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Lipids are responsible not just for constituting cellular membrane but also for storing energy, transducing signaling, and modifying proteins. Bioactive lipids, or lipid mediators, transduce signaling as intracellular messenger like phosphoinoitides, and also regulate cell-cell communication through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are potentially valuable drug targets in many diseases. Until now, about 40 GPCRs within ~300 rhodopsin-like (class A) GPCRs, are identified as lipid GPCRs. Advances of lipid research have enabled to develop novel small molecules targeting lipid GPCRs for several diseases. Most notably, fingolimod (FTY720), a sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator, became the first FDA-approved medicine as an orally bioavailable drug for treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition to fingolimod, other drugs targeting lipid GPCRs had been developed such as latanoprost (prostaglandin F2a analogue, used for ocular hypertension and glaucoma), epoprostenol and treprostinil (prostaglandin I2 analogue, used for pulmonary arterial hypertension), montelukast and pranlukast (cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, used for asthma and allergies), etc. Novel drugs are also expected like lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor antagonist for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Drug development targeting lipid signalling pathways are backdated to more than a century, when aspirin was synthesized and selling by Bayer, while the basic mechanism of aspirin's effects (block prostanoid synthesis by inhibiting cyclooxygenases) had not been discovered until 1970s. Nowadays, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprophen are commonly used as antipyretic analgesics and available readily over-the-counter oral drugs. Both upstream and downstream enzymes, such as phospholipase A2s and prostaglandin E synthases, respectively, are also potential therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases. Recent studies of lipid metabolism expand the lipid biology field from pro-inflammatory lipid mediators to anti-inflammatory epoxy fatty acids (epoxyeicosatrienoic acids), and also omega-3 fatty acid-derived pro-resolving lipid mediators (lipoxin, resolvin, and neuroprotectin). These bioactive lipids, their metabolic pathways and receptors are of great interest in developing next-generation anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving drugs for a wide variety of diseases including. This book summarizes not only historical overview of lipid signaling pathways but also provides summary of cutting-edge studies that may provide some hints of novel “druggable” lipid signaling targets.

•This medical reference book offers unparalleled coverage and expert guidance on lipidology in a straightforward, lucid and user-friendly format. •Divided into 30 chapters covering the complex subject of Lipidology from basic science to pathogenesis of disease, risk assessment and the latest therapy options. •Up-to-date chapters on International Lipid Guidelines, diet, exercise, pharmacological therapies such as statins, role of non-statin therapies, combination therapy and evolving targets of therapy such as PCSK9 inhibition. •Management of Dyslipidemia in special population such as children and adolescents, women and the elderly, HIV patients, patients with diabetes, thyroid and pregnancy have been discussed in detail. •Written by experts with vast knowledge and clinical experience. •A must read for all the clinicians in medicine, lipidologists, endocrinologists and post graduate students.

Lipid Nanoparticles: Advances in Research and Applications provides a review of the main types of lipid-based drug nanoparticles such as nanoemulsions, self-emulsifying drug release systems, liposomes, lipid nanocapsules, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers. The authors describe the advantages of using solid lipid nanoparticles in the treatment of infectious diseases that affect various organs located in areas of the body which are difficult to treat with common pharmaceutical formulations. Recent findings regarding solid lipid nanoparticles and their implications in breast cancer are summarized. Additionally, the therapeutic efficacy of solid lipid nanoparticlefor overcoming multi-drug-resistance in breast cancer is highlighted.

Lipids are an integral part of cell membrane architecture, are intermediaries in cell metabolism, and are involved in transmitting cell signals from hormones, growth factors and nutrients. A number of lipases and phospholipases, lipid kinases, lipid phosphatases, sphingosine kinases, and their reaction products have been implicated in fundamental cellular processes including cell proliferation, division and migration. These enzymes and their products underlie the molecular mechanisms of numerous human diseases, in particular metabolic disease (diabetes), cancer, neurodegenerative disease and cardiovascular disease.Over the last decade, studies have advanced to the point that a number of inhibitors for these enzymes have been developed to attempt to ameliorate these conditions; some of the inhibitors are currently in human clinical trial. The need for this book is to review the current status of this field and the prospect for the inhibitors to be clinically important.

This book highlights how terpenoids act as biological messengers and can be used as medicine against liver disease, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, and inflammatory diseases. It emphasizes the metabolic engineering approach of terpenoids production and their toxicity.

Fighting Multidrug Resistance with Herbal Extracts, Essential Oils and their Components offers scientists a single source aimed at fighting specific multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoans, viruses and fungi using natural products. This essential reference discusses herbal extracts and essential oils used or under investigation to treat MDR infections, as well as those containing antimicrobial activity that could be of potential interest in future studies against MDR microorganisms. The need to combat multidrug-resistant microorganisms is an urgent one and this book provides important coverage of mechanism of action, the advantages and disadvantages of using herbal extracts, essential oils and their components and more to aid researchers in effective antimicrobial drug discovery - Addresses the need to develop safe and effective approaches to coping with resistance to all classes of antimicrobial drugs - Provides readers with current evidence-based content aimed at using herbal extracts and essential oils in antimicrobial drug development - Includes chapters devoted to the activity of herbal products against herpes, AIDS, tuberculosis, drug-resistant cancer cells and more

With contributions by numerous experts

This volume contains a comprehensive overview of peptide-lipid interactions by leading researchers. The first part covers theoretical concepts, experimental considerations, and thermodynamics. The second part presents new results obtained through site-directed EPR, electron microscopy, NMR, isothermal calorimetry, and fluorescence quenching. The final part covers problems of biological interest, including signal transduction, membrane transport, fusion, and adhesion.Key Features• world-renowned experts• state-of-the-art experimental methods• monolayers, bilayers, biological membranes • theoretical aspects and computer simulations• rafts• synaptic transmission• membrane fusion• signal transduction

This volume contains a comprehensive overview of peptide-lipid interactions by leading researchers. The first part covers theoretical concepts, experimental considerations, and thermodynamics. The second part presents new results obtained through site-directed EPR, electron microscopy, NMR, isothermal calorimetry, and fluorescence quenching. The final part covers problems of biological interest, including signal transduction, membrane transport, fusion, and adhesion.Key Features• world-renowned experts• state-of-the-art experimental methods• monolayers, bilayers, biological membranes • theoretical aspects and computer simulations• rafts• synaptic transmission• membrane fusion• signal transduction

Self-assembly monolayer (SAM) structures of lipids and macromolecules have been found to play an important role in many industrial and biological phenomena. This book describes two procedures, namely the STM and AFM, that are used to study SAMs at solid surfaces. K.S. Birdi examines the SAMs at both liquid and solid surfaces by using the Langmuir monolayer method. This book is intended for researchers, academics and professionals.

Medicinal Chemistry: Lipid Pharmacology, Volume 2 focuses on the effects of drugs on lipid metabolism. This book explores the methodology in lipid chemistry by which transport and release mechanisms can be investigated very effectively by the use of drugs. Organized into 12 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the total lipid fraction that can be isolated from tissues by any one of many solvent extraction procedures. This text then defines atherosclerosis disease and explores the studies in experimental atherosclerosis, which are designed to better understand the progression of this disease in humans. Other chapters discuss the inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis and examine the pathways involved in the synthesis of other classes of lipids. This book describes as well all drugs known to influence steroid metabolism in humans and other mammals. The final chapter deals with the biological activity of a substance, which is determined by several factors. Chemists, biochemists, and pharmacologists will find this book extremely useful.