Contents

### **Preface XI**


### **Section 4 Regulation of Secondary Metabolites Production 113**

#### Chapter 7 **Microbial Biotransformation for the Production of Steroid Medicament 115** Rutuja Rokade, Selvan Ravindran, Pooja Singh and Jitendra K. Suthar

Preface

Metabolites are the intermediate products of metabolism. Metabolites have various func‐ tions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, cat‐ alytic activity of their own, defense, and interactions with other organisms. A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. A secon‐ dary metabolite is not directly involved in those processes but usually has an important eco‐ logical function. They are found in microorganisms, plants, and animals. Herbal plants, animals, and microorganisms such as bacteria, actinobacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi, and al‐ gae have attracted more attention in research that has led to the discovery of secondary me‐ tabolites. The exploration of secondary metabolites from various resources subsequently led to the development of drugs for the treatment of human diseases of microbial origin. Rou‐ tine screening of natural resources will introduce novel secondary metabolic products with

This book consists of an introductory overview of secondary metabolites, which are classi‐ fied into four main sections: microbial secondary metabolites, plant secondary metabolites, secondary metabolites through tissue culture technique, and regulation of secondary metab‐ olite production. This book provides a comprehensive account on the secondary metabolites of microorganisms, plants, and the production of secondary metabolites through biotechno‐ logical approach like the plant tissue culture method. The regulatory mechanisms of secon‐ dary metabolite production in plants and the pharmaceutical and other applications of various secondary metabolites are also highlighted. The 8 chapters have been contributed by the authors around the world, including Austria, Portugal, Malaysia, the United Kingdom,

This book is considered as necessary reading for microbiologists, biotechnologists, biochem‐ ists, pharmacologists, and botanists who are doing research in secondary metabolites. It should also be useful to MSc students, MPhil and PhD scholars, scientists, and faculty mem‐ bers of various science disciplines. We are thankful to all the contributors for their valuable work. We offer our special thanks and appreciation to Ms. Ivana Glavic, Publishing Process Manager/Author Service Manager, for her encouragement and help in bringing out the book

We also thank Dr. D. Dhanasekaran, Bioprocess Technology Laboratory, Bharathidasan Uni‐ versity, Tiruchirappalli, India, for his valuable suggestions. We are also indebted to Intech Open and Bharathidasan University for their concern, efforts, and support in the task of

**Ramasamy Vijayakumar and Suresh S.S. Raja**

Bharathidasan University Constituent College

Department of Microbiology

Tamilnadu, India

a high pharmaceutical value. Thus, this book is very apt and needed.

India, Sri Lanka, and the United States.

in the present form.

publishing this volume.
