This new volume fills this need for an authoritative source on natural products and plants, bringing together relevant, practical information about the various types of natural products produced by plants, why they produce them, and their importance in today's world. Natural Products from Plants provides examples of how plant products are used to benefit humans through prevention and treatment of diseases, nutritional value, pest control, dyes, fibers, foods and beverages, flavorings and fragrances, and in creating many other novel compounds. It covers potentially harmful compounds as well. Anyone looking for a thorough understanding of the properties of natural plant products-both beneficial and harmful-will find the answers in Natural Products from Plants.

Features

Broad coverage of natural plant products in an organized, easy-to-understand format

More than 100 figures illustrating examples of natural plant products

Discussions of ways in which natural products are extracted from plants and how they are identified and analyzed

Case studies of traditional uses of natural products from plants

Strategies for conservation of plants that produce valuable natural products

An appendix that offers a guide of questions to ask about natural plant products and provides access to website databases on these products

Indexes of plant names, both common and scientific, and chemical names used in the text

Content - Chapter 1 Phytochemicals: The Chemical Components of Plants, Chapter 2 How and Why These Compounds are Synthesized by Plants, Chapter 3 Regulation of Metabolite Synthesis in Plants, Chapter 4 Good and Bad Uses of These Compounds by Humans, Chapter 5 Modes of Action at Target Sites, Chapter 6 The Synergy Principle at Work in Plants, Pathogens, Insects, Herbivores, and Humans, Chapter 7 Bioseparation of Compounds, Chapter 8 Case Studies, Chapter 9 Plant Conservation,  Appendix, Index to Names of Plants Used in Text: Common and Scientific, Index to Names of Chemicals Used in Text, Index to Book