This reference work builds upon the solid foundation laid by the first edition on natural products, and updates readers with the latest advances in medicinal plants and phytochemicals, notably alkaloids, polyphenols, and terpenes. It encompasses information about well-established phytochemicals, biology, and biotechnology of medicinal plants or their products, their biosynthesis, novel production strategies, demand and uses, metabolism, and bioavailability.
The handbook describes phytochemicals, which, by the strictest definition, are chemicals that are produced by plants. During the last decades, more and more groups became actively involved in exploring plants for useful metabolites that lead to the identification of several useful curative agents and many promising molecules to fight and/or prevent diseases. But when we talk about phytochemicals, there are also medicinal plants where not a single molecule is responsible for the observed properties. This reference work, therefore, reviews and compiles information on both these aspects.
This second edition introduces general biology aspects of natural products and covers new botanical substances and emergent metabolomics methodologies for the analysis of natural products. It also offers insights into Computational Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) studies on natural compounds, which are fundamental to drug design and herbal formulation. Additionally, this edition explores diverse yet interconnected topics like the intricate interplay of lipopeptides and their bioactive fatty acids, along with the potential of phytotherapy and endobiogeny in health and well-being.
This reference work is an authoritative and valuable account to researchers and teachers, as well as professionals, who wish to keep pace with the rapidly developing field of natural products. Readers can now consult this newly compiled handbook to find all information about bioactive molecules and medicinal plants in one place!