Main description:

Human organisms adapted to plant-based diets in hunter-gatherers times. Statistical studies show that people consuming plant products on a regular basis have lower risks of developing cancer and neurodegenerative diseases than people preferably eating starch and fat. The beneficial effects of plants are primarily associated with flavonoids, molecules present in fruits, vegetables, teas, and herbs, also known in traditional medicine for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Flavonoids are able to bind metals and form complexes. The present book summarizes the scientific evidence collected over the past decade on the structure, chemistry, and biological function of the complexes of natural flavonoids with nine essential metals representing d-block elements of the periodic table. The role of each individual metal in the human body and the diseases affected by metal-flavonoid complexes are described. The materials collected in the book will be of interest to chemists, biologists, nutritionists, and medicinal scientists.