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Bioactive Natural Molecules from Functional Foods

A topical collection in Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This collection belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

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Editors


E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
Interests: natural products; isolation and structure determination of natural compounds; standardization of traditional medine; analysis of compounds; pharmacognosy; traditional medicine; dietary supplement; food ingredients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
Interests: isolation and structure determination of natural compounds; standardization of natural products

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medicinal plants have been used to treat various diseases for a long time, not only as a traditional medicine but also as functional foods. Today, functional foods from natural resources are attracting people commercially and for disease treatment together with medicine. Thus, research on bioactive constituents of functional foods is highly important. Isolation and structure determination work of bioactive molecules will provide strong scientific evidence for those functional foods as well as traditional medicine. As functional food markets continue to expand worldwide, their study is becoming increasingly important.

In the present collection, bioactive natural molecules from functional foods are the main topics which will include the following.

  1. Isolation and structure identifications of compounds from functional foods or traditional medicine;
  2. Bioactivity study with natural molecules from functional foods or traditional medicine;
  3. Analysis of bioactive compound(s) from functional foods or traditional medicines using QNMR or MS-MS study including metabolomic study with strong scientific evidence;
  4. Standardization method development of functional foods or traditional medicines.

Prof. Dr. Eun Kyoung Seo
Dr. Joo-Won Nam
Collection Editors

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Keywords

  • bioactivity
  • natural product
  • molecule
  • functional food
  • traditional medicine
  • isolation
  • structure
  • medicinal plant
  • standardization

Published Papers (11 papers)

2024

Jump to: 2023, 2022

2 pages, 727 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Samsuzzaman et al. A Synthetic Derivative SH 66 of Homoisoflavonoid from Liliaceae Exhibits Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity against LPS-Induced Microglial Cells. Molecules 2024, 29, 3037
by Md Samsuzzaman, Lalita Subedi, Seong-Min Hong, Sanha Lee, Bhakta Prasad Gaire, Eun-Ji Ko, Ji-Woong Choi, Seung-Yong Seo and Sun-Yeou Kim
Molecules 2024, 29(16), 3926; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29163926 - 20 Aug 2024
Viewed by 374
Abstract
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14 pages, 2711 KiB  
Article
A Synthetic Derivative SH 66 of Homoisoflavonoid from Liliaceae Exhibits Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity against LPS-Induced Microglial Cells
by Md Samsuzzaman, Lalita Subedi, Seong-Min Hong, Sanha Lee, Bhakta Prasad Gaire, Eun-Ji Ko, Ji-Woong Choi, Seung-Yong Seo and Sun-Yeou Kim
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3037; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133037 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1557 | Correction
Abstract
Naturally occurring homoisoflavonoids isolated from some Liliaceae plants have been reported to have diverse biological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic effects). The exact mechanism by which homoisoflavonones exert anti-neuroinflammatory effects against activated microglia-induced inflammatory cascades has not been well studied. Here, we [...] Read more.
Naturally occurring homoisoflavonoids isolated from some Liliaceae plants have been reported to have diverse biological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic effects). The exact mechanism by which homoisoflavonones exert anti-neuroinflammatory effects against activated microglia-induced inflammatory cascades has not been well studied. Here, we aimed to explore the mechanism of homoisoflavonoid SH66 having a potential anti-inflammatory effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed BV2 murine microglial cells. Microglia cells were pre-treated with SH66 followed by LPS (100 ng/mL) activation. SH66 treatment attenuated the production of inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines, by down-regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in LPS-activated microglia. The SH66-mediated inhibition of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome complex and the respective inflammatory biomarker-like active interleukin (IL)-1β were noted to be one of the key pathways of the anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, SH66 increased the neurite length in the N2a neuronal cell and the level of nerve growth factor in the C6 astrocyte cell. Our results demonstrated the anti-neuroinflammatory effect of SH66 against LPS-activated microglia-mediated inflammatory events by down-regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome complex, with respect to its neuroprotective effect. SH66 could be an interesting candidate for further research and development regarding prophylactics and therapeutics for inflammation-mediated neurological complications. Full article
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10 pages, 3182 KiB  
Article
Anti-Obesity Activities of the Compounds from Perilla frutescens var. acuta and Chemical Profiling of the Extract
by Isoo Youn, Donglan Piao, Jisu Park, Seung A Ock, Sujin Han, Ah-Reum Han, Sunhye Shin and Eun Kyoung Seo
Molecules 2024, 29(11), 2465; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29112465 - 23 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1425
Abstract
Perilla frutescens var. acuta (Lamiaceae) is widely used not only as an oil or a spice, but also as a traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, fever, and indigestion. As an ongoing effort, luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide (1), apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide ( [...] Read more.
Perilla frutescens var. acuta (Lamiaceae) is widely used not only as an oil or a spice, but also as a traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, fever, and indigestion. As an ongoing effort, luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide (1), apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide (2), and rosmarinic acid (3) isolated from P. frutescens var. acuta were investigated for their anti-adipogenic and thermogenic activities in 3T3-L1 cells. Compound 1 exhibited a strong inhibition against adipocyte differentiation by suppressing the expression of Pparg and Cebpa over 52.0% and 45.0%, respectively. Moreover, 2 inhibited the expression of those genes in a dose-dependent manner [Pparg: 41.7% (5 µM), 62.0% (10 µM), and 81.6% (50 µM); Cebpa: 13.8% (5 µM), 18.4% (10 µM), and 37.2% (50 µM)]. On the other hand, the P. frutescens var. acuta water extract showed moderate thermogenic activities. Compounds 1 and 3 also induced thermogenesis in a dose-dependent manner by stimulating the mRNA expressions of Ucp1, Pgc1a, and Prdm16. Moreover, an LC-MS/MS chromatogram of the extract was acquired using UHPLC-MS2 and it was analyzed by feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) and the Progenesis QI software (version 3.0). The chemical profiling of the extract demonstrated that flavonoids and their glycoside derivatives, including those isolated earlier as well as rosmarinic acid, are present in P. frutescens var. acuta. Full article
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18 pages, 2281 KiB  
Article
A Reliable Multifaceted Solution against Foodborne Viral Infections: The Case of RiLK1 Decapeptide
by Emanuela Galatola, Bruna Agrillo, Marta Gogliettino, Gianna Palmieri, Serena Maccaroni, Teresa Vicenza, Yolande T. R. Proroga, Andrea Mancusi, Simona Di Pasquale, Elisabetta Suffredini and Loredana Cozzi
Molecules 2024, 29(10), 2305; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29102305 - 14 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 963
Abstract
Food-borne transmission is a recognized route for many viruses associated with gastrointestinal, hepatic, or neurological diseases. Therefore, it is essential to identify new bioactive compounds with broad-spectrum antiviral activity to exploit innovative solutions against these hazards. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been recognized [...] Read more.
Food-borne transmission is a recognized route for many viruses associated with gastrointestinal, hepatic, or neurological diseases. Therefore, it is essential to identify new bioactive compounds with broad-spectrum antiviral activity to exploit innovative solutions against these hazards. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been recognized as promising antiviral agents. Indeed, while the antibacterial and antifungal effects of these molecules have been widely reported, their use as potential antiviral agents has not yet been fully investigated. Herein, the antiviral activity of previously identified or newly designed AMPs was evaluated against the non-enveloped RNA viruses, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and murine norovirus (MNV), a surrogate for human norovirus. Moreover, specific assays were performed to recognize at which stage of the viral infection cycle the peptides could function. The results showed that almost all peptides displayed virucidal effects, with about 90% of infectivity reduction in HAV or MNV. However, the decapeptide RiLK1 demonstrated, together with its antibacterial and antifungal properties, a notable reduction in viral infection for both HAV and MNV, possibly through direct interaction with viral particles causing their damage or hindering the recognition of cellular receptors. Hence, RiLK1 could represent a versatile antimicrobial agent effective against various foodborne pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Full article
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12 pages, 986 KiB  
Review
CBD in the Treatment of Epilepsy
by Kinga Borowicz-Reutt, Julia Czernia and Marlena Krawczyk
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 1981; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29091981 - 25 Apr 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2099
Abstract
It has been several years since highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) was registered as a medication that can be used in children of at least 2 years of age to treat different types of seizures related to Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome (DS), and [...] Read more.
It has been several years since highly purified cannabidiol (CBD) was registered as a medication that can be used in children of at least 2 years of age to treat different types of seizures related to Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS), Dravet syndrome (DS), and more recently tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). During this time, 39 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and 13 meta-analyses on the efficacy and safety of CBD treatment have been published. Each of the meta-analyses had its own criteria for the RCTs’ inclusion and, therefore, slightly different interpretations of the analyzed data. Each of them contributed in its own way to the understanding of CBD pharmacology, mechanisms of therapeutic action, development of adverse reactions, and drug–drug interactions. Hence, it seemed reasonable to gather the most relevant data in one article and present all the current knowledge on the use of CBD in epilepsy. The results of the 13 meta-analyses presented herein confirmed the effectiveness and safety of CBD in children and adolescents with DREs. In adults, reliable conclusions cannot be drawn due to insufficient data. Full article
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2023

Jump to: 2024, 2022

9 pages, 1518 KiB  
Article
Tsaokoic Acid: A New Bicyclic Nonene from the Fruits of Amomum tsao-ko with Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity
by Hyunyoung Kim, Hwaryeong Lee, Hee Jin Jung, Sang Gyun Noh, Isoo Youn, Hyunkyung Kwak, Yeju Lee, Sang-Jip Nam, Soosung Kang, Hae Young Chung and Eun Kyoung Seo
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2602; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062602 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1708
Abstract
A new bicyclic nonene, tsaokoic acid (1), was isolated from the fruits of Amomum tsao-ko, together with three known compounds (24). The structure of 1 was elucidated by analyzing spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR [...] Read more.
A new bicyclic nonene, tsaokoic acid (1), was isolated from the fruits of Amomum tsao-ko, together with three known compounds (24). The structure of 1 was elucidated by analyzing spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR spectra and compounds 24 were identified as tsaokoin, vanillin, and tsaokoarylone, respectively, by comparing their NMR spectra with previously reported data. Compounds 14 showed possible inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in silico molecular docking simulations. They were submitted to in vitro assay system and exhibited moderate inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 32.78, 41.70, 39.25, and 31.13 μM, respectively. Full article
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11 pages, 2090 KiB  
Article
Anti-Amyloidogenic Effects of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Fruits and Its Active Constituents
by Ji-Yun Yeo, Seul Lee, Min Sung Ko, Chung Hyun Lee, Jee Yeon Choi, Kwang Woo Hwang and So-Young Park
Molecules 2023, 28(3), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031017 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1957
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative brain disease that interferes with daily life. The accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ), along with oxidative stress-inducing neurocellular apoptosis, has been considered one of the causes of AD. Thus, the purpose of this study is to find [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative brain disease that interferes with daily life. The accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ), along with oxidative stress-inducing neurocellular apoptosis, has been considered one of the causes of AD. Thus, the purpose of this study is to find natural products that can reduce Aβ accumulation. The ethanol extract of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & Cheng fruits (Cupressaceae) significantly reduced the aggregation of Aβ into oligomers and fibrils determined by Thioflavin T (ThT) assay. The solvent-partitioned ethyl acetate layer was further separated based on the bioassay-guided isolation method combined with the ThT assay. As a result, five compounds were isolated and elucidated as taxoquinone (1), sugiol (2), suginal (3), sandaracopimarinol (4), and sandaracopimaradien-19-ol (5) by comparing NMR data with references. All the compounds significantly reduced the aggregation of Aβ and enhanced the disaggregation of pre-formed Aβ aggregates in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the inhibition of Aβ aggregation by the compounds protected PC12 cells from Aβ aggregate-induced toxicity. Among the five compounds, sandaracopimarinol (4) and sandaracopimaradien-19-ol (5) were the most effective. These results suggest that M. glyptostroboides and isolated five compounds have a potential for further study to be developed as anti-AD agents. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2023

18 pages, 1850 KiB  
Review
Potential Benefits of Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Fruits and Their Constituents in Improving Human Health
by Yulin Ren, Tyler Frank, Gunnar Meyer, Jizhou Lei, Jessica R. Grebenc, Ryan Slaughter, Yu G. Gao and A. Douglas Kinghorn
Molecules 2022, 27(22), 7823; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27227823 - 13 Nov 2022
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 6654
Abstract
Aronia berry (black chokeberry) is a shrub native to North America, of which the fresh fruits are used in the food industry to produce different types of dietary products. The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa (Aronia berries) have been found to show multiple bioactivities [...] Read more.
Aronia berry (black chokeberry) is a shrub native to North America, of which the fresh fruits are used in the food industry to produce different types of dietary products. The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa (Aronia berries) have been found to show multiple bioactivities potentially beneficial to human health, including antidiabetic, anti-infective, antineoplastic, antiobesity, and antioxidant activities, as well as heart-, liver-, and neuroprotective effects. Thus far, phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, cyanidins, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins, triterpenoids, and their analogues have been identified as the major active components of Aronia berries. These natural products possess potent antioxidant activity, which contributes to the majority of the other bioactivities observed for Aronia berries. The chemical components and the potential pharmaceutical or health-promoting effects of Aronia berries have been summarized previously. The present review article focuses on the molecular targets of extracts of Aronia berries and the examples of promising lead compounds isolated from these berries, including cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and ursolic acid. In addition, presented herein are clinical trial investigations for Aronia berries and their major components, including cancer clinical trials for chlorogenic acid and COVID-19 trial studies for quercetin. Additionally, the possible development of Aronia berries and their secondary metabolites as potential therapeutic agents is discussed. It is hoped that this contribution will help stimulate future investigations on Aronia berries for the continual improvement of human health. Full article
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18 pages, 2363 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Coumarin Profiles in Different Parts of Peucedanum japonicum and Their Aldo–Keto Reductase Inhibitory Activities
by Jisu Park, Sunil Babu Paudel, Chang Hyun Jin, Gileung Lee, Hong-Il Choi, Ga-Hee Ryoo, Yun-Seo Kil, Joo-Won Nam, Chan-Hun Jung, Bo-Ram Kim, Min Kyun Na and Ah-Reum Han
Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7391; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27217391 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2011
Abstract
Peucedanum japonicum (Umbelliferae) is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asian countries. The root of this plant is used in traditional medicine to treat colds and pain, whereas the young leaves are considered an edible vegetable. In this study, the differences in coumarin profiles for [...] Read more.
Peucedanum japonicum (Umbelliferae) is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asian countries. The root of this plant is used in traditional medicine to treat colds and pain, whereas the young leaves are considered an edible vegetable. In this study, the differences in coumarin profiles for different parts of P. japonicum including the flowers, roots, leaves, and stems were compared using ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Twenty-eight compounds were tentatively identified, including three compounds found in the genus Peucedanum for the first time. Principal component analysis using the data set of the measured mass values and intensities of the compounds exhibited distinct clustering of the flower, leaf, stem, and root samples. In addition, their anticancer activities were screened using an Aldo–keto reductase (AKR)1C1 assay on A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cells and the flower extract inhibited AKR1C1 activity. Based on these results, seven compounds were selected as potential markers to distinguish between the flower part versus the root, stem, and leaf parts using an orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis. This study is the first to provide information on the comparison of coumarin profiles from different parts of P. japonicum as well as their AKR1C1 inhibitory activities. Taken together, the flowers of P. japonicum offer a new use related to the efficacy of overcoming anticancer drug resistance, and may be a promising source for the isolation of active lead compounds. Full article
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13 pages, 2556 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxic Properties of C17 Polyacetylenes from the Fresh Roots of Panax ginseng on Human Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells
by Ranhee Kim, So-Ri Son, Na-Kyung Lee, Ji-Young Kim, Gami An, Jung-Hye Choi and Dae Sik Jang
Molecules 2022, 27(20), 7027; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27207027 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2036
Abstract
Although C17 polyacetylenes from Panax ginseng exhibit cytotoxic properties against various tumor cells, there have been few experiments on epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of C17 polyacetylenes from P. ginseng against ovarian cancer cell [...] Read more.
Although C17 polyacetylenes from Panax ginseng exhibit cytotoxic properties against various tumor cells, there have been few experiments on epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of C17 polyacetylenes from P. ginseng against ovarian cancer cell lines. Four unreported (14) and fifteen known (519) C17 polyacetylenes were obtained from the roots of P. ginseng using repeated chromatography (open column, MPLC, and preparative HPLC). The chemical structures of all the compounds were determined by analyzing their spectroscopic data (NMR, IR, and optical rotation) and HR-MS. The structures of new polyacetylenes were elucidated as (3S,8S,9R,10R)-(-)-heptadeca-9,10-epoxy-4,6-diyne-3,8-diyl diacetate (1), (3S,8S,9R,10R)-(−)-heptadeca-1-en-9,10-epoxy-4,6-diyne-3,8-diyl diacetate (2), (−)-haptadeca-9,10-epoxy-8-methoxy-4,6-diyne-3,11-diol (3), and (3R,9R,10R)-(+)-3-acetoxy-9,10-dihydroxyheptadeca-1-en-4,6-diyne (4), named ginsenoynes O, P, and Q, and 3-acetyl panaxytriol, respectively. Subsequently, in vitro experiments on A2780 and SKOV3 human epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells were performed to assess the cytotoxic properties of the isolates. Among the isolates, panaquinquecol 4 (15) exhibited the most remarkable cytotoxic effects on both human ovarian cancer cells A2780 (IC50 value of 7.60 μM) and SKOV3 (IC50 value of 27.53 μM). Therefore, C17 polyacetylenes derived from P. ginseng may warrant further investigation for their therapeutic potential in epithelial ovarian cancer. Full article
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12 pages, 1843 KiB  
Article
Variation in the Content of Bioactive Compounds in Infusions Prepared from Different Parts of Wild Polish Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.)
by Magdalena Jeszka-Skowron, Agnieszka Zgoła-Grześkowiak, Robert Frankowski, Tomasz Grześkowiak and Anna Maria Jeszka
Molecules 2022, 27(13), 4242; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134242 - 30 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1939
Abstract
Nettle is a common plant that offers many health benefits and is grown all over the world. The content of active compounds in roots, stems, and leaves was determined based on the extraction procedure optimized using the Central Composite Design. Flavonols, phenolic acids, [...] Read more.
Nettle is a common plant that offers many health benefits and is grown all over the world. The content of active compounds in roots, stems, and leaves was determined based on the extraction procedure optimized using the Central Composite Design. Flavonols, phenolic acids, trigonelline, nicotinamide, nicotinic acids, and short-chain organic acids were determined with the use of LC–MS/MS and capillary isotachophoresis. Trigonelline, which was not previously reported in the roots and stems of nettle, was found in all parts of the plant and considerable variations in its content were observed (2.8–108 µg g−1). Furthermore, the Principal Component Analysis taking into account more variables demonstrated differences in the content of bioactive components between roots and aerial parts of nettle. Full article
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