Plants that Fight Cancer, Second Edition

Plants that Fight Cancer, Second Edition, is a compilation that reviews cancer treatment and research-based information on the plant kingdom as the source of both known and novel chemical moieties and mixtures, many of them still under identification. This new edition follows the organization of the first book with a considerable expansion of content that more than doubles the volume of information.

Divided into four segments, the first part is dedicated to a review of our current knowledge of cancer, the different types and incidence, the molecular pathways of the disease, and the various treatment protocols, with an emphasis on chemotherapy. The second part is a brief journey in pharmacognosy, with detailed information about each of the fourteen different chemical groups of plant secondary metabolites, their use in cancer chemotherapy, and updated information on the biotechnological production of the most representative compounds in clinical practice. The third part of the book comprises six chapters dedicated to either plant chemotherapeutical approaches to specific cancer types (e.g. bladder, prostate) or specific groups of plant secondary metabolites with novel and promising properties for cancer treatment (e.g. naphthoquinones, lectins, phenanthridone alkaloids). The fourth part, containing investigative information on almost 300 individual plant species with established anticancer properties, either on a clinical or in vitro level, is with no doubt the most analytical.

This new edition contains chapters on cytotoxic phenanthridone alkaloid constituents of the Amaryllidaceae; naphthoquinone-contained anticancer terrestrial plants; polyphenols and cancer immunology; medicinal plant product-based fabrication nanoparticles (Au and Ag) and their anticancer effects; bladder and prostate cancer; and plant lectins in cancer treatment.

FEATURES

• Provides efficient information for all kinds of cancer and plant chemotherapeutical approaches to specific cancer types

• Discusses specific groups of plant secondary metabolites with novel and promising properties for cancer treatment

• Provides scientific information for medicinal uses of various plants

• Contains analytical information on almost 300 individual plant species with established anticancer properties, either on a clinical or in vitro level

• Focuses on plant genera and species that are either already used in cancer chemotherapy or have been identified with antitumor and antileukemic properties to a bigger or lesser extent

Professor Spyridon Kintzios is the Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) and the founder and Director of the Laboratory of Cell Technology and the AUA Center for Applications of Cell Biological Technologies. He received his Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding from the Technical University of Munich. He has a working experience of over 30 years in Biotechnology. He is the author/co-author of 110 peer-reviewed articles in cited international scientific journals, as well as the author or co-author of more than 100 international book chapters and conference presentations. He is also the editor of five international books, a fellow of several Scientific Societies and a member of several public, academic and industry committees in Greece and abroad.

Dr Maria Barberaki graduated from the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece. Her PhD study was focused on the production of secondary products with medicinal use from Viscum album using biotechnological methods. Dr Barberaki has a several year-long working experience at international pharmaceutical companies. She was one of the Editors of the first Edition of Plants that Fight Cancer. She is currently working in Secondary and Vocational Education.

Dr Evangelia Flampouri holds a PhD in Agricultural Sciences specializing in Mammalian Toxicology, a Master of. Arts degree in Bioactive products and Protein Technology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Agricultural Biotechnology. She has over 10 years of experience in Academic and Industrial research projects. She has worked as a contracted Associate Professor at the Agricultural University of Athens, teaching Pharmacognosy and Bioactive Products. She is the author/co-author of various peer-reviewed articles in cited international scientific journals.