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Natural Products: Antioxidants and Neuroprotection

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2024 | Viewed by 8363

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. M. Pilar Gómez-Serranillos

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: natural products; health; pharmacology; phenolic compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Consistent experimental and clinical studies point to oxidative stress as a major contributor to the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to a pathological situation as a consequence of oxidative damage in biological structures, deriving from cell membrane lipid peroxidation, DNA base modifications, the inactivation of enzymes and protein oxidation. The use phytochemical compounds with antioxidants properties is considered as a promising preventive or therapeutic strategy for reducing oxidative stress (OS).

Mitochondria-targeted protective natural compounds that prevent or minimize mitochondrial dysfunction constitute potential therapeutic strategies in the prevention and treatment of these central nervous system diseases. Several intracellular mechanisms help counteract OS; for instance, antioxidant compounds that upregulate the Nrf2-ARE pathway promote the induction of cytoprotective genes, such as detoxifying antioxidant phase-II enzymes.

This Special Issue, entitled “Natural Products: Antioxidants and Neuroprotection”, will cover a selection of recent research topics and current review articles in the field of active compounds in oxidative stress-related disorders. Additionally, focus should be given to the antioxidant and neuroprotective effect of extracts and bioactive compounds. Importantly, the exact active ingredient of natural origin extract must be reported in the submitted research manuscript since papers describing the effects of mixed extraction from natural origin are not in the scope of the journal. Experimental papers and up-to-date review articles are welcome.

Prof. Dr. M. Pilar Gómez-Serranillos
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

oxidative stress
neuroprotection
natural products
bioactive compounds
mitochondria-targeted protective compounds
Nrf2 pathway
antioxidant enzymes

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 5963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eucommia ulmoides Leaves Alleviate Cognitive Dysfunction in Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Colitis Mice through Regulating JNK/TLR4 Signaling Pathway

by Han Su Lee, Jong Min Kim, Hyo Lim Lee, Min Ji Go, Dong Yeol Lee, Chul-Woo Kim, Hyun-Jin Kim and Ho Jin Heo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 4063; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074063 - 5 Apr 2024

Viewed by 755

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that is characterized by systemic immune system activation. This study was performed to assess the alleviative effect of administering an aqueous extract of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (AEEL) on cognitive dysfunction in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The major bioactive compounds of AEEL were identified as a quinic acid derivative, caffeic acid-O-hexoside, and 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid using UPLC Q-TOF/MS^E. AEEL administration alleviated colitis symptoms, which are bodyweight change and colon shortening. Moreover, AEEL administration protected intestinal barrier integrity by increasing the tight junction protein expression levels in colon tissues. Likewise, AEEL improved behavioral dysfunction in the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. Additionally, AEEL improved short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in the feces of DSS-induced mice. In addition, AEEL improved damaged cholinergic systems in brain tissue and damaged mitochondrial and antioxidant functions in colon and brain tissues caused by DSS. Also, AEEL protected against DSS-induced cytotoxicity and inflammation in colon and brain tissues by c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. Therefore, these results suggest that AEEL is a natural material that alleviates DSS-induced cognitive dysfunction with the modulation of gut–brain interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products: Antioxidants and Neuroprotection)

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21 pages, 1635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Light Wavelength and Darkness on Metabolite Profiling of Korean Ginseng: Evaluating Its Anti-Cancer Potential against MCF-7 and BV-2 Cell Lines

by Nooruddin Bin Sadiq, Hyukjoon Kwon, Nam Il Park, Muhammad Hamayun, Je-Hyeong Jung, Seung-Hoon Yang, Soo-Won Jang, Seda Nur Kabadayı, Ho-Youn Kim and Young-Joo Kim

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(9), 7768; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24097768 - 24 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1848

Abstract

Korean ginseng is a source of functional foods and medicines; however, its productivity is hindered by abiotic stress factors, such as light. This study investigated the impacts of darkness and different light wavelengths on the metabolomics and anti-cancer activity of ginseng extracts. Hydroponically-grown Korean ginseng was shifted to a light-emitting diodes (LEDs) chamber for blue-LED and darkness treatments, while white fluorescent (FL) light treatment was the control. MCF-7 breast cancer and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 microglial cells were used to determine chemo-preventive and neuroprotective potential. Overall, 53 significant primary metabolites were detected in the treated samples. The levels of ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, and Re, as well as organic and amino acids, were significantly higher in the dark treatment, followed by blue-LED treatment and the FL control. The dark-treated ginseng extract significantly induced apoptotic signaling in MCF-7 cells and dose-dependently inhibited the NF-κB and MAP kinase pathways in LPS-induced BV-2 cells. Short-term dark treatment increased the content of Rd, Rc, Rb1, Rb2, and Re ginsenosides in ginseng extracts, which promoted apoptosis of MCF-7 cells and inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway in BV-2 microglial cells. These results indicate that the dark treatment might be effective in improving the pharmacological potential of ginseng. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products: Antioxidants and Neuroprotection)

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Review

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26 pages, 821 KiB

Open AccessReview

Natural Products as Modulators of Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in Neuroprotection

by Ignacio Moratilla-Rivera, Marta Sánchez, Jose Antonio Valdés-González and María Pilar Gómez-Serranillos

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3748; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043748 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5196

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) affect the West due to the increase in life expectancy. Nervous cells accumulate oxidative damage, which is one of the factors that triggers and accelerates neurodegeneration. However, cells have mechanisms that scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alleviate oxidative stress (OS). Many of these endogenous antioxidant systems are regulated at the gene expression level by the transcription factor Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2). In the presence of prooxidant conditions, Nrf2 translocates to the nucleus and induces the transcription of genes containing ARE (antioxidant response element). In recent years, there has been an increase in the study of the Nrf2 pathway and the natural products that positively regulate it to reduce oxidative damage to the nervous system, both in in vitro models with neurons and microglia subjected to stress factors and in vivo models using mainly murine models. Quercetin, curcumin, anthocyanins, tea polyphenols, and other less studied phenolic compounds such as kaempferol, hesperetin, and icariin can also modulate Nrf2 by regulating several Nrf2 upstream activators. Another group of phytochemical compounds that upregulate this pathway are terpenoids, including monoterpenes (aucubin, catapol), diterpenes (ginkgolides), triterpenes (ginsenosides), and carotenoids (astaxanthin, lycopene). This review aims to update the knowledge on the influence of secondary metabolites of health interest on the activation of the Nrf2 pathway and their potential as treatments for NDs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products: Antioxidants and Neuroprotection)

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