the major classes of natural bioactive compounds include phenolics, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, lignin, glycosides, terpenoids, and many more. They possess a broad range of biological activities and are primarily useful in the treatment of various health issues. At the same time, the search for new and novel drugs is never-ending and, despite major advances in synthetic chemistry, nature remains an essential resource for drug discovery. Therefore, more and more researchers are interested in understanding the chemistry, clinical pharmacology, and beneficial effects of bioactive compounds in connection with solving human health problems. This book presents a wealth of information on natural metabolites that have been or are currently being used as drugs or leads for the discovery of new drugs. In addition, it highlights the importance of natural products against various human diseases, and their applications in the drug, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and herbal industries. Accordingly, the book offers a valuable resource for all students, educators, and healthcare experts involved in natural product research, phytochemistry, and pharmacological research.

Biomedical research is the first step towards the creation of new medications and treatments that help to manage different types of health conditions and diseases. The prevention and cure of diseases would be practically impossible without such type of research. Although the drug discovery and development processes are far too costly, time-consuming, prone to failure, and have low success rate, today the term "translational research or medicine" seems to have become trendy, yet it is insufficient. The present book is a sincere attempt by dedicated researchers to convey the importance of translational biomedical research, medicine, and disease, primarily, basic and clinical difficulties in the translation of diagnostic measures, pharmaceutical advances, biomarkers, diagnostics, and therapeutics. This book is meant for researchers, scientists, healthcare professionals, industry, innovators, and students of biomedical sciences, as well as for those involved in the basic sciences, biochemistry, biotechnology, biophysics, and life sciences in general. The volume comprehensively covers: Emerging technologies for health care Various aspects of biomedical research toward understanding of pathophysiology of the diseases Advances in improvement in diagnostic procedures and therapeutic tools The fundamental role of biomedical research in the development of new medicinal products

Essential Oils in Food Preservation, Flavor and Safety discusses the major advances in the understanding of the Essential Oils and their application, providing a resource that takes into account the fact that there is little attention paid to the scientific basis or toxicity of these oils. This book provides an authoritative synopsis of many of the complex features of the essential oils as applied to food science, ranging from production and harvesting, to the anti-spoilage properties of individual components. It embraces a holistic approach to the topic, and is divided into two distinct parts, the general aspects and named essential oils. With more than 100 chapters in parts two and three, users will find valuable sections on botanical aspects, usage and applications, and a section on applications in food science that emphasizes the fact that essential oils are frequently used to impart flavor and aroma. However, more recently, their use as anti-spoilage agents has been extensively researched. Explains how essential oils can be used to improve safety, flavor, and function Embraces a holistic approach to the topic, and is divided into two distinct parts, the general aspects and named essential oils Provides exceptional range of information, from general use insights to specific use and application information, along with geographically specific information Examines traditional and evidence-based uses Includes methods and examples of investigation and application

Natural products in the plant and animal kingdom offer a huge diversity of chemical structures that are the result of biosynthetic processes that have been modulated over the millennia through genetic effects. With the rapid developments in spectroscopic techniques and accompanying advances in high-throughput screening techniques, it has become possible to isolate and then determine the structures and biological activity of natural products rapidly, thus opening up exciting opportunities in the field of new drug development to the pharmaceutical industry. The series also covers the synthesis or testing and recording of the medicinal properties of natural products, providing cutting edge accounts of the fascinating developments in the isolation, structure elucidation, synthesis, biosynthesis and pharmacology of a diverse array of natural products. Focuses on the chemistry of bioactive natural products Contains contributions by leading authorities in the field Presents exciting sources of new pharmacophores

Natural products are increasingly attracting attention from both basic and applied science. Plant secondary metabolites, especially alkaloids, are receiving interest from a wide range of researchers due to their biological activity. They are produced to protect plants from diseases and herbivores. Therefore, they reveal a toxic activity that affects organisms at various levels of biological organization. A growing amount of research is proving their antimicrobial, antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer activities. That makes them applicable in various fields from medicine, to pharmacology, veterinary, and toxicology, to crop protection. This Special Issue of Toxins, “Biological Activities of Alkaloids: From Toxicology to Pharmacology", collects 15 manuscripts describing the ecological, biological, pharmacological, and toxicological effects as well as structural and analytical aspects of plant alkaloids, their mode of action, and possible application in veterinary, medicine, and plant protection. These studies prove the potential for alkaloid application in various areas of science.