Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites that constitute one of the most common and widespread groups of natural products. They express a large and diverse panel of biological activities including beneficial effects on both plants and humans. Many polyphenols, from their structurally simplest representatives to their oligo/polymeric versions (also referred to as vegetable tannins) are notably known as phytoestrogens, plant pigments, potent antioxidants, and protein interacting agents.
Sponsored by the scholarly society Groupe Polyphénols, this publication, which is the fourth volume in this highly regarded Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research series, is edited by Annalisa Romani, Vincenzo Lattanzio, and Stéphane Quideau. They have once again, like their predecessors, put together an impressive collection of cutting-edge chapters written by expert scientists, internationally respected in their respective field of polyphenol sciences. This Volume 4 highlights some of the latest information and opinion on the following major research topics about polyphenols:
- Biosynthesis and genetic manipulation
- Ecological role of polyphenols in plant defense
- Actions of polyphenols in human health protection
- Physical organic chemistry and organic synthesis
Chemists, biochemists, plant scientists, pharmacognosists and pharmacologists, biologists, ecologists, food scientists and nutritionists will all find this book an invaluable resource. Libraries in all universities and research institutions where these disciplines are studied and taught should have copies on their bookshelves.
About the Author: Annalisa Romani, board member of the « Groupe Polyphénols » (2008-2014), is Professor of Food Sciences and Technologies at the University of Florence, Italy. Her research laboratory is specialized in analytical, structural determination and biological activities of plant polyphenols, with a recent focus on food supplement and innovative extraction green technologies for the recovery of purified molecules as bio-phenols.
Vincenzo Lattanzio, former President of the « Groupe Polyphénols » (2004-2008), is full Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Physiology at the University of Foggia (Italy). His research interest concerns studies of the role of phenolic compounds in resistance mechanisms of plant tissues against biotic and abiotic stresses, with a recent focus on trade-off mechanism between growth rate and adaptive response of plant tissues under nutritional stress.
Stéphane Quideau, former President of the Groupe Polyphénols (2008-2012), is full Professor of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at the University of Bordeaux, France. His research laboratory is specialized in plant polyphenol chemistry and chemical biology, with a focus on the studies of ellagitannin chemical reactivity and synthesis, and interactions of bioactive polyphenols with their protein targets.
