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Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated...
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Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 18207

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesca Giampieri

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Guest Editor
1. Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Specialistiche ed Odontostomatologiche—Sez, Biochimica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 60131 Ancona, Italy
2. Research Group on Foods, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Isabel Torres 21, 39011 Santander, Spain
Interests: phytochemicals; antioxidants; natural product chemistry; food chemistry; reactive oxygen species; chromatography
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Dr. José L. Quiles

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Department of Physiology, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “Jose Mataix”, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda. Conocimiento s/n, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Interests: cancer biology; antioxidants; oxidative stress; food chemistry; nutrition; reactive oxygen species
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Prof. Dr. Esra Capanoglu

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, 34469 Istanbul, Turkey
Interests: phenolics; antioxidants; metabolites; in vitro bioaccessibility; fruit and vegetable processing
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Dr. José Miguel Álvarez-Suárez

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Departamento de Ingeniería en Alimentos, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito 170157, Ecuador
Interests: liquid chromatography; chromatography; antioxidant activity; biochemistry; natural product chemistry; food chemistry; extraction; diabetes; mass spectrometry; nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino of the Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy for his outstanding contributions to the research field of natural bioactive compounds.  

In recent years, natural products and nutraceuticals have gained extensive attention worldwide from the scientific community for their health-promoting and disease-preventing effects. Research in this field has gained international relevance thanks to the contributions of several world-renowned researchers who have highlighted the potential of these products to improve global public health. One of these great researchers is Professor Maurizio Battino.

Professor Battino has more than 30 years of experience in bioenergetics and food research, with special emphasis on the role of natural antioxidants present in different food matrices on oxidative stress and the modulation of several genes involved in antioxidant defense, metabolism, cell survival, and proliferation. Targeted diseases are those related to mitochondrial impairment and/or inflammation processes and oxidative stress, including metabolic syndrome, cancer, atherosclerosis, fibromyalgia, and periodontal diseases. Additionally, physiological processes such as aging have been an important objective among the research interests of Professor Battino. His studies, documented in over 350 articles in international peer-reviewed journals, have inspired young researchers to deeply investigate the effects of natural compounds on human health from different points of view. Last but not least, he has been nominated “Highly Cited Researcher” by Clarivate Analytics in the last six consecutive years, highlighting and confirming, once again, the extraordinary importance and impact of his work.

Finally, Professor Battino has not only contributed to the development of the science in his laboratory, but from his own laboratory, he has promoted scientific research in several countries through his tireless work in training researchers from different states, mainly those with limited economic resources or in conflict. His vision of high-quality science has undoubtedly contributed to the development of these countries, where the impact of researchers trained in his laboratory has already started bearing fruit.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of unpublished manuscripts (original research papers or review articles) on all aspects of natural products and human health.

Dr. Francesca Giampieri
Dr. José L. Quiles
Prof. Dr. Esra Capanoglu
Dr. José Miguel Álvarez-Suárez
Guest Editors

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.

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Keywords

  • natural products
  • nutraceuticals
  • natural antioxidants
  • bioenergetics
  • food
  • targeted diseases

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2958 KiB  
Article
Variation in Population and Solvents as Factors Determining the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. Leaf Extracts
by Piotr Sugier, Łukasz Sęczyk and Danuta Sugier
Molecules 2022, 27(7), 2247; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27072247 - 30 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2382
Abstract
The bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. has a long history of ethnopharmacological use. This species has been used in folk medicine for centuries as a rich source of raw material abundant in secondary metabolites and is important for medicinal and pharmacological purposes. The [...] Read more.
The bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. has a long history of ethnopharmacological use. This species has been used in folk medicine for centuries as a rich source of raw material abundant in secondary metabolites and is important for medicinal and pharmacological purposes. The plant is a source of herbal material—Uvae ursi folium, which is highly valued and sought by pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The studied bearberry leaves can be classified as a suitable herbal material for use in pharmacy; therefore, the investigated populations can be a potentially valuable source of plant material for cultivation and can be used in in vitro cultures and in biotechnological processes. The objective of this study was to characterize the variability of the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of water and ethanol bearberry extracts from raw material collected from different natural populations. In each of the twelve A. uva-ursi sites, three leaf samples were collected and analyzed. The water extracts from bearberry leaves were characterized by similar concentration of arbutin (77.64–105.56 mg g−1) and a significantly higher concentration of hydroquinone (6.96–13.08 mg g−1) and corilagin (0.83–2.12 mg g−1) in comparison with the ethanol extracts −77.21–103.38 mg g−1, 10.55–16.72 mg g−1, 0.20–1.54 mg g−1, respectively. The concentration of other metabolites in the water extracts was significantly lower in comparison with the ethanol extracts. In the case of the water extracts, a significant effect of not only total phenolic compounds, but also hydroquinone on the antioxidant parameters, was observed, which indicates the solvent-related activity of these metabolites. Therefore, it is suggested that special attention should be paid to the concentration of not only arbutin, but also hydroquinone in Uvae ursi folium. The latter metabolite serving a very important function as an active bearberry ingredient should be controlled not only in alcoholic extracts but also in water extracts, since bearberry leaves are applied as infusions and decoctions. The results presented in this paper can contribute to appropriate selection of plant material for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, with special emphasis on the antioxidant activity of different types of extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino)
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14 pages, 550 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Different Extraction Solvents for Characterization of Antioxidant Potential and Polyphenolic Composition in Boletus edulis and Cantharellus cibarius Mushrooms from Romania
by Melinda Fogarasi, Maria-Ioana Socaciu, Claudiu-Dan Sălăgean, Floricuța Ranga, Anca Corina Fărcaș, Sonia Ancuța Socaci, Carmen Socaciu, Dorin Țibulcă, Szabolcs Fogarasi and Cristina Anamaria Semeniuc
Molecules 2021, 26(24), 7508; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247508 - 11 Dec 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4193
Abstract
Edible mushrooms are well-known for their nutritional benefits and low energy density. In addition, mushroom extracts contain various bioactive compounds that account for their antioxidant activity; the applied extraction conditions influence the extraction efficiency of such compounds. Therefore, this study investigates the effects [...] Read more.
Edible mushrooms are well-known for their nutritional benefits and low energy density. In addition, mushroom extracts contain various bioactive compounds that account for their antioxidant activity; the applied extraction conditions influence the extraction efficiency of such compounds. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of four extractants on the content of polyphenols and antioxidant properties of Boletus edulis and Cantharellus cibarius mushrooms, aiming to optimize the extraction process. Powders of B. edulis and C. cibarius mushrooms were subjected to extraction with acidic water (10% CH3COOH), ethanol/water/acetic acid (15:76.5:8.5, v/v/v), hexane, and diethyl ether to measure their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). Furthermore, the level of individual polyphenolic compounds in these extracts was quantified using an HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS method. Results showed that the type of solvent significantly influenced the TPC and TEAC of mushroom powder but insignificantly influenced the TFC. A very strong positive correlation was found between TPC and TEAC, but no correlation was found between TFC and TEAC or TPC and TFC. Acidic water extracted the highest amount of polyphenolic compounds from these mushroom powders. Therefore, the aqueous extract showed the highest TPC and strongest antioxidant activity. Thus, acidic water is recommended for polyphenol analysis in B. edulis and C. cibarius mushrooms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino)
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25 pages, 3828 KiB  
Article
HRMS Characterization, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of Polyphenols in Malus domestica Cultivars from Costa Rica
by Mirtha Navarro-Hoyos, Elizabeth Arnáez-Serrano, Silvia Quesada-Mora, Gabriela Azofeifa-Cordero, Krissia Wilhelm-Romero, Maria Isabel Quirós-Fallas, Diego Alvarado-Corella, Felipe Vargas-Huertas and Andrés Sánchez-Kopper
Molecules 2021, 26(23), 7367; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26237367 - 4 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2716
Abstract
There is increasing interest in research into fruits as sources of secondary metabolites because of their potential bioactivities. In this study, the phenolic profiles of Malus domestica Anna and Jonagold cultivars from Costa Rica were determined by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with [...] Read more.
There is increasing interest in research into fruits as sources of secondary metabolites because of their potential bioactivities. In this study, the phenolic profiles of Malus domestica Anna and Jonagold cultivars from Costa Rica were determined by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) using a quadrupole-time-of-flight analyzer (UPLC-QTOF-ESI MS), on enriched-phenolic extracts from skins and flesh, obtained through Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE). In total, 48 different phenolic compounds were identified in the skin and flesh extracts, comprising 17 flavan-3-ols, 12 flavonoids, 4 chalcones, 1 glycosylated isoprenoid and 14 hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives. Among extracts, the flesh of Jonagold exhibits a larger number of polyphenols and is especially rich in procyanidin trimers, tetramers and pentamers. Evaluating total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities using ORAC and DPPH procedures yields higher values for this extract (608.8 mg GAE/g extract; 14.80 mmol TE/g extract and IC50 = 3.96 µg/mL, respectively). In addition, cytotoxicity evaluated against SW620 colon cancer cell lines and AGS gastric cancer cell lines also delivered better effects for Jonagold flesh (IC50 = 62.4 and 60.0 µg/mL, respectively). In addition, a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) was found between TPC and cytotoxicity values against SW620 and AGS adenocarcinoma (r = −0.908, and −0.902, respectively). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) was also found between the number of procyanidins and both antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity towards SW620 (r = −0.978) and AGS (r = −0.894) cell lines. These results align with Jonagold flesh exhibiting the highest abundance in procyanidin oligomers and yielding better cytotoxic and antioxidant results. In sum, our findings suggest the need for further studies on these Costa Rican apple extracts—and particularly on the extracts from Jonagold flesh—to increase the knowledge on their potential benefits for health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino)
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Review

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24 pages, 560 KiB  
Review
Recent Studies on Berry Bioactives and Their Health-Promoting Roles
by Beyza Vahapoglu, Ezgi Erskine, Busra Gultekin Subasi and Esra Capanoglu
Molecules 2022, 27(1), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010108 - 24 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7037
Abstract
Along with the increased knowledge about the positive health effects of food bioactives, the eating habits of many individuals have changed to obtain higher nutritional benefits from foods. Fruits are among the most preferred food materials in this regard. In particular, berry fruits [...] Read more.
Along with the increased knowledge about the positive health effects of food bioactives, the eating habits of many individuals have changed to obtain higher nutritional benefits from foods. Fruits are among the most preferred food materials in this regard. In particular, berry fruits are important sources in the diet in terms of their high nutritional content including vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. Berry fruits have remedial effects on several diseases and these health-promoting impacts are associated with their phenolic compounds which may vary depending on the type and variety of the fruit coupled with other factors including climate, agricultural conditions, etc. Most of the berries have outstanding beneficial roles in many body systems of humans such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Furthermore, they are effective on some metabolic disorders and several types of cancer. In this review, the health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds in berry fruits are presented and the most recent in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies are discussed from a food science and nutrition point of view. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Bioactive Compounds and Human Health: A Themed Issue Dedicated to Professor Maurizio Battino)
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