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Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 15468

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Dr. Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja

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Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: medicinal mushrooms; mycelium cultures; bioactive compounds (non-hallucinogenic indole compounds, phenolic acids, triterpenes, sterols); use of mushrooms in cosmetology
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Prof. Dr. Bożena Muszyńska

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Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: medicinal mushrooms; secondary metabolites of mushrooms; biological activity of mushrooms: anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, immunostimulatory; prebiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Natural bioelements and bioactive metabolites significantly contribute to therapeutic and health-promoting applications.

At present, special attention is being paid to natural bioactive substances with anti-cancer, immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. These substances play an important role, due to their ability to be used in the treatment and prevention of common civilization diseases.

In addition to research pertaining to the chemical composition and biological activity of plant extracts, research on substances of fungal origin has become increasingly important in recent years.

The results of these studies can significantly expand the range of professional drugs available for medical and veterinary use.

The main purpose of the Special Edition "Bioelements and bioactive metabolites of natural origin—health-promoting applications" is to present the latest research results and discoveries in the above-mentioned field. Results showing a correlation between the chemical composition of extracts and/or isolated compounds and their biological activity are particularly welcome. All research on other activities will also be received with great interest.

Dr. Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja
Prof. Dr. Bożena Muszyńska
Guest Editors

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Keywords

natural bioactive substances
bioelements
extrats from natural products
mycochemistry
mycelial cultures
prohealth impact on humans
prohealth impact on farm animals
antioxidant activity
antidepresant
anti-inflammatory
anti-cancer
immunostimulatory
prebiotics

Related Special Issue

Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications—Volume II in Molecules

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites and Cytotoxicity of Extracts from Inonotus obliquus Isolates from Different Host Species

by Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja, Justyna Robak, Andrzej Szczepkowski, Agnieszka Gunia-Krzyżak, Justyna Popiół, Joanna Piotrowska, Bartłomiej Rospond, Agnieszka Szewczyk, Katarzyna Kała and Bożena Muszyńska

Molecules 2023, 28(13), 4907; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28134907 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1564

Abstract

Inonotus obliquus, a wood-decaying mushroom, has been used as a health-promoting supplement and nutraceutical for centuries. It is a source of bioactive compounds accumulated in both the conks (pseudosclerotia/sclerotia) and the biomass obtained in vitro. This study aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the bioelements and selected metabolites produced in mycelial cultures obtained from different host species. The mycochemical potential of mycelial cultures isolated from pseudosclerotia grown in Betula pendula, Alnus glutinosa, and Carpinus betulus was compared. Parent cultures were obtained in two types of medium (malt extract agar substrates without and with birch wood). Experimental cultures were developed in 2 L bioreactors for 10 days. The content of bioelements was determined using FAAS and FAES methods. Organic compounds were estimated using the RP–HPLC–DAD method. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was evaluated in human keratinocytes HaCaT, human skin fibroblasts BJ, human liver cancer HepG2, human melanoma A375, and mouse melanoma B16-F10. The extracts showed the presence of bioelements: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, iron, and copper; phenolic acids: p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, p-coumaric, and protocatechuic; sterols: lanosterol, ergosterol, ergosterol peroxide; triterpene compounds: betulin, betulinic acid, inotodiol; indole compounds: L-tryptophan, tryptamine, 5-methyltryptamine, melatonin. The content of bioactive substances in the biomass was dependent on both the origin of the host species of the fungus isolate and the type of culture medium. Based on the results of this study, mycelial cultures can be proposed as a potential source of bioactive compounds and are promising naturally derived cytotoxic agents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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12 pages, 490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trametes hirsuta as an Attractive Biocatalyst for the Preparative Scale Biotransformation of Isosafrole into Piperonal

by Dawid Hernik, Ewa Szczepańska, Elisabetta Brenna, Katarzyna Patejuk, Teresa Olejniczak, Tomasz Strzała and Filip Boratyński

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3643; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083643 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1192

Abstract

Piperonal is a compound of key industrial importance due to its attractive olfactory and biological properties. It has been shown that among the fifty-six various fungal strains tested, the ability to cleave the toxic isosafrole into piperonal through alkene cleavage is mainly found in strains of the genus Trametes. Further studies involving strains isolated directly from different environments (decaying wood, fungal fruiting bodies, and healthy plant tissues) allowed the selection of two Trametes strains, T. hirsuta Th2_2 and T. hirsuta d28, as the most effective biocatalysts for the oxidation of isosafrole. The preparative scale of biotransformation with these strains provided 124 mg (conv. 82%, isolated yield 62%) and 101 mg (conv. 69%, isolated yield 50.5%) of piperonal, respectively. Due to the toxic impact of isosafrole on cells, preparative scale processes with Trametes strains have not yet been successfully performed and described in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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13 pages, 7271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Peptide Sodium Channels Modulator Mu-Agatoxin-Aa1a Prevents Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Cells

by Elena Iurova, Evgenii Beloborodov, Eugenia Rastorgueva, Aleksandr Fomin and Yury Saenko

Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3174; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073174 - 03 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1132

Abstract

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an irreversible functional and structural injury. Restoration of normal oxygen concentration exacerbates the emergence and development of deadly cells. One of the possible moments of reperfusion damage to cells is an increase in the intracellular concentration of sodium ions. In this article, we study the mu-agatoxin-Aa1a, a modulator of sodium channels, on the processes of IRI cells damage. The toxin was synthesized using an automatic peptide synthesizer. Hypoxia was induced by reducing the content of serum and oxygen in the CHO-K1 culture. The influence of the toxin on the level of apoptosis; intracellular concentration of sodium, calcium, and potassium ions; intracellular pH; totality of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and ATP; and changes in the mitochondrial potential were studied. The experiments performed show that mu-agatoxin-Aa1a effectively prevents IRI of cells. Toxin reduces the level of apoptosis and prevents a decrease in the intracellular concentration of sodium and calcium ions during IRI. Mu-agatoxin-Aa1a contributes to the maintenance of elevated intracellular pH, reduces the intracellular concentration of ROS, and prevents the decrease in intracellular NO concentration and mitochondrial potential under conditions of reoxygenation/reperfusion. An analysis of experimental data shows that the mu-agatoxin-Aa1a peptide has adaptogenic properties. In the future, this peptide can be used to prevent ischemia/reperfusion tissue damage different genesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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17 pages, 1619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Supplementation Using a Mixture of Fish Oil and Linseed on the Level of Immunomodulatory Components in Bovine Colostrum

by Kinga Grodkowska, Marcin Gołębiewski, Jan Slósarz, Tomasz Sakowski and Kamila Puppel

Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2154; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052154 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1422

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing rations, with a mixture of fish oil and linseed, on the level of immunomodulatory components in colostrum. Twenty multiparous cows, that were three weeks before scheduled calving, had a body condition of 3–3.5, and had not been diagnosed with multiple pregnancies, were qualified for the experiment. The cows were divided into two groups: experimental (FOL) (n = 10) and control (CTL) (n = 10). The CTL group were individually given the standard food ration for dry cows for about 21 days before calving, while the FOL group received food rations that were enriched with 150 g of fish oil and 250 g of linseed (golden variety). Colostrum samples for testing were taken twice a day on the first and second days of lactation, and then once a day from the third to the fifth day of lactation. The experiment showed that the applied supplementation had an impact, in the form of increasing the fat, protein, IgG, IgA, IgM, vitamin A, C22:6 n-3 (DHA), and C18:2 cis9 trans11 (CLA) contents in colostrum; however, the C18: 2 n-6 (LA) and C20:4 n-6 (AA) contents decreased. Due to the lower quality of colostrum found in high-yield cows, and therefore in the Holstein–Friesian breed, it is possible to improve the quality by, among other things, introducing nutritional modifications during the second stage of the dry period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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18 pages, 2824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strawberry Fragaria x ananassa cv. Festival: A Polyphenol-Based Phytochemical Characterization in Fruit and Leaf Extracts

by Karla Salas-Arias, Andrea Irías-Mata, Andrés Sánchez-Kopper, Ricardo Hernández-Moncada, Bridget Salas-Morgan, Fabián Villalta-Romero and Laura A. Calvo-Castro

Molecules 2023, 28(4), 1865; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28041865 - 16 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2684

Abstract

Berry fruits are an important dietary source of health-promoting antioxidant polyphenols. Interestingly, berry leaves of diverse species, including strawberries, have shown higher bioactive phytochemical content in the leaves than in the fruit. Moreover, the vegetative part of the plants is usually discarded, representing a presumably large source of underutilized bioactive biomass. In this investigation, the polyphenol profiles of tropical highland strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa cv. Festival) leaves and fruits were compared by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The total polyphenol strawberry leaf extracts exhibited a 122-fold-higher total polyphenol content and 13-fold higher antioxidant activity (ORAC) than strawberry fruits, and they showed evidence of possible photoprotective effects against UV damage in human melanoma cells (SK-MEL-28) and in murine embryo fibroblasts (NIH/3T3), together with promising anti-proliferative activities against the same melanoma cells. Seven polyphenols were confirmed by HPLC-DAD in the leaf extracts, with differences depending on fraction solubility. Moreover, three substituted quercetin derivatives, three substituted kaempferol derivatives, two anthocyanins, and catechin were confirmed in the soluble fraction by HPLC-MS. Given their higher total polyphenol content and bioactive activities, underutilized strawberry Festival leaves are a potential source of apparently abundant biomass with prospective bioactive applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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10 pages, 1755 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant Potential of Diosmin and Diosmetin against Oxidative Stress in Endothelial Cells

by Magdalena Wójciak, Marcin Feldo, Grzegorz Borowski, Tomasz Kubrak, Bartosz J. Płachno and Ireneusz Sowa

Molecules 2022, 27(23), 8232; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238232 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1820

Abstract

Phlebotropic flavonoids, including diosmin and its aglycone diosmetin, are natural polyphenols widely used in the prevention and treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). As oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system, the study aimed to investigate the protective effects of diosmin and diosmetin on hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress in endothelial cells. The cells were pretreated with different concentrations of the flavonoid prior to the H₂O₂ exposure. The cell viability, the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), the activity of cellular antioxidant enzymes—including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase GPx—and the malondialdehyde (MDA) level were assessed. It was found that the H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress was ameliorated by diosmin/diosmetin in a concentration-dependent manner. The flavonoids restored the activity of cellular antioxidant enzymes and lowered the MDA level upregulated by the H₂O₂ exposure. These results indicate that diosmin and diosmetin may prevent oxidative stress in endothelial cells; therefore, they may protect against the development and progression of oxidative-stress-related disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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13 pages, 1230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Supplementation with the Combination of Se-Enriched Lentinula edodes Mycelium, Exogenous Enzymes, Acidifiers, Sodium Butyrate and Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticle Feed Additives on Selected Parameters in Calves

by Ewelina Szacawa, Katarzyna Dudek, Magdalena Wasiak, Dariusz Bednarek, Dorota Bederska-Łojewska, Bożena Muszyńska and Marek Pieszka

Molecules 2022, 27(16), 5163; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165163 - 13 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

During the initial months of calves’ lives, the young animals are exposed to bacterial and viral infections, and during this period, crucial physiological changes take place in their organisms. Offering calves feed additives that will have a beneficial influence on their organisms and improve their growth while reducing the morbidity rate is the optimal task of feeding. This is the first study to investigate the effect of experimental supplementation for calves with the combination of two feed additives—one containing Lentinula edodes enriched with selenium (Se), and the second containing pancreatic-like enzymes, fat-coated organic acids, sodium butyrate, and silicon dioxide nanoparticles—on the serum Se concentration, selected immune parameters, and the average daily gains in the calves. During the study, the serum Se concentration was examined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the immunoglobulin and cytokine concentrations with ELISA assays. The white blood cell (WBC) count with leukocyte differentiation was examined with the use of a hematological analyzer, and the percentages of subpopulations of T lymphocytes and monocytes, phagocytic activity, and oxidative burst of monocytes and granulocytes with the use of a flow cytometer. The average daily gains of the calves were also evaluated. In summary, the supplementation of the experimental calves with the combination of two feed additives resulted in significantly higher serum Se concentrations, and the immune systems of the calves were not suppressed while the examined feed additives were being delivered. Although not statistically significant, some positive effects on the calves were seen: a tendency towards the improvement of some of the immune parameters evaluated, and a tendency for higher average daily gains in the calves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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13 pages, 3222 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochemometry-Based Discovery of Phenylpropanoids from Azadirachta indica Fruits as Inhibitors of In Vitro Osteoclast Formation

by Ammar Tahir, Carina Kampleitner, Theresa Wirglauer, Ulrike Grienke, Oskar Hoffmann and Judith M. Rollinger

Molecules 2022, 27(11), 3611; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27113611 - 04 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1577

Abstract

(1) Background: Inhibition of osteoclast differentiation is the key approach in treating osteoporosis. However, using state-of-the-art treatments such as bisphosphonates and estrogen-based therapy is usually accompanied by many side effects. As opposed to this, the use of natural products as an osteoporotic remedy delivers promising outcomes with minimal side effects. (2) Methods: In the present study, we implemented a biochemometric workflow comprising (i) chemometric approaches using NMR and mass spectrometry and (ii) cell biological approaches using an osteoclast cytochemical marker (TRAP). The workflow serves as a screening tool to pursue potential in vitro osteoclast inhibitors. (3) Results: The workflow allowed for the selective isolation of two phenylpropanoids (coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol) from the fruits of neem tree (Azadirachta indica). These two isolated phenylpropanoids showed a very promising dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclast differentiation with negligible effects in terms of cell viability. (4) Conclusion: The presented workflow is an effective tool in the discovery of potential candidates for osteoclast inhibition from complex extracts. The used biochemometric approach saves time, effort and costs while delivering precise hints to selectively isolate bioactive constituents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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Review

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20 pages, 1785 KiB

Open AccessReview

Potential Application of the Plant-Derived Essential Oils for Atherosclerosis Treatment: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

by Siarhei A. Dabravolski, Vasily N. Sukhorukov, Alexandra A. Melnichenko, Victoria A. Khotina and Alexander N. Orekhov

Molecules 2023, 28(15), 5673; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28155673 - 26 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1325

Abstract

Essential oils (EOs) are complex secondary metabolites identified in many plant species. Plant-derived EOs have been widely used in traditional medicine for centuries for their health-beneficial effects. Some EOs and their active ingredients have been reported to improve the cardiovascular system, in particular to provide an anti-atherosclerotic effect. The objective of this review is to highlight the recent research investigating the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and lipid-lowering properties of plant-derived EOs and discuss their mechanisms of action. Also, recent clinical trials exploring anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities of EOs are discussed. Future research on EOs has the potential to identify new bioactive compounds and invent new effective agents for treatment of atherosclerosis and related diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioelements and Bioactive Metabolites of Natural Origin—Health-Promoting Applications)

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