Presently, the diverse researchers of the phenolics community invest their time and energy in a broad range of activities from the isolation and identification of new phenolic compounds from plant materials to the study of the effect and mechanism of action of known and novel phenolics in vitro and in vivo. Reflecting this diversity, the symposium covered widespread topics, with outstanding contributions ranging from isolation and identification of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, to the understanding of their health benefits.

Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research Volume 2 Edited by Santos-Buelga, Escribano-Bailon and Lattanzio Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that constitute one of the most common and widespread groups of substances in plants. Polyphenols have a large and diverse array of beneficial effects on both plants and animals. For example they are famous as antioxidants, hormones, constituents of essential oils and natural neurotransmitters. Sponsored by Groupe Polyphenols, this publication, which is the second volume in this ground-breaking series, is edited by Celestino Santos-Buelga, Maria Teresa Escribano-Bailon, and Vincenzo Lattanzio, who have drawn together an impressive list of internationally respected authors, each providing cutting edge chapters covering some of the major topics of recent research and interest. Information included in this important new addition to the series include the following areas: • Flavonoid chemistry of the leguminosae • Chemistry and biological activity of ellagitannins • Chemistry and function of anthocyanins in plants • An update of chemical pathways leading to new phenolic pigments during wine ageing • Metabolic engineering of the flavonoid pathway • The translation of chemical properties of polyphenols into biological activity with impacts in human health • Plant phenolic compounds controlling leaf movement • Biological activity of phenolics in plants Chemists, biochemists, plant scientists, pharmacognosists and pharmacologists, food scientists and nutritionists will all find this book an invaluable resource. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught should have copies on their shelves.

Recent Development in the Chemistry of Natural Phenolic Compounds covers the proceedings of the Third Plant Phenolics Group Symposium, held in April 1960. This symposium brings together important and interesting developments in the chemistry of naturally occurring phenolic compounds. This book is divided into 12 chapters that specifically concern with the biosynthesis and the determination of the structure of phenolic natural products. The first three chapters discuss the various aspects of biosynthesis and the structural and biogenetic relationships among a large number of natural products. These chapters also consider the biosynthesis of flavonoids, with particular reference to the isoflavones. The succeeding chapter highlights the variety of structures shown by phenolic compounds containing terpenoid substituents. Another chapter deals with the recent syntheses of various natural products by methods involving oxidative coupling of phenolic precursors. Other chapters are devoted to the relationship of phenolic precursors to natural biosynthetical routes. The rest of the book deals with structural investigations, which have led to the recognition of several classes of natural products. This book is of great value to organic chemists and researchers.

Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites that constitute one of the most common and widespread groups of natural products. They express a large and diverse panel of biological activities including beneficial effects on both plants and humans. Many polyphenols, from their structurally simplest representatives to their oligo/polymeric versions (also referred to as vegetable tannins) are notably known as phytoestrogens, plant pigments, potent antioxidants, and protein interacting agents. Sponsored by Groupe Polyphénols, this publication, which is the third volume in this highly regarded Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research series, is edited by Véronique Cheynier, Pascale Sarni-Manchado, and Stéphane Quideau (the current President of Groupe Polyphénols). Like their predecessors, they have once again put together an impressive collection of cutting-edge chapters written by expert scientists internationally respected in their respective field of polyphenol sciences. This Volume 3 provides the latest information and opinion on the following major research topics about polyphenols: Organic chemistry and physical chemistry Biosynthesis, genetics and metabolic engineering The role of polyphenols in plants and ecosystems Health and nutrition Analysis and metabolomics Chemists, biochemists, plant scientists, pharmacognosists and pharmacologists, biologists, ecologists, food scientists and nutritionists will all find this book an invaluable resource. Libraries in all universities and research institutions where these disciplines are studied and taught should have copies on their bookshelves.

This volume contains reviews presented at the 31 st annual meeting of the Phytochemical Society of North America, held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado on June 22-26, 1991. This symposium, entitled Phenolic Metabolism in Plants, celebrated the origin of this society as the Plant Phenolics Group of North America; the first symposium, entitled Biochemistry of Plant Phenolic Substances, was also held at Fort Collins from August 31 to September 1, 1961. A brief history of the Society is presented in Chapter 12 by Stewart Brown, one of the original founders of the Society. We dedicate this volume to Hans Grisebach, 1926-1990, Professor of Biochemistry at the Biologisches Institut II, Freiburg, Germany, where he headed for many years a laboratory responsible for major advances in the area of phenolic metabolism; this will be self evident from the numerous bibliographical references cited in the literature for papers by his Freiburg group from about 1958 until now, and subsequently by former students and colla borators. His impact on the data reviewed in this volume will testify to this.