Exploring the Interplay of Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Composition in Plant Extracts and Bee Products

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2025 | Viewed by 3413

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu Av. 13, 50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: natural products; plant extracts; antioxidants; phytochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: antioxidant activity; natural products; plant extracts; phenolic compounds; triterpenic compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Sukileliu Av. 13, LT-50162 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: plant extracts; polyphenolic compounds; antioxidants; human health; mitochondria; bee products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Antioxidants is entitled ‘Exploring the Interplay of Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Composition in Plant Extracts and Bee Products’. The aim of this Special Issue is to collate research papers that highlight the links between antioxidant activity and phytochemical composition in plant extracts and bee products, aiming to uncover novel insights into targeted health solutions.

Antioxidants neutralise oxidative stress, thereby significantly contributing to various health disorders, such as inflammation and carcinogenesis, and ageing. It is important to explore the potential health benefits of natural sources, such as plant extracts and bee products, as they are rich in bioactive compounds, which are often underutilised, and thus, steps should be taken to promote their rational and sustainable use. Bee products, including honey, propolis, royal jelly, and bee pollen, are renowned for their diverse bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and enzymes, which exhibit potent antioxidant properties. Similarly, plant extracts derived from a body of botanical matrices possess a rich phytochemical composition, encompassing flavonoids, polyphenols, and other antioxidant molecules.

We cordially invite researchers and practitioners in the fields of pharmacology, nutrition, and natural product chemistry to submit their invaluable manuscripts to this Special Issue that will provide comprehensive insights into phytochemical profiling and elucidate therapeutic potentials, which will eventually help in the utilisation of the obtained knowledge for developing value-added products.

We hope that the research findings presented in this Special Issue will enhance our understanding of the phytochemical profiles and health-promoting properties of antioxidant-active plant and bee product compounds and thereby promote the development of targeted health solutions.

Prof. Dr. Lina Raudonė
Dr. Mindaugas Liaudanskas
Prof. Dr. Sonata Trumbeckaite
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • natural products
  • phenolic compounds
  • antioxidant activity
  • plant sources
  • bee products
  • health benefits
  • analytical methods
  • phytochemical composition

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1841 KiB  
Article
Phenolic Content and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cultivated and Wild-Type Galium odoratum Extracts in Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages
by Valerija Razzivina, Anna Vasiljeva, Arta Kronberga, Gundars Skudrins, Ilva Nakurte, Marta Zogota, Ieva Mezaka, Osvalds Pugovics, Solveiga Grinberga, Maija Dambrova and Inga Sile
Antioxidants 2024, 13(12), 1447; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13121447 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1116
Abstract
Galium odoratum, commonly known as sweet woodruff, is a perennial herbaceous plant that contains coumarin and is recognized for its medicinal properties. In this study, the influence of sunlight exposure on the phytochemical composition and anti-inflammatory potential of G. odoratum extracts is [...] Read more.
Galium odoratum, commonly known as sweet woodruff, is a perennial herbaceous plant that contains coumarin and is recognized for its medicinal properties. In this study, the influence of sunlight exposure on the phytochemical composition and anti-inflammatory potential of G. odoratum extracts is assessed. The extracts from cultivated and wild-grown plants were analyzed via chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods. In addition, the total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and effects on macrophage polarization were assessed. The results revealed that while coumarin levels remain stable regardless of environmental conditions, phenolic content and antioxidant activity increase significantly under sun-grown conditions, with chlorogenic acid and rutin identified as major contributing compounds. Additionally, the extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, effectively reducing the M1 macrophage population involved in inflammatory responses. These findings suggest that controlled sunlight exposure can enhance the bioactive profile of G. odoratum. This research highlights the critical role of environmental management in optimizing the medicinal properties of G. odoratum, providing a foundation for its future use in natural therapeutic applications. Full article
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15 pages, 1392 KiB  
Article
Variability in the Qualitative and Quantitative Composition of Phenolic Compounds and the In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Leaves
by Kristina Zymonė, Mindaugas Liaudanskas, Juozas Lanauskas, Miglė Nagelytė and Valdimaras Janulis
Antioxidants 2024, 13(5), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13050553 - 30 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1596
Abstract
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is a deciduous tree belonging to the Rosaceae Juss. family. Cherry leaves are an underutilized source of biologically active compounds. The aim of this study was to determine the composition of the phenolic compounds, as well as [...] Read more.
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is a deciduous tree belonging to the Rosaceae Juss. family. Cherry leaves are an underutilized source of biologically active compounds. The aim of this study was to determine the composition of the phenolic compounds, as well as the total antioxidant activity, in leaf samples of P. cerasus cultivars and to elucidate the cultivars with particular phytochemical compositions. The phytochemical profiles of P. cerasus leaves vary significantly in a cultivar-dependent manner. The total content of identified phenolic compounds varied from 8.254 to 16.199 mg/g in the cherry leaves. Chlorogenic acid ranged between 1413.3 µg/g (‘North Star’) and 8028.0 µg/g (‘Note’). The total content of flavonols varied from 4172.5 µg/g (‘Vytenu zvaigzde’) to 9030.7 µg/g (‘Tikhonovskaya’). The total content of identified proanthocyanidins varied from 122.3 µg/g (‘Note’) to 684.8 µg/g (‘Kelleris’). The highest levels of phloridzin (38.1 ± 0.9 µg/g) were found in samples of ‘Molodezhnaya’, while the lowest level of this compound was determined in the leaf samples of ‘Turgenevka’ (6.7 ± 0.2). The strongest antiradical (138.0 ± 4.0 µmol TE/g, p < 0.05) and reducing (364.9 ± 10.5 µmol TE/g, p < 0.05) activity in vitro was exhibited by the cultivar ‘Vytenu zvaigzde’ cherry leaf sample extracts. ‘Kelleris’, ‘Note’, and ‘Tikhonovskaya’ distinguish themselves with peculiar phytochemical compositions. Full article
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