1;Preface;5 2;About the editors;6 3;Contents;7 4;Drug Discovery from Plants;21 4.1;1.1 The Role of Plants in Human History;21 4.2;1.2 The Role of Plant- Derived Compounds in Drug Development;24 4.2.1;1.2.1 Plant Secondary Metabolites as Drug Precursors;24 4.2.2;1.2.2 Plant Secondary Metabolites as Drug Prototypes;26 4.2.3;1.2.3 Plant Secondary Metabolites as Pharmacological Probes;28 4.3;1.3 Recent Developments in Drug Discovery from Plants;29 4.3.1;1.3.1 New Plant- Derived Drugs Launched Since 2001;29 4.3.2;1.3.2 Examples of Plant- Derived Compounds Currently Involved in Clinical Trials;31 4.3.3;1.3.3 Plant Extracts Currently Involved in Clinical Trials;35 4.4;1.4 Recent Trends and Future Directions;38 4.5;References;40 5;Grapevine Stilbenes and Their Biological Effects;45 5.1;2.1 Introduction;45 5.2;2.2 Epidemiology;46 5.3;2.3 Chemistry of Stilbenes;47 5.3.1;2.3.1 Characterisation;47 5.3.2;2.3.2 Biosynthetic Pathway;52 5.3.3;2.3.3 Distribution in Vitis vinifera;53 5.3.4;2.3.4 Determination of Stilbenes in Wine;53 5.4;2.4 Biological and Pharmacological Activities;55 5.4.1;2.4.1 Bioavailability and Metabolism;55 5.4.2;2.4.2 Cardiovascular Protection;59 5.4.3;2.4.3 Cancer Chemoprevention;63 5.4.4;2.4.4 Neurodegenerative Diseases;66 5.5;2.5 Conclusion;69 5.6;References;69 5.7;Abbreviations;75 6;Research into Isoflavonoid Phyto- oestrogens in Plant Cell Cultures;75 6.1;3.1 Introduction;76 6.2;3.2 The Influence of the Basic Experimental Media on the Biosynthesis of Isoflavones in In Vitro Cultures;77 6.3;3.3 The Influence of Physical Factors on the Biosynthesis and Accumulation of Isoflavonoids in In Vitro Cultures;79 6.4;3.4 The Effect of Technological Procedures on the Biosynthesis and Accumulation of Isoflavonoids in In Vitro Cultures;80 6.4.1;3.4.1 Elicitation;81 6.4.2;3.4.2 Supplementation with Biosynthesis Precursors;90 6.4.3;3.4.3 Biotransformation;91 6.4.4;3.4.4 Genetic Modifications;93 6.5;3.5 In Vitro Cultures of Legume Plants Oriented for Selective Production of Phyto- oestrogens;97 6.6;References;100 6.7;Abbreviations;105 7;Secondary Metabolite Production from Plant Cell Cultures: the Success Stories of Rosmarinic Acid and Taxol;105 7.1;4.1 Introduction: Cell Factories at the Cross Point;106 7.2;4.2 Rosmarinic Acid ;107 7.2.1;4.2.1 General Information;107 7.2.2;4.2.2 Historical Development of In Vitro RA Production - a Brief Overview;107 7.2.3;4.2.3 Stimulation of Biosynthetic Pathways Leads to Enhanced RA Accumulation In Vitro;108 7.2.4;4.2.4 Is RA Biosynthesis Growth Dependent?;109 7.2.5;4.2.5 Is RA Accumulation Related to Culture Differentiation?;110 7.2.6;4.2.6 Recent Attempts to Scale Up RA Production;111 7.2.7;4.2.7 RA Production in Immobilized Cell Cultures;112 7.3;4.3 Taxol ;112 7.3.1;4.3.1 General Information;112 7.3.2;4.3.2 Historical Development of In Vitro Taxol Production - a Brief Overview;113 7.3.3;4.3.3 Stimulation of Biosynthetic Pathways Leads to Enhanced Taxol Accumulation In Vitro;114 7.3.4;4.3.4 Is Taxol Biosynthesis Growth and Differentiation Dependent?;116 7.3.5;4.3.5 Recent Attempts to Scale Up Taxol Production;117 7.3.6;4.3.6 Taxol Production in Immobilized Cell Cultures;117 7.4;4.4 Conclusions;118 7.5;References;118 8;Guggulsterone: a Potent Natural Hypolipidemic Agent from Commiphora wightii - Problems, Perseverance, and Prospects;121 8.1;Abbreviations;122 8.2;5.1 Introduction;122 8.3;5.2 Distribution;122 8.4;5.3 Biology;122 8.5;5.4 Gum- Resin Production;123 8.6;5.5 Chemistry;124 8.7;5.6 Methods of Analysis;124 8.7.1;5.6.1 Thin- Layer Chromatography;124 8.7.2;5.6.2 High- Performance Liquid Chromatography;129 8.8;5.7 Traditional Therapeutic Uses;129 8.9;5.8 Pharmacology ;130 8.9.1;5.8.1 Animal and Clinical Trials;130 8.9.2;5.8.2 Mechanism of Action;131 8.9.3;5.8.3 Other Potential Activities;132 8.9.4;5.8.4 Toxicity;133 8.10;5.9 Biotechnological Approaches ;133 8.10.1;5.9.1 Micropropagation;133 8.10.2;5.9.2 Somatic Embryogenesis;134 8.10.3;5.9.3 Resin Canal Formation;135 8.10.4;5.9.4 Guggulster