This eBook is edited by Ashita Sharma, Manish Kumar, Satwinderjeet Kaur and Avinash Kaur Nagpal published on June 10, 2019.
Rapid urbanization has pressed the need to assess the environment for the presence of toxic pollutants. Evaluation of Environmental Contaminants and Natural Products: A Human Health Perspective presents a guide to tackle this challenge in two parts which represent two different approaches. The book has two themed parts. The first part of the book summarizes the alarming effects of environmental contaminants. Studies depicting the direct relationship of environmental contaminants with cancer incidence have been referenced. Scientific studies have established an inverse relation between cancer and ingestion of dietary phytoconstituents (phytochemicals) in the form of fruits, vegetables and botanical herbs. Plant products as dietary supplements can suppress contaminant toxicity by regulating the resulting reactive species and also by assisting their bodily excretion through Phase 1 and Phase 2 enzyme metabolism. The second part of the book, shifts focus to phytoconstituents which, if included in diet, can prevent the harmful effects of pollutants. Notes on the anti-mutagenic, anti-genotoxic and anti-carcinogenic potential of many plant products are referenced. The combination of information about contemporary issues of carcinogenic contaminants in the environment coupled with the references to relevant studies in this handbook will enlighten readers studying courses in environmental chemistry, toxicology, botany, and ecology about environmental toxins and help them understand specific dietary measures known to reduce the toxic impact. Researchers in the field of nutrition can also benefit from the information provided.
About The Editors:
Dr. Ashita Sharma is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences in Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, India. She has completed M.Sc. (Hons.) and PhD in Environmental Sciences from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India. Her areas of interest include soil remediation, environmental genotoxicity and biomonitoring. She has authored and articles in journals and books through publishers of international repute.
Dr. Manish Kumar is an Assistant Professor (Botany) in the Department of Biology at S.D. College, Barnala, Punjab, India. Dr. Kumar is M.Sc., M.Phil. & PhD in Botany from Guru Nanak Dev University. His areas of specialization include cancer chemoprevention, genetic toxicology, environmental mutagenesis and medicinal plants. He has published more than 30 research articles in journals and books of international repute with a cumulative impact factor of more than 35. He is a reviewer for for the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (Elsevier).
Keywords: Natural product chemistry, oncology, Agrochemicals, Bioassays biphenyls, Carcinogens, Cancer, Chromosomal aberrations, Environmental Contaminants, Pesticides, Pollutants, Toxicology, Diagnostic tools for toxins, Actinomycetes nutraceuticals phytochemicals caspases, Carcinogenicity cemoprevention, natural products, xenobiotics