Recent Advances in Chalcone Chemistry

The treatment of bacterial infections remains a challenging therapeutic problem because of emerging infectious diseases and the increasing number of multidrug-resistant microbial pathogens. Emergence of old and new antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains in the last decades constitutes a substantial need for new classes of anti-bacterial agents. Majority of natural or synthetic chalcones are highly biologically active with great pharmaceutical and medicinal applications. There is a growing interest in the pharmacological potential of chalcones which constitutes an important group of natural and synthetic products that have been screened for a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Their antioxidant properties, cytostatic effects in tumorigenesis and ability to inhibit a broad spectrum of enzymes have led researchers to regard these compounds as potential anticarcinogens and cardio protective agents. This book focuses on the current trends on the structure, reactivity and medicinal applications of chalcones.