Bioactives and Pharmacology of Pteridophytes

Pteridophytes, also known as ferns, are non-flowering plants and comprise over 12000 species spread over 337 genera. Distributed in both tropical and temperate forests, pteridophytes, which include lycophytes as well, have been the source of remedies for the treatment of human diseases since time immemorial. They are an important source of bioactive phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, phenyl propanoids, lignans, terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, coumarins, chromones, quinones, and xanthones. Pteridophytes exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-malarial, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective properties.In this new book, Bioactives and Pharmacology of Pteridophytes, the bioactives and pharmacology of selected medicinal plants of pteridophytes are thoroughly presented and explained. A brief introduction is given for each of the more than 80 medically important pteridophyte species, and the bioactive compounds and their chemical structures are detailed, followed by their pharmacological activities. The chapters review the published literature on the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities on that species.This comprehensive desk reference on bioactives and pharmacology of pteridophytes will be a valuable sourcbook for the development of new drugs for the benefit of mankind.

About the Author

T. Pullaiah, PhD , is a former Professor at the Department of Botany at Sri Krishnadevaraya University in Andhra Pradesh, India, where he has taught for more than 35 years. He has held several positions at the university, including Dean of the Faculty of Biosciences, Head of the Department of Botany, Head of the Department of Biotechnology, and member of Academic Senate. He was President of the Indian Botanical Society (2014), President of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy (2013), and a Fellow of Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences. He was awarded the Panchanan Maheshwari Gold Medal, the Dr. G. Panigrahi Memorial Lecture Award of the Indian Botanical Society, the Prof. Y.D. Tyagi Gold Medal of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy, and a best teacher award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Under his guidance, 54 students earned their doctoral degrees. He has authored over 50 books, edited 20 books, and published over 330 research papers, including reviews and book chapters. His books include Advances in Cell and Molecular Diagnostics, Ethnobotany of India (5 volumes), Red Sanders: Silviculture and Conservation, Monograph on Brachystelma and Ceropegia in India, Flora of Andhra Pradesh (5 volumes), Flora of Eastern Ghats (7 volumes), Flora of Telangana (3 volumes), Encyclopaedia of World Medicinal Plants (7 volumes, 2nd edition), Encyclopaedia of Herbal Antioxidants (3 volumes), Global Biodiversity (4 volumes),