applsci-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Medicinal Plants: From Health Benefits to Chemical Composition

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical and Molecular Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 1251

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa
Interests: medicinal plants; biochemistry; microbiology; phytochemistry; biotechnology and bioinformatics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
Interests: plant biology; ethnopharmacology; phytochemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medicinal plants play an integral part in traditional and orthodox healthcare systems due to their bioactive compounds. These plants offer therapeutic remedies for a wide range of diseases, including infections, metabolic disorders and chronic diseases. This Special Issue aims to support traditional health systems and economic development while minimizing negative impacts on the environment. Its core focus is on advancing research and development related to medicinal plants, and it provides a platform for disseminating reports on recent progress in medicinal plant usage. It will bring together scientists, researchers, industry specialists and users to exchange information. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include perspectives on medicinal plants, bioactive compounds, the isolation and characterization of chemical compounds and biological applications of medicinal plants.

Dr. Foluso Oluwagbemiga Osunsanmi
Dr. Karuppusamy Arunachalam
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Applied Sciences 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 2400 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

  • phytomedicine
  • secondary metabolites
  • herbal products
  • biotherapeutic
  • metabolic diseases
  • chemical composition
  • bioactive compounds
  • medicinal plants
  • botanical products

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.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 21694 KB  
Article
Aronia melanocarpa Fruit Extract Ameliorates Loperamide-Induced Constipation in Mice: Integrated Serum Pharmaco-Chemistry, Network Pharmacology, and Molecular Docking
by Jiancheng Li, Xingyao Wu, Jiahui Xia, Leyan Hu, Xinying Du, Lihong Wang and Duxin Li
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(10), 5025; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16105025 - 18 May 2026
Viewed by 168
Abstract
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) is a polyphenol-rich fruit recognized as a novel food ingredient; however, its efficacy against constipation and its underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of the ethanol extract of A. melanocarpa fruit (AMFE) [...] Read more.
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) is a polyphenol-rich fruit recognized as a novel food ingredient; however, its efficacy against constipation and its underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of the ethanol extract of A. melanocarpa fruit (AMFE) on loperamide-induced constipation in mice and investigated its mechanisms using serum pharmaco-chemistry, network pharmacology, and molecular docking analyses. AMFE treatment increased the intestinal transit rate and fecal water content in a dose-dependent manner, alleviated colonic histopathological damage, and restored the serum levels of gastrointestinal neurotransmitters (5-HT, MTL, SP, GAS, and VIP), inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), and colonic oxidative stress markers (GSH and MDA). Using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS, 31 compounds were identified in AMFE, of which 22 were detected in serum, including 14 prototype compounds and eight metabolites. Network pharmacology analysis revealed 472 common targets shared between AMFE and constipation, with AKT1, STAT3, JUN, GAPDH, IL-6, and TP53 as core targets. KEGG enrichment analysis highlighted the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as a key regulatory axis. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding affinities between key active compounds (catechin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, naringenin, and isorhamnetin). Please see the core end of the document for further details on the references and targets, particularly isorhamnetin with GAPDH. Collectively, AMFE alleviated constipation through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanisms, providing a scientific basis for the development of A. melanocarpa as a functional food and therapeutic candidate for constipation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medicinal Plants: From Health Benefits to Chemical Composition)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop