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Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants
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Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 8254

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Javier Hernández-Allica

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sustainable Agriculture Sciences Department, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK
Interests: plant physiology; plant nutrition; soil chemistry; soil analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The chemical analysis of plants is a wide but fascinating topic for this Special Issue of Plants, and an incredibly fast-evolving research area transiting from the traditional mineral and nutritional analytical methods to the new era dominated by high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) for plant ionomics and metabolomics. It is also a research area transiting from slow sample analysis with time-consuming sample preparation, to novel in vivo real-time analysis (from the lab bench instrumentation, to the in situ field portable equipment), and from single-parameter quantification to multi-parameter prediction with chemometrics. Accordingly, this Special Issue of Plants aims to show how the chemical analysis of plants plays a central role in agronomy, food science, pharmacology or environmental science, covering hot scientific topics such as plant adaptation to global warming and abiotic stresses, soil to nutrition and biofortification, phytoremediation, novel phytochemicals and many other topics related to the field of applied plant sciences.

Dr. Javier Hernández-Allica
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. 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

  • nutrient
  • chemometrics
  • ionomics
  • mass spectrometry
  • portable
  • phytochemical

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 683 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant and Antifungal Activities and Characterization of Phenolic Compounds Using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) of Aqueous Extracts and Fractions from Verbesina sphaerocephala Stems
by Kathia Yanelly Rodríguez-Valdovinos, Rafael Salgado-Garciglia, Alejandra Hernández-García, Alfredo Saavedra-Molina, Rosa Elva Norma del Río-Torres, Joel Edmundo López-Meza, Juan Luis Monribot-Villanueva, José Antonio Guerrero-Analco and José Roberto Medina-Medrano
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2791; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192791 - 5 Oct 2024
Viewed by 804
Abstract
The Verbesina gender represents the second most diverse group from the Asteraceae family in Mexico; Verbesina sphaerocephala is one of the most distributed species along the Mexican territory. This species has been poorly studied, reporting the presence of some bioactive compounds with antioxidant [...] Read more.
The Verbesina gender represents the second most diverse group from the Asteraceae family in Mexico; Verbesina sphaerocephala is one of the most distributed species along the Mexican territory. This species has been poorly studied, reporting the presence of some bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial activity. In this study, phenolic and flavonoid contents and composition, antioxidant and antifungal activities of aqueous extracts of the stem of V. sphaerocephala and its fractions were determined. The results showed that the highest antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea was shown by the aqueous extract (IC50: 0.10 mg/mL) and the ethyl acetate fraction (IC50: 14.8 mg/mL). In addition, the aqueous extract and the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest phenolic (21.40 and 21.26 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively) and flavonoid contents (11.53 and 3.71 mg rutin equivalents, respectively) and high antioxidant activity determined by the Total Antioxidant Capacity (20.62 and 40.21 mg ascorbic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively), Ferric Reducing Power (74.76 and 129.57 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively), DPPH (IC50: 12.38 and 7.36 mg/mL, respectively), and ABTS (IC50: 5.60 and 7.76 mg/mL, respectively) methods. Twelve phenolic compounds were detected in the aqueous extract using UPLC-MS analysis, of which the major ones were protocatechuic, vanillic, and hydroxybenzoic acid, while in the ethyl acetate fraction, the presence of 18 phenolic compounds were identified, of which the majority were vanillin, rutin, and hydroxybenzoic acid. The results of this research demonstrate that the aqueous extract of V. sphaerocephala stems has phenolic compounds with antifungal and antioxidant activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants)
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22 pages, 6344 KiB  
Article
Diversity of the Morphometric and Biochemical Traits of Allium cepa L. Varieties
by Donata Arena, Hajer Ben Ammar, Nikola Major, Tvrtko Karlo Kovačević, Smiljana Goreta Ban, Nicolas Al Achkar, Giulio Flavio Rizzo and Ferdinando Branca
Plants 2024, 13(13), 1727; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131727 - 22 Jun 2024
Viewed by 736
Abstract
Several Allium cepa L. varieties, representing a versatile set of vegetables widely utilized by consumers, are appreciated for their bioactive properties, including antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant capacities. The aim of this study is to compare the morphometric characteristics and biochemical profiles of four [...] Read more.
Several Allium cepa L. varieties, representing a versatile set of vegetables widely utilized by consumers, are appreciated for their bioactive properties, including antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and antioxidant capacities. The aim of this study is to compare the morphometric characteristics and biochemical profiles of four cultivars of A. cepa, two of them represented by the perennial Sicilian landrace “Cipudda agghiarola” (Allium × proliferum (Moench) Schrader), widely known as the Egyptian walking onion (WO), and by the landrace “Cipudduzza” belonging to the variety known as aggregatum (ON), which were compared with two commercial cultivars of A. cepa var. cepa (onion), Stoccarda (OS) and Rossa Carmen (OR). The experimental trial was conducted in Catania (Sicily), following organic growing practices. The randomized complete block experimental design was adopted with one experimental factor, the genotype (GE) effect. The harvested plants were characterized for their main morphometric parameters, according to the International Plant Genetic Resources (IGPR) descriptors. The biochemical activity was assessed by analyzing the total phenolic content (TPC) and the total flavonoid content (TFC). The antioxidant capacity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The sugar profile (total sugars, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and fructooligosaccharides—FOS) and the volatile compounds by headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) were also determined. The OR bulb exhibited the highest TPC (16.3 mg GAE/g d.w., p < 0.01) and TFC (8.5 mg QE/g d.w., p < 0.01), with the highest antioxidant capacity measured by the FRAP (27.1 µmol TE/g d.w., p < 0.01) and DPPH assays (46.2 µmol TE/g d.w., p < 0.01). The ON bulb showed the highest ORAC value (209 µmol TE/g d.w., p < 0.01). Generally, the bulbs were richer in sugars (584 mg/g d.w., p < 0.01) than the leaf blade (239 mg/g d.w., p < 0.01), except for OR. Significant interaction between the genotype and plant organ was noted in the volatile compound profiles (p < 0.05) except for total ketones and carboxylic acids, where higher content was observed in the leaf blade compared to the bulb, regardless of the genotype. These findings highlight WO’s potential for use in ready-to-eat products, enhancing its market value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants)
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15 pages, 2817 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Profile and Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Cyto-Genotoxic, and Antigenotoxic Potential of Salvia verticillata Hydromethanolic Extract
by Lamprini S. Stavropoulou, Ioanna Efthimiou, Lambrini Giova, Chrysoula Manoli, Paraskevi S. Sinou, Aris Zografidis, Fotini N. Lamari, Dimitris Vlastos, Stefanos Dailianis and Maria Antonopoulou
Plants 2024, 13(5), 731; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050731 - 5 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1385
Abstract
This study comprises the phytochemical characterization, the evaluation of the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA), and the investigation of the cyto-genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of hydromethanolic extract derived from Salvia verticillata L. leaves. HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS and HPLC–DAD were used for the [...] Read more.
This study comprises the phytochemical characterization, the evaluation of the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA), and the investigation of the cyto-genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of hydromethanolic extract derived from Salvia verticillata L. leaves. HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS and HPLC–DAD were used for the characterization of the extract and determination of the major ingredients. Afterwards, the TPC and AA were determined. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of the extract on cultured human lymphocytes at concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 μg mL−1 was investigated via the Cytokinesis Block MicroNucleus (CBMN) assay. Moreover, its antigenotoxic potential against the mutagenic agent mitomycin C (MMC) was assessed using the same assay. The hydromethanolic extract comprises numerous metabolites, with rosmarinic acid being the major compound. It had a high value of TPC and exerted significant AA as shown by the results of the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and Radical Scavenging Activity by DPPH• assays. A dose-dependent cytotoxic potential was recorded, with the highest dose (50 μg mL−1) exhibiting statistically significant cytotoxicity. None of the tested concentrations induced significant micronuclei (MN) frequencies, indicating a lack of genotoxicity. All tested concentrations reduced the MMC-mediated genotoxic effects, with the two lowest showing statistically significant antigenotoxic potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants)
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12 pages, 2934 KiB  
Article
Seseli tortuosum L. subsp. tortuosum Essential Oils and Their Principal Constituents as Anticancer Agents
by Alessandro Vaglica, Antonella Maggio, Natale Badalamenti, Maurizio Bruno, Marianna Lauricella, Chiara Occhipinti and Antonella D’Anneo
Plants 2024, 13(5), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050678 - 28 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1144
Abstract
Seseli tortuosum L. subsp. tortuosum, belonging to the Apiaceae family, is a species that grows in Europe, mainly in the Mediterranean regions. The history of its application in traditional medicine highlights its various biological properties. Trying to explore the phytochemistry and pharmacological [...] Read more.
Seseli tortuosum L. subsp. tortuosum, belonging to the Apiaceae family, is a species that grows in Europe, mainly in the Mediterranean regions. The history of its application in traditional medicine highlights its various biological properties. Trying to explore the phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects of this species, the essential oils (EOs) extracted from flowers, stems, and roots of a locally wild accession, never previously investigated, growing in Sicily, Italy, were investigated. The chemical composition of all EOs, obtained by the hydrodistillation method, was evaluated by GC-MS. The most abundant class of all investigated samples was that of monoterpene hydrocarbons (79.98–91.21%) with p-cymene, α-pinene, β-pinene, and β-ocimene as major compounds. These EOs, and their main components, were tested for their possible anticancer activity. Obtained data provided evidence that among the different EOs tested, at the dose of 100 μg/mL, those extracted from stems and roots were particularly effective, already at 24 h of treatment, in reducing the cell viability of 42% and 95%, respectively, in HCT116 colon cancer cell line. These EOs also exerted a remarkable cytotoxic effect that was accompanied by morphological changes represented by cell shrinkage as well as a reduction in residual cell population. Differently, modest effects were found when EOs extracted from flowers were tested in the same experimental conditions. The evaluation of the phytocompounds mainly represented in the EOs extracted from different parts of the plant and tested in a range of concentrations between 20 and 200 μg/mL, revealed that α-pinene, β-pinene, and p-cymene exerted only modest effects on cell viability. Differently, a remarkable effect was found when β-ocimene, the most abundant phytocomponent in EOs from roots, was tested on colon cancer cells. This phytocompound, among those identified in EOs from Seseli tortuosum L. subsp. tortuosum, was found to be the most effective in reducing colon cancer cell viability with IC50 = 64.52 μg/mL at 24 h of treatment. All together, these data suggest that β-ocimene could be responsible for the effects observed in colon cancer cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants)
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41 pages, 4526 KiB  
Systematic Review
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, a Potential Source of Phytochemicals for Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review
by Valentina Lerose, Maria Ponticelli, Nadia Benedetto, Vittorio Carlucci, Ludovica Lela, Nikolay T. Tzvetkov and Luigi Milella
Plants 2024, 13(6), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060771 - 8 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3679
Abstract
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a medicinal plant belonging to the traditional Indian medical system, showing various therapeutic effects such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, and hepatoprotective activity. Of great interest is W. somnifera’s potential beneficial effect against neurodegenerative diseases, since the [...] Read more.
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a medicinal plant belonging to the traditional Indian medical system, showing various therapeutic effects such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, and hepatoprotective activity. Of great interest is W. somnifera’s potential beneficial effect against neurodegenerative diseases, since the authorized medicinal treatments can only delay disease progression and provide symptomatic relief and are not without side effects. A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to identify preclinical and clinical studies focusing on the applications of W. somnifera in preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Only English articles and those containing the keywords (Withania somnifera AND “neurodegenerative diseases”, “neuroprotective effects”, “Huntington”, “Parkinson”, “Alzheimer”, “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”, “neurological disorders”) in the title or abstract were considered. Reviews, editorials, letters, meta-analyses, conference papers, short surveys, and book chapters were not considered. Selected articles were grouped by pathologies and summarized, considering the mechanism of action. The quality assessment and the risk of bias were performed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions checklist. This review uses a systematic approach to summarize the results from 60 investigations to highlight the potential role of W. somnifera and its specialized metabolites in treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Chemical Analysis of Plants)
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