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Special Issue "Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential"

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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Separation Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 10308

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria das Graças Almeida

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Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
Interests: natural product chemistry; medicinal plants; oxidative stress and bioactivity of plant extracts and products; toxicology

Dr. Jorge A. López

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Guest Editor

Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, DACT, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, R. Gen. Gustavo Cordeiro de Farias, s/n—Petrópolis, Natal 59012-570, RN, Brazil
Interests: natural products; antioxidants; bioactivity; biochemistry; microbiology; industrial biotechnology

Dr. Jefferson Romáryo Duarte Da Luz

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Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory, Amapá State University (UEAP), Av. Presidente Vargas, s/n, Centro, Macapá 68900-070, Brazil
Interests: natural product chemistry; medicinal plants; oxidative stress; bioactivity of plant extracts and phytochemical analysis; toxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Using plant bioactive compounds to prevent, treat and cure diseases is an ancient medicinal practice. This type of treatment is extremely important, especially for developing countries, where medicinal plants are used in their raw form, such as in teas and herbal medicines, as alternatives to allopathic medicinal products for primary health care. Estimates indicate that approximately 40% of currently marketed drugs are developed directly or indirectly from natural sources, of which 25% are of plant origin. Plants produce secondary metabolites of unprecedented structural diversity, providing valuable clues to the discovery of new, often safer, drugs. The extraction, characterization, encapsulation and pharmacological potential of plants are attracting increasing attention in the fields of pharmaceuticals, food, medicine, nutrition and biotechnology.

This Special Issue, “Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential”, aims to highlight the latest developments and emerging trends in research on medicinal plants and their potential therapeutic value. We invite researchers from around the world to submit full original research articles as well as review articles sharing their latest findings and ideas in this exciting field of science.

Dr. Maria das Graças Almeida
Dr. Jorge A. López
Dr. Jefferson Romáryo Duarte Da Luz
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. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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

plant natural compounds
plant extracts
characterization of bioactive natural compounds
encapsulation of plant extracts and isolated plant compounds
pharmacological potential
biological properties

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2711 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Wilckia maritima: In Vitro and In Silico Investigations

Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah

Hiba-Allah Nafidi

and

Mohammed Bourhia

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051497 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 873

Abstract

This research aimed to assess the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of methanol extract of Wilckia maritima, a plant belonging to the family Brassicaceae, which is enriched with natural antioxidants. Qualitative phytochemical studies showed the presence of numerous compounds including glycosides, phenols, triterpenoids, and GC-MS studies revealed the presence of 35 bioactive components, including n-hexadecanoic acid (26.96%), 9,12,15 octadecatrienoic acid (cis) (25.52%), 3,5 di-hydroxy-6-methyl 2,3-di-hydro-4-pyran 4-one (14.35%), and 3-tertiary butyl-4-hydroxy-anisol (11.68%) as major components, which are thought to be responsible for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials of methanol extract of W. maritima., flavonoids, steroids, tannins, and saponins. The antioxidant potential of the extract was determined by performing various assays, including DPPH free radical scavenging, ferrous reducing, and hydrogen peroxide assays, which showed significant percentage inhibition (83.55 ± 0.89, 79.40 ± 1.17, and 81.26 ± 0.36%, respectively) as compared to ascorbic acid (standard). The extract also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity with percentage inhibition 65.66 ± 0.42% compared to standard ibuprofen, which showed 73.20 ± 0.21% inhibition. In vivo analysis further confirmed this anti-inflammatory potential of the extract, showing a 75.55 ± 0.11% reduction in edema at 300 mg/kg as compared with standard diclofenac sodium 70.27 ± 0.012%. Moreover, in silico investigations revealed that the phytocompounds in W. maritima exhibited excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, which could provide novel biological molecules for target receptors. Overall, our findings suggest that W. maritima can be utilized as a potential resource of natural compounds with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory potential, with promising therapeutic effect in relieving various ailments related to inflammatory response. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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14 pages, 2834 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenolic Profile, Inhibition of α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase Enzymes, and Antioxidant Properties of Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. (Solanaceae): In Vitro and In Silico Investigations

Mohammed Bouslamti

El Hassania Loukili

Amal Elrherabi

Abdelfattah El Moussaoui

and

Ahmed Samir Benjelloun

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051384 - 04 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1109

Abstract

In this study, the chemical composition and the antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of S. elaeagnifolium flower (SEFl), fruit (SEFr), and leaf (SEFe) extracts were investigated in vitro and in silico. HPLC-DAD analysis was used to determine the chemical components. Colorimetric techniques were used to identify polyphenols and flavonoids. The antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH and TAC assays. The antidiabetic activity was examined using the enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Molecular docking methods were used to assess the anti-dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) activity. According to HPLC findings, extracts of S. elaeagnifolium flowers, leaves, and fruits are rich in salicylic acid, sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, naringin, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-beta-glucoside, kaempferol, and chalcone. The IC₅₀ for flower, leaf, and fruit extracts were 132 ± 5.59 μg/mL, 43.19 ± 1.46 μg/mL, and 132 ± 5.59 μg/mL, respectively. The total antioxidant capacity of SEFr, SEFe, and SEFl were determined to be 900.06 ± 4.01 μg AAE/mg, 792.10 ± 6.72 μg AAE/mg, and 681.10 ± 3.02 μg AAE/mg, respectively. Importantly, SEFe, SEFl, and SEFr displayed significant anti-α-amylase activity, with IC₅₀ values of 79.16 ± 2.35 µg/mL, 99.16 ± 1.17 µg/mL, and 40.31 ± 2.04 µg/mL, respectively. The results also showed that SEFr, SEFe, and SEFl all exhibited potent anti-α-glucosidase activity, whose IC₅₀ values were determined to be 20.53 ± 0.37 µg/mL (SEFr), 20.05 ± 0.12 µg/mL (SEFe), and 41.1 ± 1.55 µg/mL (SEFl). Molecular docking of S. elaeagnifolium phenolic compounds in the active site of DPP-IV revealed a strong inhibitory effect, with a glide score ranging from −2.63 to −8.10 Kcal/mol. Notably—with glide scores of −8.10, −6.23, −5.73, and −5.37 Kcal/mol—rutin, quercetin-3-O-beta-glucoside, chalcone, and naringin were the most active molecules against DPP-IV. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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16 pages, 5292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coleus aromaticus Ethanolic Leaves Extract Mediates Inhibition of NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Lung Adenocarcinoma A549 Cells

Shimaa Mahmoud Hassoun

Amr Selim Abu Lila

El-Sayed Khafagy

and

Ahmed A. Katamesh

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051332 - 26 Apr 2023

Viewed by 906

Abstract

Lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortalities globally. Failure in diagnosis at early stages and limited effective chemotherapeutics has severely impeded the clinical management of patients suffering from lung carcinoma. At present, researchers across the world are focused on exploring biologically active natural products for treating various cancers, which can thus be further investigated for their chemotherapeutical potential. Coleus aromaticus is a common herb used in culinary practices and has previously been shown to possess various medicinal characteristics. In the present study, the anti-cancer effects of ethanolic extract of C. aromaticus leaves (EtOH-LCa) against non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) A549 cells were screened. It was observed that EtOH-LCa reduced the viability of A549 cells and obstructed the cell cycle progression in a concentration-dependent manner. Importantly, EtOH-LCa succeeded in instigating the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.001) within A549 cells. The elevation in ROS levels was concomitantly followed by the disruption of nuclear morphology and the loss in mitochondria viability within A549 cells. In addition, EtOH-LCa was successful in increasing the activity of caspases-3, which further aided in increasing apoptosis. Most importantly, EtOH-LCa decreased NF-κB expression (p < 0.05) along with modulating mRNA expression of pro-/anti-apoptotic genes; Bax, Bad, Bcl-2 and Bcl-X_L within NSCLC A549 cells. Collectively, it could be concluded that EtOH-LCa possessed considerable anti-cancer effects against NSCLC A549 cells; however, further molecular studies are warranted to completely establish the chemotherapeutical potential of EtOH-LCa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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17 pages, 3232 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of the Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Properties of Pomegranate Peel Extract Obtained by Ultrasound on HCT-116 Colorectal Cancer Cell Line

and

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041111 - 05 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1306

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. When treating patients, therapeutic agents have side effects; hence, the use of natural compounds found in medicinal plants including pomegranate. Ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) is a new technique evolving to the detriment of traditional methods such as maceration. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anticancer effect of pomegranate peel extracts obtained by maceration and UAE at three different ultrasonic power levels (P₁ = 10 W; P₂ = 50 W; P₃ = 100 W) on HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. Phytochemical screening highlighted the presence of primary and secondary metabolites in pomegranate peels. In addition, the ethanolic extract obtained by UAE at 50 W was shown to be the most concentrated in phenolic and flavonoid compounds and have the most powerful antioxidant activity, which reached a maximum activity of 92% as determined by DPPH test. Similarly, the MTT cell viability test showed that the extract obtained by UAE at 50 W had the most potent inhibitory effect compared to the other extracts. In conclusion, the UAE at 50 W was shown to be the most suitable and efficient extraction technique to obtain bioactive compounds from pomegranate peel extracts that can be used in the treatment of CRC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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16 pages, 3351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wound Healing Effect of 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol of Ginseng Involves VEGF-ERK Pathways in HUVECs and Diabetic Mice

and

Processes 2023, 11(3), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11030692 - 24 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1142

Abstract

Wound healing is the process of skin and soft tissue repair following an injury. Angiogenesis is an essential process in wound healing and plays an important role in tissue regeneration. Ginseng is mainly composed of saponins and protopanaxadiol-based ginsenosides, namely Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Re, Rg1, and Rf. 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) and 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) are aglycones of ginsenosides produced by metabolic processes and heat treatment. This study aimed to investigate the wound healing effects of active ingredients of ginseng, namely ginsenosides and aglycones, in various cellular and animal skin wound models. The angiogenic effects of ginsenosides were investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). All experiments were conducted at increased intracellular glucose concentrations and the induction of angiogenesis through tube formation was evaluated. Among the ginsenosides and aglycones used in this study, PPD showed the strongest wound-healing activity. Cell scratch experiments confirmed that PPD increased intracellular proliferation and cell migration at high glucose concentrations, and western blotting of HUVECs showed that phosphorylated ERK, Akt, and p38 were regulated. We observed accelerated wound healing with PPD treatment in STZ-treated mice. Overall, the findings suggested that PPD could possibly help improve skin wound healing in patients with diabetes, although further research is recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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18 pages, 3101 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Polyphenol Extraction with Potential Application as Natural Food Preservatives from Brazilian Amazonian Species Dalbergia monetaria and Croton cajucara

Vaneska Aimee Paranhos de Araújo

Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz

Naikita Suellen da Silva e Silva

Matheus Pereira Pereira

Jardel Pinto Barbosa

Darlan Coutinho dos Santos

Jorge A. López

Lilian Grace da Silva Solon

and

Gabriel Araujo-Silva

Processes 2023, 11(3), 669; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11030669 - 22 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1074

Abstract

Scientific interest has currently focused on natural products as a feasible approach for new food additives to replace synthetic preservatives. Thereby, the objective of this work was to optimize the polyphenol extraction from native Amazonian plant species Dalbergia monetaria L.f. and Croton cajucara Benth., and they were determined by the total content of these compounds. Accordingly, the hydroalcoholic extract’s phytocomposition was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (UPLC-DAD) and various assays to determine the antioxidant capacity (e.g., 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, ferric reduction power, peroxidation inhibition). In addition, response surface methodology applying a central composite design was used to optimize the antioxidant compound extraction conditions. Extract phytochemical profiles identified polyphenols such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, rutin, and hyperoside in both species. Furthermore, D. monetaria and C. cajucara extracts displayed significant antioxidant capacity, exhibiting similar values compared to the standard synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene. Nevertheless, C. cajucara showed more antioxidant efficiency compared to D. monetaria. These results were consistent with the distribution matrix obtained by a Central Composite Design since the C. cajucara extracts exhibited the best response to the adopted optimization model. Therefore, data are promising for obtaining potential options for natural additives for the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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17 pages, 3089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Antithrombotic, Antitumor and Antiangiogenic Activities of Green Tea Polyphenols and Its Main Constituent Epigallocatechin-3-gallate

Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz

Jorge A. López

Macelia Pinheiro Ferreira

Rubiamara Mauricio de Sousa

Saulo Victor e Silva

Maria das Graças Almeida

and

Gabriel Araujo-Silva

Processes 2023, 11(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11010076 - 28 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1659

Abstract

The balance between embolic risk and bleeding represents a clinical challenge in cancer patient treatment, encouraging studies on adjuvant oncologic treatments. Thereby, this study evaluated the in vitro effect of green tea extract (GTE) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on hemostasis modulation and the antineoplastic effect on melanoma cells (B16-F10) by applying platelet aggregation, angiogenesis and viability cell assays. The results displayed a significant platelet antiaggregant effect, corresponding to 50 and 80% for the extract and EGCG, respectively, compared to the negative control. Furthermore, both GTE and EGCG exhibited antitumor effects by reducing melanoma cell growth by 25 and 50%, respectively, verified by cellular apoptosis. Regarding angiogenesis, these substances inhibited blood vessel formation, reaching about 25% and 99% for GTE and EGCG at 100 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, TNF-α cell stimulation evidenced VEGF and IL-8 secretion inhibition at 55 and 20% with GTE, while EGCG promoted an inhibition around 78% for both VEGF and IL-8. The results indicate the promising performance of GTE and EGCG as an option for treating cancer and its side effects. Nonetheless, further studies are required to elucidate their action mechanism on clotting, cell death and angiogenesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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16 pages, 4136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Purification, Structural Elucidation, and Anticancerous Properties of a Novel Flavonoid from Flowers of Leucas indica

Muthyam Sowjanya

Bhagavathula Venkata Sandeep

Kaduru Venkaiah

Vijaya R. Dirisala

Malapati Hanuma Reddy

Jangampalli Adi Pradeepkiran

and

Sri Bhashyam Sainath

Processes 2022, 10(11), 2341; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10112341 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1550

Abstract

Previously, we showed that the crude methanol extracts of Leucas indica flowers exhibited antioxidant properties and in the current study, crude methanol flower extracts of L. indica showed anticancerous properties as evidenced cytotoxicity (MTT assay test) against the selected cancerous cell lines HeLa, HCT116, HL-60, and MCF-7. Therefore, further analysis was performed to isolate and purify the bioactive compound using activity-guided repeated fractionation of the methanol extract by silica gel column chromatography. After collection of different fractions, all the fractions were subjected to TLC analysis and the fractions which yielded the same compounds on TLC were further analyzed for physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses, e.g., UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, COSY, HSQC, and mass spectroscopy. The bioactive compound isolated was elucidated as 6-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-)(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2yl)-4H-chromen-4-one. Based on the antioxidant and anticancerous properties, L. indica might be a promising source of useful natural products and the newly bioactive compound might offer opportunities to develop new anticancerous drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Encapsulation, Characterization and Pharmacological Potential)

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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: In Vitro Antithrombotic, Antitumor and Anti-angiogenic Activities of Green Tea Polyphenols and its Main Constituent Epigallocatechin-3-gallate
Authors: Maria das Graças Almeida
Affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
Abstract: The balance between embolic risk and bleeding is a clinical challenge in cancer patient treatment, which stimulates studies on adjuvant oncologic treatments. Thereby, this study evaluated the in vitro effect of green tea extract (GTE) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on hemostasis modulation, and the antineoplastic effect in melanoma cells (B16-F10) through platelet aggregation, angiogenesis and viability cell assays. Results showed a significant platelet antiaggregant effect, corresponding to 50 and 80% for extract and EGCG, respectively, compared to the negative control. Furthermore, both GTE and EGCG exhibited antitumor effects by reducing in 25 and 50% the melanoma growth cells, respectively, verified by cellular apoptosis. Regarding angiogenesis, these substances inhibited blood vessel formation, reaching about 25% with GTE and 99% with EGCG at high concentrations. Moreover, the cell stimulation with TNF-α evidenced the VEGF and IL-8 secretion inhibition at 55 and 20% in the presence of GTE, while the inhibition caused by EGCG was around 78% for both VEGF and IL-8. Although more studies are required regarding the action mechanism of these products on clotting, cell death, and angiogenesis, results with GTE and EGCG are promising as an option for cancer treatment and its side effects.

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