The Bioactivity of Natural Products and Extracts from Horticultural Plants

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural plants can be found all around the world and, among them, fruit and vegetables are regarded as the most important sources of nutrients and health-promoting compounds for human health. In particular, horticultural elements (seeds, skins, rinds, pulps, roots, leaves, kernels, stems, and flowers) are excellent sources of pigments, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenes, flavouring agents, aromas, essential oils, and iridoids. All these natural products are characterized by their valuable biological properties, such as antibacterial, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, and antimutagenic activities.

The screening of horticultural plants for novel biologically active metabolites is an important research topic because these high-value-added biomolecules can be employed for the development of functional or enriched foods in the food and beverage industry, as well for cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and textile applications.

As, nowadays, numerous research groups are focusing on the study and characterization of plant extracts, this Special Issue aims to collect reviews and original papers on natural bioactive compounds from horticultural plants, related biological activities, and potential applications.

Dr. Filomena Monica Vella
Guest Editor

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