Editorial [Hot Topic: Bioactive Secondary Metabolites as Possible Candidates for Future Pharmaceuticals(Executive Editor: Gordana Stojanovic)]

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

E-ISSN: 1873-4286|14|29|3066-3066

ISSN: 1381-6128

Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design, Vol.14, Iss.29, 2008-10, pp. : 3066-3066

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Abstract

One can assume that for every illness, which the nature has put infront of us, there is a possible remedy which is only waiting to be discovered. A great number of chemists, biologists, pharmacists, and other scientists believe in this prospect, and make great endeavor to determine the exact composition, and pinpoint the principals of biological activity of plant extracts, as well as to prepare derivatives of the existing isolated compounds of natural origin with the hope of arriving at a molecule with enhanced activity.This issue is dedicated to the composition of essential oils and other plant extracts, their biological activity, as well as isolation, characterization and synthetic modification of the constituents.The first paper [1] is an excellent review of liverworts constituents (the structures of more than 150 compounds are presented).The review of Professor Milosavljevic' research group [2] comprises 155 compounds, e.g. sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoids (Asteraceae), xanthones, secoiridoids and C-glucoflavonoids (Gentianaceae) and prenylated phloroglucinols (Guttiferae), as well as some other secondary metabolites, produced by the above families, which could be of pharmacological interest.Biological and pharmacological activities as well as possible in vivo mechanism of carvacrol are discussed by K. H. C. Baser [3].Figueiredo and Coworkers [4] outline the taxonomy, ethnobotany, cell and molecular biology of Portuguese Thymbra and Thymus species and antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities of their essential oils and other volatiles-containing extracts.Botany, chemistry and activity of Mentha species with special respect to their significance for the modern phytotherapy are described by Mimica-Djukic and Bozin [5].Nemeth and Bernard [6] consider those scientific findings which confirm the broad spectrum of yarrow species activity.Structure, origin, biological activities of microbial polysaccharides and derivatives as well as their application as pharmaceuticals, are widely discussed by Smelcerovic and Coworkers [7].The last paper is a mini review about antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of various extracts of Micromeria species [8].It is my hope that some of the compounds presented in this issue will become real drugs in the future. At the end, I would like to thank all the authors for their contributions, reviewers for their valuable comments and particularly to the editor-in chief of Current Pharmaceutical Design, professor William Banks, for providing me the opportunity to be the editor in this eminent journal.