Lignans are widely occurring plant compounds and are closely related to lignin, which forms the woody component of trees and other plants. The lignans are characterized by their dimeric composition from cinnamic acids, and they are attracting increasing attention as a result of their pharmacological properties. The volume surveys the chemical, biological and clinical properties of lignans as well as providing information on their isolation, purification, identification and chemical synthesis. The volume also explores fully the potential use of these compounds as antiviral and antitumour agents, and thus provides a wide-ranging survey of their pharmacology and chemistry. The text is fully documented and referenced and provides the only up-to-date compilation on this subject. The volume is suitable for research scientists in the fields of organic chemistry, biochemistry, oncology, pharmacology, toxicology and botany.

"...an excellent volume in what is beginning to look as though may turn into an excellent series." Biochemical Systematics and Ecology

"...has set a very high standard for future volumes in this series, and gets full marks for giving equal priority to the three diverse areas of research activity mentioned in the title....The authors of this volume and the series editors are all to be congratulated for their part in producing a volume that will be of outstanding interest to active lignan researchers in the fields of botany, biochemistry, chemistry, oncology, pharmacognosy, and pharmacology. I heartily recommend the purchase of this volume to these groups of scientists, for whom it will quickly become indispensable." Economic Botany

"...the authors have done an excellent job in providing a comprehensive but readable text, which is highly recommended to chemists interested in natural products." Percy S. Manchand, Journal of the American Chemical Society

"This is a comprehensive review of the chemistry and pharmocology of the 440 naturally occurring lignans, with some material on the semisynthetic derivatives etoposide and teniposide which find clinical use in cancer treatment. Given the importance and ubiquity of lignans as bioactive natural products, this is a reference work which a practicing chemist cannot afford to be without." International Journal of Pharmacology International Journal of Pharmacology