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Antimicrobial, Enzyme Inhibitory and Wound-Healing Properties of Plant Extracts and...
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Antimicrobial, Enzyme Inhibitory and Wound-Healing Properties of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 2640

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dejan Stojković

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mycological Laboratory, Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"—National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: pathogenic fungi; mushrooms; mycomedicines; natural products; dermatomycetes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marina D. Sokovic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mycological Laboratory, Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"—National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: microfungi; macrofungi; antibacterial activity; antifungal activity; natural products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With an emphasis on the antibacterial, enzyme-inhibitory, and wound-healing properties of plant extracts and phytochemicals, this Special Issue seeks to compile original research articles and reviews that examine the therapeutic potential of these substances.

Exploring the potential of botanicals as bioactive agents has become increasingly important due to the rise in chronic wound problems, the growing resistance to conventional antibiotics, and the need to find natural inhibitors of important enzymes implicated in infectious and metabolic diseases. Research on mechanistic discoveries, structure–activity connections, new extraction techniques, in vitro and in vivo tests, and creative formulations is welcome.

Key topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties of plant-derived compounds;
  • The mode of action of plant-based antimicrobials;
  • Inhibition of enzymes, including urease, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase, among others;
  • Molecular docking and in silico modeling of phytochemicals with biological goals;
  • The role of phytochemicals in regulating inflammation and oxidative stress in wound healing;
  • Synergistic effects of phytochemicals with antibiotics or synthetic drugs;
  • Standardization, safety, and toxicity assessments of bioactive plant extracts;
  • Traditional and ethnopharmacological knowledge for therapeutic use;
  • Growing interest in enzyme-inhibitory phytochemicals for the treatment of metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders;
  • Natural products that provide sustainable, affordable, and biocompatible substitutes for synthetic drugs.

Dr. Dejan Stojković
Dr. Marina D. Sokovic
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • plant-derived compounds' antibacterial properties
  • antifungal properties
  • antiviral properties
  • phytochemicals
  • natural products
  • inhibitory enzymes

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3681 KB  
Article
Phytochemical Profiling and Antioxidant Properties of Ziziphus lotus (L.) Fruits Supported by Xanthine Oxidase Inhibition and Molecular Docking
by Malika Benkahoul, Amina Bramki, Ouided Benslama, Mohammed Esseddik Toumi, Ibtissem Maghboune, Rosa M. Varela and Jesús García Zorrilla
Plants 2026, 15(5), 708; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15050708 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 582
Abstract
Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam., an extremophyte shrub native to the Mediterranean basin, yields underexplored fruits as a source of therapeutic agents. This study combined in vitro and in silico approaches to evaluate the antioxidant potential of Z. lotus fruits and predict their potential [...] Read more.
Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam., an extremophyte shrub native to the Mediterranean basin, yields underexplored fruits as a source of therapeutic agents. This study combined in vitro and in silico approaches to evaluate the antioxidant potential of Z. lotus fruits and predict their potential to inhibit xanthine oxidase (XO), a key enzyme in reactive oxygen species generation and oxidative stress-related pathologies. The ethyl acetate extract from the hydroalcoholic macerate was enriched in total phenolics (281.33 ± 1.5 μg GAE/mg) and flavonoids (127.26 ± 5.89 μg RE/mg) and displayed remarkable effects against the ABTS•+ radical cation (IC50 = 18.49 ± 1.47 μg/mL) and phenanthroline reducing power (A0.5 = 8.38 ± 0.69 μg/mL), together with measurable xanthine oxidase inhibition (IC50 = 170.4 ± 5.90 μg/mL). The compounds tentatively identified by full-scan UHPLC-QtoF-HRMS were docked against XO (PDB ID: 3NVY), with phytosphingosine (−8.5 kcal/mol) and rutin (−8.3 kcal/mol) exhibiting the strongest binding affinities, forming favorable predicted interactions with critical catalytic residues, followed by 6‴-feruloylspinosin, 3′,5′-di-C-β-glucopyranosylphloretin and hexadecasphinganine (ranging from −7.8 to −7.6 kcal/mol). Predictive structure–activity relationships were also observed. These results provide insights into the antioxidant potential of Z. lotus phytochemicals and highlight the value of this extremophile plant as sustainable resource for phytotherapy and the management of oxidative stress-related diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial, Enzyme Inhibitory and Wound-Healing Properties of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals)
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17 pages, 1760 KB  
Article
Red Clover Isoflavones as Effective Longevity Agents for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Skin Applications
by Anna Gościniak, Klaudyna Bogusławska, Małgorzata Szymańska, Barbara Kaproń-Plech, Piotr Trzaskoma, Piotr Szulc and Judyta Cielecka-Piontek
Plants 2026, 15(4), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15040553 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 694
Abstract
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a rich source of isoflavones with documented antioxidant and skin-protective properties, yet substantial differences in phytochemical composition exist among cultivars. In this study, fourteen T. pratense cultivars were compared with respect to formononetin and biochanin A [...] Read more.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a rich source of isoflavones with documented antioxidant and skin-protective properties, yet substantial differences in phytochemical composition exist among cultivars. In this study, fourteen T. pratense cultivars were compared with respect to formononetin and biochanin A contents (Milena, Pasieka, Pyza, Milvus, Nemaro, Maro, Larus, Hammon, Vesna, Fregata, Carbo, Forelia, Osimia, and Elanus), and the relationship between isoflavone profiles and skin-related biological activity was evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed pronounced cultivar-dependent variability with formononetin and biochanin A contents ranging from 1.60 to 7.80 mg/g DW and from 0.69 to 6.44 mg/g DW, respectively. The observed variability was further visualized by principal component analysis. The cultivar with the highest total isoflavone content—Hammon, was selected for biological assessment. Its extract exhibited antioxidant (DPPH IC50 = 0.619 mg/mL; FRAP IC0.5 = 0.302 mg/mL) and enzyme inhibitory activities (elastase IC50 = 0.602 mg/mL, hyaluronidase IC50 = 22.44 mg/mL), and it significantly enhanced fibroblast migration in an in vitro scratch assay, indicating anti-aging and regenerative potential. These results demonstrate that red clover cultivars differ significantly in their suitability as sources of bioactive isoflavones and highlight the importance of cultivar selection for the development of standardized plant-derived anti-aging ingredients. However, it is worth emphasizing that isoflavones derived from red clover are a valuable group of active compounds with significant potential for topical application as anti-aging and regenerative agents, warranting further formulation development and in vivo validation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial, Enzyme Inhibitory and Wound-Healing Properties of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals)
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23 pages, 2476 KB  
Article
Industrial Applications of Different Parts of Flatland Polygonum cuspidatum by Combining Microwave-Assisted Extraction and Fermentation Process
by Chih-Yu Chen, Guey-Horng Wang, Jong-Tar Kuo, Pei-Ning Hsu, Yu-Chen Shen, Yen-Hsun Chen and Ying-Chien Chung
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3572; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233572 - 22 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 843
Abstract
Polygonum cuspidatum is a well-known and versatile medicinal plant. In Taiwan, P. cuspidatum is typically found in central mountainous regions. Once acclimated, it can also thrive in flat areas, where it is known as flatland P. cuspidatum. Flatland P. cuspidatum has several [...] Read more.
Polygonum cuspidatum is a well-known and versatile medicinal plant. In Taiwan, P. cuspidatum is typically found in central mountainous regions. Once acclimated, it can also thrive in flat areas, where it is known as flatland P. cuspidatum. Flatland P. cuspidatum has several advantages over alpine P. cuspidatum; for example, flatland P. cuspidatum grows faster and has larger leaves. This study enhanced the functionality of different parts of flatland P. cuspidatum (flowers, leaves, and rhizomes) by using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technology and Box–Behnken response surface methodology. Experiments revealed that the combination of MAE parameters that yielded optimal results was influenced by which plant part was used as input material. Regarding whitening activity, the extracts were ranked as follows: leaf > rhizome > flower. Leaf extracts had higher total flavonoid content, and rhizome extracts had higher total phenolic content. Regarding antiaging activity, the extracts were ranked as follows: rhizome > leaf > flower. The rankings for antimicrobial activity were as follows: leaf > rhizome > flower. Regarding anti-inflammatory activity, the extracts were ranked as follows: flower > rhizome > leaf. The rhizome extract exhibited slight cytotoxicity. UHPLC-UV-Q-TOF-HRMS/MS analysis identified 27, 34, and 37 bioactive compounds in the leaf, rhizome, and flower extracts, respectively. Given the relatively low pharmacological activity observed in the MAE-optimized flower extract, fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae was employed to enhance its efficacy. This process significantly enhanced the extract’s pharmacological properties, including its whitening, antiaging, and antimicrobial properties. Increased levels of 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, decursin, quercetin, quercitrin, kaempferol, resveratrol, epicatechin gallate, resveratrol-3-O-D-(2-galloyl)-glucopyranoside, resveratrol-4′-O-β-D-glucoside, apigenin, emodin-8-O-(6′-O-malonyl)-glucoside, physcion, emodin, and torachrysone in the fermented flower extract likely contributed to its enhanced pharmacological activities. The results of this study indicate that the newly developed flatland P. cuspidatum extracts can be considered viable substitutes for alpine P. cuspidatum extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial, Enzyme Inhibitory and Wound-Healing Properties of Plant Extracts and Phytochemicals)
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