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Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants

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A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 May 2023) | Viewed by 8157

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Dr. Zoran S. Ilic

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Faculty of Agriculture, University in Priština-Kosovska Mitrovica, 38219 Lešak, Serbia
Interests: aromatic and medicinal plants; wild vegetable plants; quality; essential oil; post-harvest
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Prof. Dr. Jelena Popović-Djordjević

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Faculty of Agriculture, Department for Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: phytochemistry; environmental science; agricultural plant science; environmental chemistry; food quality and safety; organic chemistry
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Dr. Ljiljana P. Stanojević

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University of Niš, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Oslobođenja 124, 16000 Leskovac, Serbia
Interests: phytochemical analysis; plant biochemistry; essential oils; phenolic compounds; natural product chemistry and technology; phytochemicals; antioxidant activity; extraction; biological activities; medicinal and aromatic plants
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and wild edible plants are consumed fresh and processed, and are known to be among the most important sources of many nutritional and health-promoting compounds. Phytochemicals are commonly classified as flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavan‐3‐ols, flavonols, proanthocyanidins or flavones, nonhydrolyzable tannins, isoflavones and flavanones) and nonflavonoids (hydroxycinnamic, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydrolyzable tannins, benzoic acids and stilbenes). Sugars, acids and polysaccharides are an important source of phytochemicals, secondary metabolites of plants also known for their antioxidant activity and other properties.

These plants have a special phytochemical group (phytoalexins), which protects plants from environmental stresses such as abiotic ones, pollution or pathogens. Most of these metabolites, such as anthocyanins, are responsible for the organoleptic and qualitative properties of foods originating from such plants. These compounds are unique sources of industrial material in the form of food additives, pharmaceuticals and flavors, considered to be beneficial to health, mainly due to their antioxidant activity.

A great number of phytochemicals, including some vitamins, flavonoids, terpenoids, carotenoids, phenolics, phytoestrogens, minerals and antioxidants in found in plant materials, are used as alternative preservative agents for controlling postharvest deceases in fresh fruit and vegetables. These natural compounds are increasingly used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Since oxidative stress has been involved in the development of different human medical problems and the occurrence of various side effects of synthetic antioxidants, researchers have focused on the beneficial health effects of bioactive compounds from plants.

In this Special Issue, original research papers and reviews providing data contributing to comprehensive knowledge about phytochemicals in horticultural plants with food or medicinal application are more than welcome.

Dr. Zoran S. Ilic
Prof. Dr. Jelena Popović-Djordjević
Dr. Ljiljana P. Stanojević
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. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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

phytochemicals
vegetable
fruit
medicinal plants
aromatic plants
wild edible plants

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Essential Oil Content, Constituents and Antioxidant Activity from Different Plant Parts during Development Stages of Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

by Ljubomir Šunić, Zoran S. Ilić, Ljiljana Stanojević, Lidija Milenković, Jelena Stanojević, Renata Kovač, Aleksandra Milenković and Dragan Cvetković

Horticulturae 2023, 9(3), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9030364 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2277

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine fennel essential oil (FEO) yield, composition, and antioxidant activity during four different maturation stages of umbels with seeds (1st stage: immature-pasty; 2nd stage: premature-waxy; 3rd stage: mature-fully ripe; and 4th stage: seeds only), and leaves of wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. vulgare) from the Montenegro coast. The maximum oil yield was found in premature umbels at the waxy stage (4.76 mL/100 g p.m.) and in fully ripe umbels in the early fruiting stage (5.16 mL/100 g p.m.). Fully ripe seeds contained the lowest FEO (mL/100 g p.m.). The minimum FEO content was found in leaves (0.67%). (E)-anethole (64%), α-phellandrene (11.0%), and fenchone (4.8%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from immature fennel umbels. (E)-anethole (72.3%), fenchone (9.6%) and methyl chavicol (9.5%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from premature fennel umbels. (E)-anethole (71.6%), fenchone (10.7%) and methyl chavicol (10.3%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from mature fully ripe fennel umbels. Fennel seeds were rich in (E)-anethole (75.5%) and fenchone (13.7%). FEO from fennel leaves contained (E)-anethole (32.5%), α-phellandrene (18.8%), p-cymene (17.3%), and β-phellandrene (10.3%) as the main compounds. The antioxidant activity of FEO decreases from leaves (12.37 mg/mL) to seeds (37.20 mg/mL). The degree of DPPH radical neutralization increased with the incubation time. Fennel umbels can be harvested before the fully ripe stage, i.e., at the waxy stage, which considerably reduces seed shedding and losses and increases the essential oil yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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12 pages, 1698 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oil Yield, Composition, and Antioxidant Activity in Two Umbel Maturity Stages of Wild Carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. carota) from Montenegro

by Jelena Stanojević, Zoran S. Ilić, Ljiljana Stanojević, Lidija Milenković, Renata Kovač, Dragana Lalević, Ljubomir Šunić, Aleksandra Milenković and Dragan Cvetković

Horticulturae 2023, 9(3), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9030328 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1533

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine essential oil yield, composition, and antioxidant activity during two different maturation stages of umbels with seeds(I stage: premature–waxy; and II stage: mature–fully ripening) of wild carrot (Daucus carrota var. carota) from the Montenegrin coast. A higher yield of carrot essential oil (CEO) was determined in mature, fully ripening umbels (1.96 mL/100 g p.m) than in premature umbels at the waxy stage (mL/100 g p.m). Thirty-three components were identified in premature umbels, with β-bisabolene (32.3%), 11-α-(H)-himachal-4-en-1-β-ol (27.9%), elemicin (10.1%), and α-longipipene (7.7%) being the main components. They were followed by α-pinene (3.7%), (E)-asarone (3.4%), (E)-anethole (3.2%), and β-himachalene (2.0%). Thirty-two components were identified in CEO from mature umbels, with β-bisabolene (41.0%), 11-α-(H)-himachal-4-en-1-β-ol(21.1%), elemicin (14.8%), andα-longipipene (5.7%) being the most abundant. These components were followed by (E)-asarone (3.9%), cis-α-bisabolene (2.4%), and β-himachalene (2.0%). The CEO isolated from mature umbelsshowed better antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ value of 31.80 mg/mL) in comparison to the CEO isolated from premature umbels (EC₅₀ value of 49.18 mg/mL) during the incubation time of 60 min. The degree of DPPH radical neutralization increased as the incubation time increased from 20 to 60 min. Therefore, our findings recommend that wild carrot could be harvested in the fully ripening stage when the umbel improves CEO yield and antioxidant activity, without the risk of seed shedding from the umbel and seed losses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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19 pages, 2571 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shade-Induced Effects on Essential Oil Yield, Chemical Profiling, and Biological Activity in Some Lamiaceae Plants Cultivated in Serbia

by Dragana Lalević, Zoran S. Ilić, Ljiljana Stanojević, Lidija Milenković, Ljubomir Šunić, Renata Kovač, Dragan Kovačević, Bojana Danilović, Aleksandra Milenković, Jelena Stanojević and Dragan Cvetković

Horticulturae 2023, 9(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9010084 - 09 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1525

Abstract

Thyme, mint, and lemon balm were used to determine whether shading conditions could improve the yield, composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity in plant essential oils (EOs) in comparison with non-shaded plants from an open field. The yield of the EOs of non-shaded thyme, mint, and lemon balm, was 3.44, 3.96, and 0.21 mL/100 g, respectively. Plants covered by nets produced different levels of EOs (3.46, 2.20, and 0.45 mL/100 g) after 120 min of hydrodistillation. The main components of the thyme essential oil are thymol (44.2–43.9%), γ-terpinene (18.3–16.8%), and p-cymene (16.5–17.4%). The predominant components of mint essential oil are piperitenone oxide (52.6–64.8%) and 1,8 cineole (25.9–16.3%), while lemon balm essential oil consists of the following main components: geranial (34.0–32.8%); neral (21.3–24.9%); and piperitenone oxide (17.2–16.7%). The EOs from non-shaded thyme and mint plants have the highest antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ value 0.54 mg/mL and 3.03 mg/mL). However, shaded lemon balm showed a stronger antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ 3.43 mg/mL) than non-shaded plants (12.85 mg/mL) after 60 min of incubation. The EOs from all plants showed significant effects against Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The most active EOs against most of the isolates originated from Thymus vulgaris L., plants. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading for Lamiaceae plants, has positive effects, especially in Melissa officinalis L. Shading can achieve a higher content and components in terms of the specific biological activity (antioxidant and microbial) of EOs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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9 pages, 918 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Quantitative Determination of the Main Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Toxicity of Aqueous Extracts of Olive Leaves of Greek and Spanish Genotypes

by María Esther Martínez-Navarro, Eleftheria H. Kaparakou, Charalabos D. Kanakis, Cristina Cebrián-Tarancón, Gonzalo L. Alonso, María Rosario Salinas and Petros A. Tarantilis

Horticulturae 2023, 9(1), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9010055 - 03 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1600

Abstract

Olive leaves are rich in phenolic compounds, which give them antioxidant properties that are associated with a lower incidence of disease. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and toxicity of the aqueous extracts of olive leaves of the main Spanish and Greek cultivated and wild genotypes. For these purposes, ‘Picual’ and ‘Arbequina’ leaves from Spain and ‘Koronoeiki’ and ‘Kalamon’ leaves from Greece were collected, as were wild olive leaves from both countries. The aqueous extracts of these genotypes were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and the DPPH·, ABTS·⁺ Folin–Ciocalteu, and Microtox^® methods were also used. ‘Picual’ had the highest oleuropein values, followed by wild olive leaves from both countries and ‘Arbequina’. The latter was reflected in the antioxidant activity measured by DPPH· and ABTS·⁺, which positioned the leaves of ‘Arbequina’, ‘Picual’, and the wild genotypes as having the most antioxidant activity. As expected, these leaves also had the highest total phenol content, as measured by Folin–Ciocalteu. Regarding the inhibition of the bioluminescence of Aliivibrio fischeri of the aqueous leaf extracts measured by Microtox^®, the EC50₁₅ ranged between 11.82 and 82.50 mg/mL, demonstrating similar behavior to other herbal infusions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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18 pages, 1251 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Different Plant Parts of the Wild and Cultivated Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)

by Zoran Ilić, Ljiljana Stanojević, Lidija Milenković, Ljubomir Šunić, Aleksandra Milenković, Jelena Stanojević and Dragan Cvetković

Horticulturae 2022, 8(11), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8111042 - 07 Nov 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3585

Abstract

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC₅₀ value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC₅₀ value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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12 pages, 1529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oil Yield, Composition, Antioxidant and Microbial Activity of Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) from Monte Negro Coast

by Aleksandra Milenković, Zoran Ilić, Ljiljana Stanojević, Lidija Milenković, Ljubomir Šunić, Dragana Lalević, Jelena Stanojević, Bojana Danilović and Dragan Cvetković

Horticulturae 2022, 8(11), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8111015 - 01 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2281

Abstract

The aim of this work was to compare the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oils from two plant parts (leaves and stems) of fennel, wild-grown in the Montenegro seaside. The chemical composition of the isolated essential oils was determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and flame ionization detection (GC/FID). The yield of the fennel essential oils (FEOs) from leaves (0.83%) was four times higher than that from the fennel stems (0.21%). Forty-six compounds were identified from leaves’ FEOs and were mainly aromatic compounds (68.5%), monoterpenes (17.8%), and others, where the most abundant compounds were (E)-anethole (51.4%) and methyl chavicol (9.3%). Forty-seven compounds were identified in the FEOs from stems, which were mainly aromatic compounds (69.7%), oxygen-containing monoterpenes (14.9%), where the most abundant compounds were also (E)-anethole (55.7%) and methyl chavicol (7.8%). The FEOs from stems showed higher antioxidant activity, with an EC₅₀ value of 2.58 mg/mL, than in the fennel leaves, which had an EC₅₀ value of 6.91 mg/mL. The FEOs show superior antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans (45.3 mm) and Bacillus subtilis (24.0 mm). Isolated essential oils could be used as a safer alternative to synthetic additives in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Horticultural Plants)

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