Book Description

The use of plants to treat diseases is one of the oldest practices performed by man to promote health. Regarding their health benets, numerous studies have been conducted with medicinal plants in order to investigate their biological activities, efcacy and therapeutic applications. Plant actives are substances responsible for the biological activities of plants consumed by the population. These compounds are originated from plant secondary metabolism, provide protection against herbivory and resistance to stress, as well as, these natural actives show great relevance for the production of phytotherapics and to the development of new drugs. Secondary metabolites are synthesized by specic enzymes and may vary qualitatively and quantitatively in different vital groups or within the same species. These differences occur, for example, due to genetic and environmental variations, phenological stage and cultivation conditions, which act as modulators of biosynthetic pathways.