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Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition
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Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024 | Viewed by 6331

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Diamanto Lazari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: medicinal and aromatic plant; bioactive compounds; chromatography; spectroscopy; antioxidant activity; phenolic compounds; bioactivity; chemistry of natural substances; isolation, structural determination, characterization and biological evaluation of potentially interesting; secondary metabolites for pharmaceutical; alimentary and cosmetic fields; food chemistry; essential oils from aromatic plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue highlights the growing interest in active molecules found in plant extracts and their applications. Plant extracts are widely used in food, health supplements, and medicines, due to the presence of natural nutrients and active compounds. The chemical composition and active molecules of plant extracts have been extensively researched, and active molecules such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, phenolic acids, and volatile oils have been detected. These bioactive molecules possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood pressure-lowering, and blood sugar-lowering properties, among others. Some extracts also have antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergic, and analgesic properties.

Overall, plant extracts and natural compounds have an abundance of promising bioactive substances that can benefit human health and well-being. We welcome submissions of original articles, reviews, and communications. This Special Issue is supervised by Prof. Lazari Diamanto, who is assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Member Olga Tsiftsoglou, <[email protected]> (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki).

Please note: Papers describing the effects of mixed extraction from a natural origin and substances without clear ingredients, such as complex prescriptions, crude extracts, and herbal mixtures, do not fall within the scope of IJMS. Therefore, the identification of the components is necessary.

The Volume I of the Special Issue "Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts"

Prof. Dr. Diamanto Lazari
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.

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Keywords

  • bioactive substances
  • plant extracts
  • polysaccharides
  • flavonoids
  • alkaloids
  • saponins
  • terpenes
  • phenolic acids
  • volatile oils
  • antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer
  • blood pressure lowering
  • blood sugar lowering
  • antibacterial
  • antiviral
  • antiallergic

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5060 KiB  
Article
Efficacy and Molecular Mechanism of Quercetin on Constipation Induced by Berberine via Regulating Gut Microbiota
by Mengyao Cui, Ying Li, Tingting Zheng, Huan Chen, Jinrui Wang, Yifan Feng, Hanyi Ye, Zhengqi Dong and Geng Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6228; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116228 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 926
Abstract
Berberine (BBR) is used to treat cancer, inflammatory conditions, and so on. But the side effects of BBR causing constipation should not be ignored. In clinical application, the combination of Amomum villosum Lour. (AVL) and BBR can relieve it. However, the effective ingredients [...] Read more.
Berberine (BBR) is used to treat cancer, inflammatory conditions, and so on. But the side effects of BBR causing constipation should not be ignored. In clinical application, the combination of Amomum villosum Lour. (AVL) and BBR can relieve it. However, the effective ingredients and molecular mechanism of AVL in relieving constipation are not clear. A small intestine propulsion experiment was conducted in constipated mice to screen active ingredients of AVL. We further confirmed the molecular mechanism of action of the active ingredient on BBR-induced constipation. Quercetin (QR) was found to be the effective ingredient of AVL in terms of relieving constipation. QR can efficiently regulate the microbiota in mice suffering from constipation. Moreover, QR significantly raised the levels of substance P and motilin while lowering those of 5-hydroxytryptamine and vasoactive intestinal peptide; furthermore, it also increased the protein expression levels of calmodulin, myosin light-chain kinase, and myosin light chain. The use of QR in combination with BBR has an adverse effect-reducing efficacy. The study provides new ideas and possibilities for the treatment of constipation induced by BBR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 1842 KiB  
Article
Ability of Selected Monoterpenes to Reduce Fe(III) Ions Being Pro-Neurodegenerative Factors: Tests Based on a FRAP Reaction Extended to 48 Hours
by Karolina A. Wojtunik-Kulesza and Anna Oniszczuk
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(4), 2191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25042191 - 12 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 799
Abstract
Monoterpenes are secondary plant metabolites, and such volatile compounds have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and enzyme inhibitory properties. These compounds are also able to reduce the potentially pro-neurodegenerative trace metal ions that can be sources of free radicals. One basic method used to evaluate [...] Read more.
Monoterpenes are secondary plant metabolites, and such volatile compounds have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and enzyme inhibitory properties. These compounds are also able to reduce the potentially pro-neurodegenerative trace metal ions that can be sources of free radicals. One basic method used to evaluate the ability of chemical compounds to reduce Fe(III) is FRAP. To date, most studies based on a FRAP assay were performed within several dozen minutes. However, taking into account the diversity of compounds, it is justified to observe their activity over a much longer period of time. The present study aimed to observe the activity of isopulegol, γ-terpinene, α-terpinene, linalool, carvone, citral, and α-phellandrene over a 48 h period. Our study indicates that the lengthened reaction period enhanced activity from several dozen to several hundred percent. The obtained results also revealed an explicit high correlation of the increase in the activity of compounds with the increase in monoterpene concentration. Due to the hydrophobic character of monoterpenes, the FRAP method was modified by the addition of Tween 20. The highest activity was obtained for α-terpinene and γ-terpinene. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 12986 KiB  
Article
Biological Properties of Extracts Obtained from In Vitro Culture of Plectranthus scutellarioides in a Cell Model
by Tomasz Kowalczyk, Joanna Sikora, Anna Merecz-Sadowska, Wirginia Kukula-Koch, Ewelina Synowiec, Agata Majda, Dawid Juda, Tomasz Śliwiński and Przemysław Sitarek
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021043 - 15 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1487
Abstract
Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br. is a medicinal plant that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as abscesses, ulcers, and ear and eye infections. It is known to have a wide range of biological properties, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, [...] Read more.
Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br. is a medicinal plant that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as abscesses, ulcers, and ear and eye infections. It is known to have a wide range of biological properties, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects. In this study, we established in vitro cultures from both the aerial parts and roots of Plectranthus scutellarioides. Subsequently, we compared the basic phytochemical profile of the obtained extracts and conducted a biological analysis to assess their potential for inducing apoptosis in breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cancer cells. Phytochemical analysis by HPLC-MS revealed the presence of compounds belonging to phenolic acids (ferulic, syringic, vanillic, rosmarinic, chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric, dihydroxybenzoic acids), flavonoids (eriodyctiol and cirsimaritin), and terpenes such as 6,11,12,14,16-Pentahydroxy-3,17diacetyl-8,11,13-abietatrien-7-one, 6,11,12,14,16-Pentahydroxy-3,17-diacetyl5,8,11,13-abietatetraen-7-one, and 3,6,12-Trihydroxy-2-acetyl-8,12-abietadien7,11,14-trione. The results show that both extracts have a cytotoxic and genotoxic effect against MCF-7 and A549 cancer cells, with a different degree of sensitivity. It was also shown that both extracts can induce apoptosis by altering the expression of apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, TP53, Fas, and TNFSF10), reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, increasing ROS levels, and increasing DNA damage. In addition, it has been shown that the tested extracts can alter blood coagulation parameters. Our results indicate that extracts from in vitro cultures of Plectranthus scutellarioides aerial parts and roots have promising therapeutic application, but further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of their action in the in vitro model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
β-Caryophyllene Inhibits Endothelial Tube Formation by Modulating the Secretome of Hypoxic Lung Cancer Cells—Possible Role of VEGF Downregulation
by Felix Wittig, Florian Koch, Liza Pannenberg, Sander Bekeschus, Robert Ramer and Burkhard Hinz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020810 - 9 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1380
Abstract
β-Caryophyllene (BCP), a bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a component of the essential oils of various spice and food plants, has been described as a selective CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist. In the present study, the effect of BCP on angiogenesis was investigated. It [...] Read more.
β-Caryophyllene (BCP), a bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a component of the essential oils of various spice and food plants, has been described as a selective CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist. In the present study, the effect of BCP on angiogenesis was investigated. It was found that conditioned media (CM) from BCP-treated hypoxic A549 lung cancer cells exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation induced by CM from vehicle-treated hypoxic A549 cells. There was an associated concentration-dependent decrease in the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the CM, with both BCP inhibitory effects (tube formation, VEGF secretion) being CB2 receptor-dependent. A reduction of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) was furthermore detected. The antiangiogenic and VEGF-lowering properties of BCP were confirmed when CM from another lung cancer cell line, H358, were tested. When directly exposed to HUVECs, BCP showed no significant effect on tube formation, but at 10 µM, impaired VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) phosphorylation triggered by recombinant VEGF in a CB2 receptor-independent manner. In summary, BCP has a dual antiangiogenic effect on HUVECs, manifested in the inhibition of tube formation through modulation of the tumor cell secretome and additionally in the inhibition of VEGF-induced VEGFR2 activation. Because the CB2 agonist has no psychoactive properties, BCP should continue to be evaluated preclinically for further antitumor effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition)
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Review

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26 pages, 2969 KiB  
Review
Adjuvant Properties of Caffeic Acid in Cancer Treatment
by Nicole Cortez, Cecilia Villegas, Viviana Burgos, Jaime R. Cabrera-Pardo, Leandro Ortiz, Iván González-Chavarría, Vaderament-A. Nchiozem-Ngnitedem and Cristian Paz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(14), 7631; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25147631 - 11 Jul 2024
Viewed by 659
Abstract
Caffeic acid (CA) is a polyphenol belonging to the phenylpropanoid family, commonly found in plants and vegetables. It was first identified by Hlasiwetz in 1867 as a breakdown product of caffetannic acid. CA is biosynthesized from the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine through [...] Read more.
Caffeic acid (CA) is a polyphenol belonging to the phenylpropanoid family, commonly found in plants and vegetables. It was first identified by Hlasiwetz in 1867 as a breakdown product of caffetannic acid. CA is biosynthesized from the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine through specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Extensive research since its discovery has revealed various health benefits associated with CA, including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. These effects are attributed to its ability to modulate several pathways, such as inhibiting NFkB, STAT3, and ERK1/2, thereby reducing inflammatory responses, and activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway to enhance antioxidant cell defenses. The consumption of CA has been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers, mitigation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced toxicity, and reversal of resistance to first-line chemotherapeutic agents. This suggests that CA could serve as a useful adjunct in cancer treatment. Studies have shown CA to be generally safe, with few adverse effects (such as back pain and headaches) reported. This review collates the latest information from Google Scholar, PubMed, the Phenol-Explorer database, and ClinicalTrials.gov, incorporating a total of 154 articles, to underscore the potential of CA in cancer prevention and overcoming chemoresistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Planned paper: Photo- and sonodynamic compounds from plant extracts- Prof. Marina Nisnevitch
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