Natural products such as plants, animals, marine species and minerals are a huge reservoir of chemical diversity. Plants in particular are an important source of lead molecules for drug discovery, and have long played a significant role in human health care. Plant lead molecules serve as starting materials for the laboratory synthesis of drugs, as well as a model for the production of biologically active compounds. This book reviews the techniques and processes involved in natural product research, including phytochemical processing, chromatography, tandem and non-destructive techniques and antioxidant assays. Extraction and analytical techniques play a critical role in the phytochemical processing of raw plant materials, optimizing the concentration of known constituents and maintaining activities. Extraction technologies, however, range from conventional extraction to green extraction, and analytical techniques from single technique to hyphenated/coupled techniques, with researchers requiring an understanding of all their principles and applications. Covering the technologies and techniques most frequently used in laboratories as well as international guidelines, this book provides a complete guide to the subject for researchers and students of medicinal and aromatic plants. Book jacket.