Plant essential oils have been used for centuries in the preparation of cosmetic fragrances and food flavours, as well as in traditional medicines as therapeutic remedies. In recent years they have been attracting the renewed interest of both the scientific community and the general public. Their use in different aspects of human life is generally regarded as being part of a healthier, natural-oriented life style. On the other hand, a wealth of scientific studies has been documenting their biological properties, particularly associated with their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, although additional medicinal properties have also been brought to light. This book offers an up-to-date examination of scientific literature on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of main dietary essential oils from all over the world, together with a general introduction to their chemistry, classification, bio-synthetic origin, preparation and analysis.

Methamphetamine abuse is a significant problem in the United States. It is used by nearly 530,000 Americans ages 12 and older, but the effects are devastating to family and friends of addicts. In this book, the authors present topical research on the abuse, health effects and treatment options of methamphetamine. Some of the topics discussed include the effects of methamphetamine exposure during brain development on cognition and markers of cognitive function; what rodent activity can tell us about methamphetamine abuse; sigma receptors as a potential target for methamphetamine abuse and dependence and methods for confirmatory analysis of methamphetamine in biological samples.