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Plants
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Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products
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Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 24 December 2024 | Viewed by 5248

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Petar D. Marin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Morphology and Systematics of Plants, Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden “Jevremovac”, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: systematics and phylogeny of plants; micromorphology; phytochemistry; chemotaxonomy; biological activity of secondary plant metabolites
Dr. Danka Bukvički

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Morphology and Systematics of Plants, Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden “Jevremovac”, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: phytochemistry; medicinal plants; applied botany; bioactivity; antimicrobials, food microbiology; natural food preservatives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit short communications, original articles, or review articles to a Special Issue of Plants entitled “Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products”.

Plants produce diverse secondary (specialized) metabolites which play various and specific roles in their metabolism. Some groups of metabolites are widely distributed in plants, while others have a rather limited distribution within certain taxonomic groups (genera, families, etc.). Specialized metabolites generally play an important role within plants as defense agents against herbivores, insects, viruses, bacteria, etc. Some of them also play a specific role, especially in the context of ecological interactions (seed dispersal, allelopathic agents, attractants for pollinators, etc.).

To date, a number of researchers from various fields of fundamental and applied sciences, especially from the field of chemistry, botany, pharmacy and the food industry, have taken an interest in plant secondary metabolites. In recent decades, much attention has been paid to the chemical analysis (extraction, isolation and structure elucidation) of plant metabolites in search of bioactive components. The study of plant natural products stimulated the development of various techniques for the extraction, separation, and structure elucidation of specialized metabolites. As a result, thousands of new structures have been identified.

Due to the wide range of bioactivities, plants and their bioactive molecules are used as natural therapeutics and contribute greatly to the production of commercial drugs in the pharmaceutical industry and medicine.

The potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Diversity of natural compounds from plants;
  • Chemistry, adaptive significance and role of specialized metabolites in plants;
  • New trends in the isolation, identification and characterization of natural plant constituents;
  • Innovative strategies in the search for bioactive plant compounds;
  • Plant metabolites as bioactive agents (antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-insect, etc.);
  • Innovative approaches to natural plant products in food, pharmacy, medicine and cosmetics.

Prof. Dr. Petar D. Marin
Dr. Danka Bukvički
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. Plants 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

  • phytochemistry
  • plant metabolites
  • extraction
  • isolation and structure elucidation
  • bioactive plant compounds
  • application of bioactive molecules

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 974 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Influence of Melatonin-Hydrocolloid Coating on Decay and Senescence of Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) during Supermarket Storage Conditions
by Smruthi Jayarajan, Shruti Sethi, Om Prakash Awasthi, Abhishek Sharma and Danka Bukvički
Plants 2024, 13(6), 822; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13060822 - 13 Mar 2024
Viewed by 529
Abstract
Nectarines have remarkable nutritional value, low caloric content, and are rich in antioxidants. However, despite substantial local and global demand, their susceptibility to rapid spoilage during peak summer harvest is limited. To address this issue, the current study investigated the potential benefits of [...] Read more.
Nectarines have remarkable nutritional value, low caloric content, and are rich in antioxidants. However, despite substantial local and global demand, their susceptibility to rapid spoilage during peak summer harvest is limited. To address this issue, the current study investigated the potential benefits of using melatonin (MLT), an antioxidant biomolecule, in combination with edible hydrocolloid coatings like carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and gum Arabic (G.A.) on ‘Snow Queen’ nectarine fruits. The nectarines were treated with various combinations of coatings, including 1% and 1.5% CMC, 8% and 10% G.A., and 0.1 mM melatonin. These coated and non-coated samples were stored under standard supermarket conditions (18 ± 1 °C, 85–90% R.H.) for 16 days. The outcomes demonstrated that the most effective treatment was the combination of 1% CMC with 0.1 mM melatonin. This treatment significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the rate of respiration, curbed fruit decay by approximately 95%, minimized weight loss by around 42%, and maintained approximately 39% higher levels of total phenol content and roughly 30% greater antioxidant (AOX) activity. These positive effects were accompanied by preserved firmness and overall quality attributes. Moreover, the treatment extended the shelf life to 16 days through retarding senescence and suppressing the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and pectin methylesterase (PME), all without compromising the functional qualities of the nectarine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products)
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12 pages, 2240 KiB  
Article
Carotenoid Composition of Telekia speciosa
by Erzsébet Varga, Viktória Lilla Balázs, Viktor Sándor, Attila Agócs, Veronika Nagy, Sándor Balázs Király, Tibor Kurtán, Péter Molnár and József Deli
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4116; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244116 - 08 Dec 2023
Viewed by 778
Abstract
The carotenoid composition of the flower of Telekia speciosa was investigated for the first time by HPLC-DAD-MS. In addition to the main carotenoid lutein and its geometrical isomers, 5,6-epoxy-carotenoids, namely violaxanthin, lutein 5,6-epoxide and antheraxanthin, were detected in larger amounts. In addition, β-carotene [...] Read more.
The carotenoid composition of the flower of Telekia speciosa was investigated for the first time by HPLC-DAD-MS. In addition to the main carotenoid lutein and its geometrical isomers, 5,6-epoxy-carotenoids, namely violaxanthin, lutein 5,6-epoxide and antheraxanthin, were detected in larger amounts. In addition, β-carotene 5,6-epoxide and β-carotene 5,6,5′,6′-diepoxide were found, which occurs very rarely in plants. For unambigous identification, β-carotene 5,6-epoxide and β-carotene 5,6,5′,6′-diepoxide were prepared semisynthetically, and they were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and HPLC-CD methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products)
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15 pages, 1093 KiB  
Article
Artemisia santonicum L. and Artemisia lerchiana Web. Essential Oils and Exudates as Sources of Compounds with Pesticidal Action
by Milena Nikolova, Aneta Lyubenova, Elina Yankova-Tsvetkova, Borislav Georgiev, Strahil Berkov, Ina Aneva and Antoaneta Trendafilova
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3491; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193491 - 06 Oct 2023
Viewed by 916
Abstract
The application of natural products for pest control is important in modern farming. In the present study, Artemisia santonicum L. and Artemisia lerchiana Weber essential oil and exudate profiles were determined, and their potential as inhibitors of seed germination, acetylcholinesterase, and phytopathogenic mycelium [...] Read more.
The application of natural products for pest control is important in modern farming. In the present study, Artemisia santonicum L. and Artemisia lerchiana Weber essential oil and exudate profiles were determined, and their potential as inhibitors of seed germination, acetylcholinesterase, and phytopathogenic mycelium growth were evaluated. Essential oils (EO) were obtained via hydrodistillation and exudates (AE) by washing aerial parts of the species with acetone. EO and AE’s composition was identified using GC/MS. Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) and camphor were found to be the main components of A. lerchiana EO, while β-pinene, trans-pinocarveol, α-pinene, α-terpineol, and spathulenol were established as major compounds of A. santonicum EO. Strong inhibition on Lolium perenne seed germination was found at 2 µL/mL and 5 mg/mL using aqueous solutions of EO and AE, respectively. An inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase was established, with an IC50 value of 64.42 and 14.60 μg/mL for EO and 0.961, >1 mg/mL for the AE of A. lerchiana and A. santonicum, respectively. The low inhibition on the mycelium growth of studied phytopathogenic fungi was established by applying 2 µL of EO and 15 µL of 100 mg/mL of AE, with the exception of A. lerchiana AE against Botrytis cinerea. These results show that the studied EO and AE exhibited strong phytotoxic and AChE inhibitory activities, providing new data for these species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products)
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15 pages, 7593 KiB  
Article
Comparative In Vitro and In Silico Enzyme Inhibitory Screening of Rosa x damascena and Pelargonium graveolens Essential Oils and Geraniol
by Ayşe Esra Karadağ, Sevde Nur Biltekin, Betül Demirci, Fatih Demirci and Usman Ghani
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3296; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183296 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1095
Abstract
The present work aims to evaluate Rosa x damascena Herrm. and Pelargonium graveolens L’Hér. essential oils, and the major constituent geraniol for their in vitro and in silico inhibitory activities against 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), cyclooxygenase (COX), acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE), and [...] Read more.
The present work aims to evaluate Rosa x damascena Herrm. and Pelargonium graveolens L’Hér. essential oils, and the major constituent geraniol for their in vitro and in silico inhibitory activities against 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), cyclooxygenase (COX), acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE), and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2) enzymes. Geraniol most potently inhibited the ACE2 relative to other enzymes. R. damascena essential oil moderately inhibited the cancer cell lines with no toxic effects on healthy HEK 293 cells. P. graveolens essential oil inhibited a number of cancer cell lines including A549, MCF7, PC3, and HEK 293 that are reported here for the first time. The molecular docking of geraniol with the target enzymes revealed that it binds to the active sites similar to that of known drugs. Geraniol carries the potential for further drug development due to its drug-like binding mode for the target enzymes. Our work confirms that these essential oils possess similar biological activities due to their similar phytochemistry in terms of the major constituents of the plants. The promising biological activities reported in this work further warrant the inclusion of in vivo studies to establish safe use of the target essential oils and their constituents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products)
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Review

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38 pages, 13758 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in the Phytochemistry of Bryophytes: Distribution, Structures and Biological Activity of Bibenzyl and Bisbibenzyl Compounds
by Kakali Sen, Mohammad Imtiyaj Khan, Raja Paul, Utsha Ghoshal and Yoshinori Asakawa
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4173; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244173 (registering DOI) - 15 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1246
Abstract
Research on bryophyte phytochemistry has revealed the presence of different phytochemicals like fatty acids, terpenoids, small phenolic molecules, etc. Small phenolic molecules, i.e., bibenzyls (of two aromatic rings) and bisbibenzyls (four aromatic rings), are unique signature molecules of liverworts. The first bisbibenzyls marchantin [...] Read more.
Research on bryophyte phytochemistry has revealed the presence of different phytochemicals like fatty acids, terpenoids, small phenolic molecules, etc. Small phenolic molecules, i.e., bibenzyls (of two aromatic rings) and bisbibenzyls (four aromatic rings), are unique signature molecules of liverworts. The first bisbibenzyls marchantin A and riccardin A were discovered in two consecutive years, i.e., 1982 and 1983, respectively, by Asakawa and coworkers. Since then, about 70 bisbibenzyls have been reported. These molecules are characterized and identified using different spectroscopic techniques and surveyed for different bioactivity and structure–activity relations. Biochemistry is determined by the season, geography, and environment. In this review, quantitative and qualitative information on bibenzyls and bisbibenzyl compounds and their distribution in different liverworts across, geographies along withtraditional to advanced extraction methods, and characterization techniques are summarized. Also, a comprehensive account of characteristic spectra of different bisbibenzyl compounds, their subtypes, and their basic skeleton patterns are compared. A comprehensive table is provided here for the first time presenting the quantity of bibenzyls, bisbenzyls, and their derivatives found in bryophytes, mentioning the spectroscopic data and mass profiles of the compounds. The significance of these compounds in different bioactivities like antibiotic, antioxidative, antitumor, antivenomous, anti-influenza, insect antifeedant, cytotoxic, and anticancerous activities are surveyed and critically enumerated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chemical Characteristics and Bioactivity of Plant Natural Products)
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