Phytochemicals in Human Health Protection, Nutrition, and Plant Defense

ISBN-13: 9780306462030 / Angielski / Twarda / 1999 / 432 str.

John T. Romeo; John T. Romeo

Opis

Since 1994, the Phytochemical Society of North America has devoted its annual symposia to topics with biological perspectives. Our last four volumes have dealt with medicinal plants (1994), plant/insect interactions (1995), food phytochemicals (1996), and plant/microbe interactions (1997), respectively. The Symposium held in Pullman, Washington, July 26-31, 1998 brought many aspects of these previous symposia once again to the forefront. This time, however, there was greater emphasis on the potential applications of phytochemistry to the diverse topics of human health and nutrition and plant defense. As we learned about innovative uses of molecular biology as it is being applied to these topics, we were reminded once again of the biochemical th foundation on which these advances rest. On the occasion of the 75 birthday of G.H. Neal Towers, which we were privileged to celebrate, a perspective of where we began and how far we have advanced was made patently real for those in attendance. The papers assembled in this volume were presented during the Sympo sium. Roughly grouped under three broad topics, they include: I. Drug Discov ery and Pathway Engineering toward New MedicinallNutriceutical Targets (papers by Cragg, Croteau, Thompson, Costa, McLaughlin, Dixon, and Matern), 2. Roles for Polyphenols-Biosynthesis and Applications (Gross, Hillis, Haslam, and Ferreira), 3. New Chemical Prospects and Plant Defense (Asakawa, Selmar, Houghton, and Mizutani).

Spis treści

Preface. 1. Natural Product Drug Discovery and Development: The United States National Cancer Institute Role; G.M. Cragg, et al. 2. Taxol Biosynthesis: A Review of Some Determinant Steps; K. Walker, R. Croteau. 3. Role of Lignans in Carcinogenesis; L.U. Thompson. 4. Towards Engineering the Metabolic Pathways of Cancer-Preventing Lignans in Cereal Grains and Other Crops; M.A. Costa, et al. 5. Simple (Bench-Top) Bioassays and the Isolation of New Chemically Diverse Antitumor and Pesticidal Agents from Higher Plants; J.L. McLaughlin, C.-J. Chang. 6. Molecular Controls for Isoflavonoid Biosynthesis in Relation To Plant and Human Health; R.A. Dixon, et al. 7. Medical Potential and Biosynthesis of Plant Coumarins; U. Matern. 8. Biosynthesis, Biodegradation, and Cellular Localization of Hydrolyzable Tannins; G.G. Gross. 9. The Formation of Heartwood and Its Extractives: An Overview; W.E. Hillis. 10. Recent Advances in the Chemistry of Proanthocyanidins; D. Ferreira, et al. 11. Astringency and Polyphenol Protein Interactions; E. Haslam, et al. 12. Phytochemistry of Bryophytes: Biologically Active Terpenoids and Aromatic Compound From Liverworts; Y. Asakawa. 13. Biologically-Active Compounds From Buddleja Species; P.J. Houghton, A.Y. Mensah. 14. Cyanide In Foods: Biology of Cyanogenic Glucosides and Related Nutritional Problems; D. Selmar. 15. Plant Ecochemicals From the Viewpoint of Plant Defense; J. Mizutani.