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Industrial Applications of Flavonoids: Current Uses and Future Trends

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Industrial Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2022) | Viewed by 28524

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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, the interest of the pharmaceutic, cosmetic, food, and/or nutraceutic industrial sectors for natural products of plant origin is undeniable. Flavonoids are widespread polyphenols that constitute a major class of plant specialized metabolites which are well known for their antioxidant properties. They are found in almost all fruits and vegetables consumed by humans. Since their first description by Albert Szent-Györgyi (Nobel Prize in 1937), more than 6000 different structures have been described. Flavonoids are pigments responsible for the coloring of flowers, fruits, and leaves and can be used as natural dyes. Present in the leaf cuticle and in the leaf epidermal cells, flavonoids are likely to ensure the protection of tissues against the harmful effects of UV radiation and can also be used as natural UV filters. Flavonoids are also partially responsible for the sensory (such as astringency and bitterness), antioxidant, as well as nutritional qualities of plant foods. Many health promoting activities, linked to their antioxidant, enzyme inhibition and/or metals complexation properties, have been described in the literature. Flavonoids have been reported to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce the risk of cancer, stimulate the immune system, reduce allergic reactions, protect against bacteria and viruses, etc. As a result, many approaches have been explored to improve the production of these biologically active compounds. Green, efficient, and sustainable methods have been designed for their extraction. Plant biotechnologies also offer an attractive alternative for the cost-efficient production of these valuable biologically active ingredients. The present Special Issue is dedicated to the current uses and future trends for the industrial applications of flavonoids in the pharmaceutic, cosmetic, food, and/or nutraceutic industrial sectors. Research papers and reviews dealing with their biological activities and mechanisms of action in relation with human health and other applications, their extraction and analysis in plants, foods and biological samples, and their production using biotechnology approaches are welcome.

Dr. Christophe Hano
Dr. Duangjai Tungmunnithum
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Flavonoids
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Cosmeceuticals
  • Food ingredients
  • Nutraceutical
  • Human health
  • Antioxidant
  • Green extraction
  • Green biotechnology
  • Mechanisms of action
  • Biological activities

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 4018 KiB  
Article
Antihyperlipidemic and Antioxidant Activities of Flavonoid-Rich Extract of Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. Fruits
by Noureddine Bencheikh, Mohamed Bouhrim, Ilyass Alami Merrouni, Salima Boutahiri, Loubna Kharchoufa, Mohamed Addi, Duangjai Tungmunnithum, Christophe Hano, Bruno Eto, Abdelkhaleq Legssyer and Mostafa Elachouri
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(17), 7788; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11177788 - 24 Aug 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5374
Abstract
Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant species that is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin. Moroccans traditionally use it to treat many illnesses thanks to its beneficial medicinal properties. The purpose of this study is to assess [...] Read more.
Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant species that is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin. Moroccans traditionally use it to treat many illnesses thanks to its beneficial medicinal properties. The purpose of this study is to assess the anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of a flavonoid-rich aqueous extract of Z. lotus fruits (ZLF). The 2-2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay and the β-carotene bleaching test were used to determine the antioxidant activity of ZLF. The anti-hyperlipidemic effect of the aqueous extract of ZLF (200 and 400 mg/kg) was evaluated in albino mice exposed to the chronic high-fat diet, based on lipid profile, blood sugar, and changes in growth performance. The results showed that the aqueous extract of ZLF rich in flavonoids (2242.89 ± 25 µg QE (quercitin equivalent)/mg), and has a considerable antioxidant power against DPPH radicals (IC50 = 116 ± 0.02 µg/mL) and β-carotene oxidation. The aqueous extract of ZLF also showed a significant anti-hyperlipidemic effect by improving abnormal changes in lipid profile and blood glucose levels in albino mice exposed to a chronic high-fat diet. Our findings suggest that the anti-hyperlipidemic activities of ZLF aqueous extract are correlated with its flavonoid content and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the aqueous extract of ZLF could be an essential therapeutic candidate for hyperlipidemia patients, thanks to its richness in bioactive molecules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Applications of Flavonoids: Current Uses and Future Trends)
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Review

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15 pages, 1504 KiB  
Review
An Overview of Bioactive Flavonoids from Citrus Fruits
by Mohamed Addi, Amine Elbouzidi, Malika Abid, Duangjai Tungmunnithum, Ahmed Elamrani and Christophe Hano
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010029 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 81 | Viewed by 14603
Abstract
Citrus species are one of the world’s popular fruit crops, cultivated all over the world for their economic and nutritional values. Citrus, like other fruits and vegetables, are an important source of several antioxidant molecules (polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids) that can inhibit [...] Read more.
Citrus species are one of the world’s popular fruit crops, cultivated all over the world for their economic and nutritional values. Citrus, like other fruits and vegetables, are an important source of several antioxidant molecules (polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids) that can inhibit the harmful effects of free radicals on the human body; due to their functional values and health-promoting properties, Citrus species are considered valuable fruits not only in agri-food industry, but also in pharmaceutical industry. Flavonoids are among the major constituents of polyphenols found in different parts of Citrus fruits (skin, peels, seed, pulp membrane, and juice). Flavonoids have different biological properties (antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial activities). Several studies have also shown the health-related properties of Citrus flavonoids, especially antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammation, anti-aging, and cardiovascular protection activities. In the present review, attempts are made to discuss the current trends of research on flavonoids in different Citrus species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Applications of Flavonoids: Current Uses and Future Trends)
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17 pages, 1454 KiB  
Review
Nano-Elicitation as an Effective and Emerging Strategy for In Vitro Production of Industrially Important Flavonoids
by Amna Komal Khan, Sidra Kousar, Duangjai Tungmunnithum, Christophe Hano, Bilal Haider Abbasi and Sumaira Anjum
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1694; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041694 - 14 Feb 2021
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5225
Abstract
Flavonoids represent a popular class of industrially important bioactive compounds. They possess valuable health-benefiting and disease preventing properties, and therefore they are an important component of the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetical and medicinal industries. Moreover, flavonoids possess significant antiallergic, antihepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, [...] Read more.
Flavonoids represent a popular class of industrially important bioactive compounds. They possess valuable health-benefiting and disease preventing properties, and therefore they are an important component of the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetical and medicinal industries. Moreover, flavonoids possess significant antiallergic, antihepatotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, and antibacterial as well as cardio-protective activities. Due to these properties, there is a rise in global demand for flavonoids, forming a significant part of the world market. However, obtaining flavonoids directly from plants has some limitations, such as low quantity, poor extraction, over-exploitation, time consuming process and loss of flora. Henceforth, there is a shift towards the in vitro production of flavonoids using the plant tissue culture technique to achieve better yields in less time. In order to achieve the productivity of flavonoids at an industrially competitive level, elicitation is a useful tool. The elicitation of in vitro cultures induces stressful conditions to plants, activates the plant defense system and enhances the accumulation of secondary metabolites in higher quantities. In this regard, nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as novel and effective elicitors for enhancing the in vitro production of industrially important flavonoids. Different classes of NPs, including metallic NPs (silver and copper), metallic oxide NPs (copper oxide, iron oxide, zinc oxide, silicon dioxide) and carbon nanotubes, are widely reported as nano-elicitors of flavonoids discussed herein. Lastly, the mechanisms of NPs as well as knowledge gaps in the area of the nano-elicitation of flavonoids have been highlighted in this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Applications of Flavonoids: Current Uses and Future Trends)
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