Phytochemical Diversity and Redundancy in Ecological Interactions
Phytochemical Diversity and Redundancy in Ecological Interactions

Author: John T. Romeo

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-11-11

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 1489917543

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Diversity within and among living organisms is both a biological impera tive and a biological conundrum. Phenotypic and genotypic diversity is the critical currency ofecological interactions and the evolution of life. Thus, it is not unexpected to find vast phytochemical diversity among plants. However, among the most compelling questions which arise among those interested in ecological phytochemistry is the extent, nature, and reasons for the diversity of chemieals in plants. The idea that natural products (secondary metabolites) are accidents of metabolism and have no biological function is an old one which has resurfaced recently under a new term "redundancy. " Redundancy in the broader sense can be viewed as duplication of effort. The co-occurrence of several classes of phytochemieals in a given plant may be redundancy. Is there unnecessary duplication of chemical defense systems and ifso, why? What selective forces have produced this result? On the other hand, why does the same compound often have multiple functions? At a symposium of the Phytochemical Society of North America held in August 1995, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, the topic "Phytochernical Redundancy in Ecological Interactions" was discussed. The chapters in this volume are based on that symposium. They both stimulate thought and provide some working hypotheses for future research. It is being increasingly recognized that functional diversity and multiplicity of function of natural products is the norm rather than the exception.

Satureja: Ethnomedicine, Phytochemical Diversity and Pharmacological Activities
Satureja: Ethnomedicine, Phytochemical Diversity and Pharmacological Activities

Author: Soodabeh Saeidnia

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-12-09

Total Pages: 119

ISBN-13: 3319250264

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book provides a comprehensive review of the literature available on satureja covering the ethnomedicine, micromorphology, the main secondary metabolites in its various species, as well it’s important biological and pharmacological activities and the underlying mechanism of action for some of its medicinal properties. There is also discussion of the pharmacological evidence for the various therapeutic activities of Satureja spp., especially on the basis of traditional usage, the treatment of muscle pains, cramps, diarrhea, stomach pain, and blood pressure along with some new areas such as cytoprotection and anti-hyperlipidemia. This book offers a useful guide for researchers in the field of pharmaceutical sciences and natural medicines as well as students and residents in the fields of pharmacognosy and phytochemistry.

Phytochemicals as Lead Compounds for New Drug Discovery
Phytochemicals as Lead Compounds for New Drug Discovery

Author: Chukwuebuka Egbuna

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2019-09-07

Total Pages: 382

ISBN-13: 0128178914

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Phytochemicals as Lead Compounds for New Drug Discovery presents complete coverage of the recent advances in the discovery of phytochemicals from medicinal plants as models to the development of new drugs and chemical entities. Functional bioactive compounds of plant origin have been an invaluable source for many human therapeutic drugs and have played a major role in the treatment of diseases around the world. These compounds possess enormous structural and chemical diversity and have led to many important discoveries. This book presents fundament concepts and factors affecting the choice for plant-based products, as well as recent advances in computer-aided drug discovery and FDA drug candidacy acceptance criteria. It also details the various bioactive lead compounds and molecular targets for a range of life-threatening diseases including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Written by a global team of experts, Phytochemicals as Lead Compounds for New Drug Discovery is an ideal resource for drug developers, phytochemists, plant biochemists, food and medicinal chemists, nutritionists and toxicologists, chemical ecologists, taxonomists, analytical chemists, and other researchers in those fields. It will also be very valuable to professors, students, and researchers in this domain. - Presents fundamental concepts and factors affecting choice for plant-based products - Details the FDA drug candidacy acceptance criteria, including bottlenecks and way forward - Highlights recent advances in computational-based drug discovery - Focuses on the discovery of new drugs and potential druggable targets for the treatment of chronic diseases of world importance

The Molecular Basis of Plant Genetic Diversity
The Molecular Basis of Plant Genetic Diversity

Author: Mahmut Caliskan

Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand

Published: 2012-03-30

Total Pages: 374

ISBN-13: 9535101579

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Molecular Basis of Plant Genetic Diversity presents chapters revealing the magnitude of genetic variations existing in plant populations. Natural populations contain a considerable genetic variability which provides a genomic flexibility that can be used as a raw material for adaptation to changing environmental conditions. The analysis of genetic diversity provides information about allelic variation at a given locus. The increasing availability of PCR-based molecular markers allows the detailed analyses and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants and also, the detection of genes influencing economically important traits. The purpose of the book is to provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic variation by presenting the thoughts of scientists who are engaged in the generation of new ideas and techniques employed for the assessment of genetic diversity, often from very different perspectives. The book should prove useful to students, researchers, and experts in the area of conservation biology, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.

Phytochemical Genomics
Phytochemical Genomics

Author: Mallappa Kumara Swamy

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-01-01

Total Pages: 691

ISBN-13: 9811957797

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book provides a comprehensive reference for various plant bioactive compounds for research and pharmacological significance across the entire spectrum of phytochemical genomics. The book opens with general information on diversity, analysis and genomic basis of phytochemicals, computational approaches, databases for responsible genes, and biosynthetic pathways, and it delves very much into the details behind phytochemical diversity and diverse roles of plant metabolites. The later parts of the book also explore the direct drug discovery and omics approaches including metabolomics, transcriptomics, as well as gene editing technology experiments to further inspire readers into its unlimited potentials. Each chapter includes detailed analysis and relevant experiments for better and deeper understanding of the concepts. The book will be an invaluable aid for medicinal plant researchers and a rich source of information and advice for advanced undergraduates and graduates in the fields of medicine, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, flavor, and fragrance studies.

Advances in Insect Chemical Ecology
Advances in Insect Chemical Ecology

Author: Ring T. Cardé

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2004-06-21

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 9781139453257

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Chemical signals mediate all aspects of insects' lives and their ecological interactions. The discipline of chemical ecology seeks to unravel these interactions by identifying and defining the chemicals involved, and documenting how perception of these chemical mediators modifies behaviour and ultimately reproductive success. Chapters in this 2004 volume consider how plants use chemicals to defend themselves from insect herbivores; the complexity of floral odors that mediate insect pollination; tritrophic interactions of plants, herbivores, and parasitoids and the chemical cues that parasitoids use to find their herbivore hosts; the semiochemically mediated behaviours of mites; pheromone communication in spiders and cockroaches; the ecological dependency of tiger moths on the chemistry of their host-plants; and the selective forces that shape the pheromone communication channel of moths. The volume presents descriptions of the chemicals involved, the effects of semiochemically mediated interactions on reproductive success, and the evolutionary pathways that have shaped the chemical ecology of arthropods.

Plant-Animal Interactions
Plant-Animal Interactions

Author: Kleber Del-Claro

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-06-04

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 3030668770

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This textbook provides the first overview of plant-animal interactions for twenty years focused on the needs of students and professors. It discusses a range of topics from the basic structures of plant-animal interactions to their evolutionary implications in producing and maintaining biodiversity. It also highlights innovative aspects of plant-animal interactions that can represent highly productive research avenues, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in a future career in ecology. Written by leading experts, and employing a variety of didactic tools, the book is useful for students and teachers involved in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses addressing areas such as herbivory, trophic relationships, plant defense, pollination and biodiversity.

Medicinal Plants: Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Conservation
Medicinal Plants: Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Conservation

Author: Sumita Jha

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-07-07

Total Pages: 906

ISBN-13: 9811999368

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This contributed volume provides a comprehensive, in-depth and subject-based reviews on the current status of active ingredients, sustainable use, biodiversity and conservation of certain endangered medicinal plants. The book also explores conventional and non-conventional biotechnological interventions for their biodiversity conservation. Medicinal plants have been used in worldwide as a major source of raw material for the traditional herbal healthcare practices as well as for drug discovery and development in pharmaceutical industry. The cumulative consequences of various human activities and environmental factors cause decline in the biodiversity of medicinal plants at an unprecedented rate worldwide. Thus, the overall understanding of ecology, species and genetic diversity along with assessment of the status of different threats and their impact on medicinal plants is crucial to sustain existing biodiversity, its utilization and conservation. All the latest advancements in the biotechnological approaches for the conservation research of endangered medicinal plants and the future perspectives have been described. This book provides comprehensive reviews spreading over about 25 chapters divided in three sections. The chapters of this book are written by recognized scientists in their respective fields which are useful to students, academicians, researchers, botanists, biotechnologists, policy makers, conservationists and industries interested in biodiversity conservation and medicinal plant research for the production of secondary metabolites.

Caterpillars in the Middle
Caterpillars in the Middle

Author: Robert J. Marquis

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-04-22

Total Pages: 645

ISBN-13: 3030866882

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Caterpillars are excellent model organisms for understanding how multiple selective forces shape the ecology and evolution of insects, and organisms in general. Recent research using the tools of modern molecular biology, genetics, metabolomics, microbial ecology, experiments conducted at a global level, network analysis, and statistical analyses of global data sets, combined with basic natural history, are yielding exciting new insights into caterpillar adaptations and ecology. The best way to view these research advances is within a framework of tri-trophic interactions. This is a timely topic for research given the central role of caterpillars and plants in the ecology and trophic structure of terrestrial communities. This book is unique in that it contains chapters from a team of experts on a diversity of key topics within caterpillar-plant interactions. This volume brings together contributions by researchers from around the globe, working in both tropical and temperate habitats, and in human-managed and more natural habitats. It is a significant contribution to our understanding of insect biology, and the role that insects, as represented by caterpillars, play in a world increasingly dominated by humans and one in which threats to insect biodiversity are mounting. Chapter 11 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. The Natural History of Caterpillar-Ant Associations" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.