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Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects
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Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 7636

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francisco Les

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain
2. Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: pharmacology and pharmacy; pharmacognosy; ethnopharmacology; plant science; medicinal plants; food science; natural products; nutrition and dietetics; bioactive foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Marta Sofía Valero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Departamento de Farmacología, Fisiología y Medicina Legal y Forense, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
2. Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: smooth muscle physiology; natural products; antioxidant activity; herbal medicine; biological activities; ionic channels; digestive disorders; metabolic syndrome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. María Pilar Arruebo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Departamento de Farmacología, Fisiología y Medicina Legal y Forense, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
2. Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: digestive pathophysiology; gastrointestinal motility; smooth muscle physiology; natural products; antioxidant activity; intestinal microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Products of natural origin are derived from plants, minerals, animals, or microorganisms. Nature has been a source of active ingredients, from ancient times to the present day. In addition, there is currently a tendency to use this type of more natural substances.

Natural products, especially those from plants, have attracted significant interest since their composition contains compounds with interesting bioactive properties for health. It is therefore essential to understand and explore the chemical composition of these natural products in order to be able to elucidate the molecules responsible for biological activity. In addition, it is also important to know the interactions of cellular molecules that carry out the biological processes essential for the cell's functions and maintenance.

We are pleased to invite you to present original research and review articles on new advancements in the development and application of natural products.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to the knowledge of different substances of natural origin in their chemical composition and potential biological activities.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Francisco Les
Prof. Dr. Marta Sofía Valero
Prof. Dr. María Pilar Arruebo
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

  • bioactive compounds
  • polyphenols
  • antioxidants
  • natural products
  • phytochemicals
  • molecular research
  • chemical composition
  • therapeutic targets
  • action mechanisms

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 18252 KiB  
Article
Amelioration of Inflammation in Rats with Experimentally Induced Asthma by Spenceria ramalana Trimen Polyphenols via the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
by Zhaobin Xia, Xing Zhao, Lu Wang, Lin Huang, Yanwen Yang, Xiangyu Yin, Luyu He, Yuebumo Aga, Ankaer Kahaer, Shiyu Yang, Lili Hao and Chaoxi Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010165 - 28 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1188
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that affects millions globally and poses a serious public health challenge. Current therapeutic strategies, including corticosteroids, are constrained by variable patient responses and adverse effects. In this study, a polyphenolic extract derived from the Tibetan medicinal [...] Read more.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory respiratory disease that affects millions globally and poses a serious public health challenge. Current therapeutic strategies, including corticosteroids, are constrained by variable patient responses and adverse effects. In this study, a polyphenolic extract derived from the Tibetan medicinal plant Spenceria ramalana Trimen (SRT) was employed and shown to improve experimentally (ovalbumin + cigarette smoke, OVA + CS) induced asthma in rats. Initially, the potential therapeutic mechanism of the polyphenolic components in SRT on OVA + CS-induced asthma was predicated by network pharmacology analysis. Subsequently, in vivo experiments identified that SRT polyphenols exhibit significant anti-asthmatic activities, primarily mediated by lowering inflammatory cell counts such as the WBC (white blood cell), eosinophils, and neutrophils, decreasing the expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α), alleviating lung histological damage (reduced inflammation, collagen deposition, and mucus secretion), and enhancing the epithelial barrier integrity (upregulation of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1). Additionally, SRT polyphenols downregulated the PI3K/Akt (Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B) signaling pathway, improved gut microbiota disruption, and regulated fecal metabolites (glucose-6-glutamate, PS (16:0/0:0), 8-aminocaprylic acid, galactonic acid, Ascr#10, 2,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydroxyheptanoic acid, phosphodimethylethanolamine, muramic acid, 9-oxohexadeca-10e-enoic acid, and sedoheptulose) in asthmatic rats. In conclusion, SRT polyphenols exerted multifaceted protective effects against OVA + CS-induced asthma in rats, highlighting their potential value in preventing asthma via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects)
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14 pages, 2018 KiB  
Article
Interaction of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) Matrix Protein with Resveratrol Shows Antiviral Effect
by Thaina Rodrigues, Jefferson de Souza Busso, Raphael Vinicius Rodrigues Dias, Isabella Ottenio Lourenço, Jessica Maróstica de Sa, Sidney Jurado de Carvalho, Icaro Putinhon Caruso, Fatima Pereira de Souza and Marcelo Andres Fossey
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12790; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312790 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 945
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) matrix protein plays key roles in the virus life cycle and is essential for budding, as it stimulates the optimal membrane curvature necessary for the emergence of viral particles. Resveratrol, a polyphenol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) produced by plants, exhibits pharmacological [...] Read more.
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) matrix protein plays key roles in the virus life cycle and is essential for budding, as it stimulates the optimal membrane curvature necessary for the emergence of viral particles. Resveratrol, a polyphenol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) produced by plants, exhibits pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. In this study, resveratrol was tested in HEp-2 (Epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx cell) cells for its post-infection effects, and recombinant M protein was produced to characterize the biophysical mechanisms underlying this interaction. The CC50 (Cytotoxic concentration 50%) value for resveratrol was determined to be 297 μM over 48 h, and the results from the HEp-2 cell cultures demonstrated a viral inhibition of 42.7% in the presence of resveratrol, with an EC50 (Half maximal effective concentration) of 44.26 μM. This mechanism may occur through interaction with the M protein responsible for the budding of mature viral particles. Biophysical assays enabled us to characterize the interaction of the M/resveratrol complex as an entropically driven bond, guided by hydrophobic interactions at the dimerization interface of the M protein, which is essential for the stabilization and formation of the oligomers necessary for viral budding. These findings suggest that one of the targets for resveratrol binding is the M protein, indicating a potential site for blocking the progression of the infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects)
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12 pages, 4938 KiB  
Article
An Ingenane-Type Diterpene from Euphorbia kansui Promoted Cell Apoptosis and Macrophage Polarization via the Regulation of PKC Signaling Pathways
by Xiaoyi Feng, Lizhong Wang, Li Pu, Jianchun Li, Hongmei Li, Dan Liu and Rongtao Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10123; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810123 - 20 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1129
Abstract
Euphorbia kansui, a toxic Chinese medicine used for more than 2000 years, has the effect of “purging water to promote drinking” and “reducing swelling and dispersing modules”. Diterpenes and triterpenes are the main bioactive components of E. kansui. Among them, ingenane-type [...] Read more.
Euphorbia kansui, a toxic Chinese medicine used for more than 2000 years, has the effect of “purging water to promote drinking” and “reducing swelling and dispersing modules”. Diterpenes and triterpenes are the main bioactive components of E. kansui. Among them, ingenane-type diterpenes have multiple biological activities as a protein kinase C δ (PKC-δ) activator, which have previously been shown to promote anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in several human cancer cell lines. However, the activation of PKC subsequently promoted the survival of macrophages. Recently, we found that 13-hydroxyingenol-3-(2,3-dimethylbutanoate)-13-dodecanoate (compound A) from E. kansui showed dual bioactivity, including the inhibition of tumor-cell-line proliferation and regulation of macrophage polarization. This study identifies the possible mechanism of compound A in regulating the polarization state of macrophages, by regulating PKC-δ-extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK) signaling pathways to exert anti-tumor immunity effects in vitro, which might provide a new treatment method from the perspective of immune cell regulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects)
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21 pages, 2496 KiB  
Article
Inhibition of Cancer Stem-like Cells by Curcumin and Other Polyphenol Derivatives in MDA-MB-231 TNBC Cells
by Maria Ros, Gerard Riesco-Llach, Emma Polonio-Alcalá, Pere Miquel Morla-Barcelo, Santiago Ruiz-Martínez, Lidia Feliu, Marta Planas and Teresa Puig
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7446; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137446 - 6 Jul 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2775
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15% of all breast cancers and is highly aggressive. Despite an initial positive response to chemotherapy, most patients experience rapid disease progression leading to relapse and metastasis. This is attributed to the presence of breast cancer stem [...] Read more.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15% of all breast cancers and is highly aggressive. Despite an initial positive response to chemotherapy, most patients experience rapid disease progression leading to relapse and metastasis. This is attributed to the presence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) within the tumor, which are characterized by self-renewal, pluripotency, and resistance mechanisms. Targeting BCSCs has become critical as conventional therapies fail to eradicate them due to a lack of specific targets. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), exhibits anticancer effects against breast cancer cells and BCSCs. The use of curcumin derivatives has been suggested as an approach to overcome the bioavailability and solubility problems of curcumin in humans, thereby increasing its anticancer effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular and molecular effects of six synthetic compounds derived from the natural polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (TL1, TL2) and curcumin derivatives (TL3, TL4, TL5, and TL6) on a TNBC mesenchymal stem-like cell line. The activity of the compounds against BCSCs was also determined by a mammosphere inhibition assay and studying different BCSC markers by Western blotting. Finally, a drug combination assay was performed with the most promising compounds to evaluate their potential synergistic effects with the chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. The results showed that compounds exhibited specific cytotoxicity against the TNBC cell line and BCSCs. Interestingly, the combination of the curcumin derivative TL3 with doxorubicin and cisplatin displayed a synergistic effect in TNBC cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects)
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Review

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22 pages, 1223 KiB  
Review
Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC.: Back in Our Pantries? A Review of Its Pharmacological Activity and Mechanisms of Action
by Marta Sofía Valero, Carlota Gómez-Rincón, Víctor López and Francisco Les
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2536; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062536 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 370
Abstract
Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., commonly known in Spain as “Rock Tea”, is a medicinal plant native to the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Morocco. It has traditionally been used as a digestive, analgesic, antimicrobial, antidepressant, or for respiratory diseases. This narrative review aims [...] Read more.
Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., commonly known in Spain as “Rock Tea”, is a medicinal plant native to the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Morocco. It has traditionally been used as a digestive, analgesic, antimicrobial, antidepressant, or for respiratory diseases. This narrative review aims to scientifically validate the ethnopharmacological uses of J. glutinosa as a medicinal plant, emphasizing the relationship between its traditional applications, pharmacological activities, and mechanisms of action based on experimental evidence. A comprehensive search was conducted in various electronic databases to gather information on its traditional uses, phytochemical composition, and in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies related to pharmacological properties. The literature review uncovered significant findings regarding the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms of this medicinal plant in various experimental models, particularly highlighting its spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances of Natural Products in Chemical and Biological Aspects)
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