About Book
The Text Book of Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals is a comprehensive reference that explores the scientific, clinical, and regulatory dimensions of nutraceuticals and functional foods. It begins with an introduction to nutraceuticals, offering clear definitions of functional foods, dietary supplements, and their classifications, supported with examples. The opening chapter also emphasizes the role of nutraceuticals in preventing and managing health problems such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, cancer, osteoarthritis, and stress. Public health nutrition, maternal and child nutrition, ageing, and community-based nutrition education are given equal weight, highlighting their relevance to global health.
A significant portion of the book is devoted to important natural sources of nutraceuticals such as spirulina, soybean, ginseng, garlic, broccoli, ginkgo, and flaxseeds. For each, the marker compounds, their chemical nature, medicinal uses, and health benefits are described in detail. The text further expands into phytochemicals like carotenoids, sulfides, polyphenolics, flavonoids, phytoestrogens, tocopherols, prebiotics, and probiotics. Their occurrence, characteristic features, chemical properties, and medicinal roles are explained with clarity, linking them to real-world dietary sources such as cereals, vegetables, seafoods, coffee, and tea. The book also introduces free radicals and reactive oxygen species, explaining their generation in cells and the harmful reactions they cause to lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. It elaborates on the role of free radicals in diseases like diabetes mellitus, inflammation, ischemic reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, cancer, kidney and muscle damage, as well as their impact on ageing and brain metabolism. The free radical theory of ageing is explored in depth, connecting it to lifestyle and dietary patterns. Another vital section covers antioxidants. Both endogenous and synthetic antioxidants are presented, including enzymatic defenses such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, α-lipoic acid, glutathione, and melatonin. Synthetic antioxidants such as BHT and BHA are also included, with discussion on their uses and limitations. This part of the text demonstrates how antioxidants act as a protective shield against oxidative damage, thus preventing chronic diseases. The concept of functional foods is highlighted, with discussions on their applications in chronic disease prevention and how processing, storage, and environmental factors influence their nutraceutical potential. Food safety receives special attention with detailed regulatory frameworks including FSSAI, FDA, FPO, MPO, AGMARK, HACCP, and GMPs, providing readers with a clear picture of quality and safety assurance in dietary supplements.
About Author
Mrs. Dhruti Mehta is an Assistant Professor in the field of Pharmacy, specializing in the Quality Assurance department. A gold medalist in M.Pharm, she also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics from Symbiosis. She has published one patent and holds a granted design patent. In addition to her academic contributions, she is the author of three books.
Dr. Durga Prameela Gaddam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological & Chemical Sciences at Mohan Babu University, Tirupati. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Sri Venkateswara University in 2017 and has over 12 years of teaching experience at UG, PG, and NEET levels. Her research expertise covers microbiology, bioremediation, agricultural microbiology, and nanobiotechnology, with several publications in reputed international and SCI-indexed journals. She has also contributed to four academic book chapters and successfully guided multiple capstone research projects in life sciences. A recipient of the Young Scientist Award at ICTMNT-2025, she is recognized for her innovative contributions. Dedicated to education and research, she excels as a mentor, collaborator, and scientific leader.
Mrs. Ritu Bharti is an Associate Professor at Smt. Vidyawati College of Pharmacy, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. She completed her graduation from Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, and earned her M.Pharm. in Pharmaceutics in 2010 from H.N.B. Garhwal University (Central University), Srinagar, Uttarakhand. With over 15 years of experience in teaching and research, she has guided more than 50 graduate students and 3 postgraduate students. She has also organized two national seminars and continues to contribute actively to pharmaceutical education and research. Her primary areas of interest include drug delivery systems, formulation development, and novel approaches in pharmaceutics.
Dr. Pooja Jha is presently working as an Assistant Professor at Department of Food Technology, Jain University, Bengaluru, India. She completed her B. Tech in Food Technology from West Bengal University of Technology, M. Tech in Food Science and Technology from Sambalpur University and PhD. In Food Biotechnology from the prestigious Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. Her academic achievements are complemented by hands-on industry experience and active participation in professional workshops and conferences. Her research domain includes exploring food for their essential nutrients, their health benefits, food supplements and nutrient interactions
Dr. R. Sathiyasundar is a distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Analysis and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Cheran College of Pharmacy, Cheran Institute of Health Science, Coimbatore. With over 16 years of experience in both industry and academia, he has made significant contributions to pharmaceutical sciences. He earned his Ph.D. in 2018 from Annamalai University under the prestigious UGC-BSR fellowship. Dr. Sathiyasundar holds more than four Indian patents, reflecting his innovative research. He has also authored and published five textbooks in the pharmaceutical field, serving as valuable resources for students and professionals. His expertise and dedication continue to inspire the next generation of pharmacy professionals.