Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far

Offit, Paul A

Dossey, Larry

Offit, Paul A

Hazelden Publishing

Wang, Xijun

<p><i>Inflammation and Natural Products </i>brings together research in the area of the natural products and their anti-inflammatory action in medical, nutraceutical and food products, addressing specific chronic inflammatory diseases like cancer and the mechanistic aspects of the mode of action of some key natural products. Inflammation is a complicated process, driven by infection or injury or genetic changes, which results in triggering signalling cascades, activation of transcription factors, gene expression, increased levels of inflammatory enzymes, and release of various oxidants and pro-inflammatory molecules in inflammatory cells. Excessive oxidants and inflammatory mediators have a harmful effect on normal tissue, including toxicity, loss of barrier function, abnormal cell proliferation, inhibiting normal function of tissues and organs and finally leading to systemic disorders. The emerging development of natural product formulations utilizing the unique anti-inflammatory compounds such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenes, fatty acids, proteins and several other bioactive components has shown notable successes. <i>Inflammation and Natural Products: Recent Development and Current Status</i> provides a comprehensive resource, ranging from detailed explanation on inflammation to molecular docking strategies for naturally occurring compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. It is useful for graduate students, academic and professionals in the fields of pharmaceutical and medical sciences and specialists from natural product-related industries.</p>