Medicinal Uses and Bioactive Principles of Tropical Plants

Tropical plants have long been used in traditional medicine and are increasingly popular today as alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals. Medicinal Uses and Bioactive Principles of Tropical Plants bridges traditional ethnobotanical knowledge with modern translational medicine. It presents the tropical plant as a “living pharmacy” and systematically explains the molecular information contained within.The book introduces the basic chemistry of plant-derived bioactive compounds and outlines how medicines can be developed from these sources. It shows that successful drug development from medicinal plants requires a broad strategy that combines molecular, biological, phytochemical, and botanical approaches. It then moves to practical applications, covering drug design and discovery, molecular mechanisms of action, and advanced nanoparticle formulations that improve delivery. The therapeutic potential of these compounds is highlighted for complex modern health challenges, including metabolic, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative conditions such as diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. Given the remarkable abundance and chemical diversity of plant bioactives, both isolated molecules and standardized extracts offer extensive opportunities for new therapeutic leads.As part of the Exploring Medicinal Plants series, the book links systemic therapeutics to the molecular bioactivity of tropical plants, which are described as highly evolved bioreactors. It also addresses key ecological and ethical considerations, including risk assessment and conservation of these invaluable natural resources. Overall, it advocates a balanced approach that advances both discovery and preservation. This title is a valuable resource for researchers, professionals, students, and environmentalists working in biochemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, and drug development.

About the Author

Johnson O. Oladele is a Director at Royal Scientific Research Institute, Osun State, Nigeria, and Former Lecturer at the Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kings University, Nigeria. He obtained a bachelor’s degree (BSc (Hons)) in biochemistry from Osun State University. He had his postgraduate studies at University of Ibadan, where he obtained his master’s degree (MSc) in biochemistry and molecular toxicology, and his Ph.D. (biochemistry) from University of Ilorin, Nigeria. He continues with his postdoctoral studies in toxicology at Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA. Johnson belongs to a number of national and international professional associations. He has authored many research articles published in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in book series. He serves as a reviewer for several journals hosted by Taylor & Francis CRC, Elsevier, Springer and as an editorial board member of two learned peer reviewed journals. He is an editor of the book projects published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis). Johnson has vast experience in both teaching and research. His research findings have been presented in several seminars, workshops, and conferences. He has also received awards and honours in recognition of his efforts, distinguished services, and contributions to his career and associated organizations.

Ebenezer I. O. Ajayi is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria, where he recently completed a two-year tenure as Acting Head of Department. He obtained his B.Sc. (2004) from the University of Ado-Ekiti, M.Sc. (2008) and Ph.D. (2015) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Over the course of his dynamic academic and research career, he has served as Sub-Dean of Student Affairs, Principal Investigator on several funded projects, and mentor to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students across Africa, Asia, and South America. Dr. Ajayi has been a Visiting Scholar in India and Argentina, where he advanced his expertise in membrane biophysics, nanobiotechnology, and clinical biochemistry – fields that form the core of his interdisciplinary research. His investigations explore the ecological and molecular impacts of green-synthesized or formulated drug candidates for metabolic complications and infectious disease-related neurobehavioral disorders, employing diverse models such as Drosophila melanogaster , Galleria mellonella , Hermetia illucens larvae, amphibians, and rodents. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and book chapters, and serves as a reviewer for international journals in biochemistry, pharmacology, and molecular biology. A recipient of numerous grants and awards, including a prestigious three-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Argentinian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Productive Innovation, Dr. Ajayi continues to contribute to science diplomacy and collaborative research. He is also a local lead of the NASA Space Apps Challenge, Osogbo, and a mentor in several continental mentorship initiatives such as the Science Edge Empowerment Initiative (SEEI), Africa Graduate Mentorship and Coaching Programme, Africa Young Scientists Mentorship Programme, and the Child, Youth & Women (ChiYoWo) Sustainability Hub. An advocate for transdisciplinary learning and the ethical use of tropical biodiversity in drug discovery, he has co-edited several scholarly volumes, including Nutrition and Diet in Health: Principles and Applications and Sustainable Use of Plants and Their Products in Neurodegenerative Diseases Management , both published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis). As co-editor of Medicinal Plants and Non-Communicable Diseases and this current volume of Medicinal Uses and Bioactive Principles of Tropical Plants , his academic voice continues to bridge biochemistry, biotechnology, and sustainable pharmacognosy, illuminating Africa’s growing contributions to global health research and innovation.

Olu Israel Oyewole is a professor of biochemistry at Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria. He holds B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. His research focus includes phytomedicine, pharmacology and molecular toxicology. He has contributed significantly to scholarship by investigating the role of natural indigenous medicinal agents in the prevention and management of various disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia, sickle cell anaemia and organ damage using animal models by exploring their antioxidative and free radical scavenging properties. His research findings have provided knowledge for the design and development of new drugs from natural origin with little or no toxic effect which can be used in combating free radical-mediated diseases. He has researched extensively to find suitable antidotes to counter the toxic effects of herbicides, pesticides, food additives and spices which has added new knowledge in the field of environmental and food toxicology. He has authored well over sixty (60) articles in reputable national and international peer-reviewed journals and has supervised more than 150 undergraduate dissertations and 20 postgraduate research theses. Professor Oyewole has presented papers at many local and international conferences, workshops and seminars and has won many research grants and awards. He also belongs to many professional associations.