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Molecules
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Natural Compounds in Modern Therapies, 2nd Edition
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Natural Compounds in Modern Therapies, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 4045

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Choromańska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
Interests: extracellular vesicles; electroporation; anti-cancer medicinal plants; cell migration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nina Rembiałkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
Interests: membrane permeabilization; electroporation; pulsed electric field; irreversible electroporation; electrochemotherapy; drug delivery; drug resistance; anti-cancer drug delivery; cancer biology; in vitro cell culture; tumor cell culture; cell viability; cytotoxicity; in vivo electroporation; natural chemotherapeutics; apoptosis; cell death; immunofluorescence; biomedical engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The search for new drugs remains a priority, with growing interest in medicinal plants and their biologically active compounds. These compounds have complex structures that are challenging to replicate at the atomic level and exhibit a more intricate mechanism of action than synthetic drugs. This Special Issue aims to provide valuable information to the scientific community regarding the bioactivity of plant extracts and natural compounds, focusing on their anticancer, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-infectious properties and their potential in treating age-related disorders and metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Anna Choromańska
Dr. Nina Rembiałkowska
Guest Editors

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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • natural compounds
  • plant extract
  • nutraceuticals
  • anticancer activity
  • antimicrobial activity
  • anti-inflammatory activity
  • synergistic effect

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 6787 KiB  
Article
Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li2CO3) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model
by Juan Carlos García-Acosta, Alejando Israel Castillo-Montoya, Gareth Omar Rostro-Alonso, Edgar Yebrán Villegas-Vázquez, Laura Itzel Quintas-Granados, Luis Sánchez-Sánchez, Hugo López-Muñóz, Lizbeth Cariño-Calvo, Israel López-Reyes, Lilia Patricia Bustamante-Montes, Gerardo Leyva-Gómez, Hernán Cortés, Nadia Judith Jacobo-Herrera, Rosario García-Aguilar, Octavio Daniel Reyes-Hernández and Gabriela Figueroa-González
Molecules 2024, 29(18), 4476; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29184476 - 20 Sep 2024
Viewed by 539
Abstract
Lithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form [...] Read more.
Lithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form (salt type) and the type of cancer cells targeted. Little is known about the effects of Li2CO3 or LiCl on cancer cells, so we focused on exploring their effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle as part of the hallmarks of cancer. Firstly, we established the IC50 values on HeLa, SiHa, and HaCaT cells with LiCl and Li2CO3 and determined by crystal violet that cell proliferation was time-dependent in the three cell lines (IC50 values for LiCl were 23.43 mM for SiHa, 23.14 mM for HeLa, and 15.10 mM for HaCaT cells, while the IC50 values for Li2CO3 were 20.57 mM for SiHa, 11.52 mM for HeLa, and 10.52 mM for HaCaT cells.) Our findings indicate that Li2CO3 and LiCl induce DNA fragmentation and caspase-independent apoptosis, as shown by TUNEL, Western Blot, and Annexin V/IP assay by flow cytometry. Also, cell cycle analysis showed that LiCl and Li2CO3 arrested the cervical cancer cells at the G1 phase. Moreover, lithium salts displayed an anti-migratory effect on the three cell lines observed by the wound-healing assay. All these findings imply the viable anticancer effect of lithium salts by targeting several of the hallmarks of cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compounds in Modern Therapies, 2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 3381 KiB  
Article
Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Electrospray Ionization–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for Distinguishing the Origin of Ellagic Acid Extracts: Pomegranate Peels or Gallnuts
by Jinchao Wei, Renjian Xu, Yuanyuan Zhang, Lingyu Zhao, Shumu Li and Zhenwen Zhao
Molecules 2024, 29(3), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29030666 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1221
Abstract
Ellagic acid, known for its various biological activities, is widely used. Ellagic acid from pomegranate peels is safe for consumption, while that from gallnuts is only suitable for external use. However, there is currently no effective method to confirm the source of ellagic [...] Read more.
Ellagic acid, known for its various biological activities, is widely used. Ellagic acid from pomegranate peels is safe for consumption, while that from gallnuts is only suitable for external use. However, there is currently no effective method to confirm the source of ellagic acid. Therefore, this study establishes an analysis method using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HR-MS) to identify the components of crude ellagic acid extracts from pomegranate peels and gallnuts. The analysis revealed that there was a mix of components in the crude extracts, such as ellagic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, and 9(10)-EpODE. Furthermore, it could be observed that ellagic acid extracted from gallnuts contained toxic substances such as anacardic acid and ginkgolic acid (15:1). These components could be used to effectively distinguish the origin of ellagic acid from pomegranate peels or gallnuts. Additionally, a rapid quantitative analysis method using UHPLC-ESI-MS with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was developed for the quality control of ellagic acid products, by quantifying anacardic acid and ginkgolic acid (15:1). It was found that one of three ellagic acid health care products contained ginkgolic acid (C15:1) and anacardic acid at more than 1 ppm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compounds in Modern Therapies, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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23 pages, 2319 KiB  
Review
Utilizing Extracellular Vesicles for Eliminating ‘Unwanted Molecules’: Harnessing Nature’s Structures in Modern Therapeutic Strategies
by Monika Kisielewska, Katarzyna Rakoczy, Izabela Skowron, Julia Górczyńska, Julia Kacer, Agata Bocheńska and Anna Choromańska
Molecules 2024, 29(5), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29050948 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1684
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small phospholipid bilayer-bond structures released by diverse cell types into the extracellular environment, maintaining homeostasis of the cell by balancing cellular stress. This article provides a comprehensive overview of extracellular vesicles, their heterogeneity, and diversified roles in cellular processes, [...] Read more.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small phospholipid bilayer-bond structures released by diverse cell types into the extracellular environment, maintaining homeostasis of the cell by balancing cellular stress. This article provides a comprehensive overview of extracellular vesicles, their heterogeneity, and diversified roles in cellular processes, emphasizing their importance in the elimination of unwanted molecules. They play a role in regulating oxidative stress, particularly by discarding oxidized toxic molecules. Furthermore, endoplasmic reticulum stress induces the release of EVs, contributing to distinct results, including autophagy or ER stress transmission to following cells. ER stress-induced autophagy is a part of unfolded protein response (UPR) and protects cells from ER stress-related apoptosis. Mitochondrial-derived vesicles (MDVs) also play a role in maintaining homeostasis, as they carry damaged mitochondrial components, thereby preventing inflammation. Moreover, EVs partake in regulating aging-related processes, and therefore they can potentially play a crucial role in anti-aging therapies, including the treatment of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or cardiovascular conditions. Overall, the purpose of this article is to provide a better understanding of EVs as significant mediators in both physiological and pathological processes, and to shed light on their potential for therapeutic interventions targeting EV-mediated pathways in various pathological conditions, with an emphasis on age-related diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Compounds in Modern Therapies, 2nd Edition)
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