Medicinal chemists around the world have been inspired by nature and have successfully extracted chemicals from plants. Research on enzymatic modifications of naturally occurring compounds has played a critical role in the search for biologically active molecules to treat diseases. This book explores compounds of interest to researchers and clinicians. It presents a comprehensive analysis about the medicinal chemistry (drug design, structure-activity relationships, permeability data, cytotoxicity, appropriate statistical procedures, molecular modelling studies) of different compounds. Each chapter brings contributions from known scientists explaining experimental results which can be translated into clinical practice. Each chapter follows a specific format for a phytochemical agent with common chemical features: - General background on the (phyto)chemistry of the scaffold - General background on the pharmacological profile of the scaffold - A Description of the proposed derivatives and their advantages with respect to the parent compounds (emphasizing the synthetic approaches and structure-activity relationships) - In silico analysis of the crucial interactions with the biological target - Clinical studies and patent survey (if available) on the new and proposed structures The objective of this book set is to fulfil gaps in currently acquired knowledge with information from the recent years. It serves as a guide for academic and professional researchers and clinicians.

Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry is a book series devoted to reviews on research topics relevant to medicinal chemistry and allied disciplines. Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry covers developments in rational drug design, bioorganic chemistry, high-throughput screening, combinatorial chemistry, compound diversity measurements, drug absorption, drug distribution, metabolism, new and emerging drug targets, natural products, pharmacogenomics, chemoinformatics, and structure-activity relationships. This book series is essential for any medicinal chemist who wishes to be updated on the latest and the most important advances in the field. This is the tenth volume of the series. The extensive volume brings 11 reviews on a variety of topics including anti-cancer drug therapeutics, food chemistry, toxicology and drug development strategies. The list of topics in this volume includes: Isoxazole derivatives as potential pharmacophore for new drug development Contemporary trends in drug repurposing: identifying new targets for existing drugs Pharmaceutical potential of pyrimidines as antiviral agents Drugs and phytochemicals targeting cancer Harnessing the neurological properties of indian brain health booster brahmi Carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium and its effects Medicinal plants: a future of modern medical system Shikonin, a naphthaquinone of commercial importance: its biosynthesis and prospect for use as drugs Fast foods: chemical composition and implications for health Implications of DNA-acting agents as anticarcinogenic potential in breast cancer therapeutics Aloe vera - a medicinal plant as potential therapeutic agents for liver cancer