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The Impact of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Human Health and Disease

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: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 4760

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yeong-geun Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Sciences, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: natural products chemistry; NMR; HPLC; LC/MS; GC/MS; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since ancient times, and owing to their efficacy due to their secondary metabolites, natural products, especially plants, have been consumed primarily as foods but also as cosmetics and medicines. Across numerous previous studies, the efficacy of numerous natural products has been revealed according to their major components and various medicines, such as paclitaxel, aspirin, artemisin, and oseltamivir, have been developed. Since new diseases, such as monkeypox and SARS-CoV-2, continue to emerge, the demand for these drugs will continue to increase. Therefore, this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Science will focus on the structural elucidation of active components from natural products for the treatment of disease. Furthermore, this Special Issue will include a broad range of basic and translational articles, both original research reports and reviews, focused on the latest developments in medicines based on natural products and the compounds derived from natural products.

Dr. Yeong-geun Lee
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural product chemistry
  • nuclear magnetic resonance
  • structural elucidation
  • herbal drug

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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15 pages, 2300 KiB  
Article
Vitexin Mitigates Haloperidol-Induced Orofacial Dyskinesia in Rats through Activation of the Nrf2 Pathway
by Shu-Mei Chen, Mao-Hsien Wang, Kuo-Chi Chang, Chih-Hsiang Fang, Yi-Wen Lin and Hsiang-Chien Tseng
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10206; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810206 - 23 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1158
Abstract
Vitexin (VTX), a C-glycosylated flavone found in various medicinal herbs, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This study investigated the protective effects of VTX against orofacial dyskinesia (OD) in rats, induced by haloperidol (HPD), along with the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying [...] Read more.
Vitexin (VTX), a C-glycosylated flavone found in various medicinal herbs, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This study investigated the protective effects of VTX against orofacial dyskinesia (OD) in rats, induced by haloperidol (HPD), along with the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying these effects. OD was induced by administering HPD (1 mg/kg i.p.) to rats for 21 days, which led to an increase in the frequency of vacuous chewing movements (VCMs) and tongue protrusion (TP). VTX (10 and 30 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally 60 min after each HPD injection during the same period. On the 21st day, following assessments of OD, the rats were sacrificed, and nitrosative and oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis markers in the striatum were measured. HPD effectively induced OD, while VTX significantly reduced HPD-induced OD, decreased oxidative stress, enhanced antioxidant capacity, prevented mitochondrial dysfunction, and reduced neuroinflammatory and apoptotic markers in the striatum, and the protective effects of VTX on both behavioral and biochemical aspects of HPD-induced OD were significantly reduced when trigonelline (TGN), an inhibitor of the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated pathway, was administered. These findings suggest that VTX provides neuroprotection against HPD-induced OD, potentially through the Nrf2 pathway, indicating its potential as a therapeutic candidate for the prevention or treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in clinical settings. However, further detailed research is required to confirm these preclinical findings and fully elucidate VTX’s therapeutic potential in human studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Human Health and Disease)
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37 pages, 4485 KiB  
Review
Therapeutic Potential of Prenylated Flavonoids of the Fabaceae Family in Medicinal Chemistry: An Updated Review
by Jaime Morante-Carriel, Hugo Nájera, Antonio Samper-Herrero, Suzana Živković, María José Martínez-Esteso, Ascensión Martínez-Márquez, Susana Sellés-Marchart, Anna Obrebska and Roque Bru-Martínez
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 13036; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252313036 - 4 Dec 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1383
Abstract
Much attention has been paid to the potential biological activities of prenylated flavonoids (PFs) in various plant families over the last decade. They have enormous potential for biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer’s, and neuroprotective activities. Medicinal chemists have recently [...] Read more.
Much attention has been paid to the potential biological activities of prenylated flavonoids (PFs) in various plant families over the last decade. They have enormous potential for biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer’s, and neuroprotective activities. Medicinal chemists have recently shown a strong interest in PFs, as they are critical to the development of new medicines. PFs have been rapidly prepared by isolation and semi- or full synthesis, demonstrating their significant utility in medicinal chemistry research. This study encompasses the research progress on PFs in the last decade, including their pharmacological activities in the Fabaceae family. This information demonstrates the bioactive potential of PF compounds and their role in the control and treatment of various human health problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Human Health and Disease)
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24 pages, 5556 KiB  
Review
Diterpenes: Nature’s Hidden Gems of Immunomodulation
by Josiane Elizabeth Almeida, André Correa de Oliveira, Carlos Eduardo de Castro Alves, Selino Monteiro Costa Filho, Elaine Cristina Pacheco de Oliveira, Juliana Pavan Zuliani and Gemilson Soares Pontes
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052250 - 3 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1342
Abstract
Natural products, especially specific metabolites found in many medicinal plants, exhibit extensive therapeutic potential due to their diverse biological characteristics. Among these compounds, diterpenes stand out for their active principles described in phytochemical studies. Diterpenes exhibit immunomodulatory effects by influencing the production of [...] Read more.
Natural products, especially specific metabolites found in many medicinal plants, exhibit extensive therapeutic potential due to their diverse biological characteristics. Among these compounds, diterpenes stand out for their active principles described in phytochemical studies. Diterpenes exhibit immunomodulatory effects by influencing the production of cytokines and other signaling molecules involved in the immune response. These actions contribute to achieving a more balanced immune profile. The ability to selectively and harmoniously modulate the immune response positions compounds derived from natural products is a promising research field in the development of immunomodulatory therapies. Due to the broad biological activities of diterpenes, the use of molecular docking emerges as a relevant tool for the quantitative screening of a large number of these substances. This review comprehensively examines the pharmacological potential of diterpenes in modulating the immune system. It highlights the existing experimental evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of these compounds as potential treatment for immune dysfunctions. Ultimately, this review aims to contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Human Health and Disease)
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14 pages, 6614 KiB  
Article
The Beneficial Effects of Ethanol Extract of the Microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum in Alcoholic Liver Disease
by Dae Yoon Kim, Seung Cheol Shin, Gab Jung Kim, Jae-In Eom, Cheol-Ho Han, Cheol-Ho Pan and Jae Kwon Lee
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3851; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083851 - 18 Apr 2025
Viewed by 255
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a condition resulting from liver damage linked to excessive drinking over a brief duration. It poses a significant public health challenge globally, with its prevalence and morbidity rising annually due to escalating rates of alcohol abuse, which adversely [...] Read more.
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a condition resulting from liver damage linked to excessive drinking over a brief duration. It poses a significant public health challenge globally, with its prevalence and morbidity rising annually due to escalating rates of alcohol abuse, which adversely affect human health. Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT), a diatom species of microalgae, is reported to possess active components that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. This study aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of PT extract on ALD. To address our purpose, we used ethanol diet induced live disease model. Mice fed an ethanol diet showed less weight gain and higher levels of AST and ALT compared to those fed a regular diet. PT extract suppressed the inhibition of weight gain and the increase in AST/ALT levels caused by an ethanol diet. In addition, PT extract also prevented liver tissue damage caused by an ethanol diet. Thus, the effect of PT on ALD was found to be related to the inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinases) phosphorylation and TNF-α production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Natural Bioactive Compounds on Human Health and Disease)
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