Phytochemistry, the Military and Health

Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses

1st Edition - March 2, 2021
Imprint: Elsevier
Editors: Andrew G. Mtewa, Chukwuebuka Egbuna
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 1 5 5 6 - 2
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 8 2 3 2 3 0 - 9

Phytochemistry, the Military and Health: Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses comes as a response to the gap that there has for so long existed between phytochemistry and survival… Read more

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Phytochemistry, the Military and Health: Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses comes as a response to the gap that there has for so long existed between phytochemistry and survival of both service personnel and civilian communities during and after conflicts. Armed conflicts cause a lot of devastation to communities and should be avoided as much as it can be possible. The devastation is usually evident in service provisions such as Health, Education, Water, and Food among many others. Both service personnel and civilians are affected to various degrees. Facilities usually end up being physically destroyed, with no essential supplies and/or having dysfunctional systems. Going with untreated wounds, communicable and non-communicable diseases for weeks with no medical interventions due to the conflicts, disease burdens heavily weigh down on communities as well as security personnel. To make the situation even more complicated, masses of people are forced to migrate for safety and security reasons, likely going with diseases along wherever they go. In such instances, phytochemicals become handy in providing solutions from first aid, basic analgesia, antimicrobials, and the general improvement of health.

Phytochemicals are known to play a major role in the day to day management of diseases and health. There has been much research into their effectiveness as community medicines and as alternatives to conventional drugs. However, the role that phytochemicals play in the military, counterterrorism, and security has been overlooked. Phytochemistry, the Military and Health: Phytotoxins and Natural Defenses discusses the roles that phytochemicals play as friends and foes in the military, including insights aimed to help develop antidotes against phytochemicals and other chemical agents used maliciously as weapons. Filling a gap between drug discovery, security, and emergency medicine, this book describes which plants can be categorized for protection and controls, which can be helpful in times of conflicts and soon after conflicts, in military operations, and those that can be used as deterrents and as emergency medicines. Carefully designed to show the contribution that phytochemicals play in safety and security, this book is useful for researchers, regulators and anyone interested in plant chemistry.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Contributors
Part One: Role of plants in human conflict
1: Introduction to phytochemicals and the military
Abstract
1.1: Introduction
1.2: Plants and phytochemicals
1.3: Phytochemicals during conflicts in some cited wars
1.4: Postconflict needs for phytochemicals
1.5: Conclusion
2: Phytochemicals, plant toxins, and their influence in military strategies
Abstract
2.1: Introduction
2.2: Plants’ contribution to emergency medicine, potential misuse as poisons, and physical training grounds to the army/militaries
2.3: Phytochemical-based strategic decisions in politics and the military
2.4: Useful and harmful plants used during conflicts
2.5: Plant toxins and chemical warfare agents used in conflicts
2.6: Recommendations to policy regulation and use of plants during conflicts
2.7: Conclusion
3: The world’s most toxic plants service personnel should be wary about
Abstract
3.1: Introduction
3.2: Exposure to phytotoxins
3.3: Toxic effects of Phytotoxins
3.4: List of some common poisonous plants to watch out for
3.5: Personal protective equipment during operations
3.6: Conclusion and recommendations
4: Overview of the traditional systems of medicine in different continents during postwar recovery
Abstract
4.1: Introduction
4.2: Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants utilized globally
4.3: Traditional medicine in Africa
4.4: Herbalism
4.5: Spiritualism
4.6: Divination
4.7: Traditional medicine in South and East Asia
4.8: Traditional medicine in India
4.9: Traditional medicine in other continents such as South America and Northern Europe
4.10: Traditional medicine in different continents such as Asia, Africa, and America
4.11: Theories in traditional medicine
4.12: Application of traditional medicine from different continents for the treatment of waterborne diseases during and after war activities
4.13: Numerous types of factors that might be responsible for waterborne diseases during and after war activities
4.14: Modes of action of some specific metabolites containing phytochemicals that possess antimalarial activity during and after war activities
4.15: Conclusions
5: Ethnopharmacological properties of Asian medicinal plants during conflict-related blockades
Abstract
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Demography
5.3: Traditional and complementary medicine
5.4: Asian medicinal plants for the treatment of diseases
5.5: Cosmetic ethnopharmacology
5.6: Conclusion
6: Applications of phytochemicals against nerve agents in counterterrorism
Abstract
6.1: Introduction
6.2: An overview of nerve agent mode of action and pathophysiological consequences
6.3: Chemical approach to antinerve agent poisoning
6.4: The application of weak reversible AChE inhibitors
6.5: The use of stigmines as antidotes against nerve agents
6.6: Cholinesterase reactivators: Oximes and hydroxylamine
6.7: Acetylcholine receptor modulators and auxiliary neuromodulators
6.8: The potential of atropine and benzodiazepines
6.9: Chemical allosteric modulation of AChE
6.10: Direct chemical decontamination, neutralization and elimination
6.11: Application of nonbiological catalysts in the decontamination of nerve agents
6.12: The potential of metal-organic frameworks in chemical warfare degradation
6.13: Biological approach to antinerve agent poisoning
6.14: The potential of human paraoxonase 1
6.15: Recombinant and heterologously expressed antibodies against nerve agents
6.16: Future prospects
6.17: Conclusion
Part Two: Plants and phytochemicals for well-being and in emergency military intervention
7: Psychoactive plants and phytochemicals
Abstract
7.1: Introduction
7.2: Psychoactive plants
7.3: Neuroprotective plants
7.4: Antianxiety and antidepressant natural products and their derivatives
7.5: Psychoactive phytochemicals
8: Plant-based analgesics during conflicts
Abstract
8.1: Introduction to the pathophysiology of pain and analgesics
8.2: Pain and its types
8.3: Natural sources of analgesics
8.4: Conclusion
9: Important antihistaminic plants and their potential role in health
Abstract
9.1: Introduction
9.2: Phytoconstituents with reported antihistaminic activities
9.3: Antihistaminic plants
9.4: Clinical trials
9.5: Conclusion
10: Plants and phytochemicals against accidental plant skin poisoning
Abstract
10.1: Introduction
10.2: Skin poisoning and plant poisons
10.3: Injury caused by plants in accidental plant skin poisoning
10.4: Plants and phytochemicals against accidental plant skin poisoning
10.5: Conclusion
11: Plants for management of diarrhea
Abstract
11.1: Introduction
11.2: Etiology of diarrhea
11.3: Chemotherapeutic management of diarrhea
11.4: Medicinal plants in diarrhea therapy
11.5: Conclusion
12: Phytochemical solutions in the face of chemical subjection
Abstract
12.1: Introduction
12.2: Management and treatment guidelines for chemical subjection
12.3: Skin and environmental decontamination activity potential of plants
12.4: Wound healing plants
12.5: Chelating plants
12.6: Plants with antidote properties
12.7: Anticancer plants
12.8: Cholinergic plants
12.9: Antiemetic and ocular plants
12.10: Pulmonary disease management plants
12.11: Conclusion
13: Pharmafoods for body cleansing of toxic exposure to chemical and biological warfare agents
Abstract
13.1: Introduction
13.2: Selected plants for the development of pharmafoods
13.3: Modes of action of pharmafoods which could be utilized for cleansing of toxic substances
13.4: Conclusion and recommendations
14: Prevention of liver problems from adverse chemical agents by healthy nutrition and Unani dietotherapy
Abstract
14.1: Introduction
14.2: The liver as an organ to metabolize drugs and chemicals
14.3: Common chemicals and drugs which damage liver cells
14.4: Pathophysiology of toxic liver disease
14.5: Symptoms of toxic liver disease
14.6: General measures for prevention of toxic liver disease
14.7: Concept of usage of healthy nutrition in toxic liver disease
14.8: Nutritional elements helpful in preventing and treating liver problems
14.9: Use of dietotherapy (ilaj bil ghiza) of Unani medicine in the prevention and treatment of toxic liver diseases
14.10: Conclusion
15: Food allergens and how to ameliorate their effects by phytochemicals
Abstract
15.1: Introduction
15.2: Types of allergies
15.3: Food allergy
15.4: Phytochemicals an alternative remedy to food allergens
15.5: Food allergy in the army
15.6: Future perspective
15.7: Conclusions
16: Plants against malarial and typhoid fever
Abstract
16.1: Introduction
16.2: Plants from different folk medicines with proved in vitro antimalarial activity
16.3: Marine plants with antimalarial activity
16.4: Different phytoconstituents having antimalarial activities
16.5: Plants proved in vivo antimalarial activity
16.6: Plants with proven in vivo anti-typhoid activity
16.7: Conclusion
17: Plants effective against insomnia and sleep apnea
Abstract
17.1: Introduction
17.2: Conventional therapeutic approaches
17.3: Plants effective against insomnia and apnea
17.4: Conclusive remarks
18: Roles of medicinal plants in the treatment of connective tissue diseases
Abstract
18.1: Introduction
18.2: Connective tissue disease
18.3: Connective tissue restoration
18.4: Medicinal plants in the treatment of connective tissue diseases
18.5: Conclusion
19: Life-threatening diseases and conditions in the battlefield: Pyrotherapeutic perspectives
Abstract
19.1: Introduction
19.2: The history of war time diseases and plant-based therapies
19.3: Life-threatening diseases that occurred on the battlefield
19.4: The fury of infectious disease during war times
19.5: Mitigation of threatening diseases in the battlefield
19.6: Conclusion
20: Plant-based nutrition supplementation on the well-being of servicemen
Abstract
20.1: Introduction
20.2: Important definitions
20.3: Strategies to improve health through proper nutrition and physical activity
20.4: The WHO global strategy on nutrition, physical activity, and health
20.5: Nutrition standards
20.6: Rules of nutrition in the army
20.7: Proposals for nutritional standards for land forces
20.8: Proposals for nutrition standards for special forces
20.9: Discussion
20.10: Conclusions
Part Three: Management, protocols, regulation, and future perspectives of phytochemicals
21: Obesity: Causes, consequences, and disease risks for service personnel
Abstract
21.1: Epidemiology
21.2: Biochemical aspects of obesity
21.3: Psychological aspects of obesity
21.4: Hormonal response to stress
21.5: Behavioral, stress and obesity
21.6: Stress and obesity in military personals
21.7: Environmental aspects of obesity
21.8: Consumption of fast food
21.9: Food environment
21.10: Obesity: Clinical aspects
21.11: Disease risks associated with obesity
21.12: The major risks to health as a result of obesity are briefly discussed below
21.13: Conclusion
Conflict of interest
Contribution
22: Water testing for potential phytochemical contamination and poisoning
Abstract
22.1: Introduction
22.2: The defensive phytochemicals and different plant uses
22.3: Water phytocontamination, poisoning, and phytochemical linkages to water-borne infections
22.4: Analytical methods for phytochemical analysis
22.5: Conclusion
23: Identification and analysis of toxic phytochemicals
Abstract
23.1: Introduction
23.2: Toxic plants
23.3: Toxic phytochemicals
23.4: Analysis of toxic phytochemical
23.5: Conclusion
24: Molecular optimization of phytochemicals into antidotes
Abstract
24.1: Introduction
24.2: Overview of the drug development process
24.3: The development of potential therapeutics against a disease
24.4: Antidote development against other poisons (antivenom)
24.5: Further analyses
24.6: An opportunity in data sharing
24.7: Conclusion
25: Application of nanoceutical technology for fast and efficient control of illness
Abstract
25.1: Introduction
25.2: Specific examples of nanoceutical that is been used for the management of critical illness
25.3: Conclusion and recommendations
26: Water resources security and management for sustainable communities
Abstract
Acknowledgments
26.1: Introduction
26.2: Water contamination
26.3: Management technologies
26.4: Wetlands role in water purifications
26.5: Conclusions and recommendations
27: Impacts of inorganic/organic pollutants on agroecosystems and eco-friendly solutions
Abstract
Acknowledgments
27.1: Introduction
27.2: Indicators of soil degradation
27.3: Bioavailability of pollutants in soils
27.4: Soil contamination with crude oil
27.5: Green remediation techniques
27.6: Case studies of soil contamination and remediation
27.7: Promises and limitations of soil remediation
27.8: Conclusions and recommendations
28: Plant-based first aid kits for emergency response
Abstract
28.1: Introduction
28.2: History of medicinal plant use in military interventions
28.3: Effect of phytochemicals on the cognitive function well-being of military personnel
28.4: Plants as food and medicine remedies for military interventions
28.5: First aid innovations from plants
28.6: Conclusion
Index

Andrew G. Mtewa

A member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Phytochemistry Society of Europe (PSE), the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Andrew is a Medicinal Chemist trained under the Wellcome Center for Anti-infectives Research (WCAiR) at the Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee in Scotland as part of his PhD studies. He also did his PhD at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology under the Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Centre in Uganda and attended a Phytochemistry PhD summer School at Kenya’s Egerton University on a DAAD scholarship. His main area of interest is drug design and development using medicinal chemistry aspects and various computational and synthetic techniques to obtain logical hits to leads for particular biological targets from synthetic scaffolds in various libraries, de novo as well as from natural products. He did his MSc degree in Applied Chemistry (Natural Product Chemistry). He has a passion to coach and train upcoming drug discoverers to search for drugs beyond plant extracts to compound level towards optimization. Before joining the academia, Andrew served in various portfolios including but not limited to being Quality Assurance Manager for Valid Nutrition’s therapeutic foods’ factory, assistant Quality Manager (Shifts controller) for Alliance one international tobacco processors and graduate trainee for the Japanese Tobacco International (JTI), Malawi factory. He founded Leptons Scientific consultants in 2011 and has provided consultancy services in his areas of expertise to various clients. For close to a decade now, Andrew has also been researching military strategies, security and weaponry among others. He studied intelligence analysis and is trained in H2H close combat. He has published various journal articles and book chapters with various publishers such as Elsevier and is a reviewer for various journals including Systematic Reviews, Tuberculosis and of late, the African Health Sciences among others. Apart from this book, he is also the lead editor of the book ‘Poisonous Plants and Phytochemicals in Drug Discovery’ by Wiley. Currently, Andrew is a Chemistry lecturer at the Malawi University of Science and Technology in Malawi.

Affiliations and expertise

Medicinal Chemist, Chemistry Section, Department of Applied Studies, Malawi Institute of Technology, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Malawi

Chukwuebuka Egbuna

Chukwuebuka Egbuna (PhD) is a chartered chemist and academic researcher. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON), the Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NSBMB), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) (United Kingdom). Dr. Egbuna is the founder and editor of the Elsevier book series on Drug Discovery Update. The series includes books, monographs, and edited collections from all areas of drug discovery including emerging therapeutic claims for the treatment of diseases. He has published research articles in many international journals of repute and is ranked among the top 500 Nigerian scientists in SciVal/SCOPUS. He has edited more than 25 books with Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, and Taylor & Francis. His most recent book is the three volume Coronavirus Drug Discovery, published by Elsevier. Dr. Egbuna is the founder and the publishing director of IPS Intelligentsia Publishing Services.

Affiliations and expertise

Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health