The discovery of biological activity associated with flavonoid contaminants in vitamin C preparations from bell peppers and lemons by Szent-Gyorgyi and his associates opened a floodgate of research into the biological functions of this ubiquitous and diverse group of compounds. Since then, a broad range of physiological and biochemical activities were discovered in living systems including most plants and animals. With the continued discovery, isolation and identification of new natural an...

In the last decades, toxic metal syndromes have been described. Chronic overexposure to lead, mercury and other potentially toxic metals can affect body and brain, causing a wide variety of diseases, including skin and heart problems, contributing to Alzheimer, cancer and depression. International research has accumulated a large body of evidence linking chronic disease to environmental problems and some of it is listed here. Today, doctors and patients alike are more concerned about the d...

This informative treatise offers a concise collection of existing, expert data summarizing the composition of milk. The Handbook of Milk Composition summarizes current information on all aspects of human and bovine milk, including: sampling, storage, composition, as well as specific chapters on major and minor components such as protein, carbohydrates, lipids, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and hormones. The book also features comprehensive coverage of compartmentation, host-defense comp...

Nutrient Metabolism defines the molecular fate of nutrients and other dietary compounds in humans, as well as outlining the molecular basis of processes supporting nutrition, such as chemical sensing and appetite control. It focuses on the presentation of nutritional biochemistry; and the reader is given a clear and specific perspective on the events that control utilization of dietary compounds. Slightly over 100 self-contained chapters cover all essential and important nutrients as well ...

Aging: Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants bridges the trans-disciplinary divide and covers in a single volume the science of oxidative stress in aging and the potentially therapeutic use of natural antioxidants in the diet or food matrix. The processes within the science of oxidative stress are described in concert with other processes, such as apoptosis, cell signaling, and receptor mediated responses. This approach recognizes that diseases are often multifactorial, and oxidative s...

Interventions that delay aging are expected to improve health. In the current US National Institute on Agings Interventions Testing Program (ITP) the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin was found to increase the maximum life span in mice. These mice started receiving this treatment at an age corresponding to 60 years in humans. Rapamycin targets the same mechanism which was critically involved in the life span extension previously seen in certain mutants of worms flies and mice. The maximum l...

This book provides an insightful analysis of the chemopreventive actions of flavonoids. Flavonoids are naturally occurring constituents of plants that have been traditionally used as anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer medicines. In addition, human consumption of vegetables and fruits with high concentrations of flavonoids is associated with decreased cancer mortalities rates.Flavonoids, Inflammation and Cancer presents an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms by which flavonoids are thought t...

Probiotic microorganisms have a long history of use, and their health benefits for hosts are well documented. This Microbiology Monographs volume provides an overview of the current knowledge and applications of probiotics.Reviews cover the biology and probiotic potential of the thoroughly studied prokaryotic genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, several eukaryotic microorganisms, probiotic strain characterization, and the analytical methods (such as FISH, mic...

Polyphenols in Human Health and Disease documents antioxidant actions of polyphenols in protection of cells and cell organelles, critical for understanding their health-promoting actions to help the dietary supplement industry. The book begins by describing the fundamentals of absorption, metabolism and bioavailability of polyphenols, as well as the effect of microbes on polyphenol structure and function and toxicity. It then examines the role of polyphenols in the treatment of chronic dis...

Natural products present in the plant and animal kingdom offer a huge diversity of chemical structures which are the result of biosynthetic processes that have been modulated over the millennia through genetic effects. With the rapid developments in spectroscopic techniques and accompanying advances in high-throughput screening techniques, it has become possible to isolate, and then determine the structures and biological activity of natural products rapidly, thus opening up exciting new o...

Nutritional Biochemistry takes a scientific approach to nutrition. It covers not just "whats"--nutritional requirements--but why they are required for human health, by describing their function at the cellular and molecular level. Each case study either leads to a subsequent discovery or enables an understanding of the physiological mechanisms of action of various nutrition-related processes. The text is "picture-oriented" and the commentary is directed towards explaining graphs, figures, ...

Answer patients’questions about botanical supplements quickly and easily!This informative book is a compendium of detailed scientific research on 34 of the most popular dietary supplements used in North America and Europe. Its coverage of pharmacological studies on the main medicinal plants used in clinical practice and sold in pharmacies in the Western world is more extensive than any other publication of monographic reviews available. The way Botanical Medicines: The Desk Reference for M...