Submit to Molecules Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 15774

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Manuela Bartolini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: natural products; Alzheimer's disease; beta-amyloid; chromatography; cholinesterase enzymes; pharmacology; toxicology and pharmaceutics

Prof. Dr. Luiz Antonio Soares Romeiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasilia, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, 70910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil
Interests: medicinal chemistry; organic synthesis; natural products; Alzheimer's disease; metabolic disease; inflammatory diseases; neglected tropical diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks to a continuous increase in life expectancy, the number of people aged 65 or older is sharply increasing, and it is estimated to approach 1.5 billion by 2050. Aging societies need to face unmet issues and propose solutions for a better quality of life of an increasingly aging population that encounters a higher risk of multiple health conditions and mobility problems. Age-related diseases are defined as diseases with incidence rates among the adult population increasing with age, and include dementia, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cataracts, osteoporosis, hypertension. These pathologies bring enormous social and economic burdens and can strongly impact the economic growth of a country.

The plant kingdom constitutes an important source of pharmacologically active compounds. Unmodified plant-derived natural products have a long history of therapeutic use in the most diverse areas, including age-associated diseases. In addition, natural products have served as templates for the design of derivatives with an improved therapeutic impact.

In this light, this Special Issue focuses on research works on naturally occurring compounds (primary and secondary metabolites) isolated from plants, chemically modified and purely synthetic structures which were conceptually derived from natural products. In more detail, this Special Issue will cover aspects related to (i) the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of compounds inspired by natural products, (ii) analytical approaches for the isolation and/or characterization of bioactive natural products; (iii) investigations on the mechanism of action of active plant metabolites either in vitro or in vivo; (iv) investigations on novel therapeutic targets modulated by natural products; (v) etnodirected drug discovery.

Prof. Dr. Manuela Bartolini
Prof. Dr. Luiz Antonio Soares Romeiro
Guest Editors

Keywords

bioactive natural products
active phytocomponent profiling
synthesis
semi-synthetic derivatives
synthetic natural product derivatives
bioguided fractionation
mechanism elucidation
etnodirected drug discovery

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 1250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bio-Guided Fractionation of Stem Bark Extracts from Phyllanthus muellarianus: Identification of Phytocomponents with Anti-Cholinesterase Activity

by Marina Naldi, Gloria Brusotti, Gabriella Massolini, Vincenza Andrisano, Caterina Temporini and Manuela Bartolini

Molecules 2021, 26(14), 4376; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144376 - 20 Jul 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2168

Abstract

A combination of flash chromatography, solid phase extraction, high-performance liquid chromatography, and in vitro bioassays was used to isolate phytocomponents endowed with anticholinesterase activity in extract from Phyllanthus muellarianus. Phytocomponents responsible for the anti-cholinesterase activity of subfractions PMF1 and PMF4 were identified and re-assayed to confirm their activity. Magnoflorine was identified as an active phytocomponent from PMF1 while nitidine was isolated from PMF4. Magnoflorine was shown to be a selective inhibitor of human butyrylcholinesterase—hBChE (IC₅₀ = 131 ± 9 μM and IC₅₀ = 1120 ± 83 μM, for hBuChE and human acetylcholinesterase—hAChE, respectively), while nitidine showed comparable inhibitory potencies against both enzymes (IC₅₀ = 6.68 ± 0.13 μM and IC₅₀ = 5.31 ± 0.50 μM, for hBChE and hAChE, respectively). When compared with the commercial anti-Alzheimer drug galanthamine, nitidine was as potent as galanthamine against hAChE and one order of magnitude more potent against hBuChE. Furthermore, nitidine also showed significant, although weak, antiaggregating activity towards amyloid-β self-aggregation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 1317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of EPA- and DHA-Enriched Structured Acylglycerols at the sn-2 Position Starting from Commercial Salmon Oil by Enzymatic Lipase Catalysis under Supercritical Conditions

by Gretel Dovale-Rosabal, Alicia Rodríguez, Alejandra Espinosa, Andrés Barriga and Santiago P. Aubourg

Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3094; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113094 - 22 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2863

Abstract

There is consistent evidence that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) belonging to the n-3 series, i.e., eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3, DHA) acids, decrease the risk of heart, circulatory and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, the bioavailability of such fatty acids has been shown to depend on their location in triacylglycerol (TG) molecules at the sn-2 position. Consequently, great attention has been accorded to the synthesis of structured acylglycerols (sAG), which include EPA or DHA at the sn-2 position. The aim of this work was to synthesize sAG starting from deodorized refined commercial salmon oil. For this, immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (nonspecific) was used as a catalyst for the intra–interesterification process under CO₂ supercritical conditions (CO₂SC). According to the CO₂SC reaction time, three different fractions including sAG compounds were obtained. The location of EPA and DHA at the sn-2 position in the resulting glycerol backbone was identified by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analysis. In all fractions obtained, a marked decrease in the starting TG content was observed, while an increase in the DHA content at the sn-2 position was detected. The fraction obtained after the longest reaction time period (2 h) led to the highest yield of sn-2 position DHA in the resulting sAG molecule. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 2871 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) as a Source of Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Elisa Uliassi, Andressa Souza de Oliveira, Luciana de Camargo Nascente, Luiz Antonio Soares Romeiro and Maria Laura Bolognesi

Molecules 2021, 26(18), 5441; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26185441 - 07 Sep 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4123

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with a multifaceted pathogenesis. This fact has long halted the development of effective anti-AD drugs. Recently, a therapeutic strategy based on the exploitation of Brazilian biodiversity was set with the aim of discovering new disease-modifying and safe drugs for AD. In this review, we will illustrate our efforts in developing new molecules derived from Brazilian cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), a natural oil and a byproduct of cashew nut food processing, with a high content of phenolic lipids. The rational modification of their structures has emerged as a successful medicinal chemistry approach to the development of novel anti-AD lead candidates. The biological profile of the newly developed CNSL derivatives towards validated AD targets will be discussed together with the role of these molecular targets in the context of AD pathogenesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1504 KiB

Open AccessReview

Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in Treating Neurodegenerative Disorders and Their Future Prospects and Challenges

by Md. Habibur Rahman, Johny Bajgai, Ailyn Fadriquela, Subham Sharma, Thuy Thi Trinh, Rokeya Akter, Yun Ju Jeong, Seong Hoon Goh, Cheol-Su Kim and Kyu-Jae Lee

Molecules 2021, 26(17), 5327; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26175327 - 02 Sep 2021

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 5959

Abstract

Natural products derived from plants, as well as their bioactive compounds, have been extensively studied in recent years for their therapeutic potential in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer’s (AD), Huntington’s (HD), and Parkinson’s (PD) disease. These diseases are characterized by progressive dysfunction and loss of neuronal structure and function. There has been little progress in designing efficient treatments, despite impressive breakthroughs in our understanding of NDs. In the prevention and therapy of NDs, the use of natural products may provide great potential opportunities; however, many clinical issues have emerged regarding their use, primarily based on the lack of scientific support or proof of their effectiveness and patient safety. Since neurodegeneration is associated with a myriad of pathological processes, targeting multi-mechanisms of action and neuroprotection approaches that include preventing cell death and restoring the function of damaged neurons should be employed. In the treatment of NDs, including AD and PD, natural products have emerged as potential neuroprotective agents. This current review will highlight the therapeutic potential of numerous natural products and their bioactive compounds thatexert neuroprotective effects on the pathologies of NDs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Plant Derived Natural Products and Age-Related Diseases

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (4 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI