Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.5
4.0
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Plants as Food and Medicine
share announcement

Plants as Food and Medicine

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 4121

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raees Khan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Interests: ethnobotany; ethnopharmacology; nutraceuticals; phytotherapy; natural product drug discovery; plant systematics; conservation biology; evolutionary biology
Prof. Dr. Mohsin Kazi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Interests: lipid based formulations; self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS); poorly water-soluble dugs; bioavailability enhancement; targeted drug delivery; nanomedicine; cancer; natural product drug discovery; plant systematics; bioactive SNEDDS (bio-SNEDDS)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medicinal plants or medicinal herbs have been identified and used since ancient times to improve the sensory characteristics of food. Turning medicinal plants into food products is an excellent strategy for producing functional foods, because plant-based extracts are rich in phytochemicals, with particular importance due to the health-beneficial effects. Plants synthesize these compounds for a variety of purposes, including the protection of the plant against fungi and bacteria, defense against insects and the attraction of pollinators and dispersal agents to favor the dispersion of seeds and pollens. Natural extracts from medicinal plants can be used as effective strategies to produce functional foods, therefore achieving a significant increase in social and environmental sustainability. However, extensive research on sensory characteristics, antioxidant and antimicrobial sources, the optimization of the concentrations of the extracts, and better knowledge of the mechanisms of the implications for the shelf life of food is still required.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish original research work related to the use of plants as medicine, food, and other beneficial applications in society. Research work related mainly to ethnobotany, wild food resources (fruits, vegetables, and spices), and their evaluation with regard to antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, and applications in food systems is welcome. Papers should contribute significantly to furthering scientific knowledge in the abovementioned scientific fields.

Dr. Raees Khan
Prof. Dr. Mohsin Kazi
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. Plants 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

  • ethnobotany
  • ethnopharmacology
  • nutraceuticals
  • phytotherapy
  • natural product drug discovery
  • plant systematics
  • conservation biology
  • evolutionary biology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 4977 KiB  
Article
Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Skin Diseases and for Cosmetic Purposes in Norway
by AmalaChukwu M. Ijeabuonwu, Jurga Bernatoniene and Zivile Pranskuniene
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2821; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192821 - 9 Oct 2024
Viewed by 749
Abstract
Skin diseases in Norway represents an important area of study due to their incidence and prevalence, yet ethnobotanical research in this context remains scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of Norwegian traditional medicine regarding the treatment of skin [...] Read more.
Skin diseases in Norway represents an important area of study due to their incidence and prevalence, yet ethnobotanical research in this context remains scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of Norwegian traditional medicine regarding the treatment of skin diseases and cosmetic purposes through a comparative analysis with EMA monographs. Participants were surveyed using semi-structured interviews. The two samples comprised 22 individuals from Bodø and 26 individuals from other Norwegian communities, all of whom use medicinal plants for the treatment of skin diseases and cosmetic purposes. The indications for skin diseases identified in the study were compared with the European Union herbal monographs published by the European Medicines Agency. Fieldwork was conducted between June 2022 and September 2023, during which 42 plant species from 22 families were recorded. More than half of these plant species (65.38%) were used without European Medicines Agency-approved medical indications. From a public safety perspective, ensuring the safety of self-treatment for skin diseases is a critical research focus for future ethnobotanical studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants as Food and Medicine)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2715 KiB  
Article
Hops across Continents: Exploring How Terroir Transforms the Aromatic Profiles of Five Hop (Humulus lupulus) Varieties Grown in Their Countries of Origin and in Brazil
by Marcos Edgar Herkenhoff, Oliver Brödel and Marcus Frohme
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2675; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192675 - 24 Sep 2024
Viewed by 525
Abstract
Humulus lupulus, or hops, is a vital ingredient in brewing, contributing bitterness, flavor, and aroma. The female plants produce strobiles rich in essential oils and acids, along with bioactive compounds like polyphenols, humulene, and myrcene, which offer health benefits. This study examined [...] Read more.
Humulus lupulus, or hops, is a vital ingredient in brewing, contributing bitterness, flavor, and aroma. The female plants produce strobiles rich in essential oils and acids, along with bioactive compounds like polyphenols, humulene, and myrcene, which offer health benefits. This study examined the aromatic profiles of five hop varieties grown in Brazil versus their countries of origin. Fifty grams of pelletized hops from each strain were collected and analyzed using HS-SPME/GC-MS to identify volatile compounds, followed by statistical analysis with PLS-DA and ANOVA. The study identified 330 volatile compounds and found significant aromatic differences among hops from different regions. For instance, H. Mittelfrüher grown in Brazil has a fruity and herbaceous profile, while the German-grown variety is more herbal and spicy. Similar variations were noted in the Magnum, Nugget, Saaz, and Sorachi Ace varieties. The findings underscore the impact of terroir on hop aromatic profiles, with Brazilian-grown hops displaying distinct profiles compared to their counterparts from their countries of origin, including variations in aromatic notes and α-acid content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants as Food and Medicine)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 6531 KiB  
Article
Wild Edible Fruits as a Source of Food and Medicine: A Study among Tribal Communities of Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
by Sheikh Zain Ul Abidin, Raees Khan, Mushtaq Ahmad, Alain Cuerrier, Muhammad Zafar, Asad Ullah, Jabbar Khan, Asma Saeed, Wahidah H. Al-Qahtani and Mohsin Kazi
Plants 2024, 13(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010039 - 21 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2135
Abstract
Botanical surveys in all parts of Pakistan are mainly focused on ethnomedicinal uses of plants, and very little attention has been paid to documenting edible wild fruit species (EWFs). Multiple methodologies and tools were used for data collection. In a recent survey 74 [...] Read more.
Botanical surveys in all parts of Pakistan are mainly focused on ethnomedicinal uses of plants, and very little attention has been paid to documenting edible wild fruit species (EWFs). Multiple methodologies and tools were used for data collection. In a recent survey 74 EWF species belonging to 29 families were documented, including their medicinal uses for the treatment of various diseases. The most cited (23%) preparation method was raw, fresh parts. The UV and RFC of EWF species ranged from 0.08 to 0.4 and from 0.02 to 0.18, respectively. In terms of specific disease treatments and their consensus, the ICF ranged from 0 to 0.38. Sexual, gastrointestinal, and respiratory disorders had the highest use reports, and 11 species of plants had the highest FL of 100%. On the basis of uses reported by the inhabitants of seven districts of Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the CSI ranged from the lowest 1.3 to the highest 41. It is concluded that the traditional uses of EWF species depend mainly on socio-economic factors rather than climatic conditions or the number of species. However, there is a gradual loss of traditional knowledge among the younger generations. The present survey is the first baseline study about the socio-economic dimension of local communities regarding the use of EWF species for food as well as medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants as Food and Medicine)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop