Polyphenols are the second most abundant class of substances in nature, and include tannins and flavonoids, many of which have extremely important antioxidant properties which have now been
shown to have a key role in the prevention of cancer in humans. This important book covers polyphenol chemistry, biosynthesis and genetic manipulation, ecology and plant physiology, food and nutritional aspects and the effects of polyphenols on health.
Included within the contents are cutting-edge chapters on biotic and abiotic stress in plants, safety and toxicity in foods, functionality and nutraceutical benefits in nutrition, and aspects of pharmaceutical and cosmetic discovery and development.Sponsored by Groupe Polyphenols, this landmark book has been edited by Professor Fouad Daayf and Professor Vincenzo Lattanzio, who have drawn together an impressive list of internationally respected contributing authors, each providing a comprehensive review of the current situation regarding each important subject covered.
1 Introduction: plant phenolics - secondary metabolites with diverse functions.Vincenzo Lattanzio, Paul A. Kroon, Stephane Quideau and Dieter Treutter.2 Lignification: are lignins biosynthesized via simple combinatorial chemistry or via proteinaceous control and template replication?.John Ralph, Gosta Brunow, Philip Harris, Richard A. Dixon and Wout Boerjan.3 Flavonoid-protein binding processes and their potential impact on human health.Olivier Dangles and Claire Dufour.4 Methods for synthesizing the cocoa-derived oligomeric epi-catechins - observations on the anticancer activity of the cocoa polyphenols.Alan P. Kozikowski and Werner Tuckmantel.5 Gene discovery and metabolic engineering in the phenylpropanoid pathway.Luzia V. Modolo, Yongzhen Pang, Li Tian and Richard A. Dixon.6 Recent advances in the molecular biology and metabolic engineering of flavonoid biosynthesis in ornamental plants.Kevin M. Davies, Huaibi Zhang and Kathy E. Schwinn.7 Recent advances in the field of anthocyanins - main focus on structures.Oyvind M. Andersen.8 Salicylic acid and induced plant defenses.Jean-Pierre Metraux, Elisabeth Lamodiere, Jeremy Cattinot, Olivier Lamotte and Christophe Garcion.9 Phenols and the onset and expression of plant disease resistance.Ray Hammerschmidt and Samantha I. Hollosy.10 Bioactivity, absorption, and metabolism of anthocyanins.Giuseppe (Joe) Mazza and Colin D. Kay.11 Bioavailability, metabolism, and bioactivity of food ellagic acid and related polyphenols.Francisco A. Tomas-Barberan, Maria Teresa Garcia-Conesa, Mar Larrosa, Begona Cerda, Rocio Gonzalez-Barrio, Maria Jose Bermudez-Soto, Antonio Gonzalez-Sarrias and Juan Carlos Espin.12 Multiplicity of phenolic oxidation products in apple juices and ciders, from synthetic medium to commercial products.Sylvain Guyot, Stephane Bernillon, Pascal Poupard and Catherine M.G.C. Renard.13 Phytoestrogens in drug discovery for controlling steroid biosynthesis.Sampo Karkola, Annamaria Lilienkampf and Kristiina Wahala.14 Recent advances in the chemical synthesis and the biological activity of phenolic metabolites.Denis Barron.15 Polyphenols and gene expression.Uwe Wenzel and Hannelore Daniel
Professor Fouad Daayf, Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Canada and Professor Vincenzo Lattanzio, Department of Agriscience, Universita degli Studi di Foggia, Italy.