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Selected papers from the 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2015) | Viewed by 24990

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Prof. Dr. Milen I. Georgiev

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Metabolomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: plant secondary metabolism; natural products chemistry; leads finding; metabolomics; plant biotechnology
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Dear Colleagues,

Plants accumulate a vast array of phytochemicals, used for centuries as vital sources of remedies to heal numerous disorders and diseases. Natural products have traditionally had a major impact in drug discovery and, in particular, were the basis of most early medicines. Today, over a quarter of the modern medicines are derived either directly or indirectly from plants, especially in the case of cancer therapy, infectious diseases, but also in the treatment of metabolic syndrome-related ailments and immunosuppression therapy. For instance, in 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Fulyzaq (from the sap of Croton lechleri), the first anti-diarrheal drug for HIV/AIDS patients. In addition, according to World Health Organization estimates, at least 80% of the population in developing countries still relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs.

This Special Issue will attempt to cover the wide spectrum of application of plants with special emphasis on the sustainable use of natural products, emerging ‘-omics’ analytical platforms, and recent developments in (ethno)pharmacology, molecular biology, and biotechnology.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Milen I. Georgiev
Guest Editor

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For more information about ICNPU 2015, please click on: http://www.icnpu2015.cim.bg/.

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Keywords

Isolation and structure elucidation of natural products
Metabolomics
Herbal medicine and botanical supplements
Molecular biology and genetic engineering (including functional genomics)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Stimulatory Effect of Strontium Ions on Phytoestrogens Content in Glycine max (L.) Merr

by Magdalena Wójciak-Kosior, Ireneusz Sowa, Tomasz Blicharski, Maciej Strzemski, Sławomir Dresler, Grażyna Szymczak, Artur Wnorowski, Ryszard Kocjan and Ryszard Świeboda

Molecules 2016, 21(1), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21010090 - 14 Jan 2016

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5656

Abstract

The amount of secondary metabolites in plants can be enhanced or reduced by various external factors. In this study, the effect of strontium ions on the production of phytoestrogens in soybeans was investigated. The plants were treated with Hoagland’s solution, modified with Sr²⁺ with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mM, and were grown for 14 days in hydroponic cultivation. After harvest, soybean plants were separated into roots and shoots, dried, and pulverized. The plant material was extracted with methanol and hydrolyzed. Phytoestrogens were quantified by HPLC. The significant increase in the concentration of the compounds of interest was observed for all tested concentrations of strontium ions when compared to control. Sr²⁺ at a concentration of 2 mM was the strongest elicitor, and the amount of phytoestrogens in plant increased ca. 2.70, 1.92, 3.77 and 2.88-fold, for daidzein, coumestrol, genistein and formononetin, respectively. Moreover, no cytotoxic effects were observed in HepG2 liver cell models after treatment with extracts from 2 mM Sr²⁺-stressed soybean plants when compared to extracts from non-stressed plants. Our results indicate that the addition of strontium ions to the culture media may be used to functionalize soybean plants with enhanced phytoestrogen content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from the 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria))

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1066 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Silymarin Constituents Enhance ABCA1 Expression in THP-1 Macrophages

by Limei Wang, Susanne Rotter, Angela Ladurner, Elke H. Heiss, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Verena M. Dirsch and Atanas G. Atanasov

Molecules 2016, 21(1), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21010055 - 31 Dec 2015

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6015

Abstract

Silymarin is a hepatoprotective mixture of flavonolignans and flavonoids extracted from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn). This study investigates the effect of major bioactive constituents from silymarin, silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silydianin, silychristin, isosilychristin, and taxifolin, on the expression of ABCA1, an important cholesterol efflux transporter, in THP-1-derived macrophages. Four of the studied compounds, isosilybin A, silybin B, silychristin and isosilychristin, were found to significantly induce ABCA1 protein expression without affecting cell viability. Moreover, isosilybin A, a partial PPARγ agonist, was found to promote cholesterol efflux from THP-1 macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings first show ABCA1 protein up-regulating activity of active constituents of silymarin and provide new avenues for their further study in the context of cardiovascular disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from the 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria))

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1973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant Activity of Flaxseed Extracts in Lipid Systems

by Adriana Slavova-Kazakova, Magdalena Karamać, Vessela Kancheva and Ryszard Amarowicz

Molecules 2016, 21(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21010017 - 23 Dec 2015

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 6151

Abstract

The aim of this work was to compare the antioxidant activity of the extract of flaxseed and its alkaline hydrolysate in two model systems: lipid autoxidation of triacylglycerols of sunflower oil (TGSO)—in a homogeneous lipid media and during β-carotene-linoleate emulsion system. In addition, pure lignans were tested. The material was defatted with hexane and then phenolic compounds were extracted using dioxane-ethanol (50:50, v/v) mixture. Carbohydrates were removed from the crude extract using an Amberlite XAD-16 column chromatography. The content of total phenolic compounds in the crude extract and after alkaline hydrolysis was determined using a Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent. Individual phenolic compounds were determined by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (RP-HPLC) method in gradient system. The alkaline hydrolysis increased the content of total phenolics in the extract approximately by 10%. In the extracts of flaxseed, phenolic compounds were present in the form of macromolecular complex. In the alkaline hydrolysate, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) was found as the main phenolic compound. Small amounts of p-coumaric and ferulic acids were also determined. SDG and both extracts were not able to inhibit effectively lipid autoxidation. The kinetics of TGSO autoxidation at 80 °C in absence and in presence of the extract before hydrolysis (EBH) and after hydrolysis (EAH) was monitored and compared with known standard antioxidants. Ferulic acid (FA) and butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) showed much higher antioxidant efficiency and reactivity than that of both extracts. Secoisolariciresinol (SECO) showed a higher activity in both model systems than SDG. However, the activity of SECO was much lower than that of nordihydroquaiaretic acid (NDGA). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from the 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria))

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1176 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial Effects and Phenolic Profile of Lycium barbarum L. Flowers

by Andrei Mocan, Laurian Vlase, Dan Cristian Vodnar, Ana-Maria Gheldiu, Radu Oprean and Gianina Crișan

Molecules 2015, 20(8), 15060-15071; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules200815060 - 17 Aug 2015

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6553

Abstract

L. barbarum L. is a widely-accepted nutraceutical presenting highly advantageous nutritive and antioxidant properties. Its flowers have been previously described as a source of diosgenin, β-sitosterol and lanosterol that can be further pharmaceutically developed, but no other data regarding their composition is available. The purpose of this work was to investigate the chemical constituents, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of L. barbarum flowers, as an alternative resource of naturally-occurring antioxidant compounds. The free radical scavenging activity of the ethanolic extract was tested by TEAC, two enzymatic assays with more physiological relevance and EPR spectroscopy. The presence of several phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids, but also isoquercitrin, rutin and quercitrin, was assessed by an HPLC/MS method. The antioxidant assays revealed that the extract exhibited a moderate antioxidant potential. The antimicrobial activity was mild against Gram-positive bacteria and lacking against Escherichia coli. These findings complete the scarce existing data and offer new perspectives for further pharmaceutical valorization of L. barbarum flowers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from the 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf (ICNPU 2015, Plovdiv, Bulgaria))

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