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The Discovery and Biological Activities of Potential New Natural Products...
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The Discovery and Biological Activities of Potential New Natural Products for Antifungal and Antiviral Activity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 6816

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Helen D. Skaltsa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece
Interests: chemistry of natural products; analytical methods; NMR; GC-MS; terpenes (iridoids, sesquiterpene lactones, and triterpenes); phenolics (flavonoids, phenols, phenolic acids, and lignans); essential oils; ethnopharmacology; history of pharmacy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is related to the antifungal and antiviral activities of natural products, herbal extracts, and generally extracts of natural origin. Secondary metabolites are largely found in plants, marine organisms, bacteria, fungi, and insects. Past practices of compound drugs containing different natural ingredients predominantly of plant origin were highly esteemed over the centuries, but only recently have they been scientifically confirmed. The investigation of biological and chemical properties of natural products has not only revealed new bioactive entities for the treatment of several diseases but also enabled the development of synthetic organic chemistry. Natural products are the most successful source of leads for potential drug discovery and play a highly significant role in medicinal chemistry.

Owing to the continuing development of microbial resistance in medicine and agriculture, discovery of new antimicrobial and antiviral substances is an important, if not urgent, research objective. In addition, the desire for safer agrochemicals with less environmental and mammalian toxicity is a major concern. Particularly desirable is the discovery of novel prototype antimicrobial agents representing new chemical classes that operate by different modes of action than existing antifungal agents and, consequently, lack cross-resistance to chemicals currently used. Following natural product leads offers an efficient approach to discovering and optimising new agrochemicals for disease control.

We are particularly interested in manuscripts dealing with the most recent research on natural sources with antifungal or antiviral activity, including: Extract preparations, bioactive secondary metabolites, isolation and structure elucidation, metabolomic analyses, bioassays, mechanisms of action, SAR studies, and clinical studies.

Prof. Eleni Skaltsa
Guest Editor

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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • Natural products
  • Extracts
  • Bioassays
  • Antifungal activity
  • Secondary metabolites
  • SAR
  • Clinical studies

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 964 KiB  
Article
Nanovesicles Loaded with Origanum onites and Satureja thymbra Essential Oils and Their Activity against Food-Borne Pathogens and Spoilage Microorganisms
by Giulia Vanti, Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou, Dejan Stojković, Ana Ćirić, Anna Rita Bilia and Helen Skaltsa
Molecules 2021, 26(8), 2124; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26082124 - 7 Apr 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2610
Abstract
Food poisoning is a common cause of illness and death in developing countries. Essential oils (EOs) could be effective and safe natural preservatives to prevent and control bacterial contamination of foods. However, their high sensitivity and strong flavor limit their application and biological [...] Read more.
Food poisoning is a common cause of illness and death in developing countries. Essential oils (EOs) could be effective and safe natural preservatives to prevent and control bacterial contamination of foods. However, their high sensitivity and strong flavor limit their application and biological effectiveness. The aim of this study was firstly the chemical analysis and the antimicrobial evaluation of the EOs of Origanum onites L. and Satureja thymbra L. obtained from Symi island (Greece), and, secondly, the formulation of propylene glycol-nanovesicles loaded with these EOs to improve their antimicrobial properties. The EOs were analyzed by GC-MS and their chemical contents are presented herein. Different nanovesicles were formulated with small average sizes, high homogeneity, and optimal ζ-potential. Microscopic observation confirmed their small and spherical shape. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the formulated EOs were evaluated against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms compared to pure EOs. Propylene glycol-nanovesicles loaded with O. onites EO were found to be the most active formulation against all tested strains. Additionally, in vitro studies on the HaCaT cell line showed that nanovesicles encapsulated with EOs had no toxic effect. The present study revealed that both EOs can be used as alternative sanitizers and preservatives in the food industry, and that their formulation in nanovesicles can provide a suitable approach as food-grade delivery system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Discovery and Biological Activities of Potential New Natural Products for Antifungal and Antiviral Activity)
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12 pages, 2361 KiB  
Article
Diverse Terpenoids and Their Associated Antifungal Properties from Roots of Different Cultivars of Chrysanthemum Morifolium Ramat
by Kaige Zhang, Yifan Jiang, Hongwei Zhao, Tobias G. Köllner, Sumei Chen, Fadi Chen and Feng Chen
Molecules 2020, 25(9), 2083; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092083 - 29 Apr 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3338
Abstract
Roots provide anchorage and enable the absorption of water and micronutrients from the soil for plants. Besides these essential functions, roots are increasingly being recognized as an important organ for the production of diverse secondary metabolites. The goal of this study was to [...] Read more.
Roots provide anchorage and enable the absorption of water and micronutrients from the soil for plants. Besides these essential functions, roots are increasingly being recognized as an important organ for the production of diverse secondary metabolites. The goal of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and function of terpenoid secondary metabolites in roots of different cultivars of the popular ornamental plant Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. Although C. morifolium is known for rich production of secondary metabolites in its flower heads and leaves, the diversity of secondary metabolites in roots remains poorly characterized. In this study, 12 cultivars of C. morifolium were selected for comparative analysis. From their roots, a total of 20 terpenoids were detected, including four monoterpenes, 15 sesquiterpenes, and one diterpene. The cultivar ‘She Yang Hong Xin Ju’ exhibited the highest concentration of total terpenoids at approximately 730 µg·g−1 fresh weight. Most cultivars contained sesquiterpenes as the predominant terpenoids. Of them, (E)-β-farnesene was detected in all cultivars. Based on their terpenoid composition, the 12 cultivars were planed into four groups. To gain insights into the function of root secondary metabolites, we performed bioassays to assess their effects on growth of three species of pathogenic fungi: Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Verticillium dahliae. Significant variability in antifungal activity of the root extracts among different cultivars were observed. The cultivar ‘Xiao Huang Ju’ was the only cultivar that had significant inhibitory effects on all three species of fungi. Our study reveals the diversity of terpenoids in roots of C. morifolium and their function as a chemical defense against fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Discovery and Biological Activities of Potential New Natural Products for Antifungal and Antiviral Activity)
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