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Phytochemical Profile and Biological Evaluation of Plant Extracts

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 4959

Special Issue Editors

The Natural Resource Research Centre, University of Latvia, House of Nature, LV 1004 Riga, Latvia
Interests: vaccinium; berries; chemical composition; polyphenolics; antioxidants; lipids; extracts; biorefinery; bioeconomy; valorization
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia, Jelgavas Street 1, LV 1004 Riga, Latvia
Interests: analytical chemistry; phytochemistry; food science; plant science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants contain a wide variety of chemical compounds, such as polyphenolics, alkaloids, and terpenes, which can have biological activity, including medicinal properties. The phytochemical profile of a plant refers to the chemical compounds present in the plant that can be determined using a variety of analytical methods. The biological evaluation of plant extracts involves testing the extracts for their biological activity, such as their ability to kill or inhibit the growth of cells or microorganisms, their ability to produce a desired pharmacological effect in an animal model, or in vitro assays. The information obtained from the phytochemical profile and biological evaluation of plant extracts can be useful for understanding the potential medicinal properties of the plant or individual phytochemicals for developing natural-product-based functional ingredients for use in healthcare.

Dr. Linards Klavins
Prof. Dr. Maris Klavins
Prof. Dr. Arturs Viksna
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • phytochemicals
  • biological activity
  • plant extracts
  • chemical characterization
  • biological relevance
  • natural products

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1475 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Salvia tomentosa Miller Extracts, Rich in Rosmarinic, Salvianolic and Lithospermic Acids, on Bacteria Causing Opportunistic Infections
by Ewelina Piątczak, Joanna Kolniak-Ostek, Weronika Gonciarz, Paweł Lisiecki, Urszula Kalinowska-Lis, Magdalena Szemraj, Magdalena Chmiela and Sylwia Zielińska
Molecules 2024, 29(3), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29030590 - 25 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Methanolic-aqueous extracts of Salvia tomentosa Miller roots, aerial parts, and inflorescences were examined for their content of polyphenolic derivatives and the antimicrobial and cytotoxic effect. In the polyphenolic-rich profile, rosmarinic, salvianolic, and lithospermic acids along with various derivatives were predominant. A total of [...] Read more.
Methanolic-aqueous extracts of Salvia tomentosa Miller roots, aerial parts, and inflorescences were examined for their content of polyphenolic derivatives and the antimicrobial and cytotoxic effect. In the polyphenolic-rich profile, rosmarinic, salvianolic, and lithospermic acids along with various derivatives were predominant. A total of twenty phenolic compounds were identified using the UPLC/DAD/qTOF-MS technique. These were caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid derivatives, lithospermic acid derivatives, salvianolic acids B, F, and K derivatives, as well as sagerinic acid, although rosmarinic acid (426–525 mg/100 g of dry weight—D.W.) and salvianolic acid B (83–346.5 mg/100 g D.W.) were significantly predominant in the metabolic profile. Strong antibacterial activity of S. tomentosa extracts was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis (MIC/MBC = 0.625 mg/mL) and Bacillus cereus (MIC = 0.312–1.25 mg/mL). The extracts showed low cytotoxicity towards the reference murine fibroblasts L929 and strong cytotoxicity to human AGS gastric adenocarcinoma epithelial cells in the MTT reduction assay. The observed cytotoxic effect in cancer cells was strongest for the roots of 2-year-old plant extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Profile and Biological Evaluation of Plant Extracts)
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18 pages, 4149 KiB  
Article
Probing Antibacterial and Anticancer Potential of Selenicereus undatus, Pistacia vera L. and Olea europaea L. against Uropathogens, MCF-7 and A2780 Cancer Cells
by Sahar Safdar, Saba Shamim, Maryam Khan, Ali Imran, Mudassar Ali Khan, Qurban Ali and Shiming Han
Molecules 2023, 28(24), 8148; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28248148 - 18 Dec 2023
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Abstract
Urinary tract infection is an infectious disease that requires immediate treatment. It can occur in any age group and involves both genders equally. The present study was to check the resistance of some antibiotics and to assess the antibacterial potential of three extracts [...] Read more.
Urinary tract infection is an infectious disease that requires immediate treatment. It can occur in any age group and involves both genders equally. The present study was to check the resistance of some antibiotics and to assess the antibacterial potential of three extracts of three plants against notorious bacteria involved in urinary tract infections. Along with assessing the antibacterial activity of plant extracts, we checked for the anticancer potential of these extracts against the cancer cell lines MCF-7 and A2780. Cancer is the leading cause of mortality in developed countries. Determinations of total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, total alkaloid content, total tannin content, total carotenoid content, and total steroid content were performed. The disk diffusion method was used to analyze the antibacterial activity of plant extracts. Ethanolic extract of Selenicereus undatus showed sensitivity (25–28 mm) against bacteria, whereas chloroform and hexane extracts showed resistance against all bacteria except Staphylococcus (25 mm). Ethanolic extract of Pistacia vera L. showed sensitivity (22–25 mm) against bacteria, whereas chloroform and hexane extracts showed resistance. Ethanolic extract of Olea europaea L. showed sensitivity (8–16 mm) against all bacteria except Staphylococcus, whereas chloroform and hexane extracts showed resistance. Positive controls showed variable zones of inhibition (2–60 mm), and negative control showed 0–1 mm. The antibiotic resistance was much more prominent in the case of hexane and chloroform extracts of all plants, whereas ethanolic extract showed a sensitivity of bacteria against extracts. Both cell lines, MCF-7 and A2780, displayed decreased live cells when treated with plant extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Profile and Biological Evaluation of Plant Extracts)
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23 pages, 3466 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Diversity Comparison in Leaves and Roots of Wild and Micropropagated Latvian Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum L.)
by Ilva Nakurte, Marta Berga and Ieva Mežaka
Molecules 2023, 28(9), 3924; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28093924 - 06 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
The goal of the current study was to compare the chemical composition of the roots, shoots, and leaves of wild-growing Eryngium maritimum L., and of in vitro and in field-cultivated plants in Latvia. The essential oil yield obtained by hydrodistillation ranged from 0.14% [...] Read more.
The goal of the current study was to compare the chemical composition of the roots, shoots, and leaves of wild-growing Eryngium maritimum L., and of in vitro and in field-cultivated plants in Latvia. The essential oil yield obtained by hydrodistillation ranged from 0.14% to 0.54%, while analysis of the chemical composition using GC-MS revealed a total of 44 different volatiles, with differences in the types and amounts of volatiles between the leaves and roots. Using 96-well plate techniques, the concentration of total phenolic compounds, saponins, and sugars in the aqueous ethanolic extracts of E. maritimum were assessed, along with their capacity to scavenge stable DPPH radicals. Extracts from roots had a lower concentration of total phenolic compounds compared to those from the leaves of wild grown and cultivated plants but did not differ from in vitro shoots. Root, leaf, and shoot samples of the same genotype from different growth conditions had approximately the same concentration of total saponins, while total sugar concentrations were higher in the roots. The growth conditions had a significant effect on the concentration of total phenolic compounds and antiradical activity, with differences that were significant observed between plant aboveground and belowground parts. Analysis using UHPLC-ESI-q-TOF-MS revealed 63 compounds, with amino acids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (such as chlorogenic and rosmarinic acid) being the major compound groups that significantly differed between plant growth conditions. We also demonstrated that rapid screening of volatile compounds in in vitro plants using headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses can predict the formation of marker compounds in the same mericlones grown in field conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the chemical composition of E. maritimum and its potential for use in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Profile and Biological Evaluation of Plant Extracts)
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Review

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25 pages, 6209 KiB  
Review
Strategy of Coniferous Needle Biorefinery into Value-Added Products to Implement Circular Bioeconomy Concepts in Forestry Side Stream Utilization
by Linards Klavins, Karolina Almonaitytė, Alvija Šalaševičienė, Alise Zommere, Kaspars Spalvis, Zane Vincevica-Gaile, Risto Korpinen and Maris Klavins
Molecules 2023, 28(20), 7085; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28207085 - 14 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1260
Abstract
Sustainable development goals require a reduction in the existing heavy reliance on fossil resources. Forestry can be considered a key resource for the bioeconomy, providing timber, energy, chemicals (including fine chemicals), and various other products. Besides the main product, timber, forestry generates significant [...] Read more.
Sustainable development goals require a reduction in the existing heavy reliance on fossil resources. Forestry can be considered a key resource for the bioeconomy, providing timber, energy, chemicals (including fine chemicals), and various other products. Besides the main product, timber, forestry generates significant amounts of different biomass side streams. Considering the unique and highly complex chemical composition of coniferous needle/greenery biomass, biorefinery strategies can be considered as prospective possibilities to address top segments of the bio-based value pyramid, addressing coniferous biomass side streams as a source of diverse chemical substances with applications as the replacement of fossil material-based chemicals, building blocks, food, and feed and applications as fine chemicals. This study reviews biorefinery methods for coniferous tree forestry biomass side streams, exploring the production of value-added products. Additionally, it discusses the potential for developing further biorefinery strategies to obtain products with enhanced value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Profile and Biological Evaluation of Plant Extracts)
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