Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy - Gums, Resins and Latexes of Plant Origin: Chemistry, Biological Activities and Uses

This series provides a platform for essential information on plant metabolites and phytochemicals, their chemistry, properties, applications, and methods.

By the strictest definition, phytochemicals are chemicals derived from plants. However, the term is often also used to describe the large number of secondary metabolic compounds found in and derived from plants. These metabolites exhibit a number of nutritional and protective functions for human wellbeing and are used e.g. as colorants, fragrances and flavorings, amino acids, pharmaceuticals, hormones, vitamins and agrochemicals.

The series offers extensive information on various topics and aspects of phytochemicals, including their potential use in natural medicine, their ecological role, role as chemo-preventers and, in the context of plant defense, their importance for pathogen adaptation and disease resistance. The respective volumes also provide information on methods, e.g. for metabolomics, genetic engineering of pathways, molecular farming, and obtaining metabolites from lower organisms and marine organisms besides higher plants. Accordingly, they will be of great interest to readers in various fields, from chemistry, biology and biotechnology, to pharmacognosy, pharmacology, botany and medicine.

The Reference Series in Phytochemistry is indexed in Scopus.

This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland

Natural gums and mucilage are plant secretions, exuding naturally or on incision or infection, which usually harden on drying and are soluble in water. Gums are polysaccharides, which are complex carbohydrates. Gums are an important ingredient in pharmaceutical preparations owing to their biodegradability, abundant availability, non-toxicity, and low cost. Gums are also known for their multifarious uses in food industries like baking, meat, fruit, and vegetables.

Resins are non-volatile products of plants from which they exude naturally (surface resins) or can be obtained by incision or infection (internal resins). They are insoluble in water but soluble in an organic solvent. They are lipid-soluble mixtures of volatile and non-volatile terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds. Plant resins are valued for the production of varnishes, adhesives, and glazing agents. They are also used as incense and perfumes.

Latexes are colloidal suspensions or emulations of water-insoluble substances suspended in an aqueous phase, which may be released on cutting a plant. They are produced in specialized internal secretary structures called laticifers. The suspensions may consist of terpenoids, phenolics, alkaloids, proteins, essential oils, and other compounds. Plant latex is a source of natural rubber that is used in the preparation of products such as gloves, condoms, and latex clothing.

With this backdrop, this book encompasses research work on bioactive compounds in natural gums, resins, and latexes across the globe to present the latest research for the enhanced appreciation of this topic. The chapters presented in this volume focus on several research subjects that have provided critical information on the natural plant-based gums, resins, and latexes, as well as their chemical composition, properties, and bioactive principles. There is a wealth of useful references that should prove to be an invaluable source for the reader. Self-explanatory illustrations and tables have been incorporated into each chapter, complementary to the main text.

I would like to thank and express my deepest gratitude to all the contributors who helped me to complete this book. I also thank Professor Jean-Michel Merillon and Professor Kishan Gopal Ramawat, Series Editors, for their constant encouragement. I thank Dr. Sylvia Blago and Johanna Klute for their support. Finally, I am thankful to the Springer team for completing this assignment successfully.