Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 3635

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yilin You

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: anthocyanins; phenolic acids; flavanols; anti-obesity; prevention of cancer; boost immunity; gut microbiome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Tingting Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: fruit; juice; wine; processing; nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant food raw materials and plant-based foods are rich in nutrients and nutritional and functional factors, being favored by consumers and widely concerned by scholars worldwide. This Special Issue aims to highlight the bioactive compounds in plant extraction and their health effects and mechanisms. This Special Issue's topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Research on new methods for extracting and identifying plant active components.
The functional properties of plant food raw material and plant-based foods and their core bioactive compounds’ excavation.
Excavation of new bioactive compounds in plant food raw material and plant-based foods.
The absorption and metabolism of bioactive compounds in plant food raw material and plant-based foods.
Functional evaluation and molecular mechanism of bioactive components in plant food raw material and plant-based foods.

Dr. Yilin You
Dr. Tingting Ma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

bioactive compounds
plant extraction
methods for extracting and identifying
absorption and metabolism
functional evaluation and molecular mechanism

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 2730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Active Ingredients in Alcoholic Beverages and Their De-Alcoholized Counterparts on High-Fat Diet Bees: A Comparative Study

by Guanghe Fan, Xiaofei Wang, Cuicui Gao, Xiping Kang, Huimin Xue, Weidong Huang, Jicheng Zhan and Yilin You

Molecules 2024, 29(8), 1693; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29081693 - 09 Apr 2024

Viewed by 354

Abstract

The mechanisms by which alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and their de-alcoholized derivatives affect animal physiology, metabolism, and gut microbiota have not yet been clarified. The polyphenol, monosaccharide, amino acid, and organic acid contents of four common alcoholic beverages (Chinese Baijiu, beer, Chinese Huangjiu, and wine) and their de-alcoholized counterparts were analyzed. The research further explored how these alcoholic beverages and their non-alcoholic versions affect obesity and gut microbiota, using a high-fat diet bee model created with 2% palm oil (PO). The results showed that wine, possessing the highest polyphenol content, and its de-alcoholized form, particularly when diluted five-fold (WDX5), markedly improved the health markers of PO-fed bees, including weight, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels in blood lymphocytes. WDX5 treatment notably increased the presence of beneficial microbes such as Bartonella, Gilliamella, and Bifidobacterium, while decreasing Bombilactobacillus abundance. Moreover, WDX5 was found to closely resemble sucrose water (SUC) in terms of gut microbial function, significantly boosting short-chain fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide metabolism, and associated enzymatic pathways, thereby favorably affecting metabolic regulation and gut microbiota stability in bees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 5157 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oxyresveratrol Improves Cognitive Impairments and Episodic-like Memory through Modulating Neuroinflammation and PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway in LPS-Induced Mice

by Guangling Yin, Chunxing Pan, Hong Liu, Changzhi Dong, Xia Chang, Wei Zhou, Shanshan Wang and Zhiyun Du

Molecules 2024, 29(6), 1272; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29061272 - 13 Mar 2024

Viewed by 611

Abstract

Oxyresveratrol is one of the active ingredients derived from mulberry branch with strong anti-inflammatory bioactivity. In this research, we want to explore if oxyresveratrol can improve cognitive impairments and episodic-like memory and its mechanism. In LPS-induced BV-2 cells, 25 μM OXY can significantly inhibit the expression of NO and alter the M1/M2 polarization by regulating M1/M2 phenotype makers. In vivo, OXY (50, 100 mg/kg) significantly reversed cognitive impairments and alleviated neuronal injuries caused by neuroinflammation. According to network pharmacology analysis, OXY alleviated neuroinflammation via the PI3K-Akt pathway. In general, the research revealed that OXY can improve cognitive impairments and episodic-like memory through alleviating LPS-induced neuroinflammation and regulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 15893 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immunocytochemical Analysis of Crocin against Oxidative Stress in Trigeminal Sensory Neurons Innervating the Cornea

by Cristina Sánchez-Fernández, Susana Del Olmo-Aguado, Enol Artime, Alberto Barros, Luis Fernández-Vega Cueto, Jesús Merayo-Lloves and Ignacio Alcalde

Molecules 2024, 29(2), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020456 - 17 Jan 2024

Viewed by 689

Abstract

Corneal diseases are a major cause of vision loss, often associated with aging, trauma and disease. Damage to corneal sensory innervation leads to discomfort and pain. Environmental stressors, such as short-wavelength light, can induce oxidative stress that alters mitochondrial function and affects cell and tissue homeostasis, including corneal innervation. Cellular antioxidant mechanisms may attenuate oxidative stress. This study investigates crocin, a derivative of saffron, as a potential antioxidant therapy. In vitro rat trigeminal sensory ganglion neurons were exposed to both sodium azide and blue light overexposure as a model of oxidative damage. Crocin was used as a neuroprotective agent. Mitochondrial and cytoskeletal markers were studied by immunofluorescence analysis to determine oxidative damage and neuroprotection. In vivo corneal innervation degeneration was evaluated in cornea whole mount preparations using Sholl analyses. Blue light exposure induces oxidative stress that affects trigeminal neuron mitochondria and alters sensory axon dynamics in vitro, and it also affects corneal sensory innervation in an in vivo model. Our results show that crocin was effective in preserving mitochondrial function and protecting corneal sensory neurons from oxidative stress. Crocin appears to be a promising candidate for the neuroprotection of corneal innervation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Volatile Components and Assessment of Antioxidant Potential in Seven Lamiaceae Plant Hydrosols

by Ziwei Xin, Wenjia Wang, Weizong Yang, Yajie Li, Lixin Niu and Yanlong Zhang

Molecules 2024, 29(1), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010145 - 26 Dec 2023

Viewed by 794

Abstract

Aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, especially of the genus Thymus, have promising antioxidant applications in pharmacology, medicine, food, cosmetology, and aromatherapy. Hydrosols (HDs) were extracted by hydrodistillation from seven species of Lamiaceae, including Thymus vulgaris, Thymus mongolicus, Mentha × piperita, Melissa officinalis, Rosmarinus officinali, Salvia elegans, and Leonurus artemisia. In total, 369 volatile components were determined and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Among them, alcohols (2.86–28.48%), ethers (2.46–10.69%), and phenols (0.11–21.78%) constituted a large proportion, mainly linalool (0.28–19.27%), eucalyptol (0.16–6.97%), thymol (0–19.54%), and carvacrol (0–26.82%). Multivariate statistical analyses were performed and 27 differential metabolites were screened. Three different methods (ABTS^+•, DPPH^•, and FRAP) were used to determine the in vitro antioxidant activity of seven HDs. Thymus vulgaris hydrosols (Tv HDs) and Thymus mongolicus hydrosols (Tm HDs) had the strongest antioxidant activity and their stronger antioxidant capacity was related to their high levels of phenolic constituents, mainly thymol. The antioxidant activity of the other five Lamiaceae HDs was associated with their high alcohol (mainly linalool and eucalyptol) content, and the alcohol constituents may synergistically affect their antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the present study suggests that Lamiaceae plants can be utilized as antioxidant products or antioxidants in different industrial sectors including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and agrochemicals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 8386 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploring Four Atraphaxis Species: Traditional Medicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities

by Alima Abilkassymova, Aknur Turgumbayeva, Lazzat Sarsenova, Kuanysh Tastambek, Nazym Altynbay, Gulnar Ziyaeva, Ravil Blatov, Gulmira Altynbayeva, Kuralay Bekesheva, Gulzhamal Abdieva, Perizat Ualieva, Zhanserik Shynykul and Assem Kalykova

Molecules 2024, 29(4), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29040910 - 19 Feb 2024

Viewed by 862

Abstract

Atraphaxis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae, with approximately 60 species. Species of Atraphaxis are much-branched woody plants, forming shrubs or shrubby tufts, primarily inhabiting arid zones across the temperate steppe and desert regions of Central Asia, America, and Australia. Atraphaxis species have been used by diverse groups of people all over the world for the treatment of various diseases. However, their biologically active compounds with therapeutic properties have not been investigated well. Studying the biologically active components of Atraphaxis laetevirens, Atraphaxis frutescens, Atraphaxis spinosa L., and Atraphaxis pyrifolia is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it can unveil the therapeutic potential of these plants, aiding in the development of novel medicines or natural remedies for various health conditions. Understanding their bioactive compounds enables scientists to explore their pharmacological properties, potentially leading to the discovery of new drugs or treatments. Additionally, investigating these components contributes to preserving traditional knowledge and validating the historical uses of these plants in ethnomedicine, thus supporting their conservation and sustainable utilization. These herbs have been used as an anti-inflammatory and hypertension remedies since the dawn of time. Moreover, they have been used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal disorders and problems related to skin in traditional Kazakh medicine. Hence, the genus Atraphaxis can be considered as a potential medicinal plant source that is very rich in biologically active compounds that may exhibit great pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiulcer, hypoglycemic, wound healing, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, and so on. This study aims to provide a collection of publications on the species of Atraphaxis, along with a critical review of the literature data. This review will constitute support for further investigations on the pharmacological activity of these medicinal plant species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Study on the Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extraction)

► Show Figures