Preface

This book, “The Role of Nutraceuticals in Degenerative Diseases,” offers scientific information on the significance of nutraceuticals and their potential roles in the management, treatment, and prevention of degenerative diseases. Degenerative diseases are conditions characterized by continuous, deteriorating cell changes that worsen over time, ultimately affecting various vital tissues or organs. The risk factors for degenerative diseases are identified as aging, genetic predisposition, exposure to chemicals and toxins, and viral infections. Other factors like excessive smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, either lack of or strenuous physical activity, autoimmune processes, and enduring inflammation may also contribute. Some of the degenerative diseases can be symptomatically relieved, but not always. However, treatments may help improve signs and symptoms, relieve intense pain, and improve the patient's mobility. In this book, we have attempted to cover the degenerative diseases of the respiratory tract, neurodegenerative diseases, and degenerative kidney diseases. A chapter is also based on potential nutraceuticals identified through in-silico studies.

The word "nutraceutical" is a combination of the words "pharmaceuticals" and "nutrition," which encompasses a wide range of bioactive substances found in food. Nutraceuticals are food-derived products with nutritional value that also have therapeutic, disease-prevention, or health-promoting qualities. In today’s era, there is considerable interest in nutraceuticals due to their potential medicinal benefits, safety, and nutritional value. The necessity for a so-called "Healthy Diet" has become apparent to people worldwide as our understanding of how food affects human health has deepened over the past several decades. This book's first chapter covered the fundamentals of nutraceuticals. The health benefits of nutraceuticals in relation to various degenerative diseases are discussed later and will be covered in more detail in the subsequent chapters. The many degenerative diseases are covered in the upcoming chapters, along with nutraceutical therapy methods. Degenerative disease is the outcome of a persistent process involving degenerative cell alterations that harm tissues or organs, causing them to deteriorate more rapidly over time. Toxins, chemicals, viruses, medical problems, heredity, and other factors can all cause degenerative diseases.

The chapter contributors to this book are respected authors and professionals from reputable institutions worldwide. To ensure that even the general public can understand, the chapters are thoughtfully written in simple English. Authors may learn what to eat and why to utilize specific dietary supplements or foods from this book. We hope that this book will be both useful and instructive for all readers. As we welcome your opinions, may the work we put into creating this book illuminate your never-ending pursuit of knowledge.

Finally, we invite readers to share their comments, valuable criticisms, and helpful suggestions for the continuous improvement of the book.