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Applied Sciences
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Advancements in Natural Compounds: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Therapeutic Potentials
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Advancements in Natural Compounds: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Therapeutic Potentials

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 October 2025 | Viewed by 1091

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Wrzosek

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacogenomics, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
2. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, IX Wieków Kielc 19a, 25-516 Kielce, Poland
Interests: biochemistry; molecular biology; obesity; diabetes; cancers; pharmacy; active substances; natural products; natural therapies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marta Klimek-Szczykutowicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, IX Wieków Kielc 19a, 25-516 Kielce, Poland
Interests: plant biotechnology; pharmaceutical botany; cosmetic plants; medicinal plants; phytochemistry; bioactive compounds; natural products; natural antioxidants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on recent advancements in the study of natural compounds, particularly their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and therapeutic potentials. Natural compounds derived from plants, fungi, marine organisms, and microorganisms have garnered significant attention due to their bioactive properties and potential applications in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and functional food industries. This Special Issue will explore bioactive molecules, their mechanisms of action, and their role in combating microbial infections, oxidative stress, and chronic diseases.

Preparations such as extracts contain a diverse range of phytomolecules, offering multiple benefits in terms of the study of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. Natural compounds hold significant therapeutic potential as they can influence multiple pathways, including the PI3K signaling pathway, the inhibition of the GLUT1 transporter, and other mechanisms that reduce oxidative stress.

One major advantage of in vitro cultivation is its ability to produce valuable bioactive compounds in a controlled environment and this approach ensures a sustainable and consistent supply of phytochemicals, overcoming environmental constraints such as seasonal variations and habitat loss. Additionally, in vitro techniques enable the enhancement of specific bioactive compounds through elicitation strategies or genetic modifications, making them a reliable and efficient method for obtaining plant-derived therapeutic agents.

This Special Issue will also delve into innovative extraction and purification techniques that enhance the efficacy and bioavailability of these compounds. It will cover studies on the synergistic effects that arise between natural compounds and conventional drugs, as well as their potential applications in drug development and alternative medicine. By bringing together researchers from fields such as pharmacology, microbiology, biochemistry, and food science, this collection aims to present cutting-edge findings that could shape future therapeutic strategies and promote the sustainable use of natural resources.

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Wrzosek
Dr. Marta Klimek-Szczykutowicz
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.

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

  • natural bioactive compounds
  • antimicrobial activity
  • antioxidant mechanisms
  • phytochemicals and secondary metabolites
  • functional foods and nutraceuticals
  • medicinal plants and ethnopharmacology
  • fungal and microbial metabolites
  • oxidative stress and chronic diseases
  • synergistic effects with conventional drugs
  • green extraction techniques
  • alternative medicine and natural therapies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 3200 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Anthyllis vulneraria Hydroalcoholic Leaf Extract as an Adjuvant in Wound Healing
by Olga-Maria Iova, Gheorghe-Eduard Marin, Ana-Maria Vlase, Marcela Achim, Dana Muntean, Ioan Tomuţă, Remus Moldovan, Nicoleta Decea, Bogdan Alexandru Gheban, Sebastian Romeo Pintilie, Oana-Alina Hoteiuc, Roxana Denisa Capras and Adriana Gabriela Filip
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(15), 8388; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158388 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 188
Abstract
Anthyllis vulneraria is a traditional medicinal plant with confirmed anti-inflammatory properties, attributed to its high polyphenolic content. This study aimed to evaluate the wound-healing potential of A. vulneraria leaf extract in a rat burn model. Four groups of eight Wistar rats each received [...] Read more.
Anthyllis vulneraria is a traditional medicinal plant with confirmed anti-inflammatory properties, attributed to its high polyphenolic content. This study aimed to evaluate the wound-healing potential of A. vulneraria leaf extract in a rat burn model. Four groups of eight Wistar rats each received the following daily topical applications for 14 days: vehicle cream (negative control); silver sulfadiazine (positive control); or plant-based creams containing either 1 mg/cm2 or 2 mg/cm2 of polyphenols (experimental groups 1 and 2, respectively). On days 7 and 14, four animals per group were euthanized for histological and oxidative stress evaluations. LC-MS/MS analysis of the leaf extract identified hyperoside, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid as major constituents. Experimental group 1 showed significantly enhanced wound closure on days 5 and 7, while group 2 exhibited a significant effect on day 5. All oxidative stress markers, except catalase activity, differed significantly among the groups, with the most favorable results observed in group 2. IL-8 levels decreased after the extract treatment, while no significant microscopic changes were observed. These results indicate that A. vulneraria leaf extract may serve as a valuable adjuvant in burn wound healing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Natural Compounds: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Therapeutic Potentials)
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24 pages, 2749 KiB  
Article
Can In Vitro Cell Cultures of Eryngium planum, Lychnis flos-cuculi, and Kickxia elatine Be an Alternative Source of Plant Biomass with Biological Antimicrobial and Anti-Acanthamoeba Activities?
by Anastasia Aliesa Hermosaningtyas, Anna Budzianowska, Dariusz Kruszka, Monika Derda, Jolanta Długaszewska and Małgorzata Kikowska
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(15), 8292; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158292 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
The sustainable production of plant bioactive compounds is increasingly important as natural habitats decline. This study investigates whether in vitro cell cultures of Eryngium planum, Lychnis flos-cuculi, and Kickxia elatine can serve as alternative sources of biologically active biomass with antimicrobial [...] Read more.
The sustainable production of plant bioactive compounds is increasingly important as natural habitats decline. This study investigates whether in vitro cell cultures of Eryngium planum, Lychnis flos-cuculi, and Kickxia elatine can serve as alternative sources of biologically active biomass with antimicrobial and anti-Acanthamoeba properties. Callus cultures were established under optimized and controlled conditions, and metabolomic profiling was completed using UPLC-HRMS/MS. In silico analysis, using a molecular docking approach, was applied to understand the interaction between target compounds and Acanthamoeba profilin and identify possible targets for antimicrobial properties. Untargeted metabolomic analysis confirmed the presence of valuable compounds in the callus cultures of the studied species. Biological activity was assessed through anti-Acanthamoeba and antimicrobial assays. Lychnis flos-cuculi and Kickxia elatine callus extracts showed significant inhibitory effects on Acanthamoeba trophozoites, with 87.5% and 80.1% inhibition at 10 mg/mL, respectively. In contrast, E. planum extract stimulated amoebic growth. The anti-Acanthamoeba activity correlated with the presence of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid in L. flos-cuculi extract, and acteoside in K. elatine extract. Antibacterial testing revealed moderate activity of E. planum and K. elatine extracts against Staphylococcus spp., while Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were largely resistant. These findings highlight the potential of in vitro cultures—particularly those from L. flos-cuculi and K. elatine—as promising, sustainable sources of anti-Acanthamoeba and antimicrobial agents, warranting further investigation into their pharmacologically active constituents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Natural Compounds: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Therapeutic Potentials)
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Review

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54 pages, 3105 KiB  
Review
Insight into the in Silico Structural, Physicochemical, Pharmacokinetic and Toxicological Properties of Antibacterially Active Viniferins and Viniferin-Based Compounds as Derivatives of Resveratrol Containing a (2,3-Dihydro)benzo[b]furan Privileged Scaffold
by Dominika Nádaská and Ivan Malík
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(15), 8350; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15158350 - 27 Jul 2025
Viewed by 318
Abstract
Resistance of various bacterial pathogens to the activity of clinically approved drugs currently leads to serious infections, rapid spread of difficult-to-treat diseases, and even death. Taking the threats for human health in mind, researchers are focused on the isolation and characterization of novel [...] Read more.
Resistance of various bacterial pathogens to the activity of clinically approved drugs currently leads to serious infections, rapid spread of difficult-to-treat diseases, and even death. Taking the threats for human health in mind, researchers are focused on the isolation and characterization of novel natural products, including plant secondary metabolites. These molecules serve as inspiration and a suitable structural platform in the design and development of novel semi-synthetic and synthetic derivatives. All considered compounds have to be adequately evaluated in silico, in vitro, and in vivo using relevant approaches. The current review paper briefly focuses on the chemical and metabolic properties of resveratrol (1), as well as its oligomeric structures, viniferins, and viniferin-based molecules. The core scaffolds of these compounds contain so-called privileged structures, which are also present in many clinically approved drugs, indicating that those natural, properly substituted semi-synthetic, and synthetic molecules can provide a notably broad spectrum of beneficial pharmacological activities, including very impressive antimicrobial efficiency. Except for spectral verification of their structures, these compounds suffer from the determination or prediction of other structural and physicochemical characteristics. Therefore, the structure–activity relationships for specific dihydrodimeric and dimeric viniferins, their bioisosteres, and derivatives with notable efficacy in vitro, especially against chosen Gram-positive bacterial strains, are summarized. In addition, a set of descriptors related to their structural, physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties is generated using various computational tools. The obtained values are compared to those of clinically approved drugs. The particular relationships between these in silico parameters are also explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancements in Natural Compounds: Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Therapeutic Potentials)
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