Preface

Bioactive compounds are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, food processing, and drug, nutraceutical, and cosmetic manufacturing, among others. This book examines how to obtain bioactive compounds from different sources and their potential industrial uses. New and sophisticated techniques are used for obtaining bioactive compounds from different sources such as plants, marine life, and microorganisms. Currently, researchers are investigating the utilization of fruit and vegetable wastes as good and cheap sources of bioactive compounds. The bioactive compounds possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antidepressant properties. The biological activity of these compounds is based on the lead or privileged scaffolds present in their structure. These different scaffolds include indole, purine, chromone, coumarin, benzothiophene, lactone, and so on, and can be modified into multiple molecules for different bioactivities. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are an example of containing lactone as a privileged scaffold. The -lactone ring, usually with an -methylene group, is a significant characteristic of SLs. Their molecular structure may present hydroxyls, esterified hydroxyls, or epoxide groups. These bioactive molecules have direct potent effects on human health.

> **Kavita Sharma** Idaho State University, United States of America

> > **Kanchan Mishra** Yeungnam University, South Korea

**Kula Kamal Senapati** Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India

**Corina Danciu** Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania
