Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.2
Journals
Molecules
Special Issues
Bioactive Phytochemicals: Extraction and Health Benefits
molecules-logo
Submit to Molecules Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Bioactive Phytochemicals: Extraction and Health Benefits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 3969

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR), School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
Interests: drug discovery; natural products chemistry; organic synthesis; pharmacokinetics; anticancer drug leads; CB2 drug leads
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds found in plants that have the potential to promote health and prevent disease. These compounds are known for their diverse biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Some examples of bioactive phytochemicals include flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids. These compounds are typically found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and their consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Bioactive phytochemicals are a promising area of research for the development of natural products and supplements to support human health.

Dr. Mohamed Ali Ibrahim
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

  • naturally occurring compounds
  • medicinal plants
  • natural drug leads
  • phytochemicals
  • secondary metabolites
  • natural products
  • antioxidant
  • anti-inflammatory
  • anticancer
  • flavonoids
  • carotenoids
  • phenolic acids

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 3955 KiB  
Article
Wild Pepper (Piper laetispicum) Fruit Quality Traits at Different Developmental Stages
by Zhican Zhao, Yiming Fang, Dan Zhang, Jue Wang, Yanli Huang, Chaoyun Hao and Rui Fan
Molecules 2024, 29(17), 4008; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29174008 - 24 Aug 2024
Viewed by 614
Abstract
High-quality Piper laetispicum (Piper laetispicum C. DC) is the key to the development of foods, natural medicines, and cosmetics. Its crude fat, ash, piperine, protein, and aroma compounds were determined in this experiment. Principal component (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were [...] Read more.
High-quality Piper laetispicum (Piper laetispicum C. DC) is the key to the development of foods, natural medicines, and cosmetics. Its crude fat, ash, piperine, protein, and aroma compounds were determined in this experiment. Principal component (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were used to evaluate the aroma compounds at different developmental stages. The main aroma compounds identified using steam distillation combined with GC-MS were sabinene (34.83–76.14%), α-copaene (5.11–19.51%), linalool (2.42–15.70%), trans-caryophyllene (2.37–6.57%), α-pinene (1.51–4.31%), and germacrene D (1.30–4.10%). The aroma metabolites at different developmental stages were analysed using non-targeted metabolomes, and linalool was found to be the most abundant. Based on the experimental results, there were more nutrient compounds in young Piper laetispicum than in the last three developmental stages. The aromatic metabolites contributed the most to PC1. There were also more different metabolites of aroma between the young and expanding stages. Therefore, regarding quality, young fruits have great potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Phytochemicals: Extraction and Health Benefits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1097 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Phenolic Acid-Rich Extract from Hairy Roots of Dracocephalum moldavica
by Izabela Weremczuk-Jeżyna, Weronika Gonciarz and Izabela Grzegorczyk-Karolak
Molecules 2023, 28(19), 6759; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28196759 - 22 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1389
Abstract
This study evaluates the antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenolic acid-rich fractions of 80% methanolic extract from the hairy roots of Dracocephalum moldavica. The fractionation of the crude extract yielded the following: a diethyl ether fraction rich in caffeic acid (DM1) [...] Read more.
This study evaluates the antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory potential of polyphenolic acid-rich fractions of 80% methanolic extract from the hairy roots of Dracocephalum moldavica. The fractionation of the crude extract yielded the following: a diethyl ether fraction rich in caffeic acid (DM1) (25.85 mg/g DWE), an n-butyl fraction rich in rosmarinic acid (DM3) (43.94 mg/g DWE) and a water residue rich in salvianolic acid B (DM4) (51.46 mg/g DWE). The content of these compounds was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their antioxidant activity was evaluated based on DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt) and FRAP assays. The anti-inflammatory activity of the fractions was determined by their effect on nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in LPS E. coli stimulated monocytes. The level of pro-inflammatory IL-1β in cells was measured using ELISA. The activation of NF-κB in THP1-Blue™ cells, resulting in the secretion of SEAP (secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase), was detected spectrophotometrically using Quanti-Blue reagent. Among the tested fractions, the diethyl ether fraction (DM1) showed the highest antioxidant potential, with an EC50 value of 15.41 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 11.47 µg/mL in ABTS and a reduction potential of 10.9 mM Fe(II)/g DWE in FRAP. DM1 at a concentration of 10 mg/mL also efficiently reduced LPS-induced SEAP secretion (53% inhibition) and IL-1β production (47% inhibition) without affecting the normal growth of L929 fibroblast cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Phytochemicals: Extraction and Health Benefits)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

11 pages, 707 KiB  
Article
Regioselective Claisen–Schmidt Adduct of 2-Undecanone from Houttuynia cordata Thunb as Insecticide/Repellent against Solenopsis invicta and Repositioning Plant Fungicides against Colletotrichum fragariae
by Aigerim Kurmanbayeva, Meirambek Ospanov, Prabin Tamang, Farhan Mahmood Shah, Abbas Ali, Zeyad M. A. Ibrahim, Charles L. Cantrell, Satmbekova Dinara, Ubaidilla Datkhayev, Ikhlas A. Khan and Mohamed A. Ibrahim
Molecules 2023, 28(16), 6100; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28166100 - 17 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1394
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established research programs to fight the phytopathogen Colletotrichum fragariae and the invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. C. fragariae is known to cause anthracnose disease in fruits and vegetables, while S. invicta is known [...] Read more.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established research programs to fight the phytopathogen Colletotrichum fragariae and the invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. C. fragariae is known to cause anthracnose disease in fruits and vegetables, while S. invicta is known for its aggressive behavior and painful stings and for being the cause of significant damage to crops, as well as harm to humans and animals. Many plants have been studied for potential activity against C. fragariae and S. invicta. Among the studied plants, Houttuynia cordata Thunb has been shown to contain 2-undecanone, which h is known for its antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloesporioides. Based on the mean amount of sand removed, 2-undecanone showed significant repellency at 62.5 µg/g, similar to DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), against S. invicta. The 2-Undecanone with an LC50 of 44.59 µg/g showed toxicity against S. invicta workers. However, neither H. cordata extract nor 2-undecanone had shown activity against C. fragariae despite their known activity against C. gloesporioides, which in turn motivates us in repositioning 2-undecanone as a selected candidate for a Claisen–Schmidt condensation that enables access to several analogs (2a–f). Among the prepared analogs, (E)-1-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)dodec-1-en-3-one (2b) and (E)-1-(5-bromothiophen-2-yl)dodec-1-en-3-one (2f) showed promising activity against C. fragariae, revealing a distinctive structural activity relationship (SAR). The generated analogs revealed a clear regioselectivity pattern through forming the C=C alkene bond at position C-1. These data open the window for further lead optimization and product development in the context of managing C. fragariae and S. invicta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Phytochemicals: Extraction and Health Benefits)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop