Pharma-Nutrition

Nutrition has the primary goal to maintain, or if possible to improve, health.
Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, are generally developed to treat, cure
or to prevent diseases [1]. In the last few years the disciplines of pharma and
nutrition have evolved separately. Nonetheless, worldwide increased incidence of
complex multifactorial disorders, particularly chronic and degenerative diseases
and their growing burden in modern society have narrowed the gap between
pharmacology and nutrition science [2]. Hence, multifactorial diseases probably
require multi-pathway understanding and multi-targeting approaches which might
lead to compound combinations [2]. This rediscovered common ground between
the complementary values of pharma and nutrition can be conceptualized in the
term “pharma-nutrition.” In this respect, functional foods or dietary supplements,
i.e., those that carry substantial health claims, can be helpful in reducing health risk
factors and may thereby prevent chronic diseases [1]. Various chapters in this book
highlight the aspects of molecular characteristics of food ingredients towards
clinical effectiveness and relevance.