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Recent Advances in Medicinal Plants and Natural Products: Second Edition

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: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 366

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Interests: human nutritional patterns and nutritional status; functional (health-related) effects of natural food components on different metabolism factors and gene expressions; contaminants in food products and their effect on health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka 122, 30-149 Krakow, Poland
Interests: human nutrition; dietetics; brassica vegetables; nutrients; non-essential nutrients; vitamin C; β-carotene; total polyphenols; chemical contaminants; antioxidant activity; nutritive value; starch digestibility; vegetables; iodine absorption; chemical analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Recent Advances in Medicinal Plants and Natural Products: Second Edition”, aims to explore the latest research and innovations in the field of natural medicine. By highlighting groundbreaking studies and discoveries, we aim to showcase the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and natural compounds, along with their potential applications in various industries, such as food production.

This Special Issue will cover a wide range of topics, including the identification of novel bioactive substances, advancements in extraction and analysis techniques, and the development of plant-based treatments for various diseases. Contributions from leading experts will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the medicinal properties of natural products, fostering a deeper understanding of their role in modern healthcare and promoting wellbeing. This Special Issue also aims to serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to the advancement of natural medicine and its integration into contemporary medical practices. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses assessing recent advances in medicinal plants and natural products are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Teresa Leszczyńska
Prof. Dr. Barbara Borczak
Prof. Dr. Joanna Kapusta-Duch
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • medicinal plants
  • natural products
  • phytochemistry
  • bioactive substances
  • medicinal properties

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 3210 KB  
Article
Active Fraction of Tillandsia usneoides Induces Structural Neuroplasticity in Cortical Neuron Cultures from Wistar Rats
by Wilson Leonardo Villarreal Romero, Jhon J. Sutachan, Geison Modesti Costa and Sonia Luz Albarracín
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(23), 11668; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311668 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 210
Abstract
Neuroplasticity refers to the nervous system’s ability to modify its structure and function in response to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. Impairments in this capacity are associated with various neurological disorders, underscoring the need for therapies that preserve or enhance neuronal plasticity. Medicinal plants [...] Read more.
Neuroplasticity refers to the nervous system’s ability to modify its structure and function in response to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. Impairments in this capacity are associated with various neurological disorders, underscoring the need for therapies that preserve or enhance neuronal plasticity. Medicinal plants offer a promising source of bioactive compounds with neuroplastic properties and neuroprotective potential. In this work, we report the chemical and neuroplastic properties of Tillandsia usneoides, a medicinal native plant from America. Ethanolic extracts (EtOH) of leaves and stems, along with subfractionated ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and hydroethanolic (H2O:EtOH) extracts, were analyzed using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Diode Array Detector (UPLC-DAD), revealing the presence of 14 phenolic acids, 6 flavonoids, and triterpene. Additionally, functional analysis using Sholl analysis showed that the EtOAc fraction of Tillandsia usneoides significantly enhanced structural plasticity in vitro, increasing both dendritic branching and dendrite length at concentrations between 0.03 and 1 μg mL−1, likely through the activation PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Together, our results suggest that Tillandsia usneoides contains bioactive polar metabolites capable of inducing neuronal structural plasticity. Full article
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