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Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 28795

Special Issue Editors

Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, ul. Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: plant biotechnology; phytochemistry; phytotherapy; lignans; polyphenols
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Cosmetology, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: cosmetic plants; natural antioxidants; tyrosinase inhibitors; skin lightening compounds; melanogenesis regulators; cell cultures; 3D tissue models
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are very rich sources of numerous metabolites characterized by different structural features and a broad spectrum of biological activities. An increasing body of scientific evidence confirms the role of primary and secondary plant metabolites in maintaining human health and treating numerous diseases. For that reason, plant metabolites have been increasingly used in various fields, including medicine, the cosmetic industry, the food industry and agriculture.

Plants are also sources of several toxic substances. Therefore, the reliable quantitative and qualitative characterization of plant extracts must always be performed together with an appropriate toxicity assay.

The concentration of various phytochemicals in plants very often depends on the growing conditions. Therefore, by modulating the environmental factors the content of potentially toxic metabolites in plant materials may be reduced, and the beneficial phytochemicals may be accumulated.

In this Special Issue we invite researchers to contribute original research and review articles covering all topics related to the accumulation, chemical profiling, isolation and bioactivity assessment of plant metabolites. Potential topics include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Phytochemical characterization of less and more well-known plant species;
  • Isolation and identification of natural compounds;
  • Novel biological activities of plant metabolites;
  • Effective extraction conditions of naturally derived compounds;
  • Bioactivity of plant extracts;
  • Plant biotechnology studies;
  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phytochemical profile of in vitro plant cultures;
  • The influence of different conditions on the phytochemical profiles of plants and in vitro cultures;
  • Plants as cosmetic and dietary supplement ingredients.

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Szopa
Dr. Katarzyna Gaweł-Bęben
Prof. Dr. Wirginia Kukula-Koch

Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant metabolites
  • plant biotechnology
  • extraction methods
  • chromatographic techniques
  • isolation of active compounds
  • biological activity
  • fingerprinting of plant extracts
  • bioactivity-guided isolation of plant metabolites
  • cosmetic application

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3167 KiB  
Article
Polyphenolic Composition of Carlina acaulis L. Extract and Cytotoxic Potential against Colorectal Adenocarcinoma and Cervical Cancer Cells
by Ireneusz Sowa, Jarosław Mołdoch, Roman Paduch, Maciej Strzemski, Jacek Szkutnik, Katarzyna Tyszczuk-Rotko, Sławomir Dresler, Dariusz Szczepanek and Magdalena Wójciak
Molecules 2023, 28(16), 6148; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28166148 - 20 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1091
Abstract
Carlina acaulis is highly valued in the traditional medicine of many European countries for its diuretic, cholagogue, anthelmintic, laxative, and emetic properties. Moreover, practitioners of natural medicine indicate that it has anti-cancer potential. However, its phytochemistry is still little known. In the present [...] Read more.
Carlina acaulis is highly valued in the traditional medicine of many European countries for its diuretic, cholagogue, anthelmintic, laxative, and emetic properties. Moreover, practitioners of natural medicine indicate that it has anti-cancer potential. However, its phytochemistry is still little known. In the present study, the polyphenolic composition of the plant was investigated using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a high-resolution/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-HR/QTOF/MS-PDA). The fractionation of the extract was carried out using liquid-liquid extraction and preparative chromatography techniques. Cytotoxicity was assessed based on neutral red and MTT assays. The obtained data showed that the species is rich in chlorogenic acids and C-glycosides of luteolin and apigenin. The total amount of chlorogenic acids was 12.6 mg/g. Among flavonoids, kaempferol dihexosidipentose and schaftoside were the most abundant, reaching approximately 3 mg/g, followed by isoorientin, vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside, and vicenin II, each with a content of approximately 2 mg/g. Furthermore, the cytotoxic potential of the plant against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT29) and human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells was investigated using the normal epithelial colon cell line (CCD 841CoTr) as a reference. It has been demonstrated that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most abundant in polyphenolic compounds and had the most promising anticancer activity. Further fractionation allowed for the obtaining of some subfractions that differed in phytochemical composition. The subfractions containing polyphenolic acids and flavonoids were characterized by low cytotoxicity against cancer and normal cell lines. Meanwhile, the subfraction with fatty acids was active and decreased the viability of HeLa and HT29 with minimal negative effects on CCD 841CoTr. The effect was probably linked to traumatic acid, which was present in the fraction at a concentration of 147 mg/g of dried weight. The research demonstrated the significant potential of C. acaulis as a plant with promising attributes, thus justifying further exploration of its biological activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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14 pages, 2615 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant Activity, and Protective Effect against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress of Carlina vulgaris Extract
by Ireneusz Sowa, Jarosław Mołdoch, Sławomir Dresler, Tomasz Kubrak, Agata Soluch, Dariusz Szczepanek, Maciej Strzemski, Roman Paduch and Magdalena Wójciak
Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5422; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145422 - 15 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1146
Abstract
Carlina vulgaris is a little-understood plant with unexplored biological potential, and the papers regarding its chemical composition are scarce. In our study, for the first time, the phytochemical profile of the plant, focusing on polar metabolites, was established using modern chromatographic techniques including [...] Read more.
Carlina vulgaris is a little-understood plant with unexplored biological potential, and the papers regarding its chemical composition are scarce. In our study, for the first time, the phytochemical profile of the plant, focusing on polar metabolites, was established using modern chromatographic techniques including LC-HRMS-QTOF-CAD, UHPLC-PDA-MS. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the species is a rich source of polyphenolic components, with the most abundant being chlorogenic acid and C-glycosides of luteolin, including carlinoside, orientin, isoorientin, and C-glycosides of apigenin, schaftoside, isoschaftoside, and vitexin. Furthermore, we assessed the impact of the polyphenolic-rich fraction of C. vulgaris extracts on human skin fibroblasts using the MTT and NR assays. It was found that the extract was non-toxic and exhibited potent antioxidant activity in the cells subjected to induced oxidative stress. Additionally, it effectively protected the cells against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. Our study contributes to the general trend of searching for new phytotherapeutics with potential applications in pharmacy and medicine. The results indicate that further exploration of C. vulgaris species is worthwhile, as they can serve as valuable plant material for cosmetic use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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19 pages, 2906 KiB  
Article
Phenolic Profile and Comparison of the Antioxidant, Anti-Ageing, Anti-Inflammatory, and Protective Activities of Borago officinalis Extracts on Skin Cells
by Monika Michalak, Martyna Zagórska-Dziok, Marta Klimek-Szczykutowicz and Agnieszka Szopa
Molecules 2023, 28(2), 868; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020868 - 15 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2135
Abstract
In this study, methanol and water–methanol extracts of borage (Borago officinalis) herb dried using various methods were analysed for their phenolic profile and biological activity. Twelve compounds, including flavonoids (astragalin, kaempferol 4-glucoside, rutoside, and vitexin) and phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, [...] Read more.
In this study, methanol and water–methanol extracts of borage (Borago officinalis) herb dried using various methods were analysed for their phenolic profile and biological activity. Twelve compounds, including flavonoids (astragalin, kaempferol 4-glucoside, rutoside, and vitexin) and phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, ferulic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, rosmarinic, and syringic), were determined qualitatively and quantitatively in B. officinalis extracts by the HPLC-DAD method. The highest total flavonoid content was confirmed for the methanol extract from the hot-air-dried herb, while the methanol extract from the air-dried herb was most abundant in phenolic acids. The results of in vitro tests on human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (BJ) showed that the extracts were able to reduce the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species in skin cells. Tests performed to assess inhibition of protein denaturation, lipoxygenase activity, and proteinase activity demonstrated that borage extracts have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, the methanol extract of the herb dried in a convection oven showed the strongest inhibition of both collagenase and elastase activity, which is indicative of anti-ageing properties. The results show that the borage extracts are a source of valuable bioactive compounds with beneficial properties in the context of skin cell protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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24 pages, 2917 KiB  
Article
Multidirectional Characterization of Phytochemical Profile and Health-Promoting Effects of Ziziphora bungeana Juz. Extracts
by Karlygash Zhaparkulova, Aigerim Karaubayeva, Zuriyadda Sakipova, Anna Biernasiuk, Katarzyna Gaweł-Bęben, Tomasz Laskowski, Aliya Kusniyeva, Azamat Omargali, Tolkyn Bekezhanova, Liliya Ibragimova, Galiya Ibadullayeva, Amangeldy Jakiyanov, Karolina Czech, Kuanysh Tastambek, Kazimierz Głowniak, Anna Malm and Wirginia Kukula-Koch
Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8994; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248994 - 16 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1427
Abstract
Ziziphora species (Lamiaceae) have been used in traditional medicine as sedatives, antiseptics, carminatives, or expectorants. Despite their common applications in phytotherapy, there is still lack of evidence about the composition of their extracts and its impact on biological properties of the plants. The [...] Read more.
Ziziphora species (Lamiaceae) have been used in traditional medicine as sedatives, antiseptics, carminatives, or expectorants. Despite their common applications in phytotherapy, there is still lack of evidence about the composition of their extracts and its impact on biological properties of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of Ziziphora bungeana, a less studied species growing in Kazakhstan, using HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS instrumentation and to determine its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activity together with inhibitory properties against tyrosinase and toxicity in erythrocyte lysis assay. Extracts from Z. bungeana were found to be sources of flavonoids, phenolic acids, organic acids, and terpenes that determined their antiradical activity. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of extracts were lower for Gram-positive bacteria (1.25–10 mg/mL) than for Gram-negative bacteria and fungi (5–20 mg/mL). The EC50 value calculated for antiradical activity ranged between 15.00 ± 1.06 µg/mL and 13.21 ± 3.24 µg/mL for ABTS and DPPH assays, respectively. Z. bungeana extracts were found to decrease the activity of tyrosinase by 50% (at 200 µg/mL) similarly to kojic acid and were slightly cytotoxic for human melanoma A375 cell line (at 200 µg/mL) with no effect on HaCaT keratinocytes. In the end, Z. bungeana did not reveal toxic effects in hemolytic assay as compared to the positive control Triton X-100. The performed tests show potential application of the plant in the treatment of infectious diseases, disorders caused by free radicals, and skin problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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23 pages, 2486 KiB  
Article
Stimulation of Lignan Production in Schisandra rubriflora In Vitro Cultures by Elicitation
by Agnieszka Szopa, Michał Dziurka, Paweł Kubica, Karolina Jafernik, Oliwia Siomak and Halina Ekiert
Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6681; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196681 - 07 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1247
Abstract
The study investigated the effect of elicitation with: chitosan (CH) (200 mg/L), yeast extract (YeE) (3000 mg/L), ethephon (ETH) (25 µM/L), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (50 µM/L), on lignan accumulation in agitated and bioreactor (Plantform temporary immersion systems) microshoot cultures of female (F) [...] Read more.
The study investigated the effect of elicitation with: chitosan (CH) (200 mg/L), yeast extract (YeE) (3000 mg/L), ethephon (ETH) (25 µM/L), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (50 µM/L), on lignan accumulation in agitated and bioreactor (Plantform temporary immersion systems) microshoot cultures of female (F) and male (M) Schisandra rubriflora Rehd. et Wils. (Schisandraceae) lines. The elicitors were supplemented on the 10th day of culture. Biomasses were collected at 24 h and 48 h, and 4, 6, and 8 days after the addition of each elicitor. The 24 compounds from the dibenzocyclooctadiene, aryltetralin, dibenzylbutane, and tetrahydrofuran lignans and neolignans were determined qualitatively and quantitatively in biomass extracts using the UHPLC–MS/MS method. The highest total contents [mg/100 g DW] of lignans were: for CH-95.00 (F, day 6) and 323.30 (M, 48 h); for YeE 104.30 (F, day 8) and 353.17 (M, day 4); for ETH 124.50 (F, 48 h) and 334.90 (M, day 4); and for MeJA 89.70 (F, 48 h) and 368.50 (M, 24 h). In the biomass extracts of M cultures grown in bioreactors, the highest total lignan content was obtained after MeJA elicitation (153.20 mg/100 g DW). The maximum total lignan contents in the biomass extracts from agitated and bioreactor cultures were 3.29 and 1.13 times higher, respectively, than in the extracts from the non-elicited cultures. The poor understanding of the chemical composition and the lack of studies in the field of plant biotechnology of S. rubriflora emphasize the innovativeness of the research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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24 pages, 2672 KiB  
Article
LC-ESI-MS/MS Polyphenolic Profile and In Vitro Study of Cosmetic Potential of Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. Herb Extracts
by Aleksandra Pieczykolan, Wioleta Pietrzak, Katarzyna Dos Santos Szewczyk, Urszula Gawlik-Dziki and Renata Nowak
Molecules 2022, 27(4), 1259; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041259 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2843
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the phenolic composition and the biological properties of different Aerva lanata (L). Juss. herb extracts obtained with the use of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), i.e., a green, ecological method, for cosmetic purposes. All samples [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the phenolic composition and the biological properties of different Aerva lanata (L). Juss. herb extracts obtained with the use of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), i.e., a green, ecological method, for cosmetic purposes. All samples exhibited high DPPH (9.17–119.85 mg TE/g) and ABTS•+ (9.90–107.58 mg TE/g) scavenging activity. The extracts exhibited considerable anti-lipoxygenase (EC50 between 1.14 mg/mL and 3.73 mg/mL) and anti-xanthine oxidase (EC50 between 1.28 mg/mL and 3.72 mg/mL) activities, moderate chelating activity (EC50 between 1.58 mg/mL and 5.30 mg/mL), and high antioxidant potential in the ORAC assay (0.36–3.84 mM TE/g). Changes in the polyphenol profile of the analysed samples depending on the solvent and temperature used for the extraction were determined with the liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method. Twenty-one phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, were detected and quantified. It was shown that tiliroside was one of the main phenolic metabolites in the A. lanata (L.) Juss. herb., which may suggest that this compound may be largely responsible for the observed anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts. In addition, the studied extracts exhibited promising skin-related (anti-tyrosinase, anti-elastase, anti-collagenase, and anti-hyaluronidase) activity. This study showed that Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. contains high amounts of phenolic compounds, including tiliroside, and has good skin-related activities. Therefore, the plant may be interesting as a novel source of bioactive agents for cosmetic industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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20 pages, 3651 KiB  
Article
The Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Potential of Phenolic Acids-Enriched Extract of Elicited Hairy Roots of Salvia bulleyana
by Marta Krzemińska, Aleksandra Owczarek, Weronika Gonciarz, Magdalena Chmiela, Monika A. Olszewska and Izabela Grzegorczyk-Karolak
Molecules 2022, 27(3), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27030992 - 01 Feb 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2119
Abstract
Hairy root cultures are valuable sources of a range of phytochemicals. Among them, Salvia bulleyana root culture is a promising source of polyphenols, especially rosmarinic acid (RA), a phenolic acid depside with pleiotropic activity and a wide application in medicine and cosmetology. The [...] Read more.
Hairy root cultures are valuable sources of a range of phytochemicals. Among them, Salvia bulleyana root culture is a promising source of polyphenols, especially rosmarinic acid (RA), a phenolic acid depside with pleiotropic activity and a wide application in medicine and cosmetology. The aim of the study was to enhance the culture productivity by finding suitable elicitation protocol and to determine its biological potential in terms of antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial properties. The total content of phenols and the levels of particular constituents in root extracts were analyzed using HPLC-PDA. Among four elicitors tested (yeast extract; methyl jasmonate, MJA; trans-anethol; and cadmium chloride), MJA was found to be the most effective. The greatest boost in phenolic production (up to 124.4 mg/g dry weight) was observed after three-day treatment with MJA at 100 µM, with an almost 100% improvement compared to the controls (non-treated root culture). The hydromethanolic extract from the elicited culture exhibited strong antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 11.1 µg/mL, 6.5 µg/mL and 69.5 µg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and superoxide anion radical, respectively. Moreover, in concentrations of 0.5–5 mg/mL the extract inhibited the growth of LoVo, AGS and HeLa cell lines, but was safe for the L929 cells up to the concentration of 5 mg/mL. The extract also exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity. Thus, the results confirmed that elicitation can be a beneficial strategy for increase the phenolic acid biosynthesis in hairy roots of S. bulleyana, and that such a highly productive culture can show significant biological potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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13 pages, 936 KiB  
Article
The Evaluation of Phenolic Acids and Flavonoids Content and Antiprotozoal Activity of Eryngium Species Biomass Produced by Biotechnological Methods
by Małgorzata Kikowska, Justyna Chanaj-Kaczmarek, Monika Derda, Anna Budzianowska, Barbara Thiem, Halina Ekiert and Agnieszka Szopa
Molecules 2022, 27(2), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27020363 - 07 Jan 2022
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2239
Abstract
Three species from the Eryngium L. genus—E. campestre, E. maritimum, and E. planum, plants with a rich chemical composition, were selected for phytochemical and biological studies. The applied biotechnological methods allowed to obtain the biomass of these rare or [...] Read more.
Three species from the Eryngium L. genus—E. campestre, E. maritimum, and E. planum, plants with a rich chemical composition, were selected for phytochemical and biological studies. The applied biotechnological methods allowed to obtain the biomass of these rare or protected species in the form of multiplied shoots (stationary system) and roots cultured in a liquid medium (agitated system). In the extracts from the raw material obtained under in vitro conditions, the content of selected phenolic acids and flavonoids (HPLC-DAD method) as well as the total of polyphenols (Folin–Ciocalteu assay) were quantified. The highest amount of all phenolic compounds was found in extracts from E. planum roots (950.90 ± 33.52 mg/100 g d.w.), and the lowest from E. campestre roots (285.00 ± 10.07 mg/100 g d.w.). The quantitatively dominant compound proved to be rosmarinic acid. The highest amounts were confirmed for E. planum root extract (694.58 mg/100 g d.w.), followed by E. planum (388.95 mg/100 g d.w.) and E. campestre (325.85 mg/100 g d.w.) shoot extracts. The total content of polyphenols was always increased in the biomass from in vitro cultures in comparison to the analogous organs of intact plants of each species. The obtained extracts were assessed for antiprotozoal activity against Acanthamoeba sp. The strength of biological activity of the extracts correlated with the content of phenolic compounds. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the amoebicidal activity of E. campestre, E. maritimum, and E. planum extracts from biomass produced by biotechnological methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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Review

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20 pages, 2869 KiB  
Review
Carnivorous Plants from Nepenthaceae and Droseraceae as a Source of Secondary Metabolites
by Magdalena Wójciak, Marcin Feldo, Piotr Stolarczyk and Bartosz J. Płachno
Molecules 2023, 28(5), 2155; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28052155 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3184
Abstract
Carnivorous plants are able to attract small animals or protozoa and retain them in their specialized traps. Later, the captured organisms are killed and digested. The nutrients contained in the prey bodies are absorbed by the plants to use for growth and reproduction. [...] Read more.
Carnivorous plants are able to attract small animals or protozoa and retain them in their specialized traps. Later, the captured organisms are killed and digested. The nutrients contained in the prey bodies are absorbed by the plants to use for growth and reproduction. These plants produce many secondary metabolites involved in the carnivorous syndrome. The main purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the secondary metabolites in the family Nepenthaceae and Droseraceae, which were studied using modern identification techniques, i.e., high-performance liquid chromatography or ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. After literature screening, there is no doubt that tissues of species from the genera Nepenthes, Drosera, and Dionaea are rich sources of secondary metabolites that can be used in pharmacy and for medical purposes. The main types of the identified compounds include phenolic acids and their derivatives (gallic, protocatechuic, chlorogenic, ferulic, p-coumaric acids, gallic, hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic caffeic acids, and vanillin), flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol derivatives), including anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, and cyanidin), naphthoquinones (e.g., plumbagin, droserone, and 5-O-methyl droserone), and volatile organic compounds. Due to the biological activity of most of these substances, the importance of the carnivorous plant as a pharmaceutical crop will increase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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18 pages, 834 KiB  
Review
Impact of Thermal Processing on the Selected Biological Activities of Ginger Rhizome—A Review
by Justyna Zagórska, Lidia Czernicka-Boś, Wirginia Kukula-Koch, Katarzyna Iłowiecka and Wojciech Koch
Molecules 2023, 28(1), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010412 - 03 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a spice, medicinal and cosmetic plant that has been known for centuries. It can be used in dried, fresh, marinated or candied form, and is also an essential ingredient in well-known curry blends. Ginger rhizomes are often [...] Read more.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a spice, medicinal and cosmetic plant that has been known for centuries. It can be used in dried, fresh, marinated or candied form, and is also an essential ingredient in well-known curry blends. Ginger rhizomes are often freeze-dried as the first step in the preparation of the raw material. Many studies have proved that the composition and biological activity of ginger changes due to thermal processing. Therefore, the aim of the review was to summarize the scientific results on the impact of traditional and unconventional methods of the heat treatment of ginger rhizomes and their influence on the antioxidant and other selected biological activities of the plant. The review of the available scientific data is inconclusive, and it is hard to state unequivocally whether the thermal treatment of the raw material increases or decreases biological activity. Based on the presented literature review, it can be concluded that traditional cooking and microwave processing in general decrease the antioxidant activity of the ginger rhizome, whereas frying, autoclaving, blanching or traditional drying in the sun mostly lead to a significant increase in ginger activity. Interesting data were presented in the works describing the freeze-drying process during which the antioxidant potential of ginger increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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16 pages, 985 KiB  
Review
Illicium verum (Star Anise) and Trans-Anethole as Valuable Raw Materials for Medicinal and Cosmetic Applications
by Marta Sharafan, Karolina Jafernik, Halina Ekiert, Paweł Kubica, Ryszard Kocjan, Eliza Blicharska and Agnieszka Szopa
Molecules 2022, 27(3), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27030650 - 19 Jan 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 8149
Abstract
Illicium verum Hook f. (star anise) is considered an important species in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also used in contemporary medicine in East Asian countries. It occurs in natural habitats in southeastern parts of China and Vietnam, and is cultivated in various [...] Read more.
Illicium verum Hook f. (star anise) is considered an important species in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also used in contemporary medicine in East Asian countries. It occurs in natural habitats in southeastern parts of China and Vietnam, and is cultivated in various regions in China. The raw materials—Anisi stellati fructus and Anisi stellati aetheroleum obtained from this species exhibit expectorant and spasmolytic activities. The European Pharmacopoeia (4th edition) indicates that these raw materials have been used in allopathy since 2002. The biological activities of the above-mentioned raw materials are determined by the presence of valuable secondary metabolites such as monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids. Recent pharmacological studies on fruit extracts and the essential oil of this species have confirmed their antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and thus their medicinal and cosmetic value. The aim of this review was to examine the progress of phytochemical and pharmacological studies that focused on possible cosmetic applications. In addition to fruit extracts and essential oil, the current consensus on the safety of trans-anethole, which is the main compound of essential oil used in cosmetology, is underlined here. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Metabolites: Accumulation, Profiling and Bioactivity)
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