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Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century
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Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 13838

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zdenek Wimmer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Isotope Laboratory, Videnska 1083, CZ-14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
2. Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, The University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technicka 5, CZ-16628 Prague 6, Czech Republic
Interests: plant products; isolation and identification; structural modification; in silico calculation of physico–chemical and ADME parameters; supramolecular self-assembly; pharmacological activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Petra Lovecká

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: isolation and characterization of plant extracts; antimicrobial substances; testing of biological activities; cytotoxicity and mutagenicity testing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant adaptogens are a fascinating group of plant secondary metabolites whose diverse pharmacological activity, including its effects on the central nervous system, has the ability to improve human health. Exploiting the diversity and functions of different groups of adaptogens could enable the discovery of novel characteristics of plant products and, based on those findings, novel views on a wide variety of plants. The results of this investigation may provoke agricultural industries to further research the potential value of non-traditional plant sources and improve plant–environmental interactions. In addition, the study of plant adaptogens has given us important insights into the control of plant development, structure, and function. As the detection of different groups of plant products displaying adaptogen characteristics becomes more sensitive, as our tools to manipulate plant adaptogen content become more intelligent, and as our molecular understanding of adaptogen biosynthesis and transport increase our understanding of their role in nature, many targets have to be studied. This Special Issue of Plants will highlight the function, evolution, and diversity of plant adaptogens in plants, their role in the interactions of plants with their environment, and their potential for augmenting human health.

Prof. Dr. Wimmer Zdenek
Prof. Dr. Petra Lovecká
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

  • plant extracts
  • phytochemical screening
  • isolation and identification
  • pharmacological activity
  • effect on central nervous system
  • structural modifications
  • in silico calculations of physico-chemical and ADME parameters

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 10823 KiB  
Article
Adaptogenic Properties of a Phytoecdysteroid-Rich Extract from the Leaves of Spinacia oleracea L.
by Yuliya S. Sidorova, Vladimir A. Shipelin, Nikita A. Petrov, Sergey N. Zorin and Vladimir K. Mazo
Plants 2021, 10(12), 2555; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122555 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2344
Abstract
Increasing the ability of the human body to adapt in conditions of physical or emotional stress is promising from the standpoint of the use of preventive nutrition containing functional food ingredients (FFI) with proven effectiveness in complex physiological in vivo studies. In this [...] Read more.
Increasing the ability of the human body to adapt in conditions of physical or emotional stress is promising from the standpoint of the use of preventive nutrition containing functional food ingredients (FFI) with proven effectiveness in complex physiological in vivo studies. In this work, we developed FFI from spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea L.) with a high content of polyphenols and adaptogens—phytoecdysteroids. Using in vivo models of increased physical activity and immobilization-induced emotional stress, we evaluated the nonspecific resistance of rats in response to the addition of the developed FFI to the diet. In the acute toxicity experiment, we found no signs of FFI toxicity up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. As a result of the daily 26-day consumption of FFI, we observed an anxiolytic effect in physiological studies. FFI prevented an increase in the content of biogenic amines in the blood, the main markers of the stress system, and had a positive effect on the lipid metabolism of the rats. The obtained results demonstrate a “smoothing” effect on the body’s reaction in response to induced stress conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century)
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15 pages, 2538 KiB  
Article
Novel Oleanolic Acid-Tryptamine and -Fluorotryptamine Amides: From Adaptogens to Agents Targeting In Vitro Cell Apoptosis
by Uladzimir Bildziukevich, Marie Kvasnicová, David Šaman, Lucie Rárová and Zdeněk Wimmer
Plants 2021, 10(10), 2082; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10102082 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1756
Abstract
Background: Oleanolic acid is a natural plant adaptogen, and tryptamine is a natural psychoactive drug. To compare their effects of with the effect of their derivatives, tryptamine and fluorotryptamine amides of oleanolic acid were designed and synthesized. Methods: The target amides were investigated [...] Read more.
Background: Oleanolic acid is a natural plant adaptogen, and tryptamine is a natural psychoactive drug. To compare their effects of with the effect of their derivatives, tryptamine and fluorotryptamine amides of oleanolic acid were designed and synthesized. Methods: The target amides were investigated for their pharmacological effect, and basic supramolecular self-assembly characteristics. Four human cancer cell lines were involved in the screening tests performed by standard methods. Results: The ability to display cytotoxicity and to cause selective cell apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma and in human malignant melanoma was seen with the three most active compounds of the prepared series of compounds. Tryptamine amide of (3β)-3-(acetyloxy)olean-12-en-28-oic acid (3a) exhibited cytotoxicity in HeLa cancer cell lines (IC50 = 8.7 ± 0.4 µM) and in G-361 cancer cell lines (IC50 = 9.0 ± 0.4 µM). Fluorotryptamine amides of (3β)-3-(acetyloxy)olean-12-en-28-oic acid (compounds 3b and 3c) showed cytotoxicity in the HeLa cancer cell line (IC50 = 6.7 ± 0.4 µM and 12.2 ± 4.7 µM, respectively). The fluorotryptamine amide of oleanolic acid (compound 4c) displayed cytotoxicity in the MCF7 cancer cell line (IC50 = 13.5 ± 3.3 µM). Based on the preliminary UV spectra measured in methanol/water mixtures, the compounds 3a–3c were also found to self-assemble into supramolecular systems. Conclusions: An effect of the fluorine atom present in the molecules on self-assembly was observed with 3b. Enhanced cytotoxicity has been achieved in 3a–4c in comparison with the effect of the parent oleanolic acid (1) and tryptamine. The compounds 3a–3c showed a strong induction of apoptosis in HeLa and G-361 cells after 24 h. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century)
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16 pages, 3161 KiB  
Article
Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects and Mechanism of Action of Fructus ligustri lucidi Extract in BV2 Microglia
by Yeon Ju Kim, Sung Yun Park, Young Jun Koh and Ju-Hee Lee
Plants 2021, 10(4), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040688 - 2 Apr 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3103
Abstract
For centuries, Fructus ligustri lucidi (FLL; the fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Aiton or Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.) has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating hepatitis and aging-related symptoms and in traditional Korean medicine to detoxify kidneys and the liver. Pharmacological research [...] Read more.
For centuries, Fructus ligustri lucidi (FLL; the fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Aiton or Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.) has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating hepatitis and aging-related symptoms and in traditional Korean medicine to detoxify kidneys and the liver. Pharmacological research has shown FLL has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-osteoporosis, and hepatoprotective activities. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of FLL extract (FLLE) on neuroinflammation. After setting a non-toxic concentration using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide] assay data, we investigated the effects of FLLE using Western blotting, cell migration, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a nitric oxide (NO) assay, and immunofluorescence staining in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine BV2 microglial cells. FLLE was non-toxic to BV2 cells up to a concentration of 500 μg/mL and concentration-dependently inhibited the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 and the protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 under LPS-induced inflammatory conditions. It also inhibited the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Furthermore, FLLE pretreatment attenuated LPS-induced increases of CD68 (a marker of microglia activation) and suppressed the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells, and significantly increased heme oxygenase (HO)-1 levels. FLLE also reduced the LPS-induced increase in the migratory ability of BV2 cells and the phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1. Collectively, FLLE effectively inhibited inflammatory response by suppressing the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways and inducing HO-1 in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Our findings provide a scientific basis for further study of FLL as a candidate for preventing or alleviating neuroinflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century)
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9 pages, 558 KiB  
Article
Decorative Magnolia Plants: A Comparison of the Content of Their Biologically Active Components Showing Antimicrobial Effects
by Petra Lovecká, Alžběta Svobodová, Anna Macůrková, Blanka Vrchotová, Kateřina Demnerová and Zdeněk Wimmer
Plants 2020, 9(7), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9070879 - 11 Jul 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2648
Abstract
Magnolia plants are used both as food supplements and as cosmetic and medicinal products. The objectives of this work consisted of preparing extracts from leaves and flowers of eight Magnolia plants, and of determining concentrations of magnolol (1 to 100 mg·g−1), [...] Read more.
Magnolia plants are used both as food supplements and as cosmetic and medicinal products. The objectives of this work consisted of preparing extracts from leaves and flowers of eight Magnolia plants, and of determining concentrations of magnolol (1 to 100 mg·g−1), honokiol (0.11 to 250 mg·g−1), and obovatol (0.09 to 650 mg·g−1), typical neolignans for the genus Magnolia, in extracts made by using a methanol/water (80/20) mixture. The tested Magnolia plants, over sixty years old, were obtained from Průhonický Park (Prague area, Czech Republic): M. tripetala MTR 1531, M. obovata MOB 1511, and six hybrid plants Magnolia × pruhoniciana, results of a crossbreeding of M. tripetala MTR 1531 with M. obovata MOB 1511. The identification of neolignans was performed by HRMS after a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) fractionation of an extract from M. tripetala MTR 1531. The highest concentrations of neolignans were found in the flowers, most often in their reproductive parts, and obovatol was the most abundant in every tested plant. The highest concentrations of neolignans were detected in parent plants, and lower concentrations in hybrid magnolias. Flower extracts from the parent plants M. tripetala MTR 1531 and M. obovata MOB 1511, flower extracts from the hybrid plants Magnolia × pruhoniciana MPR 0271, MPR 0151, and MPR 1531, and leaf extract from the hybrid plant Magnolia × pruhoniciana MPR 0271 inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century)
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Review

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17 pages, 2984 KiB  
Review
Saracura-Mirá, a Proposed Brazilian Amazonian Adaptogen from Ampelozizyphus amazonicus
by Suzana Guimarães Leitão, Gilda Guimarães Leitão and Danilo Ribeiro de Oliveira
Plants 2022, 11(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11020191 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3046
Abstract
The Amazon Forest is known all over the world for its diversity and exuberance, and for sheltering several indigenous groups and other traditional communities. There, as well as in several other countries, in traditional medical systems, weakness, fatigue and debility are seen as [...] Read more.
The Amazon Forest is known all over the world for its diversity and exuberance, and for sheltering several indigenous groups and other traditional communities. There, as well as in several other countries, in traditional medical systems, weakness, fatigue and debility are seen as limiting health conditions where medicinal plants are often used in a non-specific way to improve body functions. This review brings together literature data on Ampelozizyphus amazonicus, commonly known in Brazil as “saracura-mirá” and/or “cerveja de índio”, as an Amazonian adaptogen, including some contributions from the authors based on their ethnographic and laboratory experiences. Topics such as botany, chemistry, ethnopharmacological and pharmacological aspects that support the adaptogen character of this plant, as well as cultivation, market status and supply chain aspects are discussed, and the gaps to establish “saracura-mirá” as an ingredient for the pharmaceutical purposes identified. The revised data presented good scientific evidence supporting the use of this Amazonian plant as a new adaptogen. Literature data also reveal that a detailed survey on natural populations of this plant is needed, as well as agronomical studies that could furnish A. amazonicus bark as a raw material. Another important issue is the lack of developed quality control methods to assure its quality assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Adaptogens: Natural Medicaments for the 21st Century)
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