Antioxidant Capacity of Natural Products—2nd Edition

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural and Synthetic Antioxidants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 3075

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Food Biotechnology and Nutrition, Kyungsung University, Busan 48434, Republic of Korea
Interests: food chemistry and experiment; food chemistry; food analysis; functional food science
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this second Special Issue edition of Antioxidants. This Special Issue aims to highlight studies related to the antioxidant capacity of natural products. Excessive oxidative stress arises from an imbalance between the production of oxidant derivatives and the defense mechanisms of antioxidants. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are widely recognized as harmful to health, capable of damaging cellular macromolecules and leading to processes such as apoptosis and necrosis. Numerous natural substances can act as antioxidants. Among these, dietary phytochemicals—including phenolic compounds, vitamins, and carotenoids—are potent antioxidants that can scavenge and neutralize free radicals to prevent cellular damage. Researchers are actively investigating the properties and activities of promising antioxidants derived from natural sources as potential countermeasures against metabolic disorders. Therefore, this Special Issue welcomes original research papers and review articles focusing on the antioxidant effects of various natural resources, as well as the mechanisms underlying their antioxidant actions, both in vivo and in vitro.

We invite research and review articles on topics such as, but not limited to, the following:

  • The role of antioxidants in preventing chronic diseases;
  • Synergistic effects of combined natural antioxidants;
  • Antioxidant activity and their potential applications;
  • Therapeutic potential of antioxidant-rich natural products;
  • Evaluation of antioxidant properties in traditional medicinal plants.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Younghwa Kim
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • natural product
  • natural antioxidant
  • phytochemical
  • chronic disease
  • prevention

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3181 KiB  
Article
Sauchinone Ameliorates Senescence Through Reducing Mitochondrial ROS Production
by Myeong Uk Kuk, Yun Haeng Lee, Duyeol Kim, Kyeong Seon Lee, Ji Ho Park, Jee Hee Yoon, Yoo Jin Lee, Byeonghyeon So, Minseon Kim, Hyung Wook Kwon, Youngjoo Byun, Ki Yong Lee and Joon Tae Park
Antioxidants 2025, 14(3), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14030259 - 24 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 579
Abstract
One of the major causes of senescence is oxidative stress caused by ROS, which is mainly generated from dysfunctional mitochondria. Strategies to limit mitochondrial ROS production are considered important for reversing senescence, but effective approaches to reduce them have not yet been developed. [...] Read more.
One of the major causes of senescence is oxidative stress caused by ROS, which is mainly generated from dysfunctional mitochondria. Strategies to limit mitochondrial ROS production are considered important for reversing senescence, but effective approaches to reduce them have not yet been developed. In this study, we screened the secondary metabolites that plants produce under oxidative stress and discovered sauchinone as a potential candidate. Sauchinone induced mitochondrial function recovery, enabling efficient electron transport within the electron transport chain (ETC). This led to a decrease in ROS production, a byproduct of inefficient electron transport. The reduction in ROS by sauchinone rejuvenated senescence-associated phenotypes. To understand the underlying mechanism by which sauchinone rejuvenates senescence, we carried out RNA sequencing and found VAMP8 as a key gene. VAMP8 was downregulated by sauchinone. Knockdown of VAMP8 decreased mitochondrial ROS levels and subsequently rejuvenated mitochondrial function, which was similar to the effect of sauchinone. Taken together, these studies revealed a novel mechanism by which sauchinone reduces mitochondrial ROS production by regulating mitochondrial function and VAMP8 expression. Our results open a new avenue for aging research to control senescence by regulating mitochondrial ROS production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Capacity of Natural Products—2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 6711 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Antioxidant and Nutritional Profiling of Brassicaceae Microgreens
by Anja Vučetić, Olja Šovljanski, Lato Pezo, Nevenka Gligorijević, Saša Kostić, Jelena Vulić and Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet
Antioxidants 2025, 14(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14020191 - 7 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
Microgreens are gaining prominence as nutrient-dense foods with health-promoting activities while aligning with smart agriculture and functional food trends. They are rich in numerous bioactive compounds like phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids, which act as antioxidants, while also causing multiple other biological activities. [...] Read more.
Microgreens are gaining prominence as nutrient-dense foods with health-promoting activities while aligning with smart agriculture and functional food trends. They are rich in numerous bioactive compounds like phenolics, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids, which act as antioxidants, while also causing multiple other biological activities. Using advanced statistical methods, this study investigated Brassicaceae microgreens, identifying kale and Sango radish as standout varieties. Both contained 16 amino acids, with potassium and calcium as dominant minerals. Sugar and protein contents ranged from 4.29 to 4.66% and 40.27 to 43.90%, respectively. Kale exhibited higher carotenoid levels, particularly lutein (996.36 mg/100 g) and beta-carotene (574.15 mg/100 g). In comparison, Sango radish excelled in glucose metabolism (α-glucosidase inhibition: 58%) and antioxidant activities (DPPH: 7.92 mmol TE/100 g, ABTS•+: 43.47 mmol TE/100 g). Both showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Kale demonstrated stronger anti-inflammatory effects, while Sango radish showed antiproliferative potential. These results, supported by PCA and correlation analysis, underscore the dual role of these microgreens as nutritious and therapeutic food additives, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbial threats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Capacity of Natural Products—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 10707 KiB  
Article
Structure–Antioxidant Activity Relationship of Polysaccharides Isolated by Microwave/Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction from Pleurotus ferulae
by Hongjin Zhou, Zhongxiong Fan, Yuan Li, Xuelian Liu, Bo Wang, Jianguo Xing, Jiang He, Ruifang Zheng and Jinyao Li
Antioxidants 2025, 14(1), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14010091 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 819
Abstract
To investigate the structure–antioxidant activity relationship, Pleurotus ferulae polysaccharides were extracted using ultrasonic (U-PFPS) and microwave/ultrasonic-assisted methods (MU-PFPS). Compared to U-PFPS with a molecular weight of 1.566 × 103 kDa, MU-PFPS exhibited a lower molecular weight of 89.26 kDa. In addition, unlike [...] Read more.
To investigate the structure–antioxidant activity relationship, Pleurotus ferulae polysaccharides were extracted using ultrasonic (U-PFPS) and microwave/ultrasonic-assisted methods (MU-PFPS). Compared to U-PFPS with a molecular weight of 1.566 × 103 kDa, MU-PFPS exhibited a lower molecular weight of 89.26 kDa. In addition, unlike U-PFPS, which is primarily composed of glucose (Glu:Man:Gal = 91.1:3.5:5.4), MU-PFPS has a more balanced composition of Glu:Man:Gal in the ratio of 39.4:27.8:32.8 and contains more branched chains. Furthermore, antioxidant analysis revealed that high concentration (at concentrations above 600 μg/mL) MU-PFPS demonstrated stronger protective effects against oxidative damage in RAW264.7 cells than U-PFPS did. Collectively, these data suggest that lower molecular weight and higher branching degree of polysaccharides at appropriate concentrations may correlate with enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities. Our work provides a method for isolating polysaccharides with higher antioxidant activity and offers insights into the structure–activity relationship of polysaccharides, laying the foundation for future applications in polysaccharide modification and structural characterization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidant Capacity of Natural Products—2nd Edition)
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