Phytochemistry: An in-silico and in-vitro Update (eBook)

Phytochemistry is the branch of science that deals with the study of plant-derived chemicals or compounds, which are also known as phytochemicals or plant-derived secondary metabolites. Plants are known to produce phytochemicals that are essential for their growth and reproduction, as they protect them from insects, pathogens, and herbivores. Some of the major groups of plant-derived secondary metabolites are phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannin etc.

Plant-derived phytochemicals are pharmacologically active and have the potential to cure various human diseases and disorders. Natural plant products have been known for their medicinal properties for untold years, and form the basis of several medicinal systems such as Chinese, Unani, and Ayurvedic Medicine.

This book offers an essential introduction to phytochemicals and their synthetic analogues. It discusses various in silico approaches used to identify pharmacologically active phytochemicals and their biological activities, as well as in vitro and in vivo models/assays that have been utilized for the pharmacological profiling of plant-derived products to combat cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders.

The intended audience includes upper-level undergraduate and graduate students; researchers and scientists from the pharmaceutical/food chemistry/nutrition sciences/biochemistry, and clinical biochemistry fields; and medical students. Sharing the latest findings, the book will familiarize these readers with the concepts, chemistry, and tremendous potential of phytochemistry.

Dr. Shashank Kumar is currently working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, India. 

His Professional Honors, Awards and Scholarships

1. Life member of the Italo-Latin American Society of Ethnomedicine
2. Life member of the Indian Sciences Congress Association, India
3. Life Member of the Indian Academy of Biomedical Sciences Society, India
4. Member of Publication Integrity & Ethics, London
5. Member of the Asian Council of Science Editors, Dubai, UAE
6. Poster Award, 27^th Annual National Conference & International CME (November 25^th-27^th 2014)
7. AU-CRET University Scholarship (2009-2010)
8. UGC-Junior Research Fellowship (2009-2011)
9. UGC-Senior Research Fellowship (2011-2014)
10. ICMR-Senior Research Fellowship (2014)
ICMR-Research Associate Fellowship (2014-2015)

 

Publications

Books:

1. Carbohydrate Metabolism: Theory and Practical Approach, Nova Science Publisher, USA

2. Secondary Metabolites and Functional Food Components: Role in Health and Disease, Nova Science Publisher, USA

Research Papers and Review Articles

 

1.       Kumar S, Hussain SR, Waseem M, Mahdi F, Bansal C, Ahmad MK. (2016) D allele frequency in insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with development of breast cancer risk in Indian women. Current Proteomics, 13:4. 

2.       Waseem M, Hussain SR, Kumar S, Serajuddin S, Mahdi F, Sonkar KS, BAnsal C, Ahmad AK. (2016) Association of MTHFR (C677T) gene polymorphism with breast cancer in north india. Biomarkers in Cancer, 8:111-117. doi:10.4137/BIC.S40446.

3.       Kushwaha PP, Rapalli KC, Kumar S (2016) Geminin a multi task protein involved in cancer pathophysiology and developmental process: A review. Biochimie 131 (2016) 115-127.

4.       Bais S S, Lawrence K, Kumar S, Lawrence R (2015). Eichhorniacrassipes(Mart.) Solm: A biotic resource for waste water treatment. World J Pharmaceut Sci. 3:1

5.       Sanjay S S, Pandey A C, Kumar S, Pandey A K. (2014).Membrane protective efficacy of ZnO nanoparticles,' OP Transactions on Nano-technology. 1:1, 21-29

6.       Kumar S and Pandey AK. (2014). Medicinal attributes of S. xanthocarpum fruit consumed by several tribal communities as food: An antioxidant, anticancer and anti HIV perspective,' BMC Comp Alt Med, 14:112

7.       Kumar S, Pandey S, Pandey A. K. (2014). In vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic activities of Parthenium hysterophorus and characterization of extracts by LC MS analysis. BioMed Research International (Formerly titled Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology). Article ID 495154

8.       Kumar S, and Pandey A. K. (2014). Preliminary evaluation of biological activities and phytochemical analysis of Syngonium podophyllumleaf. National Academy Science Letters, 38:2, 143-146.

9.       Kumar S, Kumar R, Diwedi A, and Pandey A. K. (2014). In vitro antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic activity and in vivo efficacy of Syngonium podophyllum and Eichhornia crassipes leaf extracts on isoniazid induced oxidative stress and hepatic markers. BioMed Res Int. 2014: Article ID 459452.

10.    Sharma A K, Kumar S and Pandey A K. (2014). Cell cycle inhibitory activity of Piper longum against A549 cell line and its protective effect against metal-induced toxicity in rats. Ind J BiochemBiophys. 2014, 51.

Book Chapters

1.       Kumar S and Chaitanya RK (2016). Antioxidants as hope to future therapeutic agents. In: Role of antioxidants in health and disease prevention. Agrawal B and Pandey A. (Ed.). Anubhav Publishing House, Allahabad, 211006. 27-33. ISBN:978-93-80134-75-8.

2.       Kushwaha PP and Kumar S (2017). Advances in Biochemistry of Medicinal Plants. In: Biochemistry and therapeutic uses of medicinal plants. Mahdi AA, Sharma YK, Abid M, Khan MMAA. (Ed.). Discovery Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India. 41-54. ISBN: 978-93-5056-866-8.

3.       R.K. Chaitanya, K. Shashank and P. Sridevi (2016). Oxidative Stress in Invertebrate Systems, Free Radicals and Diseases, Dr. Rizwan Ahmad (Ed.), InTech, DOI: 10.5772/64573. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/books/free-radicals-and-diseases/oxidative-stress-in-invertebrate-systems.

4.       Kumar S, Waseem M, Sharma AK and Pandey AK. Serenoa repens Hook f. and Prunus domestica L.: Medicinal plant used in the management of prostate cancer, In: Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Medicinal Herbs. Mahdi AA, Abid M and Khan MMAA (Eds.), ISBN: 978-93-85995-46-0, pp. 285-306, 2017.

5.       Sharma AK, Tripathi MK and Kumar S. Multidimensional efficacy of Asparagus racemosus Wild: A Medicinal Herb, In: Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Medicinal Herbs. Mahdi AA, Abid M and Khan MMAA (Eds.), ISBN: 978-93-85995-46-0, pp. 244-270, 2017.

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Phytochemistry is the branch of science that deals with the study of plant-derived chemicals or compounds, which are also known as phytochemicals or plant-derived secondary metabolites. Plants are known to produce phytochemicals that are essential for their growth and reproduction, as they protect them from insects, pathogens, and herbivores. Some of the major groups of plant-derived secondary metabolites are phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannin etc.Plant-derived phytochemicals are pharmacologically active and have the potential to cure various human diseases and disorders. Natural plant products have been known for their medicinal properties for untold years, and form the basis of several medicinal systems such as Chinese, Unani, and Ayurvedic Medicine. This book offers an essential introduction to phytochemicals and their synthetic analogues. It discusses various in silico approaches used to identify pharmacologically active phytochemicals and their biological activities, as well as in vitro and in vivo models/assays that have been utilized for the pharmacological profiling of plant-derived products to combat cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders. The intended audience includes upper-level undergraduate and graduate students; researchers and scientists from the pharmaceutical/food chemistry/nutrition sciences/biochemistry, and clinical biochemistry fields; and medical students. Sharing the latest findings, the book will familiarize these readers with the concepts, chemistry, and tremendous potential of phytochemistry.