Handbook Of Plant Lectins

Plant lectins are extensively used as tools and as bioactiveproteins in different areas of biomedical and biological research.The Handbook of Plant Lectins provides a comprehensive yet conciseoverview of the biochemical properties, carbohydrate-bindingspecificity, biological activities and applications of most of thecurrently known plant lectins. This handbook consists of two majorsections: an introductory guide and a quick reference dictionary.Part I acquaints the newcomer to the lectin field with theessential information on lectins and their importance tobiomedicine: * what are lectins? * their carbohydrate-binding specificity * effects on nutrition and immunology * use in histochemistry * application as therapeutic agents Part II lists approximately 200 lectin entries in alphabeticalorder. Each entry deals with the lectin(s) of a particular plantand provides, (where known), details of: * isolation and characterisation; * sugar binding specificity; * biological activities; * applications; * commercial availability; and, * a bibliography. Useful summary tables list lectins according to their specificity,thereby allowing the user to choose the best lectin for theirapplication. A list of suppliers is also provided. Handbook ofPlant Lectins will be of interest to biologists and biomedicalresearchers studying cell biology, cancer research, nutrition,immunology, pathology and physiology.

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.

Phytochemicals are plant derived chemicals which may bestow health benefits when consumed, whether medicinally or as part of a balanced diet. Given that plant foods are a major component of most diets worldwide, it is unsurprising that these foods represent the greatest source of phytochemicals for most people. Yet it is only relatively recently that due recognition has been given to the importance of phytochemicals in maintaining our health. New evidence for the role of specific plant food phytochemicals in protecting against the onset of diseases such as cancers and heart disease is continually being put forward. The increasing awareness of consumers of the link between diet and health has exponentially increased the number of scientific studies into the biological effects of these substances. The Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, significance and factors effecting phytochemicals in plant foods. A key of objective of the book is to critically evaluate these aspects. Evaluation of the evidence for and against the quantifiable health benefits being imparted as expressed in terms of the reduction in the risk of disease conferred through the consumption of foods that are rich in phytochemicals. With world-leading editors and contributors, the Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals is an invaluable, cutting-edge resource for food scientists, nutritionists and plant biochemists. It covers the processing techniques aimed at the production of phytochemical-rich foods which can have a role in disease-prevention, making it ideal for both the food industry and those who are researching the health benefits of particular foods. Lecturers and advanced students will find it a helpful and readable guide to a constantly expanding subject area.

This comprehensive yet concise guide to animal lectins, covers all sources from unicellular protozoa and slime moulds through invertebrates to mammals and birds, and provides essential information to the widest possible readership. The last few years have seen an explosion of interest and research in animal lectins, and this book, which is divided into two parts, provides a compendium of galectins, collectins, selectins, pentraxins and other carbohydrate-binding proteins from throughout the animal kingdom. The first part introduces animal lectins on both phylogenetic and structural bases and outlines their key biomedical applications. The second, and major part, is a quick reference alphabetical directory listing around 170 lectins. Each lectin entry provides, where known, details of its: Isolation Structure Biological activities Tissue and/or subcellular distribution Possible functions Applications A bibliography for each lectin is also included and useful appendices list lectins according to their sugar specificity, characterised lectins of human origin by tissue source and commercial suppliers of animal lectins. This superb book is aimed at basic scientists and clinicians alike, and will be invaluable to both established research workers and newcomers to this area. It will be of particular interest to biochemists, cell biologists, immunologists, oncologists, pharmacologists, medical practitioners and students of medical and biological sciences.

All you have to do to stay healthy is to eat fewer carbs, stay away from sugar, and have a lot of organic vegetables and plants, and exercise regularly, right?Wrong!I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you but some of the 'healthy' plants and vegetables you are consuming are making you sick. You're probably having the exact reaction I had when I first heard of the Plant Paradox diet right now. Personally, I was tired of diets - I hated them. This one comes and stays "Stop eating carbs, they're killing you"While you're still doing the victory dance, happy to have conquered your love for carbs, another one comes and says "Fats are the enemy, eat carbs but ignore fats"Truth is, if we wanted to listen to all the 'professionals' who have 'discovered' something 'dangerous' about the traditional human diet, you and I will probably just stick to eating stones. So when I heard about the plant paradox thing, I just hissed it off. Until I saw a recent photo of Kelly Clarkson next to an interview that she did. She was looking so slim and very beautiful.The interview was about how she lost all the excess weight so naturally, I was interested. She was crediting this same Plant Paradox thing for her weight loss- of course; all my paid sponsorship sensors went up. But something caught my eye (or should I say captured my heart) in the interview, and led me to give the Plant Paradox diet a try. She talked about the fact that many people are on supposed healthy diets, for years in fact, following all of the rules strictly, and still never losing any significant weight, just a few pounds every now and then. She was describing me!Sometimes the scales would even go up after a whole week of following all of the rules and you're almost screaming at the scale "You bloody liar! How could I have gained 2 pounds when I didn't have any carbs or desserts this week?"At that point I had to agree that maybe she was right- maybe Doctor Gundry was right- maybe the so-called healthy foods are not so healthy after all. I decided to try to 3-day cleanse and because I lost 3 pounds in 3 days, I decided to follow through with the diet. Today, I am 35 pounds lighter and my arthritis? Gone! Completely!I have since dedicated my time to letting people know about this amazing diet.Well, it's not a diet for me but a lifestyle change and I hope that you too can make this lifestyle change because the key to the quick and sustainable weight loss and better health that you're seeking may lie with getting rid of the fat-promoting, gut-irritating, cancer-causing, diabetes-inducing, inflammatory protein called Lectins from your diet. In this book, you'll learn: -What Lectins are and How they Attack your Body-How Lectins Make you Fat and Hungry all The Time-The Diseases Lectins Cause-What a Lectin-free Diet Can Do For Your Weight and Health-How to Kickstart a Lectin-free Diet (Plant Paradox Diet)-30-Day Lectin-Free Menu Plan-63 Delicious Lectin-Free Recipes including Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Recipes

Lectins: Analytical Technologies covers both analytical and biological aspects of lectins (functional carbohydrate (complex sugar) recognition proteins) and provides researchers in the field with a resource containing background information and 'look-up' tables detailing lectin specificity and structures. Also included are methods and practical tips for designing new lectins from existing non-lectin proteins, automated approaches to lectin proteomics and high resolution mass spectrometry techniques. This book will be of interest to both novice and advanced researchers in biomedical, analytical and pharmaceutical fields who are involved in the study of lectin structures or who utilize lectins as analytical tools. The study of lectins and their employment in analytical settings spans a range of fields including: * Crystallography and lectin structure databases * Carbohydrate microarrays for lectin characterization and glycotope identification * Proteomic approaches to the functional identification of bacterial adhesins * Generation of lectins from enzymes * Probing cell-surface lectins with neoglycoconjugates * Reviews up-to-date techniques, including practical hints for laboratory work * Provides overview of lectin e-resources and several color illustrations * Includes a 'look-up' table detailing lectin specificity

This Second Edition brings readers up to date with all the latest findings in lectin research. Throughout this new edition, more than 200 figures and some thirty tables help readers visualize and understand key concepts and processes. The book starts with an overview of lectin research followed by a survey of the occurrence of lectins in nature. Other areas covered include the nutritional effects of lectins and their functions in nature.

An increasing amount of cancer research is being directed towards the investigation of plant-derived anticancer compounds, many of which have been used in traditional herbal treatments for centuries. Plants that Fight Cancer is an up-to-date, extensive review of plant genera and species with documented anti-tumor and anti-leukaemic properties. Following an overview of the disease and the diverse methods of therapy and clinical testing, the book provides a detailed examination of the plants whose compounds are currently used in conventional cancer treatment, the species which show the greatest potential as future candidates, and other species with established anticancer properties. The third section explores each of more than 150 terrestrial plant genera and species, with a review of their traditional uses, mythology, botany, active ingredients, and product applications, along with photographs and illustrations and an analysis of expected results and risks. The text closes with a discussion of algal extracts and isolated metabolites with anticancer activity, a summary of published research for each species, and chemical structures of the most important compounds.