Antiviral Compounds From Plants

This timely publication describes the botanical sources and chemical features of antiviral compounds. It covers their mechanisms of action and evaluates their therapeutic potential. Included is a discussion of synthetic analogues where appropriate. The book states that antiviral compounds in so-called medicinal plants may constitute some of their "active ingredients." It explains that many are photosensitizers, their antiviral activity dependent upon or augmented by light of specific wavelengths. This book is of value to microbiologists, phytochemists, virologists, natural-product chemists, ethnobotanists, pharmacologists, medical and veterinary researchers, and others interested in the application of plant compounds to therapy of infectious diseases.

This timely publication describes the botanical sources and chemical features of antiviral compounds. It covers their mechanisms of action and evaluates their therapeutic potential. Included is a discussion of synthetic analogues where appropriate. The book states that antiviral compounds in so-called medicinal plants may constitute some of their "active ingredients." It explains that many are photosensitizers, their antiviral activity dependent upon or augmented by light of specific wavelengths. This book is of value to microbiologists, phytochemists, virologists, natural-product chemists, ethnobotanists, pharmacologists, medical and veterinary researchers, and others interested in the application of plant compounds to therapy of infectious diseases.

Plant virus disease is a worldwide threat to agriculture. Environment-Friendly Antiviral Agents for Plants systematically describes the basic theory, new ideas, and new methods to discover novel antiviral agents through research on plant immune activation. The cutting-edge research methodology, technology and progress on novel antiviral agent innovation are systematically described. With abundant illustrations and figures, the book is intended for researchers and practitioners in the fields of pesticide science, plant protection, organic chemistry, fine chemicals, applied chemistry, environment chemistry and agriculture science. Dr. Baoan Song and Dr. Song Yang are professors at the Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, China; Mr. Linhong Jin and Dr. Pinaki S. Bhadury are associate professors there.

With the prevalence of viral diseases causing significant health challenges and the emergence of highly infectious and difficult-to-treat conditions, such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis B, there is a pressing need for effective antiviral treatments. Throughout history, viral infections have caused devastating pandemics, leading to widespread illness and mortality. Notable examples include the Black Death caused by Yersinia pestis and the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. To address this ongoing threat, exploring the potential of herbal and medicinal plants as a source of antiviral compounds is crucial. Promising Antiviral Herbal and Medicinal Plants provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research in the field of antiviral properties of herbal and medicinal plants. Features: Compiles cutting-edge research on the antiviral properties of various plants, highlighting their potential therapeutic applications. Discusses various chemical components of the medicinal and herbal plants with the known bioactive constituents and their antiviral applications. Elaborates on medicinal and herbal plants' opportunities and future direction for drug synthesis against various viral diseases. A volume in the Exploring Medicinal Plants series, this book is an essential resource for researchers, healthcare professionals, and those interested in viral infections and their management.

During the past fifty years, thousands of natural products have been isolated from plants, fungi, and bacteria. Apart from intense searches by pharmaceutical companies for medicinals and the concentrated effort mounted by the National Cancer Institute, many of these have not been tested in biological systems. The major reasons for this appear to be, at least, twofold. First, individual researchers looking for biologically active natural products will often isolate only small amounts of material sufficient to determine a structure and calculate the specific activity for their particular bioassay systems: insufficient funds preclude re-isolating the compound unless industrial potential is foreseen. Second, the difficulty with which original structures were proved prior to 1972. This required the isolation of relatively large quantities of a natural product and there followed extensive degradation, elemental analyses of the parent and its fragments, then synthesis, piece by piece, of the molecule. All this took time and energy. No wonder that when the structure was proved the chemist was enervated. And coupled to this was the fact that many chemists were not trained to test their materials in biological systems. In contrast, today a natural product can be isolated, its mass and molecular formula determined and, if there is some serendipity, crystals may be obtained for single crystal x-ray analysis. If conditions are near perfect, it is possible to isolate and identify a novel compound in a month.

Plants produce a vast number of bioactive compounds with different chemical scaffolds, which modulate a diverse range of molecular targets and are used as drugs for treating numerous diseases. Most present-day medicines are derived either from plant compounds or their derivatives, and plant compounds continue to offer limitless reserves for the discovery of new medicines. While different classes of plant compounds, like phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and alkaloids, and their potential pharmacological applications are currently being explored, their curative mechanisms are yet to be understood in detail. This book is divided into 2 volumes and offers detailed information on plant-derived bioactive compounds, including recent research findings. Volume 1, Plant-derived Bioactives: Chemistry and Mode of Action, discusses the chemistry of highly valued plant bioactive compounds and their mode of actions at the molecular level. Volume 2, Plant-derived Bioactives: Production, Properties and Therapeutic Applications, explores the sources, biosynthesis, production, biological properties and therapeutic applications of plant bioactives. Given their scope, these books are valuable resources for members of the scientific community wishing to further explore various medicinal plants and the therapeutic applications of their bioactive compounds. They appeal to scholars, teachers and scientists involved in plant product research, and facilitate the development of innovative new drugs.

"Plant virus disease is a worldwide threat to agriculture. Environment-Friendly Antiviral Agents for Plants systematically describes the basic theory, new ideas, and new methods to discover novel antiviral agents through research on plant immune activation. The cutting-edge research methodology, technology and progress on novel antiviral agent innovation are systematically described. With abundant illustrations and figures, the book is intended for researchers and practitioners in the fields of pesticide science, plant protection, organic chemistry, fine chemicals, applied chemistry, environment chemistry and agriculture science. Dr. Baoan Song and Dr. Song Yang are professors at the Center for R & D of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University, China; Mr. Linhong Jin and Dr. Pinaki S. Bhadury are associate professors there."--Publisher's website.