Editorial

We wish you a happy new year and a successful year 2019! We were busy and assembled again an interesting second issue this year for you. Main focus is on phytopharmacology and our authors address questions how diarylheptanoids from Curcuma phaeocaulis suppress parts of the immune systems, and how new semisynthetic usnic acid derivatives inhibit human tyrosyl-DNA Phosphodiesterase 1. Drug formulation of galbanic acid coated on Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles may provide new strategies for prostate cancer, what is still today an import disease to combat. To cover the analytical topic, two authors consortia describe DNA mini barcodes for the identification of species in Apiaceae family and we will learn how phenolic compounds from Fadogia agrestis will be quantified by UHPLC-PDA-MS. The editors are proud to allow open access to the paper of entitled “New Cytotoxic Cycloartane Triterpenes from the Aerial Parts of Actaea heracleifolia (syn. Cimicifuga heracleifolia)” from Quinag-Quinag Shi et al. because of the impressive structure elucidation of complex cycloartane triterpenes and antineoplastic testing. We are also proud to allow our readers open access to “Myocardial Glucose Clearance by Aspalathin Treatment in Young, Mature, and Obese Insulin-Resistant Rats” by Smit S et al. from the last year issue (02/2018). The editors still like the innovative approach of testing dihydrochalcones as innovative candidate for the treatment of obesity and diabetes as emerging diseases in our civilized world.

Prof. Dr. Dr. Oliver Kayser
Prof. Dr. Robert Fürst