State-Art Receptors in Biolgy Medc

Understanding phytochemical-gene interactions provides the basis for individualized therapies to promote health as well as prevent and treat disease. The authors of Phytochemicals: Nutrient-Gene Interactions examine the interactions between phytochemicals and the human genome and discuss the impact these interactions have on health, aging, and chronic conditions such as inflammation, heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Keeping pace with the most important trends in phytochemical research, the authors accentuate the latest understanding on the use of controlled clinical trials, new screening technologies, and the completed human genome project for researching the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of phytochemicals. The book covers a balanced range of topics beginning with experimental strategies and methodologies for identifying significant interactions between diet, genetic variants, and different markers of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and obesity. Different authors explain the mechanisms of protective action that link diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a decreased risk of chronic and degenerative diseases. They also review and summarize epidemiological research on plant-based foods and dietary patterns supporting the beneficial role of phytochemicals in health promotion and disease prevention. Phytochemicals: Nutrient-Gene Interactions illustrates the growing role of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in disease prevention and in the responsible development of safe and effective phytochemical products within the food, pharmaceutical, and supplement industries. ... The focus of this book is primarily on phytochemical-gene interactions and the potential implications of those interactions for health care and research in the pharmaceutical/supplement industries. Nearly 1,000 references illustrate the role of Vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, resveratrol and other compounds in the prevention and/or amelioration of diseases such as atherosclerosis, blood lipids, blood glucose, obesity, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. ... A particularly interesting chapter is devoted to evolutionary aspects of diet. ... One of the most important differences between this book and those of the last decade is that this text proposes the innovative approach that each person will respond to dietary components in a unique and individual way, depending on his or her own genetic constitution, and identifies the analysis of dietary factors and health outcomes according to genotypes as the future direction of phytochemical research. This is a book for researchers and practitioners in nutrition science and food technology, as well as for non-specialists' concern with health and the protective action that link diet rich in certain compounds with a decreased risk of chronic and degenerative diseases. -Alejandra E. Vilela, Museo Egidio Feruglio, CONICET, Argentina, in Economic Botany, 2007, 61(2)