Preface

The late Professor Hideaki Matsuda of Kindai University died in April, 2017. It was a great sadness to me to lose a great mentor. I worked with him for almost 9 years in the same laboratory in the Faculty of Pharmacy at Kindai University and learned that there are natural plant resources yet to be discovered as effective agents for people’s quality of life.

Professor Matsuda received his BS from Kindai University and continued with his research under the supervision of Professor Michinori Kubo, who majored in Kampo medicine (ancient Chinese medicine developed in Japan). Through his research, Professor Kubo found that the “Oketsu” (stagnation of blood) condition is the basis of all diseases and disorders. Professor Matsuda built up an in vivo assay system for evaluating Oketsu and evaluated various crude drugs used in Japan. Among them, he studied extensively ginseng (dried root of Panax ginseng), demonstrating that it is a potent agent for improvement of blood fluidity. On the other hand, Professor Matsuda investigated immature citrus fruits, especially Citrus unshiu, which possess anti-allergy activities in vivo. This discovery led the 2 professors to establish the first venture company at Kindai University, A Pharma Kindai. Co. Ltd. Professor Matsuda was its chairman and he continued his research seeking effective agents from natural plant resources that would save people’s lives. He published more than 200 original papers, 30 books, and 15 patents throughout his life.

This special collection of Natural Product Communications is dedicated to enthusiastic research on the discovery of pharmacological activities of natural products by Professor Matsuda. I am grateful to contributors for submitting valuable and precious manuscripts. In addition, I would like to thank Dr Pawan K. Agrawal, the chief editor of the journal, for giving me a chance to organize this special collection.

I hope that this special collection will bring us the eternal memory of Professor Matsuda’s dedication to natural product research.

From Osaka Japan, in full bloom of hydrangea.