Pharmacological Properties of Plant-Derived Natural Products and Implications for Human Health (eBook)

Medicinal plants and their derived products remain as an indispensable source of bioactive molecules that serve as either drug candidates or lead compounds for drug design and discovery. There are several advantages for plant-derived therapeutics including wide availability, diverse pharmacological actions and a generally good profile of safety and tolerability. Over the recent years, there have been numerous reports from clinical studies testifying to the efficacy and safety of medicinal plants and phytochemicals in ameliorating several human diseases. A plethora of basic studies has also unravelled molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits of herbal medicines. Nevertheless, issues such as identification of bioactive ingredients, standardization of the products and drug interactions remain to be further studied. In this book, we aim to put together several chapters on the medicinal properties and pharmacological action of medicinal plants, plant species and phytochemicals. The goal is to present a comprehensive collection on most of the therapeutic aspects of plant-derived natural products and molecular mechanisms thereof.

George E. Barreto earned his PhD in Neuroscience (2009) from Universidad Complutense Madrid (Spain) studying the effects of neurosteroids on reactive glia with aging. His post-doctoral training at Stanford University School of Medicine (2009-2011) focused on addressing the role of astrocytes activation following stroke and enhance astrocytic functions targeting neuronal protection. Dr. Barreto is currently a Lecturer in Cell Biology/Immunology at University of Limerick, Ireland. His research interests focus on deciphering the neuropathological mechanisms induced by accumulation of lipids in glial cells, identifying different mechanisms by which hormones can affect brain lipid metabolism and how lipids accumulation can induce neuroinflammation in absence of brain-synthesized estradiol. He is also interested in immune and neuroendocrine aspects of glial cells as a pathological mechanism in many neurological diseases. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 12 book chapters, and participated as speaker in several international congresses/meetings.