Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spies have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate bioactive compounds from herbs and spices and perform chemical analyses, which can be used to develop medicines to treat different diseases. This book series is a compilation of current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs is essential reading for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are common part of regional diets and folk medicine. The first volume of this series features the following reviews: 1. Saffron: The Golden Spice 2. The Effect of Crocus sativous (Saffron) on Respiratory System, Traditional and Experimental Evidences 3. Nutraceutical Activities of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its Bioactive Constituent Curcumin 4. Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities of Turmeric and its Active Ingredient Curcumin, and Mechanism of Action 5. Strategies for Enhancement of Bioavailability and Bioactivity of Curcumin 6. Effect of Curcumin on the Diversity of Gut Microbiota 7. Turmeric and Inflammatory Diseases: An Overview of Clinical Evidence 8. Pre-Clinical/Animal Studies Conducted on Turmeric and Curcumin and Their Formulations