Selected topics in the chemistry of natural products
Selected topics in the chemistry of natural products
Raphael Ikan (ed)
Singapore: World Scientific 2008 | 624pp | ?85.00 (HB) ISBN 9789812705693
Reviewed by Jim Hanson
The editor of this book has brought together a group of 33 authors who have contributed authoritative chapters on the chemistry and biological activity of natural products. The result is a fascinating book.
There are 15 chapters covering topics that range from the role of plant-derived natural products in drug discovery to new developments in the chemistry of insect pheromones. There are chapters on natural products in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, the chemistry of cannabinoids, on natural sweeteners and on the distribution of enantiomeric odiferous monoterpenes in aromatic plants. The chapter on toxins from marine organisms provides a warning to the unwary bather.
The selected topics have a broad appeal and reveal the current strength and diversity of natural product chemistry. Whereas many books on natural products deal separately with the different classes of compounds, most of the chapters in this book view natural products in a holistic manner from the point of view of their biological activity.
This book therefore complements the conventional structure-based natural product texts, providing examples of their diverse biological activities for use in lectures and providing inspiration for synthetic targets.
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