Role of Dietary Fibers and Nutraceuticals in Preventing Diseases

About the Book This book accounts for various sources of nutraceuticals and dietary fibers in our diet and their systematic mechanism of actions independent of the time old components of the so called balanced diet of yesteryears. Further these nutraceuticals and dietary fibers function as agents for detoxifications, reducing blood cholesterol and preventing CHD and Cancer.   Many physicians of various systems are of the opinion that diet is medicine, but only a few are able to explain the role of various nutraceuticals as immunomodulators (in a way as oral vaccines), antioxidants, antivirals, anticarcinogenics, antiatherogenics, antidiabetics,antithrombogenics, antiaging, fibrinolytic, hepatoprotective, radioprotective, and vasodilatory agents.   This is the first comprehensive approach on the role of dietary fiber and nutraceuticals (nutritional medicines present in functional foods). The involvement of the six classes of nutraceuticals viz; terpenes, carotenoids, phytosterols, polyphenols, flavonoids, and theols, as essential components of a healthy diet are an armour against diseases. The compounds present in onions, garlic, cabbage, soybeans and coccinia indica are actually members of nutraceuticals and are described elaborately in this book. Contents1. Dietary Fiber and Essential Macronutrient 2. Sources of Nutraceuticals and the Chemistry of their Functions 3. Terpenes, Carotenoids and Phytosterols 4. Phenolics of the Functional Foods 5. Nutraceuticals of Alliums 6. Nutraceuticals Vs Diseases 7. Role of Allium Principles as Anticancer Agents 8. Cancer and Ageing – Causation and Prevention 9. Laboratory Experiment 10. Certain Functional Foods in the Prevention of Diseases About the Authors K.T.Augusti, MSc.,PhD is Fellow of the Kerala Academy of Sciences and retired Prof. and Head, Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Health Sciences, Kannur University, Thalassery Campus, Kerala, India. He was also former Prof. of Biochemistry of Kerala and M.G.Universities, Kerala and Common Wealth Academic Staff Fellow, University of New Castle Upon Tyne, U.K. He has 41 years of teaching experience. He delivered Key Note address on Allium at the International Conference on Allium Principles at Georgia (2000) and Beijing (2004), a major thrust on the antidiabetic and antiatherogenic affects of Garlic and Onion oils. Presented paper at the International Congress of Chemistry at Amsterdam, Holland in 1985. He also presented papers at various National Conferences of Indian Society of Atherosceloris for Research and Society of Biological Chemists of India.P.Faizal, M.Sc. and K.Suneesh, M.Sc are Lecturers in Medical Biochemistry, School of Health Sciences, Kannur University, Thalassery Campus, Kerala. Both have presented papers in National Seminar at Kannur University on Evaluation of Nutraceuticals that prevent diseases. Mr. Faizal published a paper on Nutraceuticals in Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Mr. Suneesh presented paper on Protein Chemistry at Bharathiar University.Paul Augustine, MBBS, MS and Fellow NCI (USA) is Associate Prof. and Surgical Oncologist at Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvanantapuram, Kerala. He presented and published papers in National and International Conferences.Regi Jose, MD DPH, DNB is working as Asst. Prof. of Community Medicine, Dr.Somervelli Memorial CSI Medical College, Karakonam, Thiruvanantapuram, Kerala. He presented and published several papers in National and International Conferences.