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Journals
Marine Drugs
Special Issues
Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants
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Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 6585

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sylvia Urban

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Science (Applied Chemistry and Environmental Science), RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Interests: marine and terrestrial natural products chemistry; isolation and structural characterization; NMR spectroscopy; analytical separation methodologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive natural products remain an important and active area of research in the drug discovery field. This Special Issue of Marine Drugs invites contributions to studying organisms derived from marine plants with respect to bioactive specialized metabolites. The issue will focus on highlighting new isolation and structural elucidation approaches, developments in drug discovery, synthesis and medicinal chemistry, structural methods, chemical biology and biotechnology, genomic tools, metabolomics, and bioassay-guided as well as chemical profiling methodologies in relation to the expeditated discoveries and advancement of potential therapeutics. This Special Issue invites reviews and original contributions in any of these areas.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Sylvia Urban
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. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2900 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.

Keywords

  • marine plants
  • algae
  • seaweeds
  • bioactive
  • drug discovery
  • specialized metabolites
  • isolation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 17619 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Mechanism of Action of Ipomoea pes-caprae in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Serum Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology
by Fangfei Zhong, Siwei Li, Xianglong Pan, Juan Wen, Jinling Xie, Zhengcai Du, Erwei Hao, Jiagang Deng and Xiaotao Hou
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(3), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23030114 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 687
Abstract
Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) Sweet (Convolvulaceae) is a commonly used marine Chinese medicine in the coastal areas of southern China. Traditionally, it has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the mechanism of action against RA remains unclear. This study aimed [...] Read more.
Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) Sweet (Convolvulaceae) is a commonly used marine Chinese medicine in the coastal areas of southern China. Traditionally, it has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the mechanism of action against RA remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of action of Ipomoea pes-caprae water extract (IPE) in the treatment of RA through serum metabolomics and network pharmacology. Rat models of RA with wind-dampness cold bi-syndrome (WCM) and wind-dampness heat bi-syndrome (WHM) were established to evaluate the therapeutic effect of IPE against RA. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) technology was used to analyze the absorbed components of IPE in the plasma of the two models. Serum metabolomics was employed to identify potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways of IPE in the treatment of RA. The key targets and related pathways of RA were screened using network pharmacology and validated using molecular docking. The biomarker-pathway-target network was mapped via the combination of metabolomics and network pharmacology. A total of 10 chemical constituents were identified from WHM rat plasma, and eight chemical constituents were identified from WCM rat plasma. Serum metabolomics research identified 20 endogenous potential biomarkers, and 10 major metabolic pathways closely related to WHM and WCM. Network pharmacology analysis yielded 65 overlapping targets, with the core targets being ALB, AKT1, EGFR, and CASP3. Molecular docking showed that the four absorbed components in plasma had a strong binding activity with ALB and AKT1. Combining metabolomics and network pharmacology, two major biomarkers and two major pathways were identified. IPE can effectively relieve the symptoms of RA, and the potential mechanism of IPE in treating RA has been preliminarily elucidated. These results can provide a scientific basis for further drug research and development, as well as clinical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants)
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13 pages, 1427 KiB  
Article
Structural Elucidation and Antiviral Properties of Pannosides from the Halophyte Aster tripolium L.
by Jaeyoun Lee, Jae-Hyoung Song, Seo-Hyeon Mun, Hyun-Jeong Ko, Soohyun Um and Seung Hyun Kim
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(12), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22120524 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1124
Abstract
Four previously undescribed pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins, pannosides F–I (1–4), were isolated from the halophyte Aster tripolium L. (Tripolium pannonicum), and their chemical structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Comprehensive structural analysis [...] Read more.
Four previously undescribed pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins, pannosides F–I (1–4), were isolated from the halophyte Aster tripolium L. (Tripolium pannonicum), and their chemical structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Comprehensive structural analysis revealed the presence of distinct aglycone and glycosidic moieties, along with complex acylation patterns. The acyl chains of pannosides, 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-HB) residues, were derivatized with (S)- and (R)- phenylglycine methyl ester to resolve the absolute configurations of the chiral centers in 3-HB. Then, the acyl chain-containing saponins, pannosides were evaluated for their antiviral activities against enterovirus A71 (EV71), coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), and rhinovirus 1B (HRV1B). Pannosides exhibited antiviral activities against HRV1B, EV71, and CVB3. These findings suggest that saponins from A. tripolium exhibit potential antiviral activities and could be further explored for their therapeutic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants)
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Review

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28 pages, 2553 KiB  
Review
Metabolite Profiling of Macroalgae: Biosynthesis and Beneficial Biological Properties of Active Compounds
by Maria Carpena, Cláudia S. G. P. Pereira, Aurora Silva, Paula Barciela, A. Olivia S. Jorge, Ana Perez-Vazquez, Antia G. Pereira, João C. M. Barreira, M. Beatriz P. P. Oliveira and Miguel A. Prieto
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(10), 478; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100478 - 19 Oct 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4369
Abstract
Macroalgae are known as abundant sources of phytochemicals, which offer a plethora of beneficial biological properties. Besides being the most notable classes of compounds found in macroalgae, phlorotannins, bromophenols, and terpenoids comprise some of the most relevant for their biological properties. Phlorotannins, mainly [...] Read more.
Macroalgae are known as abundant sources of phytochemicals, which offer a plethora of beneficial biological properties. Besides being the most notable classes of compounds found in macroalgae, phlorotannins, bromophenols, and terpenoids comprise some of the most relevant for their biological properties. Phlorotannins, mainly prevalent in brown algae and structurally characterized as complex polyphenolic compounds derived from phloroglucinol units, possess robust antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and cytotoxic activities, modulated by factors such as the degree of polymerization and environmental conditions. Bromophenols, halogenated compounds found in algae and other marine organisms, exhibit significant antioxidant and antiviral properties. Their diverse structures and bromination patterns contribute to their potential as therapeutic and chemical defense agents. Pigments (chemically described as primary terpenoids) play a critical role in light absorption and energy transfer in macroalgae and are divided into three main groups: (i) carotenoids, which are primarily found in brown algae and provide photoprotective and antioxidant benefits; (ii) chlorophylls, known for facilitating the conversion of light into biological energy; and (iii) phycobilins, which are mostly found in red algae and play important roles in light absorption and energy transfer, besides providing remarkable health benefits. Finally, secondary terpenoids, which are particularly abundant in red algae (e.g., the Rhodomelaceae family) are central to cellular interactions and exhibit significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study represents a detailed analysis of the biosynthesis, structural diversity, and biological activities of these macroalgae metabolites, emphasizing their potential biological properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Specialized Metabolites from Marine Plants)
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