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Biomedicines
Special Issues
Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects
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Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 20848

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Martin Kondža

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mostar, Matice Hrvatske bb, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Interests: medicinal chemistry; CYP enzymes; natural products; phytochemicals; side effects
Prof. Dr. Sanda Vladimir-Kneževic̈

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: pharmacognosy; phytochemistry; natural products; medicinal plant; biological effects

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Phytochemicals, also known as secondary metabolites, are non-nutritive compounds found in plants that play a crucial role in their survival and adaptation to the environment. These bioactive molecules have been studied extensively over the years for their potential health benefits and therapeutic properties.

The aim of this Special Issue on Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects is to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in this field. This issue will cover a wide range of topics, including the chemistry and bioactivity of phytochemicals, their role in disease prevention, and their potential applications in various fields such as medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, and food science.

We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that focus on the current status and future prospects of phytochemicals. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Phytochemicals and cancer prevention;
  • The antioxidant properties of phytochemicals and their role in disease prevention;
  • The role of phytochemicals in gut health and microbiome modulation;
  • Phytochemicals for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease;
  • Phytochemicals and neuroprotection;
  • Phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders;
  • The mechanisms of action of phytochemicals in human health;
  • Emerging phytochemicals and their potential applications in medicine.

Overall, this Special Issue will serve as a valuable resource for researchers, students, and professionals working in the fields of natural products chemistry, pharmacology, and plant science. It will also provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and the development of new collaborations in this rapidly evolving field.

Dr. Martin Kondža
Prof. Dr. Sanda Vladimir-Kneževic̈
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. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • phytochemicals
  • natural products
  • biological effects
  • bioactive compounds
  • health benefits
  • antioxidants
  • mechanism of action

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 4157 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation for Some Plant Extracts in Conjunction with Pharmacological Mechanism Prediction: Insights into Potential Therapeutic Applications in Dyslipidemia and Obesity
by Elena Iuliana Ilie, Liliana Popescu, Emanuela-Alice Luță, Andrei Biță, Alexandru Radu Corbu, Dragoș Paul Mihai, Ana Corina Pogan, Teodora Dalila Balaci, Alexandru Mincă, Ligia Elena Duțu, Octavian Tudorel Olaru, Rica Boscencu and Cerasela Elena Gîrd
Biomedicines 2024, 12(7), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12071431 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2089
Abstract
Lipid metabolism dysregulation can lead to dyslipidemia and obesity, which are major causes of cardiovascular disease and associated mortality worldwide. The purpose of the study was to obtain and characterize six plant extracts (ACE—Allii cepae extractum; RSE—Rosmarini extractum; CHE— [...] Read more.
Lipid metabolism dysregulation can lead to dyslipidemia and obesity, which are major causes of cardiovascular disease and associated mortality worldwide. The purpose of the study was to obtain and characterize six plant extracts (ACE—Allii cepae extractum; RSE—Rosmarini extractum; CHE—Cichorii extractum; CE—Cynarae extractum; AGE—Apii graveolentis extractum; CGE—Crataegi extractum) as promising adjuvant therapies for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia and its related metabolic diseases. Phytochemical screening revealed that RSE was the richest extract in total polyphenols (39.62 ± 13.16 g tannic acid/100 g dry extract) and phenolcarboxylic acids (22.05 ± 1.31 g chlorogenic acid/100 g dry extract). Moreover, the spectrophotometric chemical profile highlighted a significant concentration of flavones for CGE (5.32 ± 0.26 g rutoside/100 g dry extract), in contrast to the other extracts. UHPLC-MS quantification detected considerable amounts of phenolic constituents, especially chlorogenic acid in CGE (187.435 ± 1.96 mg/g extract) and rosmarinic acid in RSE (317.100 ± 2.70 mg/g extract). Rosemary and hawthorn extracts showed significantly stronger free radical scavenging activity compared to the other plant extracts (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis and the heatmap correlation matrix indicated significant correlations between phytochemical contents and in vitro antioxidant activities. Computational studies were performed to investigate the potential anti-obesity mechanism of the studied extracts using target prediction, homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics approaches. Our study revealed that rosmarinic acid (RA) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) can form stable complexes with the active site of carbonic anhydrase 5A by either interacting with the zinc-bound catalytic water molecule or by directly binding Zn2+. Further studies are warranted to experimentally validate the predicted CA5A inhibitory activities of RA and CGA and to investigate the hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities of the proposed plant extracts in animal models of dyslipidemia and obesity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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19 pages, 10299 KiB  
Article
Pharmacological Potential of Three Berberine-Containing Plant Extracts Obtained from Berberis vulgaris L., Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr
by Alexandra Ciorîță, Sabina-Emanuela Erhan, Maria Loredana Soran, Ildiko Lung, Augustin Catalin Mot, Sergiu Gabriel Macavei and Marcel Pârvu
Biomedicines 2024, 12(6), 1339; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12061339 - 17 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2394
Abstract
Three berberine-containing plant extracts were investigated for their pharmacological properties. The stems and leaves of Berberis vulgaris, Mahonia aquifolium, and Phellodendron amurense were characterized through scanning electron microscopy. The plant extracts obtained from fresh stem barks were further analyzed through high-performance [...] Read more.
Three berberine-containing plant extracts were investigated for their pharmacological properties. The stems and leaves of Berberis vulgaris, Mahonia aquifolium, and Phellodendron amurense were characterized through scanning electron microscopy. The plant extracts obtained from fresh stem barks were further analyzed through high-performance liquid chromatography, revealing berberine concentrations, among berbamine and palmatine. The plant extracts were further tested for their anticancer potential against 2D and 3D human skin melanoma (A375) and lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines. The concentrations at which 50% of the cells are affected was determined by the viability assay and it was shown that B. vulgaris, the plant extract with the highest berberine concentration, is the most efficient inhibitor (0.4% extract concentration for the 2D model and 3.8% for the 3D model). The membrane integrity and nitrate/nitrite concentration assays were consistent with the viability results and showed effective anticancer potential. For further investigations, the B. vulgaris extract was used to obtain silver nanoparticles, which were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The formed nanoparticles have a uniform size distribution and are suited for future investigations in the field of biomedical applications, together with the B. vulgaris plant extract. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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14 pages, 1464 KiB  
Article
Bioactive Compounds and In Vitro Antioxidant and Anticoccidial Activities of Opuntia ficus-indica Flower Extracts
by Meriem Amrane-Abider, Mirela Imre, Viorel Herman, Nedjima Debbou-Iouknane, Salima Zemouri-Alioui, Souad Khaled, Cilia Bouiche, Cristina Nerín, Ulaș Acaroz and Abdelhanine Ayad
Biomedicines 2023, 11(8), 2173; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11082173 - 2 Aug 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4114
Abstract
The objective of the present study is to identify the biochemical compounds extracted from OFI flowers using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant activities and anticoccidial effects on the destruction of Eimeria oocysts isolated [...] Read more.
The objective of the present study is to identify the biochemical compounds extracted from OFI flowers using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant activities and anticoccidial effects on the destruction of Eimeria oocysts isolated from naturally infected chickens. A domestic microwave was used with a refrigerant to condense the vapors generated during the extraction. The flavonoid and phenolic compound contents of the OFI flowers were determined according to standard methods. DPPH radical and H2O2 scavenging capacities were used to assess the antioxidant activity. Regarding the anticoccidial activity, the Eimeria spp. oocysts used were isolated from the fresh feces of infected broilers and were determined in triplicate by incubation at an ambient temperature for 24 h. The results highlighted the considerable influence of the optimized acetone concentration, ratio, irradiation time, and microwave power parameters on the phenolic content and antioxidant activities. Our results revealed significant matches between the predicted and experimental values of the models. Molecular analysis revealed the presence of several biophenol classes such as quercetin, isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside. OFI flower extracts inhibited sporulation and damaged the morphology of Eimeria oocysts compared with normal sporulated Eimeria oocysts containing sporocysts. In conclusion, the optimized conditions were validated and found to fit very well with the experimental values. These findings suggest that the flowers of OFI should be considered sources of antioxidants. The results of the present study revealed that OFI flower extracts have anticoccidial activities against Eimeria-spp.-induced infection in broiler chickens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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Review

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25 pages, 2826 KiB  
Review
Phytotherapy in Alzheimer’s Disease—A Narrative Review
by Julia Piekarz, Natalia Picheta, Oliwia Burdan, Marcelina Kurek and Magdalena Chrościńska-Krawczyk
Biomedicines 2024, 12(8), 1812; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12081812 - 9 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2272
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects 50–70% of patients with dementia, making it the leading cause of dementia. The condition is classified as a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable disease. The disease is affecting more and more people around the world. AD has a multifactorial nature, [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects 50–70% of patients with dementia, making it the leading cause of dementia. The condition is classified as a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable disease. The disease is affecting more and more people around the world. AD has a multifactorial nature, spreading from beta-amyloid deposition to inflammation in patients’ brains. Patients experience cognitive impairment and functional decline. Although it is a disease that occurs mainly in the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people between the ages of 30 and 40. It not only affects the patient themself but also reduces the quality of life of their closest caregivers. According to the WHO, the treatment of AD consumes USD 1.3 trillion globally, but it is only symptomatic, as there are no drugs to prevent the onset of AD or treat the cause of its onset. Due to the numerous side effects of therapy and the lack of proactive drugs that act on the pathomechanism of AD, alternative therapies are being sought. One possible option that has many studies confirming its effect is phytotherapy. Many herbs have pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or neuroprotective effects, making them the future of cognitive disorders and AD treatment. This review focuses on some of the most promising herbs that have potentially potent properties and effects in AD therapy. These include Curcuma longa, Panax ginseng, Berberis and Crocus sativus. These herbs may perhaps be key in the future to make functioning and life easier for patients struggling with AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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23 pages, 636 KiB  
Review
Flavonoids as CYP3A4 Inhibitors In Vitro
by Martin Kondža, Ivica Brizić and Stela Jokić
Biomedicines 2024, 12(3), 644; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12030644 - 13 Mar 2024
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4418
Abstract
Flavonoids, a diverse group of polyphenolic compounds found abundantly in fruits, vegetables, and beverages like tea and wine, offer a plethora of health benefits. However, they have a potential interaction with drug metabolism, particularly through the inhibition of the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, [...] Read more.
Flavonoids, a diverse group of polyphenolic compounds found abundantly in fruits, vegetables, and beverages like tea and wine, offer a plethora of health benefits. However, they have a potential interaction with drug metabolism, particularly through the inhibition of the cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme, the most versatile and abundant enzyme in the liver. CYP3A4 is responsible for metabolizing approximately 50% of clinically prescribed drugs across diverse therapeutic classes, so these interactions have raised concerns about potential adverse effects. This review delves into the scientific evidence surrounding flavonoid-mediated CYP3A4 inhibition, exploring the inhibitory potential of investigated flavonoids and future implications. Kusehnol I, chrysin, leachianone A, and sophoraflavone G showed the largest inhibitory potentials and lowest IC50 values. While the clinical significance of flavonoid-mediated CYP3A4 inhibition in dietary contexts is generally considered low due to moderate intake and complex interactions, it poses a potential concern for individuals consuming high doses of flavonoid supplements or concurrently taking medications metabolized by CYP3A4. This can lead to increased drug exposure, potentially triggering adverse reactions or reduced efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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19 pages, 1925 KiB  
Review
Ferroptosis in Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiomyopathies: Therapeutic Implications of Glutathione and Iron Chelating Agents
by John Dawi, Scarlet Affa, Edgar Gonzalez, Yura Misakyan, David Nikoghosyan, Karim Hajjar, Samuel Kades, Sabrina Fardeheb, Hayk Mirzoyan and Vishwanath Venketaraman
Biomedicines 2024, 12(3), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12030558 - 1 Mar 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4129
Abstract
This review explores ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death reliant on iron-induced phospholipid peroxidation, in diverse physiological and pathological contexts, including neurodegenerative disorders, and ischemia-reperfusion. In the realm of cardiovascular diseases, it significantly contributes to cardiomyopathies, including dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and [...] Read more.
This review explores ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death reliant on iron-induced phospholipid peroxidation, in diverse physiological and pathological contexts, including neurodegenerative disorders, and ischemia-reperfusion. In the realm of cardiovascular diseases, it significantly contributes to cardiomyopathies, including dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Ferroptosis involves intricate interactions within cellular iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and the balance between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Molecularly, factors like p53 and NRF2 impact cellular susceptibility to ferroptosis under oxidative stress. Understanding ferroptosis is vital in cardiomyopathies, where cardiac myocytes heavily depend on aerobic respiration, with iron playing a pivotal role. Dysregulation of the antioxidant enzyme GPX4 is linked to cardiomyopathies, emphasizing its significance. Ferroptosis’s role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, exacerbated in diabetes, underscores its relevance in cardiovascular conditions. This review explores the connection between ferroptosis, the NRF2 pathway, and atherosclerosis, emphasizing their roles in protecting cells from oxidative stress and maintaining iron balance. It discusses the use of iron chelating agents in managing iron overload conditions, with associated benefits and challenges. Finally, it highlights the importance of exploring therapeutic strategies that enhance the glutathione (GSH) system and the potential of natural compounds like quercetin, terpenoids, and phenolic acids in reducing oxidative stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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