This book delivers a clear and authoritative guide to the chemistry of natural products and their central role in pharmaceutical sciences. Readers gain a practical understanding of how bioactive compounds are sourced from plants, isolated, and structurally characterized using modern chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. By connecting primary and secondary metabolism to real-world drug discovery, the volume builds a strong conceptual foundation for exploring nature as a reservoir of therapeutic agents.
Across expertly curated chapters, the book explains key classes of secondary metabolites—phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids—and shows how their structures relate to biological activity. It further examines biogenetic pathways and structure–activity relationships, equipping readers to interpret current research and design informed experimental strategies.
In addition to core chemistry, the text addresses practical considerations such as extraction methods, analytical workflows, and quality control in herbal medicines. This integrated approach helps readers bridge theory and application, from laboratory techniques to pharmaceutical relevance.
Ideal for advanced students, researchers, and professionals, this book enables readers to navigate the complexity of natural product chemistry with confidence—whether to support study, inform research, or advance drug development grounded in natural sources.

Manuel Londa Vueba is a postdoctoral researcher in Quality Control of Solid Pharmaceutical Forms at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon. He also held a postdoctoral fellowship in “Analysis of Drug/Excipient Interactions through Spectrophotometric and Chromatographic Analytical Methods” at the R&D Unit of Molecular Chemistry and Physics of the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra. He holds a PhD in Pharmacy, with a specialization in Pharmaceutical Technology, from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, and a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Chemistry-Pharmacy of the Central University “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba. He is a Full Professor at the Institute of Health Sciences (ICISA) of Agostinho Neto University (UAN) and currently serves as President of ISPP-Kilamba. His research interests focus on understanding drug–excipient interactions. Throughout his academic and scientific career, he has made significant contributions to the training of pharmaceutical professionals in Angola.

Luis Alberto Torres Gómez holds a degree in Chemical Sciences from the Central University “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas (UCLV), completed in 1991. He obtained a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and was promoted to Assistant Professor in 2006. He currently develops his academic and scientific activities at the University of Havana. His research focuses on the application of molecular modeling, QSAR/QSPR (quantitative structure–activity and structure–property relationships), and computational drug design, with particular emphasis on predicting the biological activity, toxicity, and physicochemical properties of compounds of pharmaceutical and environmental interest. In recognition of his academic and scientific contributions, he has received several awards, including the Recognition Award for Scientific Research Results from the Cuban Academy of Sciences (2006), as well as the “José Tey” Medal and the Medal for Cuban Education.

Jayanta Kumar Patra, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Republic of Korea. He has more than 14 years of research experience in pharmacology and nanobiotechnology. His current research focuses on nanoparticle synthesis using green technology methods and their biomedical applications, including the green synthesis of nanoparticles from food waste, agricultural waste, and plant materials. He is recognized in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list published by Stanford University. Dr. Patra has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, approximately 47 book chapters, and has edited 25 books in nanotechnology, pharmacology, biomedicine, and food science. He serves on the editorial boards of more than 10 international journals.

Ana Rita Ramalho Figueiras is an Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra and a researcher at REQUIMTE/LAQV. She obtained her degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and her PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Coimbra. Her research focuses on innovative drug delivery systems, nanotechnology, cyclodextrins, polymeric micelles, and advanced pharmaceutical formulations, with applications in cancer therapy and rare diseases. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and has contributed extensively to the development of nanomedicine and pharmaceutical technology. Through her research, teaching, and supervision activities, she has established an internationally recognized profile in pharmaceutical sciences, particularly in the design and optimization of advanced drug delivery platforms.