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Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 23669

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Prof. Dr. Nazim Sekeroglu

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Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Kilis 7 Aralık University, 79000 Kilis, Turkey
Interests: from nature to fields, cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs); good collection and agricultural practices of MAPs; from plant raw material to final products, good manufacturing practices and quality aspects; bioactivities of plant secondary metabolites.
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Prof. Dr. Anake Kijjoa

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ICBAS-Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar and CIMAR Universidade do Porto, 4099-003 Porto Portugal
Interests: antibacterial compounds from higher plants; marine invertebrates; soil and marine-derived fungi; cosmetic ingredients from marine resources; natural biopesticides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Sevgi Gezici

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Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Faculty of Science & Art, Kilis 7 Aralık University, 79000 Kilis, Turkey
Interests: human genetics; molecular biology of cancer; cancer genetics; apoptosis and signaling pathways; cancer proteomics; medical biology; medicinal and aromatic plants; bioactivities of plant secondary metabolites; in vivo and in vitro anticancer and antitumor research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medicinal plants are part of traditional medicines of many cultures, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Kampo medicine, and Ayurvedic medicine. Herbal medicines have been used and continue to be used to treat many diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and depression, in both developed and developing countries around the world. Moreover, the use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with no less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary healthcare. Intriguingly, the lack of effective drugs to combat COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic triggered many scientists to look for medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in many cultures to evaluate their efficacy against SARS-Cov-2 virus. This can be witnessed in a number of scientific publications during the past two years. Even now, with a successful discovery of vaccines against this virus, many countries, especially in the developing world, are still carrying out research on medicinal plants to prevent/cure COVID-19 on the grounds of a sustainable approach.

Following MESMAP-5 and MESMAP-6, which have become a very successful platform for renowned scientists and young researchers who work in various fields of medicinal and aromatic plants around the world to communicate and exchange their experiences, “The Seventh International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7)” will be organized as a hybrid event, i.e., in-person, to be held on 18–20 November 2021 at Torbalı Chamber of Commerce Meeting Halls, Torbalı, İzmir, Turkey, and also through an online platform. The MESMAP-7 scientific program covers all the aspects of MAPs and NWFPs, including agriculture and forestry, plant biotechnology, ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, herbal medicines, phytochemistry, aromatherapy, nutraceuticals, and nutricosmeceuticals. Detailed topics of the conference can be found on the conference website: http://www.mesmap.com/

This Special Issue of Molecules on “Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7)” welcomes the submission of previously unpublished manuscripts on original work on all the above aspects, including isolation, structure elucidation and biological activity of plant secondary metabolites, pharmacological study of medicinal plants and traditional medicine formulae, efficacy of natural products, safety and regulations around natural products, and natural products used in cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and veterinary medicines.

Please note that reports of known compounds from new plant sources will not generally be accepted unless they have relevant biological and pharmacological activities. Moreover, plant extracts used for in vitro and/or in vivo pharmacological studies must be characterized by analysis of their major constituents (e.g., HPLC fingerprints, HPLC-MS, GC-MS or NMR analyses). Full paper submissions to this Special Issue are expected from 1 December 2021 to 30 April 2022.

We will accept papers from the attendees and from the co-authors of the abstracts who could not attend the conference for some reasons. We will also consider the papers from well known scientists who work in the fields of the conference topics also.

Prof. Dr. Nazim Sekeroglu
Prof. Dr. Anake Kijjoa
Prof. Dr. Sevgi Gezici
Guest Editors

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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.

Published Papers (8 papers)

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14 pages, 1525 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Secondary Metabolites and Their Cytotoxic Activity of Artemisia nitrosa Weber. and Artemisia marschalliana Spreng.

by Aizhan Kazymbetova, Magzhan Amangeldi, Aliya Nurlybekova, Ulpan Amzeyeva, Kunbike Baktybala, Chun-Ping Tang, Chang-Qiang Ke, Sheng Yao, Yang Ye and Janar Jenis

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 8074; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27228074 - 21 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1496

Abstract

As a promising source of biologically active substances, the Artemisia species from Kazakhstan have not been investigated efficiently. Considering the rich history, medicinal values, and availability of the Artemisia plants, systematic investigations of two Artemisia species growing in the East Kazakhstan region were conducted. In this study, one new germacrane-type sesquiterpene lactone (11), together with 10 known sesquiterpenes and its dimer, were characterized from A. nitrosa Weber. Additionally, one new chromene derivative (1’) with another 12 known compounds, including coumarins, sesquiterpene diketones, phenyl propanoids, polyacetylenics, dihydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, fatty acids, naphthalene derivatives, flavones, and caffeic acid derivatives were isolated from A. marschalliana Spreng. All compounds were isolated and identified for the first time from these two Artemisia species. The structures of new compounds (11, 1’) were established by using UV, TOFMS, LC–MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxicity of all isolated compounds was evaluated. As a result, all compounds did not show significant inhibition against HL-60 and A-549 cell lines. The sesquiterpenoids isolated from A. nitrosa were tested for their inhibitory activity against the LPS-induced NO release from the RAW624.7 cells, and neither of them exhibited significant activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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38 pages, 7438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Traditional Use, Phytochemical Profiles and Pharmacological Properties of Artemisia Genus from Central Asia

by Aliya Nurlybekova, Aidana Kudaibergen, Aizhan Kazymbetova, Magzhan Amangeldi, Aizhamal Baiseitova, Meirambek Ospanov, Haji Akber Aisa, Yang Ye, Mohamed Ali Ibrahim and Janar Jenis

Molecules 2022, 27(16), 5128; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165128 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3944

Abstract

The flora of Kazakhstan is characterized by its wide variety of different types of medicinal plants, many of which can be used on an industrial scale. The Traditional Kazakh Medicine (TKM) was developed during centuries based on the six elements of ancient Kazakh theory, associating different fields such as pharmacology, anatomy, pathology, immunology and food nursing as well as disease prevention. The endemic Artemisia L. species are potential sources of unique and new natural products and new chemical structures, displaying diverse bioactivities and leading to the development of safe and effective phytomedicines against prevailing diseases in Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region. This review provides an overview of Artemisia species from Central Asia, particularly traditional uses in folk medicine and the recent numerous phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The review is done by the methods of literature searches in well-known scientific websites (Scifinder and Pubmed) and data collection in university libraries. Furthermore, our aim is to search for promising and potentially active Artemisia species candidates, encouraging us to analyze Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), α-glucosidase and bacterial neuraminidase (BNA) inhibition as well as the antioxidant potentials of Artemisia plant extracts, in which endemic species have not been explored for their secondary metabolites and biological activities so far. The main result of the study was that, for the first time, the species Artemisia scopiformis Ledeb. Artemisia albicerata Krasch., Artemisia transiliensis Poljakov, Artemisia schrenkiana Ledeb., Artemisia nitrosa Weber and Artemisia albida Willd. ex Ledeb. due to their special metabolites, showed a high potential for α-glucosidase, PTP1B and BNA inhibition, which is associated with diabetes, obesity and bacterial infections. In addition, we revealed that the methanol extracts of Artemisia were a potent source of polyphenolic compounds. The total polyphenolic contents of Artemisia extracts were correlated with antioxidant potential and varied according to plant origin, the solvent of extraction and the analytical method used. Consequently, oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be managed by the dietary intake of current Artemisia species. The antioxidant potentials of the species A. schrenkiana, A. scopaeformis, A. transiliensis and Artemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kitam. were also promising. In conclusion, the examination of details between different Artemisia species in our research has shown that plant materials are good as an antioxidant and eznyme inhibitory functional natural source. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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19 pages, 2917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Yakae-Prajamduen-Jamod Traditional Thai Remedy on Cognitive Impairment in an Ovariectomized Mouse Model and Its Mechanism of Action

by Supawadee Daodee, Orawan Monthakantirat, Ariyawan Tantipongpiradet, Juthamart Maneenet, Yutthana Chotritthirong, Chantana Boonyarat, Charinya Khamphukdee, Pakakrong Kwankhao, Supaporn Pitiporn, Suresh Awale, Kinzo Matsumoto and Yaowared Chulikhit

Molecules 2022, 27(13), 4310; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134310 - 05 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2377

Abstract

Cognitive impairment is a neurological symptom caused by reduced estrogen levels in menopausal women. The Thai traditional medicine, Yakae-Prajamduen-Jamod (YPJ), is a formula consisting of 23 medicinal herbs and has long been used to treat menopausal symptoms in Thailand. In the present study, we investigated the effects of YPJ on cognitive deficits and its underlying mechanisms of action in ovariectomized (OVX) mice, an animal model of menopause. OVX mice showed cognitive deficits in the Y-maze, the novel object recognition test, and the Morris water maze. The serum corticosterone (CORT) level was significantly increased in OVX mice. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were reduced, while the mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α inflammatory cytokines were up-regulated in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of OVX mice. These alterations were attenuated by daily treatment with either YPJ or 17β-estradiol. HPLC analysis revealed that YPJ contained antioxidant and phytoestrogen constituents including gallic acid, myricetin, quercetin, luteolin, genistein, and coumestrol. These results suggest that YPJ exerts its ameliorative effects on OVX-induced cognitive deficits in part by mitigating HPA axis overactivation, neuroinflammation, and oxidative brain damage. Therefore, YPJ may be a novel alternative therapeutic medicine suitable for the treatment of cognitive deficits during the menopausal transition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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19 pages, 4654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antiproliferative and Antimicrobial Effects of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Loaded Liposomes

by Irina Ielciu, Mihaela Niculae, Emoke Pall, Cristina Barbălată, Ioan Tomuţă, Neli-Kinga Olah, Ramona Flavia Burtescu, Daniela Benedec, Ilioara Oniga and Daniela Hanganu

Molecules 2022, 27(13), 3988; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27133988 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2065

Abstract

Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a species that is widely known for its culinary and medicinal uses. The purpose of the present study consisted of the evaluation of the antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects of R. officinalis-loaded liposomes (L-R). Characterization of the liposomes was performed by establishing specific parameters. The load of the obtained liposomes was analyzed using an LC-MS method, and antiproliferative assays evaluated the cell viability on a liver adenocarcinoma cell line and on a human hepatic stellate cell line. Antimicrobial assays were performed by agar–well diffusion and by broth microdilution assays. The obtained liposomes showed high encapsulation efficiency, suitable particle size, and good stability. High amounts of caffeic (81.07 ± 0.76), chlorogenic (14.10 ± 0.12), carnosic (20.03 ± 0.16), rosmarinic (39.81 ± 0.35), and ellagic (880.02 ± 0.14) acids were found in their composition, together with other polyphenols. Viability and apoptosis assays showed an intense effect on the cancerous cell line and a totally different pattern on the normal cells, indicating a selective toxicity towards the cancerous ones and an anti-proliferative mechanism. Antimicrobial potential was noticed against all tested bacteria, with a better efficacy towards Gram-positive species. These results further confirm the biological activities of R. officinalis leaf extract, and proposes and characterizes novel delivery systems for their encapsulation, enhancing the biological activities of polyphenols, and overcoming their limitations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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18 pages, 1271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Activities and Chemical Profile of Gentiana asclepiadea and Inula helenium Ethanolic Extracts

by Victoria Buza, Mihaela Niculae, Daniela Hanganu, Emoke Pall, Ramona Flavia Burtescu, Neli-Kinga Olah, Maria-Cătălina Matei-Lațiu, Ion Vlasiuc, Ilinca Iozon, Andrei Radu Szakacs, Irina Ielciu and Laura Cristina Ștefănuț

Molecules 2022, 27(11), 3560; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27113560 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2357

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potential of ethanolic extracts obtained from Gentiana asclepiadea L. and Inula helenium L. roots, in relation to their chemical composition. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were determined by spectrophotometric methods, while LC-MS analysis was used to evaluate the individual constituents. The antioxidant properties were tested using the FRAP and DPPH methods. The standard well diffusion and broth microdilution assays were carried out to establish in vitro antimicrobial efficacy and minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. The cytotoxicity was tested on rat intestinal epithelial cells using the MTT assay. The results pointed out important constituents such as secoiridoid glycoside (amarogentin), phenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, trans-p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid), and flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin, rutoside, and naringenin) and promising antioxidant properties. The in vitro antimicrobial effect was noticed towards several pathogens (Bacillus cereus > Staphylococcus aureus > Enterococcus faecalis > Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis > Escherichia coli), with a pronounced bactericidal activity. Rat intestinal epithelial cell viability was not affected by the selected concentrations of these two extracts. These data support the ethnomedicinal recommendations of these species and highlight them as valuable sources of bioactive compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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17 pages, 2070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Bark Resin Extract of Garcinia nigrolineata on Chronic Stress-Induced Memory Deficit in Mice Model and the In Vitro Monoamine Oxidases and β-Amyloid Aggregation Inhibitory Activities of Its Prenylated Xanthone Constituents

by Charinya Khamphukdee, Ibrahim Turkmani, Yutthana Chotritthirong, Yaowared Chulikhit, Chantana Boonyarat, Nazim Sekeroglu, Artur M. S. Silva, Orawan Monthakantirat and Anake Kijjoa

Molecules 2022, 27(9), 3014; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27093014 - 07 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2346

Abstract

The present study describes investigation of the effects of the bark resin extract of Garcinia nigrolineata (Clusiaceae) on the cognitive function and the induction of oxidative stress in both frontal cortex and hippocampus by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). By using behavioral mouse models, i.e., the Y-maze test, the Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT), and the Morris Water Maze Test (MWMT), it was found that the negative impact of repeated mild stress-induced learning and memory deficit through brain oxidative stress in the UCMS mice was reversed by treatment with the bark resin extract G. nigrolineata. Moreover, the prenylated xanthones viz. cowagarcinone C, cowaxanthone, α-mangostin, cowaxanthone B, cowanin, fuscaxanthone A, fuscaxanthone B, xanthochymusxanthones A, 7-O-methylgarcinone E, and cowagarcinone A, isolated from the bark resin of G. nigrolineata, were assayed for their inhibitory activities against β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation and monoamine oxidase enzymes (MAOs). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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20 pages, 5293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Laurus nobilis L. Essential Oil-Loaded PLGA as a Nanoformulation Candidate for Cancer Treatment

by Esin Ercin, Serda Kecel-Gunduz, Bahar Gok, Tugba Aydin, Yasemin Budama-Kilinc and Murat Kartal

Molecules 2022, 27(6), 1899; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27061899 - 15 Mar 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3097

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain essential oil (LNEO) from the Laurus nobilis L. plant, and to prepare LNEO-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) as an approach in cancer treatment. The components of the obtained LNEO were analyzed using GC-MS. The LNEO-NPs were synthesized by the single-emulsion method. The LNEO-NPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectrometry, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and a DNA binding assay, which was performed via the UV-Vis titration method. According to the results, the LNEO-NPs had a 211.4 ± 4.031 nm average particle size, 0.068 ± 0.016 PdI, and −7.87 ± 1.15 mV zeta potential. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were calculated as 59.25% and 25.65%, respectively, and the in vitro drug release study showed an LNEO release of 93.97 ± 3.78% over the 72 h period. Moreover, the LNEO was intercalatively bound to CT-DNA. In addition, the mechanism of action of LNEO on a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor was predicted, and its antiproliferative activity and mechanism were determined using molecular docking analysis. It was concluded that LNEO-loaded PLGA NPs may be used for cancer treatment as a novel phytotherapeutic agent-based controlled-release system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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33 pages, 10899 KiB

Open AccessReview

Uncommon Terpenoids from Salvia Species: Chemistry, Biosynthesis and Biological Activities

by Salar Hafez Ghoran, Fatemeh Taktaz, Ali Akbar Mozafari, Murat Tunçtürk, Nazim Sekeroglu and Anake Kijjoa

Molecules 2022, 27(3), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27031128 - 08 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3975

Abstract

The search for new bioactive compounds from plant sources has been and continues to be one of the most important fields of research in drug discovery. However, Natural Products research has continuously evolved, and more and more has gained a multidisciplinary character. Despite new developments of methodologies and concepts, one intriguing aspect still persists, i.e., different species belonging to the same genus can produce different secondary metabolites, whereas taxonomically different genera can produce the same compounds. The genus Salvia L. (Family Lamiaceae) comprises myriad distinct medicinal herbs used in traditional medicine worldwide that show different pharmacological activities due to the presence of a variety of interesting specialized metabolites, including mono-, sesqui-, di-, sester-, tri-, tetra-, and higher terpenoids as well as phenylpropanoids, phenolic acid derivatives, lignans, flavonoids, and alkaloids. We herein summarize the research progress on some uncommon terpenoids, isolated from members of the genus Salvia, which are well recognized for their potential pharmacological activities. This review also provides a current knowledge on the biosynthesis and occurrence of some interesting phytochemicals from Salvia species, viz. C₂₃-terpenoids, sesterterpenoids (C₂₅), dammarane triterpenoids (C₃₀), and uncommon triterpenoids (C₂₀+C₁₀). The study was carried out by searching various scientific databases, including Elsevier, ACS publications, Taylor and Francis, Wiley Online Library, MDPI, Springer, Thieme, and ProQuest. Therefore, 106 uncommon terpenoids were identified and summarized. Some of these compounds possessed a variety of pharmacological properties, such as antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, cytotoxic and tubulin tyrosine ligase inhibitory activities. Due to the lack of pharmacological information for the presented compounds gathered from previous studies, biological investigation of these compounds should be reinvestigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 7th International Mediterranean Symposium on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MESMAP-7))

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