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Advances and Emerging Trends in Marine Natural Products
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Advances and Emerging Trends in Marine Natural Products

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2025 | Viewed by 1160

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rafael Félix

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Interests: lipid peroxidation; emerging diseases; natural products; bioactive compounds; in vitro; extraction conditions; invasive seaweed
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carina Félix

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, 2411-901 Peniche, Portugal
Interests: biotechnology; marine resources valorization; microbiology; genomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The marine environment is pivotal to the technological development of a sustainable bio-based economy. Industries such as food, feed, cosmetics, healthcare, and agriculture benefit from marine-derived technologies, particularly through molecules or extracts with potent bioactivities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-tumoral, antimicrobial, or anti-inflammatory) or unique physical properties. Despite this, the transfer of marine biotechnology innovations to the market remains limited, and its economic impact has yet to reach its full potential. Emerging approaches to marine biomass valorization—from discovery to application—are gaining traction and may enhance the practical implementation of marine-derived technologies in society. These include exploring diverse compounds, such as polymers, small metabolites, and peptides; utilizing bioinformatics and high-throughput omics to complement traditional bioactivity-guided fractionation; and applying marine molecules across various industries and purposes, including drug delivery and biomaterials. We encourage submissions of original research and review articles that highlight advances and emerging trends in marine natural product research. Novelty can be related (but is not limited) to new marine sources, innovative extraction and analytical methodologies (including the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning programs), novel molecular scaffolds and biosynthetic pathways, and underexplored bioactivities and applications. A solid description of molecular aspects is required, and mechanism characterization is encouraged.

Dr. Rafael Félix
Dr. Carina Félix
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • marine natural products
  • bioprospecting
  • circular bioeconomy
  • bioactive compounds
  • antioxidant
  • antimicrobial
  • anti-inflammatory
  • polymers
  • peptides
  • genome mining
  • enzyme inhibitors
  • plant priming
  • green extraction methodologies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 6477 KiB  
Article
Endarachne binghamiae Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis, Obesity, and Blood Glucose via Modulation of Metabolic Pathways and Oxidative Stress
by Sang-Seop Lee, Sang-Hoon Lee, So-Yeon Kim, Ga-Young Lee, Seung-Yun Han, Bong-Ho Lee and Yung-Choon Yoo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(11), 5103; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26115103 - 26 May 2025
Abstract
Obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are major contributors to the rise in metabolic disorders, particularly in developed countries. Despite the need for effective therapies, natural product-based interventions remain underexplored. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of Endarachne binghamiae, a [...] Read more.
Obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are major contributors to the rise in metabolic disorders, particularly in developed countries. Despite the need for effective therapies, natural product-based interventions remain underexplored. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of Endarachne binghamiae, a type of brown algae, hot water extract (EB-WE) in ameliorating obesity and MASLD using high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ICR mice for an acute obesity model (4-week HFD feeding) and C57BL/6 mice for a long-term MASLD model (12-week HFD feeding). EB-WE administration significantly reduced body and organ weights and improved serum lipid markers, such as triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), adiponectin, and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1). mRNA expression analysis of liver and skeletal muscle tissues revealed that EB-WE upregulated Ampkα and Cpt1 while downregulating Cebpα and Srebp1, suppressing lipogenic signaling. Additionally, EB-WE activated brown adipose tissue through Pgc1α and Ucp1, contributing to fatty liver alleviation. Western blot analysis of liver tissues demonstrated that EB-WE enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and modulated lipid metabolism by upregulating PGC-1α and UCP-1 and downregulating PPAR-γ, C/EBP-α, and FABP4 proteins. It also reduced oxidation markers, such as OxLDL (oxidized low-density lipoprotein) and ApoB (apolipoprotein B), while increasing ApoA1 levels. EB-WE suppressed lipid peroxidation by modulating oxidative stress markers, such as SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase), GSH (glutathione), and MDA (malondialdehyde), in liver tissues. Furthermore, EB-WE regulated the glucose regulatory pathway in the liver and muscle by inhibiting the expression of Sirt1, Sirt4, Glut2, and Glut4 while increasing the expression of Nrf2 and Ho1. Tentative liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for EB-WE identified bioactive compounds, such as pyropheophorbide A and digiprolactone, which are known to have antioxidant or metabolic regulatory activities. These findings suggest that EB-WE improves obesity and MASLD through regulation of metabolic pathways, glucose homeostasis, and antioxidant activity, making it a promising candidate for natural product-based functional foods and pharmaceuticals targeting metabolic diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Emerging Trends in Marine Natural Products)
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21 pages, 3242 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Biosorption Capacity of Macrocystis pyrifera: Effects of Acid and Alkali Pretreatments on Recalcitrant Organic Pollutants Removal
by Magdalena Varas, Jorge Castro-Rojas, Loretto Contreras-Porcia, María Soledad Ureta-Zañartu, Elodie Blanco, Néstor Escalona, Edmundo Muñoz and Elizabeth Garrido-Ramírez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(7), 3307; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26073307 - 2 Apr 2025
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Abstract
The effects of acid and alkali pretreatments on the physicochemical and textural properties of Macrocystis pyrifera were evaluated to assess its potential for removing recalcitrant organic pollutants from aquatic systems. Untreated (UB), acid-pretreated (ACPB), and alkali-pretreated (ALPB) seaweed biomass [...] Read more.
The effects of acid and alkali pretreatments on the physicochemical and textural properties of Macrocystis pyrifera were evaluated to assess its potential for removing recalcitrant organic pollutants from aquatic systems. Untreated (UB), acid-pretreated (ACPB), and alkali-pretreated (ALPB) seaweed biomass were characterized using SEM, FTIR-ATR, N2 adsorption–desorption, and potentiometric titrations. Adsorption isotherms and kinetic studies, using methylene blue (MB) as a model pollutant, were conducted to evaluate removal performance. All biosorbents exhibited Langmuir behavior, with maximum adsorption capacities of 333 mg g−1 (UB), 189 mg g−1 (ACPB), and 526 mg g−1 (ALPB). FTIR-ATR and SEM analyses revealed that alkali pretreatment increased the abundance of hydroxyl, carboxylate, and sulfonated functional groups on the seaweed cell walls, along with greater porosity and surface roughness, resulting in enhanced MB adsorption. In contrast, acid pretreatment increased the exposure of carboxylic, amine, and amide functional groups, reducing the electrostatic interactions. The adsorption energy values further supported this, while the intra-particle diffusion model indicated a two-step process involving MB diffusion onto the seaweed surface, followed by diffusion into internal pores. These findings highlight the potential application of Macrocystis pyrifera-based biosorbents in the treatment of wastewater containing recalcitrant organic pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Emerging Trends in Marine Natural Products)
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16 pages, 5180 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Characterization, and Preliminary Analysis of Squid Pen Trypsin Hydrolysates and Chitosan Microcapsules
by Ruimin Li, Wenkui Song, Shijia Huang, Chuyi Liu, Mingbo Li and Leilei Sun
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(7), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26072885 - 22 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 383
Abstract
Squid pen (SP) was found to contain 64.41% protein and 26.03% chitin. The amino acid composition revealed that Met was the most abundant amino acid in SP, with a concentration of 13.67 g/100 g. To enhance the stability and bioavailability of SP hydrolysates, [...] Read more.
Squid pen (SP) was found to contain 64.41% protein and 26.03% chitin. The amino acid composition revealed that Met was the most abundant amino acid in SP, with a concentration of 13.67 g/100 g. To enhance the stability and bioavailability of SP hydrolysates, microcapsules were developed using ultrasonic emulsification techniques with SP trypsin hydrolysates (SPTH) and SP β-chitosan (SPC). The optimal preparation conditions involved using a 2% concentration of SPC, a 4 mg/mL concentration of SPTH, a core-to-wall ratio (v/v) of 1:3 for SPTH/SPC, and subjecting them to ultrasonic treatment for 20 min. These microcapsules had a loading capacity of 58.95% for SPTH under these conditions. The successful encapsulation of SPTH in the SPC complex to form SPC-SPTH microcapsules was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, DSC, and SEM, exhibiting good thermal stability, small particle size, and high encapsulation efficiency. In vitro digestion studies demonstrated a release of 15.61% in simulated gastric fluid and 69.32% in intestinal fluid, achieving targeted release in the intestines. The digested products exhibited superior antioxidant activity compared to free SPTH digests, suggesting that microencapsulation effectively preserves SPTH bioactivity. This study enhances the bioavailability of SPTH and offers a promising delivery system for natural compounds with low bioavailability and stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Emerging Trends in Marine Natural Products)
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