Occurrences, Structure, Biosynthesis, and Health Benefits Based on Their Evidences of Medicinal Phytochemicals in Vegetables and Fruits

Summary of these eight titles is made as follows: Chapter 1: Ginkgo biloba has long been used as a folklore medicine in China, India and these neighboring countries. Ginkgo biloba contains diverse phytochemicals such as terpene trilactones (bilobalide and ginkgolides A, B, C and J), flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. Gincholinic acid in ginkgo nuts showed very limited cytotoxicity and inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease activity to effectively suppress HIV infection; Chapter 2: Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) (Rei-shi) mycelia (MAK) can be expected to prevent or alleviate organ damage as a functional food; Chapter 3: Water soluble carotenoids of yellow plant pigment in saffron and gardenia are mainly crocetin (1) and its glycosyl ester. crocetin-MGE (3) was rapidly absorbed. Crocetin-MGE (3) is rapidly and efficiently absorbed as such and is metabolized to crocetin (1); Chapter 4: Function of 3'-epirutein (3) in total xanthophyll feeding orally in rats has been evaluated. As a result, the dose-corrected Cmax and AUC0-24h of (3R,3'R,6'R)-lutein (1) appeared to be doubled in presence of 3'-epilutein (3); Chapter 5: Green tea was examined for bilateral ovariectomized (estrogen deficient) postmenopausal rat model to affect memory, learning and cognition. Green tea showed to provide neuroprotection, and probably support neurogenesis for human health, from the perspective of histopathology; Chapter 6: Daily consumption of fruits is essential to have a daily healthy life. However, it is hard to say that they are taking enough fruits because of expensive fruit, and their consciousness of health to their fruits. However, regular fruit intake is known to reduce the incidence of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and so on. For this reason, the authors tried to prevent these lifestyle diseases by low cost unusual fruits in Africa; Chapter 7: Three kinds of vegetables inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) were selected as plant-derived functional ingredients. As a result, three uncommon vegetables showed health benefits against measles, yawning, conjunctivitis, hypertension, liver dysfunction, ocular pain, ear pain, breast cancer and other diseases; Chapter 8: The fruit of the Annonacea family has been used as a folk medicine. The main functional ingredient in Annonacea is acetogenin and its analogs. Acetogenins have been known for a wide range of effects such as antitumor action, antiparasitic action, antibacterial insecticidal action, immunosuppressive action and so on. These diverse effects of acetogenins have been suggested to be promising for the development of new drugs to treat various diseases such as lifestyle diseases.