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Molecules
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Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities
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Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 10525

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rosamaria Pennisi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: natural antivirals; host and viruses interaction; intracellular trafficking of viral infection; herpesviruses; HSV-1; viral immune evasion; virus-induced cell death; RNAi; small RNAs as therapeutics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Maria Teresa Sciortino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Biological Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: herpes simplex virus; nanomaterial; cell signalling; drug delivery; cyclodextrins carriers as drug or nucleic acid delivery system; programmed cell death
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ability to modulate the innate immunity pathways is common feature among viruses that cause severe human diseases. The pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection has focused attention on the necessity of identify novel drugs that target the virus and control the inflammatory response. Therapies inhibiting viral infection and regulation of dysfunctional immune responses may synergize to block symptoms and pathogenesis of viral infection at multiple steps. Natural products or components are widely studied for their immunomodulatory potential and in particular, polyphenols are well-known pharmacologically active compounds exhibiting both immunomodulatory and antiviral activity.

In this Special Issue, we welcome Original Research, Reviews, and Methods that focus on the identification and in vitro and in vivo testing of new natural drugs with antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanism of action.

We discourage the submission of manuscripts reporting the antiviral activity of unpurified natural products for which a mechanism of action has not been determined. We also discourage submission of in silico docking studies or other computer-based predictions of antiviral activity that are not supported by data from biological assays. Unlike, we strongly encourage articles describing the signaling pathways and therapeutic targets of natural antivirals as well as the identification of the biological ingredients or molecules with antiviral and immunomodulatory activity are welcome.

Dr. Rosamaria Pennisi
Prof. Dr. Maria Teresa Sciortino
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. Molecules 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

  • extracts
  • natural products
  • bioactive molecules
  • antivirals
  • molecular mechanisms of antivirals
  • anti-inflammatory activity
  • drug screening
  • immune-modulation
  • signaling pathway

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 17799 KiB  
Article
New Monoterpene Glycoside Paeoniflorin Derivatives as NO and IL-1β Inhibitors: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
by Yongjie Chen, Guoqing Zhang, Dongyi Cao, Fei Wang, Fan Zhang, Huawu Shao and Wei Jiao
Molecules 2023, 28(19), 6922; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28196922 - 03 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1117
Abstract
Several monoterpene glycoside compounds were extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Among them, paeoniflorin, a water-soluble monoterpene glycoside found in the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, exhibits excellent antioxidant pharmacological functions. Initially, Sc(CF3SO3)3 was employed as the catalyst for [...] Read more.
Several monoterpene glycoside compounds were extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall. Among them, paeoniflorin, a water-soluble monoterpene glycoside found in the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, exhibits excellent antioxidant pharmacological functions. Initially, Sc(CF3SO3)3 was employed as the catalyst for paeoniflorin’s dehydration and rearrangement reactions with alcohols. Subsequently, structural modifications were performed on paeoniflorin through a series of responses, including acetylation, deacetylation, and debenzoylation, ultimately yielding 46 monoterpene glycoside derivatives. The potential inhibitory effects on the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and nitric oxide (NO) were assessed in vitro. The results revealed that compounds 29 and 31 demonstrated notable inhibition of NO production, while eight derivatives (3, 8, 18, 20, 21, 29, 34, and 40) displayed substantial inhibitory effects on the secretion of IL-1β. Computational research was also undertaken to investigate the binding affinity of the ligands with the target proteins. Interactions between the proteins and substrates were elucidated, and corresponding binding energies were calculated accordingly. The findings of this study could provide valuable insights into the design and development of novel anti-inflammatory agents with enhanced pharmacological properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities)
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17 pages, 4125 KiB  
Article
Emodin as an Inhibitor of PRV Infection In Vitro and In Vivo
by Xiaojing Cai, Zhiying Wang, Xiaocheng Li, Jing Zhang, Zhiyuan Ren, Yi Shao, Yongkang Xu and Yan Zhu
Molecules 2023, 28(18), 6567; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28186567 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1179
Abstract
Pseudorabies (PR) is an acute and severe infectious disease caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV). Once the virus infects pigs, it is difficult to eliminate, resulting in major economic losses to the global pig industry. In addition, reports of human infection with PRV suggest [...] Read more.
Pseudorabies (PR) is an acute and severe infectious disease caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV). Once the virus infects pigs, it is difficult to eliminate, resulting in major economic losses to the global pig industry. In addition, reports of human infection with PRV suggest that the virus is a potential threat to human health; thus, its significance to public health should be considered. In this paper, the anti-PRV activities of emodin in vitro and in vivo, and its mechanism of action were studied. The results showed that emodin inhibited the proliferation of PRV in PK15 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 0.127 mg/mL and a selection index of 5.52. The addition of emodin at different stages of viral infection showed that emodin inhibited intracellular replication. Emodin significantly inhibited the expression of the IE180, EP0, UL29, UL44, US6, and UL27 genes of PRV within 48 h. Emodin also significantly inhibited the expression of PRV gB and gD proteins. The molecular docking results suggested that emodin might form hydrogen bonds with PRV gB and gD proteins and affect the structure of viral proteins. Emodin effectively inhibited the apoptosis induced by PRV infection. Moreover, emodin showed a good protective effect on PRV-infected mice. During the experimental period, all the control PRV-infected mice died resulting in a survival rate of 0%, while the survival rate of emodin-treated mice was 28.5%. Emodin also significantly inhibited the replication of PRV in the heart, liver, brain, kidneys and lungs of mice and alleviated tissue and organ damage caused by PRV infection. Emodin was able to combat viral infection by regulating the levels of the cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-4 in the sera of infected mice. These results indicate that emodin has good anti-PRV activity in vitro and in vivo, and is expected to be a new agent for the prevention and control of PRV infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities)
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19 pages, 4126 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Combined Treatment of Psilocybin and Eugenol on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Brain Inflammation in Mice
by Timur Zanikov, Marta Gerasymchuk, Esmaeel Ghasemi Gojani, Gregory Ian Robinson, Shima Asghari, Alyssa Groves, Lucie Haselhorst, Sanjana Nandakumar, Cora Stahl, Mackenzie Cameron, Dongping Li, Rocio Rodriguez-Juarez, Alexandra Snelling, Darryl Hudson, Anna Fiselier, Olga Kovalchuk and Igor Kovalchuk
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2624; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062624 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4724
Abstract
Inflammation is an organism’s biological defense mechanism. Acute and chronic inflammation of the body triggers the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways that can affect the content of cytokines in the brain and thus cause brain inflammation. Disorders such as depression and posttraumatic [...] Read more.
Inflammation is an organism’s biological defense mechanism. Acute and chronic inflammation of the body triggers the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways that can affect the content of cytokines in the brain and thus cause brain inflammation. Disorders such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often associated with elevated inflammation. Recently, positive and promising clinical results of psilocybin for the treatment of depression and PTSD were reported. Thus, we decided to test whether psilocybin alone or in combination with eugenol, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, would prevent the increase in or decrease the content of cytokines in the brain of C57BL/6J mice injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Two experiments were performed, one with pre-treatment of mice through gavage with psilocybin (0.88 mg/kg), eugenol (17.6 mg/kg), or combinations of psilocybin and eugenol (1:10, 1:20, or 1:50), followed by intraperitoneal injection of LPS, and the second, post-treatment, with initial injection with LPS, followed by treatment with psilocybin, eugenol, or their combination. Brain tissues were collected, and cytokines were analyzed by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and ELISA. Data were analyzed with a one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test or with multiple unpaired t-tests. LPS upregulated mRNA expression of COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. All pre-treatments decreased the expression of COX-2 and TNF-α, with psilocybin alone and in 1:50 combination, with eugenol being the most effective. In the post-treatment, all combinations of psilocybin and eugenol were effective in reducing inflammation, with the 1:50 ratio displaying the most prominent results in reducing the mRNA content of tested cytokines. Western blot analysis confirmed the effect on COX-2 and IL-1β proteins. Finally, the ELISA showed that post-treatment with psilocybin + eugenol (1:50) demonstrated the best results, decreasing the expression of multiple markers including IL-6 and IL-8. This demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effects of a combination of psilocybin and eugenol in the brain of animals with systemically induced inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities)
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Review

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33 pages, 1568 KiB  
Review
Tackling the Future Pandemics: Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Agents (BSAAs) Based on A-Type Proanthocyanidins
by Massimo E. Maffei, Cristiano Salata and Giorgio Gribaudo
Molecules 2022, 27(23), 8353; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238353 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2923
Abstract
A-type proanthocyanidins (PAC-As) are plant-derived natural polyphenols that occur as oligomers or polymers of flavan-3-ol monomers, such as (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, connected through an unusual double A linkage. PAC-As are present in leaves, seeds, flowers, bark, and fruits of many plants, and are [...] Read more.
A-type proanthocyanidins (PAC-As) are plant-derived natural polyphenols that occur as oligomers or polymers of flavan-3-ol monomers, such as (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin, connected through an unusual double A linkage. PAC-As are present in leaves, seeds, flowers, bark, and fruits of many plants, and are thought to exert protective natural roles against microbial pathogens, insects, and herbivores. Consequently, when tested in isolation, PAC-As have shown several biological effects, through antioxidant, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, and antiviral activities. PAC-As have been observed in fact to inhibit replication of many different human viruses, and both enveloped and non-enveloped DNA and RNA viruses proved sensible to their inhibitory effect. Mechanistic studies revealed that PAC-As cause reduction of infectivity of viral particles they come in contact with, as a result of their propensity to interact with virion surface capsid proteins or envelope glycoproteins essential for viral attachment and entry. As viral infections and new virus outbreaks are a major public health concern, development of effective Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Agents (BSAAs) that can be rapidly deployable even against future emerging viruses is an urgent priority. This review summarizes the antiviral activities and mechanism of action of PAC-As, and their potential to be deployed as BSAAs against present and future viral infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds with Antiviral and Anti-inflammatory Activities)
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