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Antioxidant Activity of Natural Products: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 13672

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Health Inspection, School of Public Health, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
Interests: diabetes; obesity; antioxidants; LC-MS; screening
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy with the Medicinal Plant Graden, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Interests: plant polyphenols; chemoprevention; phytochemical analysis; herbal medicinal products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Phytochemicals are a group of substances, including polyphenols, saponins, terpenes, phytosterols, carotenoids, etc., which are present in and/or derived from plants that confer health benefits (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer). Natural products are an important source of phytochemicals that have received a great deal of attention in the last few decades because of the increasingly mindful attitudes of consumers regarding their diet and health. Thus, there is growing interest in the activity and composition analysis of phytochemicals in natural products, especially in recognition of novel antioxidants with specific biological activities.

Bioassay-guided purification is a well-established approach which is widely used for the discovery of novel antioxidants from natural products; it involves subjecting mixtures of phytochemicals to iterative steps of fractionation and biological testing, with the underlying strategy aimed at reducing the composition complexity of natural products until a group of or a single compound with a specific biological activity is secured. However, bioassay-guided purification has also been criticized for some real and perceived weaknesses (the process is time-consuming and labor intensive, the trace phytonutrients are easily lost, etc.). With the rapid development of new technologies and new materials in the field of analytical chemistry, the analysis of phytochemicals in complex natural products can be achieved in more comprehensive, automatic, rapid, accurate, and trace manners. However, how to rapidly recognize the antioxidants without purification is still a key problem. Moreover, how to reliably assess the biological activities of natural antioxidants is also an important challenge.

Some new techniques have recently been proposed for the rapid recognition of novel antioxidants with specific biological activities in natural products without purification; these include ligand fishing, microfluids, disease-model-based metabolomics (cell or animal), etc. Furthermore, the biological activities of antioxidants can be evaluated in a more comprehensive, rapid, and accurate manner, and the antioxidant mechanisms can also be clearly illustrated. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the development of new methods for the rapid recognition of natural antioxidants with specific biological activities, finding new antioxidant resources from natural products, discovering novel antioxidants, and understanding their antioxidant activities and mechanisms.

Dr. Zhiqiang Wang
Dr. Grażyna Zgórka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • plant and dietary antioxidants
  • preparative-scale isolation
  • analytical methods
  • molecular mechanisms
  • antibiodegenerative potential in vitro and in vivo

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

34 pages, 1412 KiB  
Review
A Descriptive Review of the Antioxidant Effects and Mechanisms of Action of Berberine and Silymarin
by Ana María García-Muñoz, Desirée Victoria-Montesinos, Pura Ballester, Begoña Cerdá and Pilar Zafrilla
Molecules 2024, 29(19), 4576; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29194576 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1324
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a key factor in the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and liver disorders. Antioxidant therapies that target oxidative damage show significant promise in preventing and treating these conditions. Berberine, an alkaloid derived from various [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress is a key factor in the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and liver disorders. Antioxidant therapies that target oxidative damage show significant promise in preventing and treating these conditions. Berberine, an alkaloid derived from various plants in the Berberidaceae family, enhances cellular defenses against oxidative stress through several mechanisms. It activates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, which reduces mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and improves energy metabolism. Furthermore, it boosts the activity of key antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thus protecting cells from oxidative damage. These actions make berberine effective in managing diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, and neurodegenerative disorders. Silymarin, a flavonolignan complex derived from Silybum marianum, is particularly effective for liver protection. It activates the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, enhancing antioxidant enzyme expression and stabilizing mitochondrial membranes. Additionally, silymarin reduces the formation of ROS by chelating metal ions, and it also diminishes inflammation. This makes it beneficial for conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-related liver disorders. This review aims to highlight the distinct mechanisms by which berberine and silymarin exert their antioxidant effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Activity of Natural Products: 2nd Edition)
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25 pages, 5631 KiB  
Review
Metal–Flavonoid Interactions—From Simple Complexes to Advanced Systems
by Paulina Katarzyna Walencik, Renata Choińska, Ewelina Gołębiewska and Monika Kalinowska
Molecules 2024, 29(11), 2573; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29112573 - 30 May 2024
Viewed by 1338
Abstract
For many years, metal–flavonoid complexes have been widely studied as a part of drug discovery programs, but in the last decade their importance in materials science has increased significantly. A deeper understanding of the role of metal ions and flavonoids in constructing simple [...] Read more.
For many years, metal–flavonoid complexes have been widely studied as a part of drug discovery programs, but in the last decade their importance in materials science has increased significantly. A deeper understanding of the role of metal ions and flavonoids in constructing simple complexes and more advanced hybrid networks will facilitate the assembly of materials with tailored architecture and functionality. In this Review, we highlight the most essential data on metal–flavonoid systems, presenting a promising alternative in the design of hybrid inorganic–organic materials. We focus mainly on systems containing CuII/I and FeIII/II ions, which are necessary in natural and industrial catalysis. We discuss two kinds of interactions that typically ensure the formation of metal–flavonoid systems, namely coordination and redox reactions. Our intention is to cover the fundamentals of metal–flavonoid systems to show how this knowledge has been already transferred from small molecules to complex materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Activity of Natural Products: 2nd Edition)
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37 pages, 2176 KiB  
Review
Can Plant Extracts Help Prevent Hair Loss or Promote Hair Growth? A Review Comparing Their Therapeutic Efficacies, Phytochemical Components, and Modulatory Targets
by Joon Yong Choi, Min Young Boo and Yong Chool Boo
Molecules 2024, 29(10), 2288; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29102288 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 10200
Abstract
This narrative review aims to examine the therapeutic potential and mechanism of action of plant extracts in preventing and treating alopecia (baldness). We searched and selected research papers on plant extracts related to hair loss, hair growth, or hair regrowth, and comprehensively compared [...] Read more.
This narrative review aims to examine the therapeutic potential and mechanism of action of plant extracts in preventing and treating alopecia (baldness). We searched and selected research papers on plant extracts related to hair loss, hair growth, or hair regrowth, and comprehensively compared the therapeutic efficacies, phytochemical components, and modulatory targets of plant extracts. These studies showed that various plant extracts increased the survival and proliferation of dermal papilla cells in vitro, enhanced cell proliferation and hair growth in hair follicles ex vivo, and promoted hair growth or regrowth in animal models in vivo. The hair growth-promoting efficacy of several plant extracts was verified in clinical trials. Some phenolic compounds, terpenes and terpenoids, sulfur-containing compounds, and fatty acids were identified as active compounds contained in plant extracts. The pharmacological effects of plant extracts and their active compounds were associated with the promotion of cell survival, cell proliferation, or cell cycle progression, and the upregulation of several growth factors, such as IGF-1, VEGF, HGF, and KGF (FGF-7), leading to the induction and extension of the anagen phase in the hair cycle. Those effects were also associated with the alleviation of oxidative stress, inflammatory response, cellular senescence, or apoptosis, and the downregulation of male hormones and their receptors, preventing the entry into the telogen phase in the hair cycle. Several active plant extracts and phytochemicals stimulated the signaling pathways mediated by protein kinase B (PKB, also called AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), Wingless and Int-1 (WNT), or sonic hedgehog (SHH), while suppressing other cell signaling pathways mediated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β or bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). Thus, well-selected plant extracts and their active compounds can have beneficial effects on hair health. It is proposed that the discovery of phytochemicals targeting the aforementioned cellular events and cell signaling pathways will facilitate the development of new targeted therapies for alopecia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Activity of Natural Products: 2nd Edition)
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