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Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits
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Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2026) | Viewed by 5230

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Meng Meng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
Interests: food biotechnology; polysaccharides; bioactive peptide; polyphenols; functional foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Huiqing Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
Interests: food nutrition and health; food biotechnology; food function; polysaccharides; bioactive peptide; polyphenols
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant resources are widely distributed in nature, and edible plant resources refer to plants that can be eaten by human beings. Edible plants contain a variety of bioactive substances, including not only basic nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but also secondary metabolites such as terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, lignin, minerals, and organic sulfides, which have a wide range of application prospects in healthcare products, functional foods, medicine, and other fields. Plant-food-derived bioactive substances have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, immune enhancement, anti-aging, cardiovascular protection, tumor inhibition, lipid metabolism regulation, cholesterol reduction, and microbial inhibition activities. The extraction of plant active ingredients is one of the current focuses of research. Traditional extraction methods include solvent methods and water steam distillation methods. With the continuous development of science and technology, some new preparation techniques have also been applied to the preparation of plant active ingredients. Enzymatic hydrolysis, microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic extraction, high-pressure extraction, supercritical extraction, and other technologies have been utilized in the extraction of plant active substances, which can significantly improve the extraction efficiency and yield of active ingredients. The exploration of plant-food-derived bioactive substances can provide the basis for the full development and utilization of plant resources.

Dr. Meng Meng
Dr. Huiqing Sun
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 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

  • plant resources
  • bioactive substances
  • extraction techniques structural characterization
  • biological activity and mechanisms
  • functional foods

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4942 KB  
Article
A Polysaccharide from Dried Tangerine Peel: Structural Characterization and Alleviation of Gastric Injury by Modulating Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses
by Huihui Li, Hao Wu, Yixia Chen, Yinyin Feng, Xiaoyang He, Huiqing Sun and Meng Meng
Foods 2026, 15(11), 1837; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15111837 - 22 May 2026
Viewed by 171
Abstract
Polysaccharides are important bioactive components of dried tangerine peel, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities. However, the ability of dried tangerine peel polysaccharides to alleviate gastric injury remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, the structure and alleviation of gastric injury induced by dried tangerine peel [...] Read more.
Polysaccharides are important bioactive components of dried tangerine peel, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities. However, the ability of dried tangerine peel polysaccharides to alleviate gastric injury remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, the structure and alleviation of gastric injury induced by dried tangerine peel polysaccharides were explored in this study. Firstly, DTPP-4 was purified from dried tangerine peel. As shown in the HPLC chromatogram, DTPP-4 is a homogeneous polysaccharide with a mean molecular weight of 1.35 × 103 kDa. DTPP-4 was mainly composed of L-Rha, L-Ara, D-Gal, and D-GalpA with percentages of 10.56%, 9.15%, 4.83%, and 75.45%, respectively. Methylation and NMR results suggested that DTPP-4 was a pectic polysaccharide with →4)-α-D-GalpA-6-OMe-(1→ and →4)-α-D-GalpA-(1→ as the backbone. The alleviation of gastric injury of dried tangerine peel polysaccharide was evaluated in ethanol-induced acute gastric injury mice. Based on the macroscopic images of gastric tissues and the area of gastric tissue injury in mice, the dried tangerine peel polysaccharide can reduce the mouse gastric lesion area and alleviate gastric tissue pathological damage. Histopathological analysis of H&E and PAS staining revealed that the dried tangerine peel polysaccharide could ameliorate the disordered arrangement and necrosis of epithelial cells, reduce inflammatory cell infiltration, and thus alleviate gastric injury. Dried tangerine peel polysaccharide confers gastroprotection by modulating MPO and PGE2 levels, reducing MDA accumulation, enhancing SOD and CAT antioxidant activities, suppressing IL-1β and TNF-α secretion, and upregulating IL-10 expression. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for subsequent structure–activity relationship investigations and provide empirical support for the subsequent development and practical application of this polysaccharide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits)
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29 pages, 11421 KB  
Article
A Novel Hydrophilic Colloidal Polysaccharide from Rosa roxburghii Tratt: Structural Characterization, Rheological Behavior and Immunomodulatory Activity
by Chenxi Cui, Miao Wang, Qiuli Zhang, Xinzhu Zhang, Qi Zhu, Liuya Wang, Tengda Li and Zhenyuan Zhu
Foods 2026, 15(10), 1641; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101641 - 8 May 2026
Viewed by 198
Abstract
Rosa roxburghii Tratt is recognized as an edible and medicinal plant valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Polysaccharides are among its key bioactive constituents. A homogeneous polysaccharide, designated RTW-1, was extracted and purified from the fruit of Rosa roxburghii Tratt. Its molecular [...] Read more.
Rosa roxburghii Tratt is recognized as an edible and medicinal plant valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Polysaccharides are among its key bioactive constituents. A homogeneous polysaccharide, designated RTW-1, was extracted and purified from the fruit of Rosa roxburghii Tratt. Its molecular mass was determined by HPLC to be 2.16 × 103 kDa. Monosaccharide composition and methylation analysis showed that RTW-1 is mainly composed of glucose, arabinose, and galacturonic acid in a molar ratio of 1.00:0.48:0.74. The uronic acid content was measured as 55.21%, and the degree of esterification was 58.30%. The glycosidic linkages identified included (→2,3,4)-Manp-(1→, →4)-Arap-(1→, →4)-GalAp-(1→, T-Rhap, →4)-Glcp-(1→, and (→2,3,4)-Xylp-(1→). Shear-thinning behavior was revealed by rheological analysis. At 30 mg/mL, the thixotropic loop area reached 143.8 Pa/s, which was 20 times higher than that at 12 mg/mL. In RAW264.7 macrophages, cell proliferation was promoted by RTW-1. At 80 μg/mL, phagocytic activity was increased by 88%, and NO production was enhanced by 3.1-fold. Concentration-dependent upregulation of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-10 mRNA expression was observed by qRT-PCR, with maximum increases of 3.2-, 4.1-, 2.8-, and 2.5-fold, respectively. In conclusion, RTW-1 possesses favorable gel-forming and immunostimulatory properties and shows potential for promoting intestinal immune activity, suggesting its promise as a functional food ingredient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits)
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15 pages, 11266 KB  
Article
Effects of Yomogi Tea on Lipid Metabolism in Renal Tubular HK-2 Cells
by Wei Qin, Hsin-Jung Ho, Xun-Zhi Wu, Miki Eguchi, Manami Uchita, Minato Takeuchi and Shu-Ping Hui
Foods 2025, 14(22), 3817; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14223817 - 7 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1260
Abstract
Excessive accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs), their dynamics, and lipotoxicity are critical factors in the progression of metabolic disorders, including diabetic nephropathy. This study investigates the effects of yomogi tea (Mugwort tea), specifically its leaf infusion (YL) and powdered infusion (YP), on lipid [...] Read more.
Excessive accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs), their dynamics, and lipotoxicity are critical factors in the progression of metabolic disorders, including diabetic nephropathy. This study investigates the effects of yomogi tea (Mugwort tea), specifically its leaf infusion (YL) and powdered infusion (YP), on lipid metabolism in human kidney proximal tubular epithelial HK-2 cells under lipotoxic conditions induced by palmitic acid (PA). Both YL and YP significantly reduced intracellular triglyceride (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) levels, with YP showing a trend toward greater efficacy. Mechanistic analysis revealed that yomogi tea regulates lipid metabolism by significantly downregulating mRNA expression of FAS and upregulating that of the lipolytic ATGL, while SCD-1 mRNA expression remained largely unchanged. Furthermore, yomogi tea reduced LD size and neutral lipid content, potentially enhancing lipid hydrolysis efficiency and mitigating lipotoxic effects. These findings highlight the potential of yomogi tea as a natural agent for regulating lipid metabolism and reducing lipotoxicity, offering promise for managing lipid metabolism-related disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits)
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18 pages, 2106 KB  
Article
Insights into Thai and Foreign Hemp Seed Oil and Extracts’ GC/MS Data Re-Analysis Through Learning Algorithms and Anti-Aging Properties
by Suthinee Sangkanu, Thanet Pitakbut, Sathianpong Phoopha, Jiraporn Khanansuk, Kasemsiri Chandarajoti and Sukanya Dej-adisai
Foods 2025, 14(21), 3739; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14213739 - 31 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1297
Abstract
This study successfully established a novel discriminative model that distinguishes between Thai and foreign hemp seed extracts based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) metabolic profiling combined with machine learning algorithms such as hierarchy clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least [...] Read more.
This study successfully established a novel discriminative model that distinguishes between Thai and foreign hemp seed extracts based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) metabolic profiling combined with machine learning algorithms such as hierarchy clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). The findings highlighted significant metabolic features, such as vitamin E, clionasterol, and linoleic acid, related with anti-aging properties via elastase inhibition. Our biological validation experiment revealed that the individual compound at 2 mg/mL exhibited a moderate elastase inhibitory activity, 40.97 ± 1.80% inhibition (n = 3). However, a binary combination among these metabolites at 1 mg/mL of each compound demonstrated a synergistic effect against elastase activities up to 89.76 ± 1.20% inhibition (n = 3), showing 119% improvement. Molecular docking experiments aligned with biological results, showing strong binding affinities and enhanced inhibitory effects in all combinations. This integrated approach provided insights into the bioactive compounds responsible for anti-aging effects and established a dependable framework for quality control and standardization of hemp seed-based skincare products. Additionally, the developed models enable effective discrimination between Thai and foreign strains, which is valuable for sourcing and product consistency. Overall, this research advances our understanding of hemp seed phytochemicals and their functional potential, paving the way for optimized natural anti-aging formulations and targeted functional foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits)
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29 pages, 1998 KB  
Article
Optimizing the Extraction of Polyphenols from Different Edible Lichens Using Response Surface Methodology and the Determination of Their Mineral and Antibacterial Properties
by Kubra Ozkan, Hatice Bekiroglu, Nur Cebi, Fatih Bozkurt, Sevda Dere, Hilmi Ozdemir, Muhammet Arici, Salih Karasu and Osman Sagdic
Foods 2025, 14(15), 2562; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152562 - 22 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1752
Abstract
This study employed response surface methodology for the first-time optimization of the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of the total phenolic content (TPC) and ABTS from edible lichens, including Evernia divaricata, Evernia prunastri, Pseudevernia furfuracea, Bryoria fuscescens, and Lobaria pulmonaria. [...] Read more.
This study employed response surface methodology for the first-time optimization of the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of the total phenolic content (TPC) and ABTS from edible lichens, including Evernia divaricata, Evernia prunastri, Pseudevernia furfuracea, Bryoria fuscescens, and Lobaria pulmonaria. Fourteen experimental points were generated using Design Expert Software, with the extraction temperature (25–40 °C), extraction time (5–20 min), and ethanol concentration (0–80%) as independent variables, and TPC and ABTS as dependent variables. The phenolic profile and mineral and antibacterial properties of the optimized lichen extracts were determined. Evernic and usnic acid were found in Evernia species. Atranorin was detected only in P. furfuracea. Fumarprotocetraric acid was found exclusively in B. fuscescens and was not detected in any of the other lichens. Calcium was found to have the highest mineral content in all the lichens, followed by potassium. L. pulmonaria, showing the lowest inhibition effect against all tested bacteria, while E. divaricata exhibited the most effective inhibition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Food-Derived Bioactives: Distribution, Extraction Methods and Health Benefits)
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