Antioxidants from Natural Sources: Identification and Biological Activities

Dear Colleague,

Nature is an inexhaustible source of bioactive compounds, and discovery of such compounds hold the promise to positively contribute towards fortifying human health and well-being.

Bioactive compounds extracted from plants and animals, of terrestrial or marine origin, have proven to be crucial for the development of a wide array of food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical natural-based products. Epidemiological studies indicate that a healthy diet that is rich in antioxidants, namely vitamins and phytochemicals, has a positive effect on human health and could prevent/minimize the risk of numerous diseases, such as cancer,
cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative and age-related functional events. On the other hand, antioxidants are added to food products to prolong their shelf life, as they prevent the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids; they are also added to pharmaceutical products to enhance the stability of therapeutic agents that are susceptible to chemical degradation via oxidation.

Nowadays, the majority of food and pharmaceutical products contain synthetic antioxidants. Regrettably, scientific data have continually warned that the synthetic antioxidants used in industries can have carcinogenic effects on humans. The warnings led to an intense search for new natural-based and effective antioxidants. Given the high level of interest on this topic, this Special Issue encourages contributions related to all aspects of the chemistry (isolation and identification) and bioactivity of natural antioxidants, eventually contributing to significant advancements in this field.

Dr. Jorge Garrido
Prof. Dr. Fernanda Borges
Dr. Eugenio Uriarte
Guest Editors

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• natural-based bioactive compounds
• phytochemicals
• antioxidants
• biological activity
• additives
• adjuvants, nutraceuticals
• food products
• pharmaceutical products