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Sustainable Bioactives from Plants: From Molecular Function to Fermentation
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Sustainable Bioactives from Plants: From Molecular Function to Fermentation

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: 10 October 2026 | Viewed by 569

Editors

Dr. Zofia Nizioł–Łukaszewska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Technology of Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Products, Medical College, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Sucharskiego 2, 35-225 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: bioactive compounds; plant extracts; cosmetic application; natural antioxidants; bioferments; skin cells
Dr. Martyna Zagórska-Dziok

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Technology of Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Products, Medical College, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Sucharskiego 2, 35-225 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: plant-based waste materials; plant extracts; agro-industrial by-products; green extraction technologies; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity; biomaterials; antimicrobial and anti-ageing activity of plant extracts; bio-based cosmetic ingredients; plant bioferments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-derived raw materials constitute an important source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and skin-related functional properties. Current research focuses on understanding the molecular basis of their activity, including their effects on oxidative stress pathways, inflammation-related signaling, and the regulation of gene and protein expression.

The scope of plant-based studies today includes both traditionally used botanical materials and underutilized plant resources, such as agricultural residues and agro-industrial by-products. These materials represent valuable reservoirs of functional molecules and support sustainable sourcing strategies. Fermentation and microbial biotransformation are increasingly applied to modify plant substrates, enhancing the stability, bioavailability, and biological efficacy of phytochemicals, as well as generating novel metabolites with improved functional properties.

This Special Issue aims to present recent research on the molecular profiling, functional evaluation, and sustainable processing of plant extracts and fermented plant ingredients. We welcome original research and review articles addressing biological activity, mechanisms of action, microbiological characterization, green extraction technologies, and fermentation-based approaches.

Dr. Zofia Nizioł–Łukaszewska
Dr. Martyna Zagórska-Dziok
Guest Editors

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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-anonymized 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.

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Keywords

  • agro-industrial by-products
  • plant-based waste materials
  • microbial fermentation
  • biotransformation
  • molecular characterization
  • phytochemical profiling
  • anti-aging activity
  • dermatological applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 838 KB  
Article
Organ-Specific Phenolic Profiling and Integrated Antioxidant Evaluation of Cicer isauricum by LC–ESI–MS/MS and Multi-Assay Approach
by Salih Akca and Bedrettin Selvi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(13), 5850; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135850 - 29 Jun 2026
Viewed by 158
Abstract
This study presents an integrated evaluation of the organ-specific phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of Cicer isauricum. Extracts obtained from leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed using liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) and multiple in vitro antioxidant assays. LC–MS/MS analysis [...] Read more.
This study presents an integrated evaluation of the organ-specific phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of Cicer isauricum. Extracts obtained from leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed using liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) and multiple in vitro antioxidant assays. LC–MS/MS analysis revealed a distinct organ-dependent distribution of phenolic compounds. Stem extracts were characterized by high levels of hyperoside (2227.97 µg/g extract), luteolin (298.22 µg/g), and eriodictyol (434.03 µg/g), while leaves were rich in hyperoside (1162.42 µg/g), hesperidin (459.40 µg/g) and kaempferol (182.88 µg/g). Root extracts were dominated by flavan-3-ols, particularly (+)-catechin (355.93 µg/g) and (–)-epicatechin (59.58 µg/g), indicating a differentiated metabolic profile. Antioxidant assays, including cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays, demonstrated that root extracts exhibited the strongest activity, with the lowest IC50 values (DPPH: 4.15 mg/mL; ABTS: 1.41 mg/mL) and highest reducing power (FRAP EC50: 0.41 mg/mL; CUPRAC EC50: 1.78 mg/mL). Correlation analysis confirmed strong associations between total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, while compound-level evaluation highlighted flavan-3-ols as major contributors. These findings identify roots of C. isauricum as a promising source of natural antioxidants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioactives from Plants: From Molecular Function to Fermentation)
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32 pages, 3931 KB  
Article
Kombucha-Mediated Fermentation Enhances Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Ageing and Antimicrobial Properties of Fruit Tree Leaf Agro-Waste Extracts from Malus domestica, Prunus armeniaca and Prunus cerasus
by Martyna Zagórska-Dziok, Aleksandra Ziemlewska, Zofia Nizioł-Łukaszewska, Agnieszka Mokrzyńska, Magdalena Wójciak, Justyna Zagórska and Ireneusz Sowa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(12), 5328; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125328 - 12 Jun 2026
Viewed by 208
Abstract
Fruit tree leaves are an abundant agro-waste material with promising yet underexplored biological potential. This study compared the biological activity of aqueous extracts obtained from apple (Malus domestica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), and cherry (Prunus cerasus) leaves and [...] Read more.
Fruit tree leaves are an abundant agro-waste material with promising yet underexplored biological potential. This study compared the biological activity of aqueous extracts obtained from apple (Malus domestica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), and cherry (Prunus cerasus) leaves and their kombucha-fermented counterparts in the context of cosmetic and dermatological applications. Phytochemical composition before and after fermentation was analyzed chromatographically. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, while intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in keratinocytes and fibroblasts were assessed using the H2DCFDA probe. Cytotoxicity was determined by Alamar Blue and Neutral Red assays. Antimicrobial activity against seven bacterial strains was investigated using minimum inhibitory concentration and disc diffusion methods. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells by measuring TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels using ELISA. The influence of the samples on collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase activity was also analyzed. Fermentation increased the content of selected phenolic compounds and enhanced antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing properties. Ferments more effectively reduced oxidative stress in skin cells and showed no cytotoxicity within the tested concentration range. These findings indicate that kombucha fermentation may support the valorization of fruit tree leaf agro-waste as multifunctional ingredients for skincare formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioactives from Plants: From Molecular Function to Fermentation)
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