Features:

• Describes the nature and targets of bioactive substances in plants and their constituents used for food and for medicinal purposes
• Summarizes a huge body of information on herbal medicines into a user-friendly volume
• Provides easy access to key chemical structure, plant source, biochemical target, and physiological effects data in 500 pages of tables and four comprehensive indexes
• Includes a wealth of interesting information on the historical, literary, artistic and general cultural impact of plant bioactive substances

Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds is a comprehensive and user-friendly reference guide to biochemical targets of plant defensive compounds.

Containing 500 pages of tables, it presents a mine of succinctly summarized information relating to bioactive compound structures, plant sources, biochemical targets and physiological effects that can be readily accessed via chemical compound, plant genus, plant common name and subject indexes.

With introductory chapters providing reviews of the structural diversity of plant defensive compounds and biochemistry, this book is an invaluable reference for biomedical professionals in the fields of alternative/complementary medicine, natural product chemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, and botany.

Contents

1. PLANT DEFENSIVE COMPOUNDS AND THEIR MOLECULAR TARGETS
   • Introduction
   • Organization and Scope of the Book
   • Description of the Tables
   • Using the Tables
   • The Structural Diversity of Plant Defensive Compounds
   • Plant Alkaloids
   • Plant Phenolics
   • Plant Terpenes
   • Other Plant Compounds

2. BIOCHEMISTRY - THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
   • Introduction - Water-based Life
   • Protein Structure
   • Enzymes and Ligand-binding Proteins
   • Metabolic Strategies
   • Inhibition of Biochemical Processes by Plant Defensive Compounds

3. NEUROTRANSMITTER- AND HORMONE-GATED ION CHANNELS
   • Introduction - Electrical Signaling in Excitable Cells
   • Ionotropic Neurotransmitter Receptors - Neurotransmitter-gated Ion Channels
   • Structure and Function of Ionotropic Receptors

4. ION PUMPS, LIGAND- AND VOLTAGE-GATED ION CHANNELS
   • Introduction
   • Ion Pumps
   • Voltage-gated Na+ Channels
   • Ligand-Regulated and Voltage-gated K+ Channels
   • Voltage-gated Ca2+ Channels
   • Ligand-gated Ca2+ Channels
   • Chloride Transport and Voltage-regulated Chloride Channels

5. PLASMA MEMBRANE G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS
   • Introduction - Signaling Via Heterotrimeric G Proteins
   • G Protein-coupled Hormone and Neurotransmitter Receptors
   • Hormones and Neurotransmitters Acting Via G Protein-coupled Receptors
   • Activation of Specific G Protein-coupled Receptors
   • Leucocyte- and Inflammation-related G Protein-linked Receptors
   • Other G Protein-coupled Receptors

6. NEUROTRANSMITTER TRANSPORTERS AND CONVERTERS
   • Introduction
   • Synthesis of Neurotransmitters
   • Release of Neurotransmitters from Synaptic Vesicles
   • Re-uptake of Neurotransmitters into Neurons and Synaptic Vesicles
   • Neurotransmitter Degradation

7. CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE-, Ca2+- AND NITRIC OXIDE-BASED SIGNALING
   • Introduction
   • Ca2+- and Calmodulin-dependent Enzymes
   • Adenylyl Cyclase
   • Membrane-bound and Soluble Guanylyl Cyclases
   • Nitric Oxide Synthesis
   • Cyclic AMP- and Cyclic GMP-dependent Protein Kinases
   • Protein Kinase Homologies and Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
   • Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases

8. SIGNAL-REGULATED PROTEIN KINASES
   • Introduction
   • Cyclic AMP-dependent Protein Kinase
   • Cyclic GMP-dependent Protein Kinase
   • Protein Kinase C
   • Ca2+ -calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinases
   • AMP-dependent Protein Kinase
   • Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
   • Protein Kinase B
   • Cytokine Activation of the JAK/STAT Pathway
   • Cell Cycle Control
   • Receptor Serine/Threonine Kinases
   • Other Protein Kinases
   • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases

9. GENE EXPRESSION, CELL DIVISION AND APOPTOSIS
   • Introduction
   • Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes
   • Regulation of Transcription in Eukaryotes
   • RNA Processing and Translation
   • Control of Translation
   • Protein Processing and Post-translational Modification
   • Protein Targeting
   • Cell Division and Apoptosis
   • HIV-1 Infection and HIV-1 Replication
   • Plant Compounds Interfering with Gene Expression

10. TASTE AND SMELL PERCEPTION, PHEROMONES AND SEMIOCHEMICALS
    • Introduction
    • Sweet Taste Receptors
    • Bitter Taste Receptors
    • Salty Taste Perception
    • Sour Taste Perception
    • Umami (Glutamate Taste Perception)
    • Odorant Perception
    • Animal Pheromones and Other Animal Bioactivities Produced by Plants
    • Other Plant Semiochemicals Affecting Animal Behavior
    • Odoriferous Animal Metabolites of Ingested Plant Compounds

11. AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS OF CYTOSOLIC HORMONE RECEPTORS
    • Introduction
    • Steroid Hormones
    • Non-steroid Cytosolic Hormone Receptor Ligands
    • Plant Bioactives Affecting Cyctosolic Receptor-mediated Signaling

12. POLYNUCLEOTIDES, POLYSACCHARIDES, PHOSPHOLIPIDS AND MEMBRANES
    • Introduction
    • Polynucleotides
    • Polysaccharides and Oligosaccharides
    • Phospholipids and Membranes

13. INHIBITORS OF DIGESTION AND METABOLISM
    • Introduction
    • Glycohydrolases
    • Proteases
    • Glycolysis and Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle
    • Mitochondrial Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation
    • Gluconeogenesis
    • Solute Translocation

14. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIABETIC PLANT COMPOUNDS
    • Introduction
    • Adhesion and Movement of Inflammatory Leucocytes
    • Chemokines
    • Phagocytosis
    • Kinins, Cytokines, Platelet Activating Factor and Eicosanoids
    • Plant-derived Anti-inflammatory Compounds
    • Diabetes Mellitus and Plant Antidiabetic Compounds
    • Summary

Appendix
Compound Index
Plant Genus Index
Plant Common Names Index
Subject Index
Abbreviations

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