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New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0
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New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2024 | Viewed by 3248

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Letteria Minutoli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: preclinical pharmacology; inflammation; oxidative stress; natural products; flavonoids; cannabinoids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanni Pallio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via C. Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy
Interests: preclinical pharmacology; inflammation; oxidative stress; natural products; flavonoids; cannabinoids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our previous successful Special Issue “New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds”.

Natural bioactive compounds are small molecules produced naturally by several plants, including primary and secondary metabolites. Natural bioactive compounds have a wide range of possible applications and can be useful in the treatment and management of various kinds of human diseases due to their outstanding biological properties. Moreover, bioactive compounds and pharmaceuticals derived from natural products have received increasing attention due to their considerable benefits for human health. This Special Issue will shape the future research direction of important natural products, as well as related bioactives. Our purpose is to feature high-quality, advanced research and knowledge contributed by various research groups working on natural products from all around the world. We cordially invite authors to contribute original articles, as well as review papers on the functional and medicinal properties of natural products for preventing and managing human diseases.

Prof. Dr. Letteria Minutoli
Dr. Giovanni Pallio
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • inflammation
  • cytokines
  • ROS
  • oxidative stress
  • natural products
  • flavonoids
  • cannabinoids

Related Special Issues

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 4138 KiB  
Article
Mechanochemical Approach to Obtaining a Multicomponent Fisetin Delivery System Improving Its Solubility and Biological Activity
by Natalia Rosiak, Ewa Tykarska and Judyta Cielecka-Piontek
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3648; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073648 - 25 Mar 2024
Viewed by 525
Abstract
In this study, binary amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs, fisetin-Eudragit®) and ternary amorphous solid inclusions (ASIs, fisetin-Eudragit®-HP-β-cyclodextrin) of fisetin (FIS) were prepared by the mechanochemical method without solvent. The amorphous nature of FIS in ASDs and ASIs was confirmed using [...] Read more.
In this study, binary amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs, fisetin-Eudragit®) and ternary amorphous solid inclusions (ASIs, fisetin-Eudragit®-HP-β-cyclodextrin) of fisetin (FIS) were prepared by the mechanochemical method without solvent. The amorphous nature of FIS in ASDs and ASIs was confirmed using XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction). DSC (Differential scanning calorimetry) confirmed full miscibility of multicomponent delivery systems. FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared analysis) confirmed interactions that stabilize FIS’s amorphous state and identified the functional groups involved. The study culminated in evaluating the impact of amorphization on water solubility and conducting in vitro antioxidant assays: 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)—ABTS, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl—DPPH, Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity—CUPRAC, and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power—FRAP and in vitro neuroprotective assays: inhibition of acetylcholinesterase—AChE and butyrylcholinesterase—BChE. In addition, molecular docking allowed for the determination of possible bonds and interactions between FIS and the mentioned above enzymes. The best preparation turned out to be ASI_30_EPO (ASD fisetin-Eudragit® containing 30% FIS in combination with HP-β-cyclodextrin), which showed an improvement in apparent solubility (126.5 ± 0.1 µg∙mL−1) and antioxidant properties (ABTS: IC50 = 10.25 µg∙mL−1, DPPH: IC50 = 27.69 µg∙mL−1, CUPRAC: IC0.5 = 9.52 µg∙mL−1, FRAP: IC0.5 = 8.56 µg∙mL−1) and neuroprotective properties (inhibition AChE: 39.91%, and BChE: 42.62%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0)
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15 pages, 2970 KiB  
Article
Vitexicarpin Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Metastatic Properties via the AKT-PRAS40 Pathway in Human Osteosarcoma
by Hyung-Mun Yun, Hyun Sook Kwon, Joon Yeop Lee and Kyung-Ran Park
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3582; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073582 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 529
Abstract
Osteosarcoma, which has poor prognosis after metastasis, is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. Therefore, plant-derived bioactive compounds are being actively developed for cancer therapy. Artemisia apiacea Hance ex Walp. is a traditional medicinal plant native to Eastern [...] Read more.
Osteosarcoma, which has poor prognosis after metastasis, is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. Therefore, plant-derived bioactive compounds are being actively developed for cancer therapy. Artemisia apiacea Hance ex Walp. is a traditional medicinal plant native to Eastern Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Vitexicarpin (Vitex), derived from A. apiacea, has demonstrated analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antitumour, and immunoregulatory properties; however, there are no published studies on Vitex isolated from the aerial parts of A. apiacea. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the antitumour activity of Vitex against human osteosarcoma cells. In the present study, Vitex (>99% purity) isolated from A. apiacea induced significant cell death in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner; cell death was mediated by apoptosis, as evidenced by the appearance of cleaved-PARP, cleaved-caspase 3, anti-apoptotic proteins (Survivin and Bcl-2), pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax), and cell cycle-related proteins (Cyclin D1, Cdk4, and Cdk6). Additionally, a human phosphokinase array proteome profiler revealed that Vitex suppressed AKT-dependent downstream kinases. Further, Vitex reduced the phosphorylation of PRAS40, which is associated with autophagy and metastasis, induced autophagosome formation, and suppressed programmed cell death and necroptosis. Furthermore, Vitex induced antimetastatic activity by suppressing the migration and invasion of MMP13, which is the primary protease that degrades type I collagen for tumour-induced osteolysis in bone tissues and preferential metastasis sites. Taken together, our results suggest that Vitex is an attractive target for treating human osteosarcoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0)
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16 pages, 1434 KiB  
Article
Caffeic Acid Phosphanium Derivatives: Potential Selective Antitumor, Antimicrobial and Antiprotozoal Agents
by Miloš Lukáč, Lívia Slobodníková, Martin Mrva, Aneta Dušeková, Mária Garajová, Martin Kello, Dominika Šebová, Martin Pisárčik, Marián Kojnok, Andrej Vrták, Elena Kurin and Silvia Bittner Fialová
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021200 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 733
Abstract
Caffeic acid (CA) is one of the most abundant natural compounds present in plants and has a broad spectrum of beneficial pharmacological activities. However, in some cases, synthetic derivation of original molecules can expand their scope. This study focuses on the synthesis of [...] Read more.
Caffeic acid (CA) is one of the most abundant natural compounds present in plants and has a broad spectrum of beneficial pharmacological activities. However, in some cases, synthetic derivation of original molecules can expand their scope. This study focuses on the synthesis of caffeic acid phosphanium derivatives with the ambition of increasing their biological activities. Four caffeic acid phosphanium salts (CAPs) were synthesized and tested for their cytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal, and amoebicidal activity in vitro, with the aim of identifying the best area for their medicinal use. CAPs exhibited significantly stronger cytotoxic activity against tested cell lines (HeLa, HCT116, MDA-MB-231 MCF-7, A2058, PANC-1, Jurkat) in comparison to caffeic acid. Focusing on Jurkat cells (human leukemic T cell lymphoma), the IC50 value of CAPs ranged from 0.9 to 8.5 μM while IC50 of CA was >300 μM. Antimicrobial testing also confirmed significantly higher activity of CAPs against selected microbes in comparison to CA, especially for Gram-positive bacteria (MIC 13–57 μM) and the yeast Candida albicans (MIC 13–57 μM). The anti-Acanthamoeba activity was studied against two pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains. In the case of A. lugdunensis, all CAPs revealed a stronger inhibitory effect (EC50 74–3125 μM) than CA (>105 µM), while in A. quina strain, the higher inhibition was observed for three derivatives (EC50 44–291 μM). The newly synthesized quaternary phosphanium salts of caffeic acid exhibited selective antitumor action and appeared to be promising antimicrobial agents for topical application, as well as potential molecules for further research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0)
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Review

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22 pages, 1914 KiB  
Review
Oxidative Stress: The Role of Antioxidant Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Treatment of Diseases
by Adele Muscolo, Oliva Mariateresa, Torello Giulio and Russo Mariateresa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(6), 3264; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063264 - 13 Mar 2024
Viewed by 945
Abstract
Oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance favouring oxidants over antioxidants, is a key contributor to the development of various common diseases. Counteracting these oxidants is considered an effective strategy to mitigate the levels of oxidative stress in organisms. Numerous studies have indicated an [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance favouring oxidants over antioxidants, is a key contributor to the development of various common diseases. Counteracting these oxidants is considered an effective strategy to mitigate the levels of oxidative stress in organisms. Numerous studies have indicated an inverse correlation between the consumption of vegetables and fruits and the risk of chronic diseases, attributing these health benefits to the presence of antioxidant phytochemicals in these foods. Phytochemicals, present in a wide range of foods and medicinal plants, play a pivotal role in preventing and treating chronic diseases induced by oxidative stress by working as antioxidants. These compounds exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anticancer, and protective properties against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and neurodegenerative conditions. This comprehensive review delves into the significance of these compounds in averting and managing chronic diseases, elucidating the key sources of these invaluable elements. Additionally, it provides a summary of recent advancements in understanding the health benefits associated with antioxidant phytochemicals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Natural Bioactive Compounds 3.0)
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