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Agronomy
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Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II
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Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 May 2023) | Viewed by 17841

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Laura Siracusa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CNR-ICB, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, via Paolo Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, Italy
Interests: metabolic profiling: analysis of complex matrices from natural sources, food biochemistry; study of edible plants profiles in pre-and post-harvest treatments, storage and processing; valorization of residual natural sources; structural modification of bioactive natural compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rosa Palmeri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: food science and technology; food industry applications; plant extracts; shelf life; food quality; microbial safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

It is a great pleasure to act as Guest Editors for Series II of the Special Issue “Phytochemicals of Edible plants in Human Health”, which has been our main research focus for the last 15 years. Series I received a number of submissions, illustrating that the topic is always hot for the scientific community. The vegetable kingdom is characterized by a huge biodiversity, which is reflected in an enormous chemical diversity in plant secondary metabolites. Plants synthetize and accumulate secondary metabolites for their survival, reproduction, and defense; research data collected in the last 50 years and earlier have evidenced that these molecules also possess many beneficial effects for human health. The present Special Issue will again focus on recent advances in the research of secondary metabolites from edible plants possessing activities that can help humans in restoring and maintaining health conditions. Research papers, communications, and review articles are all welcome. As the content of phytochemicals may vary depending both on genetic and external factors (e.g., soil, water management, cultivation, and environmental changes), we encourage papers dealing with the study, assessment, and management of the impact of agronomic practices on the accumulation of bioactive compounds in edible plants. Manuscripts concerning changes in metabolic content and related bioactivity as a function of post-harvest treatments such as storage and processing are very welcome. Special attention will be given to contributions covering the assessment of phytochemicals in rare and/or endemic edible plants from the Mediterranean area. Finally, given the increasing importance of the circular economy approach, we will also focus our attention on original research on the re-evaluation of agro-industrial wastes (i.e., their composition in bioactive compounds, bioactivity, re-use).

Dr. Laura Siracusa
Prof. Dr. Rosa Palmeri
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. Agronomy 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 2600 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

  • biodiversity
  • compositional features
  • biological activities
  • natural products
  • edible plants
  • human health

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2150 KiB  
Article
Dose-Dependent Effects of Antioxidants on Root-Knot Nematode Infection in Vegetable Crops and Dosage Standardization for Preventive Measures
by Sergio Molinari
Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030746 - 3 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1412
Abstract
Different antioxidant compounds (ACs) were applied to vegetable plants as foliar spray or soil drench before inoculation with root-knot nematodes (RKNs). Different doses of salicylic acid (SA), methyl-salicylate (MetSA), methyl jasmonate (MetJA), and ascorbate (ASC) were tested; doses were chosen according to the [...] Read more.
Different antioxidant compounds (ACs) were applied to vegetable plants as foliar spray or soil drench before inoculation with root-knot nematodes (RKNs). Different doses of salicylic acid (SA), methyl-salicylate (MetSA), methyl jasmonate (MetJA), and ascorbate (ASC) were tested; doses were chosen according to the size and weights of the plants to be treated. Generally, low doses of ACs increased nematode infection; conversely, when doses were raised, ACs acted as effective resistance inducers and reduced infection, measured as numbers of individuals developed in roots and reproduction rates. The activation of defense often occurred at the expense of plant fitness, although in infected plants, the benefits of treatments on plant growth were caused by relief from the symptoms monitored in untreated plants. Single pre-treatments of SA, MetSA, and ASC, in the proper amounts, almost halved infection variables; repeated applications of SA during nematode pathogenesis annulled the effectiveness of single pre-treatments. MetJA application was generally toxic to plants, and, also when provided in minimal amounts, this compound was always ineffective against nematodes. Other phenols and phenolic acids were tested at the same doses that were effective for SA with no reduction of infection except for duroquinone, which caused almost total suppression of infection, although associated with a decrease in root growth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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16 pages, 1667 KiB  
Article
Effects of Bioactive Composition in Oryza sativa L. cv. KDML105 Bran Extract on Gene Expression Related to Hair Cycle in Human Hair Follicle Dermal Papilla Cells
by Chiranan Khantham, Warintorn Ruksiriwanich, Korawan Sringarm, Chanakan Prom-u-thai, Sansanee Jamjod, Chaiwat Arjin, Anurak Muangsanguan, Pornchai Rachtanapun, Kittisak Jantanasakulwong, Yuthana Phimolsiripol, Francisco J. Barba, Sarana Rose Sommano, Romchat Chutoprapat and Korawinwich Boonpisuttinant
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020295 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3145
Abstract
The aim of this study is to identify the effects of KDML105 bran extract on gene expression involving the hair cycle in HFDPCs and investigate its bioactive constituents, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The content of tocopherols, γ-oryzanol, phytic acid, and phenolic compounds was [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to identify the effects of KDML105 bran extract on gene expression involving the hair cycle in HFDPCs and investigate its bioactive constituents, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The content of tocopherols, γ-oryzanol, phytic acid, and phenolic compounds was quantified by liquid chromatography. Free fatty acids were determined using gas chromatography. Antioxidant capacities were estimated by DPPH, ABTS, and metal chelating assay. The nitric oxide (NO) production was determined by Griess reaction. Gene expression was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The major compounds in the extract were α- and γ-tocopherol, phytic acid, γ-oryzanol, chlorogenic acid, o-coumaric acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid, giving its antioxidant capacities. The nitrite level in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages (2.76 ± 0.13 μM) was significantly mitigated by the extract (0.81 ± 0.11 μM). Additionally, SRD5A2 and TGFB1 expressions in HFDPCs were downregulated, whereas CTNNB1 and VEGF genes were upregulated after treatment with the extract. KDML105 extract ameliorated oxidative stress and NO production. According to the gene expression study, KDML105 bran extract may be involved in the induction and maintenance of the anagen phase and angiogenesis in the hair growth pathway. Therefore, KDML105 bran extract might be a promising source of anti-hair loss substances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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14 pages, 2244 KiB  
Article
Effect of Sun Drying on Phytoconstituents and Antiviral Activity of Ginger against Low-Pathogenic Human Coronavirus
by Yasmin A. Elkhawas, Haidy A. Gad, Manar O. Lashkar, Roaa M. Khinkar, Mohmmad Y. Wani and Noha Khalil
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2763; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112763 - 6 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2642
Abstract
Rhizomes of ginger are commonly used as a spice and for home remedies in either fresh or dry form. This study aimed to assess the effect of sun drying on the volatile constituents, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and the antiviral activity of [...] Read more.
Rhizomes of ginger are commonly used as a spice and for home remedies in either fresh or dry form. This study aimed to assess the effect of sun drying on the volatile constituents, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and the antiviral activity of ginger against low-pathogenic human coronavirus. The antiviral effect of the major volatile compounds was predicted through molecular docking. GC/MS was employed for profiling the volatile constituents of both fresh and dry ginger oils. Moreover, chemometric analysis was applied to discriminate between fresh and dry ginger and to investigate the correlation between their volatile constituents and the antiviral activity using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares regression (PLS-R). GC/MS analysis revealed that the major effects of the drying process were an increase in α-curcumene and β-sesquiphellandrene. Moreover, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of dried ginger decreased considerably. A PCA score plot revealed significant discrimination between fresh and dry ginger, with α-curcumene and 4-thujanol identified as the main discriminating markers. These findings were validated by in silico molecular docking studies, which revealed that the compounds under consideration had good drug-like characteristics. Thus, ginger is rich in valuable phytoconstituents which showed promising therapy in viral infections such as COVID-19. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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17 pages, 3816 KiB  
Article
The Biogenic Synthesis of Cobalt Monometallic and Cobalt–Zinc Bimetallic Nanoparticles Using Cymbopogan citratus L. Leaf Extract and Assessment of Their Activities as Efficient Dye Removal and Antioxidant Agents
by Tauheeda Riaz, Soha Nayyar, Tayyaba Shahzadi, Maria Zaib, Sammia Shahid, Sana Mansoor, Mohsin Javed, Shahid Iqbal, Murefah Mana Al-Anazy, Eslam B. Elkaeed, Rami Adel Pashameah, Eman Alzahrani and Abd-ElAziem Farouk
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2505; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102505 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2068
Abstract
In this work, green synthesized cobalt monometallic and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were prepared by bioreduction of metallic salts with Cymbopogan citratus plant extract. Biosynthesized cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were characterized using diverse techniques such as FTIR, UV-Visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, [...] Read more.
In this work, green synthesized cobalt monometallic and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were prepared by bioreduction of metallic salts with Cymbopogan citratus plant extract. Biosynthesized cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were characterized using diverse techniques such as FTIR, UV-Visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, and EDX analyses. UV-visible spectra for green-synthesized cobalt monometallic and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were in the range between 300 to 350 nm, which confirmed the formation of stable monometallic and bimetallic NPs. The average particle size of CoNPs calculated by XRD analysis was found to be 22.77 nm and that of Co-Zn BMNPs was 14.8 nm. Different functional groups in the Cymbopogan citratus plant extract, which served as a reducing and stabilizing agent for NPs, were identified by FTIR spectra. Cobalt NPs and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were used in the evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and dye degradation activity. Green-synthesized cobalt monometallic NPs and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs exhibited excellent antioxidant activity with the scavenging of DPPH free radicals. Green synthesized cobalt NPs and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs were utilized for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. Different parameters such as the effect of temperature, pH, and dye concentration on adsorbent doses were analyzed and optimized. The best dye removal percentage was obtained with Co-Zn BMNPs compared with CoNPs. Cobalt NPs and cobalt–zinc bimetallic NPs did not display good anti-inflammatory activity because of the presence of secondary metabolites which inhibited them to react with proteins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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16 pages, 58236 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Using Passiflora edulis Extract for the Estimation of Antioxidant Potential and Photocatalytic Methylene Blue Dye Degradation
by Amina Yasin, Urooj Fatima, Sammia Shahid, Sana Mansoor, Hina Inam, Mohsin Javed, Shahid Iqbal, Hamad Alrbyawi, Hamoud H. Somaily, Rami Adel Pashameah, Eman Alzahrani and Abd-ElAziem Farouk
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2315; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102315 - 27 Sep 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5340
Abstract
In the present work, copper oxide nanoparticles have been fabricated by using a biological method. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have received more attention than other metal oxides due to their distinctive properties and applications. Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles has gained the attention [...] Read more.
In the present work, copper oxide nanoparticles have been fabricated by using a biological method. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have received more attention than other metal oxides due to their distinctive properties and applications. Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles has gained the attention of researchers because of its simple and ecologically sustainable approach. The biosynthesis of CuO NPs included the use of Passiflora edulis leaf extract that acts as a stabilizing and reducing agent. A non-toxic, cost-effective, and ecologically acceptable method was the use of plant leaf extract in the biogenesis of nanoscale materials. UV-vis, SEM, FTIR, and XRD techniques were used to examine the biologically produced copper oxide nanoparticles. The findings of the SEM examination, which gives morphological information, demonstrate that the synthesized NPs have a spherical shape and have an average particle size of between 60 and 65 nm. CuO has been further investigated in the current study as a photo-catalyst in the methylene blue (MB) dye degradation and as an antioxidant in free radical scavenging activities. The decolorization efficiency was approximately 93% after 160 min. Furthermore, CuO nanoparticles were tested for antioxidant performance by scavenging 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate free radicals (DPPH) and evaluated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The result showed that biologically synthesized CuO NPs can be used as an effective antioxidant. The half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 of copper oxide nanoparticles was found to be in the range of 0.13–0.20. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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9 pages, 737 KiB  
Communication
Olive Leaves, a Promising Byproduct of Olive Oil Industry: Assessment of Metabolic Profiles and Antioxidant Capacity as a Function of Cultivar and Seasonal Change
by Rosa Palmeri, Laura Siracusa, Marco Carrubba, Lucia Parafati, Ilaria Proetto, Fabiola Pesce and Biagio Fallico
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2007; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092007 - 25 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2505
Abstract
Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves are an abundant byproduct in the olive oil industry characterized by high quantities of phenols. The content of these molecules in olive leaves may vary according to several factors, including cultivar, olive tree alternate bearing cycle, and [...] Read more.
Olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves are an abundant byproduct in the olive oil industry characterized by high quantities of phenols. The content of these molecules in olive leaves may vary according to several factors, including cultivar, olive tree alternate bearing cycle, and seasonal variations. In the present study, leaves belonging to five Italian cultivars (‘Biancolilla’, ‘Nocellara Etnea’, ‘Nocellara Messinese’, ‘Nocellara Siracusana’, ‘Zaituna’), cultivated in the same area, were collected from January to August and individually subjected to an appropriate extraction assay. Each extract was analyzed by means of HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS to determine its phytochemical profile and assess inter cultivar and seasonal variations. Moreover, total phenolics, ORAC, and DPPH assays were performed, in order to evaluate the Total Polyphenol Content and antioxidant potential. Seventeen different metabolites belonging to the subclasses of simple phenols, secoiridoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids were identified, quantified, and used as markers to monitor profile variations. The data obtained have shown that secoiridoids, particularly oleuropein, can be regarded as key molecules to discriminate among different cultivars and to assess variability in olive leaves during the flower and fruit development stage. All of the samples evidenced a remarkable antioxidant activity in terms of Radical Scavenging Activity, and as expected, some differences were observed among cultivars and depending on the harvest period through ORAC assay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals of Edible Plants—Volume II)
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