Main description:

This book highlights different natural products that are derived from the plants and microbes that have shown potential as the lead compounds against infectious diseases and cancer. Natural products represent an untapped source of strikingly diverse chemotypes with novel mechanisms of action and the potential to serve as anticancer and anti-infective agents.

The book discusses a range of biotechnologically valuable bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites that have been derived from plant and microorganisms from various ecological niches. It also reviews the latest developments in the field of genomics, bioinformatics and industrial fermentation for harnessing the microbial products for commercial applications. In turn, the book's closing section reviews important biotechnological applications of various natural products. Combining the expertise of specialists in this field, the book's goal is to promote the further investigation of natural sources for the development of standardized, safe and effective therapies.

Contents:

Chapter 1. Plants natural products: Fountainheads for drug discovery and development.- Chapter 1.1. Medicinal plants: a reservoir of bioactive natural products.- Chapter 1.1.1. The Artemisia genus: A review on traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, pharmacological properties and germplasm conservation.- Chapter 1.1.2. Bacopa monnieri: The neuroprotective elixir from the east: phytochemistry, pharmacology and biotechnological improvement.- Chapter 1.1.3. Current knowledge of Cinnamomum species: a review on the bioactive components, pharmacological properties, analytical and biotechnological studies.- Chapter 1.2. Plant derived natural products as leads for drug discovery.- Chapter 1.2.1. Plant Derived Quinones as a Prolific Source of Antibacterial and Anticancer Agents.- Chapter 1.2.2. Plant derived antifungals- Trends and Potential Applications.- Chapter 1.2.3. Phytochemicals as Inhibitors of Candida Biofilm: Recent Trends and Developments.- Chapter 1.2.4. Drugging protein-protein interaction interface with natural products: a computational approach.- Chapter 1.2.5. CQDs derived from natural sources: Excellent bio-imaging agents.- Chapter 2. Microbial natural products: A quintessential source for drug discovery and development . -Chapter 2.1. Microbial Natural products: recent insights into novel applications.- Chapter 2.2. Bioactive Peptides and Carbohydrates from Natural Products: A Source of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. - Chapter 2.3. Metabolites of fluorescent pseudomonads and their antimicrobial and anticancer potential. -Chapter 2.4. Actinomycetes Natural Products: Recent Advances and Future Prospects.- Chapter 2.5. Bio-prospection of lichen secondary metabolites: Current and future Scenario.- Chapter 2.6. Medicinal fungi: A natural source of pharmacologically important metabolites.- Chapter 2.7. Ganoderma: A propitious medicinal poroid mushroom.- Chapter 2.8. Marine fungi as Pharmacy.- Chapter 2.9. Endophytic fungi: A treasure trove of bioactive compounds.- Chapter 2.10. Novel Products from Microalgae.- Chapter 2.11. Lactic acid production and its applications in pharmaceuticals.- Chapter 2.12. Clot busters of microbial origin.- Chapter 2.13. Carbohydrate biopolymers: Diversity, applications and challenges.- Chapter 3. Important biotechnological applications of natural products.- Chapter 3.1. Methods and Techniques for the Chemical Profiling and Quality Control of Natural Products and Natural Product Driven Drugs.- Chapter 3.2. Characterization of Bioactive secondary Metabolites from fungal endophytes.- Chapter 3.3. Systems biology approach to natural pharmaceuticals.- Chapter 3.4. Elaborating on the potential for fungi-based products market expansion: Consumers' attitudes and purchasing intentions