An ideal text for the natural product scientist looking for new techniques in research, this volume comprises the latest information on natural/plant resources.

The comprehensive chapters cover the chemistry and pharmacology of a range of natural products — from Chinese herbal medicine to tea extracts, microbes to marine sponges, and the latest technologies to enhance the synthesis, isolation and purification of bioactive herbal compounds from these products. Adding additional value to the book are chapters on new tools in information technology that can greatly facilitate the research of natural product scientists, and the technologies available for evaluating medicinal herbal products for purity.

Contents:

• Phytonutrients — The Natural Drugs of the Future (T Gibbs)
• Applications of RNAi Technology (D Lim et al.)
• Enhancing Bioactive Molecules in Medicinal Plants (M Z Abdin)
• Biotransformation of Terpenes and Steroids by Fungi (P B Reese)
• Structure Elucidation of Norditerpene Alkaloids from Ranunculaceae Species (P Forgo et al.)
• Measurement of Bioactive Constituents in Traditional Chinese Medicines by CE with Electrochemical Detection (G Chen & X Chen)
• Bioactive Natural Products from Marine Sponges (S Bao et al.)
• Cruciferous Vegetables and Chemoprotection — A Role of ITC-Mediated Apoptosis (P Rose)
• New Pesticidal Compounds from Limonoids (T H Yee)
• Antibacterial Effect of Extracts from Persimmon Leaves (L-L Ji et al.)
• Therapeutic Applications of Ceylon Tea: Potential and Trends (T Amarakoon et al.)
• St John's Wort: A Precious Gift from the Saints? (Y Li et al.)
• From Medicine Man to Market: A Look at Natural Products and the Pharmaceutical Industries (R E Young & A Clayton)
• and other papers

“This is an interesting and authoritative book as a collection of monographic chapters on specific problems regarding natural products for maintenance of health, as well as in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Each chapter contains a succinct account of the materials covered, involving mainly the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products, as well as the use of new tools for purity evaluation … I was deeply impressed by the concise choice of coverage and masterful presentation. I recommend highly this book to students and researchers in the field of natural products studies.”