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Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—3rd Edition
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Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—3rd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 2576

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hsinjung Ho

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
Interests: renal diseases; oxidative stress; vitamins; glycemic response; mitochondrial function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue is a continuation of Volume I: “Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts” and Volume II: “Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—2nd Edition”

This Special Issue highlights the growing interest in active molecules found in plant extracts and their applications. Plant extracts are widely used in food, health supplements, and medicines due to the presence of natural nutrients and active compounds. The chemical composition and active molecules of plant extracts have been extensively researched, and active molecules such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, phenolic acids, and volatile oils have been detected. These bioactive molecules possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood pressure-lowering, and blood sugar-lowering properties, among others. Some extracts also have antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergic, and analgesic properties.

Overall, plant extracts and natural compounds have an abundance of promising bioactive substances that can benefit human health and well-being. We welcome submissions of original articles, reviews, and communications. Please note: Papers describing the effects of mixed extraction from a natural origin and substances without clear ingredients, such as complex prescriptions, crude extracts, and herbal mixtures, do not fall within the scope of IJMS. Therefore, the identification of the components is necessary.

Dr. Hsinjung Ho
Guest Editor

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 substances
  • plant chemistry
  • polysaccharides
  • flavonoids
  • alkaloids
  • saponins
  • terpenes
  • phenolic acids
  • volatile oils
  • antioxidant/anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer
  • blood pressure lowering
  • blood sugar lowering
  • antibacterial
  • antiviral
  • antiallergic

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 4678 KiB  
Article
Lanatoside C Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Human Prostate Cancer Cells Through the TNF/IL-17 Signaling Pathway
by Sisi Huang, Dongyan Huang, Yangtao Jin, Congcong Shao, Xin Su, Rongfu Yang, Juan Jiang and Jianhui Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2558; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062558 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 556
Abstract
Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among men globally, with limited therapeutic options for advanced and metastatic disease. The therapeutic potential of natural compounds has attracted increasing attention in cancer treatment. Lanatoside C (Lan C), a cardiac glycoside [...] Read more.
Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among men globally, with limited therapeutic options for advanced and metastatic disease. The therapeutic potential of natural compounds has attracted increasing attention in cancer treatment. Lanatoside C (Lan C), a cardiac glycoside derived from Digitalis lanata, has demonstrated promising anticancer activity across various cancer types. However, its role and mechanisms in prostate cancer remain underexplored. In this study, evidence shows that Lan C significantly inhibits the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, as demonstrated by reduced cell viability, suppressed colony formation, and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Additionally, Lan C promotes apoptosis and inhibits the migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. Mechanistically, transcriptomic analysis identified differentially expressed genes, which were further validated at both the mRNA and protein levels. Our findings suggest that Lan C exerts its effects by modulating the TNF/IL-17 signaling pathway, influencing the tumor microenvironment and regulating key processes involved in tumor progression, immune response, and apoptosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—3rd Edition)
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21 pages, 1387 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Immunomodulatory and Neuroprotective Properties of Nigella sativa Oil in Experimental Systemic and Neuroinflammation
by Anita Mihaylova, Nina Doncheva, Maria Vlasheva, Mariana Katsarova, Petya Gardjeva, Stela Dimitrova and Ilia Kostadinov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2235; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052235 - 2 Mar 2025
Viewed by 889
Abstract
Nigella sativa (NS) is a promising medicinal plant with diverse therapeutic properties. This study aimed to investigate the impact of NS oil (NSO) on memory functions in rats with LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-induced neuroinflammation, as well as its effect on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, [...] Read more.
Nigella sativa (NS) is a promising medicinal plant with diverse therapeutic properties. This study aimed to investigate the impact of NS oil (NSO) on memory functions in rats with LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-induced neuroinflammation, as well as its effect on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Male rats were divided into four groups: control, LPS-control, LPS+NSO 3 and 5 mL/kg. Neuroinflammation was induced by a single intraperitoneal LPS injection (2 mg/kg). The novel object recognition test (NORT) and Y-maze were used for the evaluation of memory processes. Recognition index (RI) and % spontaneous alteration (%SA) were registered, respectively. Blood samples for TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, BDNF, and NPY serum levels were taken. Thymoquinone, the active compound of the oil, was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. NSO administration resulted in an improvement in spatial and episodic memory, as evidenced by increased % SA and RI compared to LPS-control. Treatment with NSO led to a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and NPY, along with an increase in IL-10 and BDNF levels, when compared to LPS-control. In conclusion, NSO enhances BDNF production and regulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines release, which probably contributes to the observed cognitive improvement in animals with experimental neuroinflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—3rd Edition)
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17 pages, 4817 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Computational Investigation of the Target and Mechanisms of Gelsemium Alkaloids in the Central Nervous System
by Yunfan Wang, Zhijiang Yang, Tengxin Huang, Li Pan, Junjie Ding and Zhaoying Liu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031312 - 4 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 655
Abstract
Gelsemium has a long history of medicinal use but is also a poisonous plant. Some low-toxicity alkaloids in Gelsemium exhibit anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and other pharmacological effects; however, certain alkaloids in Gelsemium are highly toxic. Nevertheless, the molecular targets underlying the biological effects [...] Read more.
Gelsemium has a long history of medicinal use but is also a poisonous plant. Some low-toxicity alkaloids in Gelsemium exhibit anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and other pharmacological effects; however, certain alkaloids in Gelsemium are highly toxic. Nevertheless, the molecular targets underlying the biological effects of Gelsemium alkaloids remain poorly understood. We employed electrophysiological techniques and molecular modeling to examine the modulatory effects of Gelsemium alkaloids on inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors, as well as to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their molecular interactions. Our findings indicate that low-toxicity alkaloids primarily exert their pharmacological effects through actions on glycine receptors, with the binding site located at the orthosteric site between two α-subunits. Both highly toxic and low-toxicity alkaloids target GABAA receptors, using the β+/α− interface transmembrane structural domains as common binding sites. These results identify the targets through which Gelsemium alkaloids affect the central nervous system and predict the binding modes and key amino acids involved from a computational modeling perspective. However, further experimental validation through mutational studies is necessary to strengthen these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Natural Compounds and Plant Extracts—3rd Edition)
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