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New Research on the Biological Activities of Natural Components and Their Application

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: closed (31 July 2025) | Viewed by 802

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Science, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
Interests: biological activity of phytochemicals and phytonutrients; genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in vitro; organization and evolution of higher plant genomes: polyploidy, repetitive and mobile DNA sequences; molecular basis of bacterial resistance to antibiotics; genetics and molecular phylogeny of invasive species

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants, as a source of natural compounds, have been used by humans for centuries. Traditional and medicinal plants play an important role in the treatment of various diseases due to the biologically active compounds (volatile and non-volatile compounds) they contain. Plants are not only an indispensable part of the daily diet but can also provide numerous other benefits (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory potential). The development of modern science has led to the emergence of new, synthetic substances that have largely replaced substances of natural origin. This has occurred due to their effectiveness and rapid action, as well as the need for standardized preparations. Despite the undisputed role played by synthetic preparations, such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides and cosmetics, plants are still an undiscovered source of bioactive compounds whose potential should not be underestimated. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather as much scientific knowledge as possible about the bioactive components of plants and to investigate a broad spectrum of biological activity. New scientific studies on medicinal plants that are rich in bioactive compounds should shed more light on their health benefits and potential applications in various industries.

This Special Issue is led by Prof. Dr. Željana Fredotović and assisted by Dr. Ivana Vrca (Faculty of Science, University of Split).

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Željana Fredotović
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural compounds
  • traditional and medicinal plants
  • biological activities

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2393 KB  
Article
α-Cyclodextrin/Moringin Impacts Actin Cytoskeleton Dynamics with Potential Implications for Synaptic Organization: A Preliminary Transcriptomic Study in NSC-34 Motor Neurons
by Agnese Gugliandolo, Luigi Chiricosta, Gabriella Calì, Patrick Rollin, Daniele Perenzoni, Renato Iori, Emanuela Mazzon and Simone D’Angiolini
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(17), 8220; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178220 - 24 Aug 2025
Abstract
α-Cyclodextrin/Moringin (α-CD/MOR) is an isothiocyanate showing neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. In this work, we studied in differentiated NSC-34 motor neurons cell line the molecular pathways activated following a treatment of 96 h with α-CD/MOR at different doses, namely 0.5, 5 and 10 μM. [...] Read more.
α-Cyclodextrin/Moringin (α-CD/MOR) is an isothiocyanate showing neuroprotective and antioxidant properties. In this work, we studied in differentiated NSC-34 motor neurons cell line the molecular pathways activated following a treatment of 96 h with α-CD/MOR at different doses, namely 0.5, 5 and 10 μM. Taking advantage of comparative transcriptomic analysis, we retrieved the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and we mapped DEGs to synaptic genes using the SynGO database. Then, we focused on the biological pathways in which they are involved. We observed that the prolonged treatment with α-CD/MOR significantly modulated biological processes and cellular components associated with synaptic organization. Interestingly, the KEGG pathway “Regulation of actin cytoskeleton” was overrepresented, alongside pathways related to synapses and axon guidance. Specifically, SPIA analysis indicated that the “Regulation of actin cytoskeleton” pathway was found to be activated with the highest dose of α-CD/MOR. Moreover, α-CD/MOR also modulated transcription factors involved in synaptic plasticity, such as Creb1. These results could indicate that α-CD/MOR can influence synaptic functions and organization, being involved in synaptic plasticity through the modulation of actin dynamics. Full article
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20 pages, 1547 KB  
Article
GC-MS-Identified Alkamides and Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory, Antibacterial, and Antioxidant Activities of Wild Acmella radicans
by Israel Hurtado-Díaz, Rubicela Teta-Talixtacta, Antonio Bernabé-Antonio, José Antonio Silva-Guzmán, María Crystal Columba-Palomares, Silvia Marquina-Bahena, Mariana Sánchez-Ramos and Francisco Cruz-Sosa
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(16), 7884; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26167884 - 15 Aug 2025
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Abstract
Acmella radicans, commonly known as the “toothache plant,” is traditionally attributed with medicinal properties, although few studies have validated its biological effects. In the present study, a chemical analysis of the wild plant was performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, [...] Read more.
Acmella radicans, commonly known as the “toothache plant,” is traditionally attributed with medicinal properties, although few studies have validated its biological effects. In the present study, a chemical analysis of the wild plant was performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial potential of ethanolic extracts from the roots (RE) and aerial parts (AE), as well as their respective fractions, was evaluated. The dichloromethane fractions of the aerial parts (DFAE) and root extracts (DFRE) at a concentration of 25 μg/mL demonstrated the highest inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production, reducing levels to 22.2 ± 1.9 and 22.2 ± 2.9 μM, respectively. Moreover, these fractions exhibited a notable inhibition of TNF-α production, lowering its concentration to 22.6 ± 3.3 pg/mL (DFAE) and 24.8 ± 5.3 pg/mL (DFRE) at 25 µg/mL. GC-MS chemical profiling revealed the presence of alkamides such as N-isobutyl-2E,6Z,8E-decatrienamide, N-(2-methylbutyl)-2E,6Z,8E-decatrienamide, and N-(2-phenylethyl)-2E,4Z-octadienamide in both root and aerial part extracts. The dichloromethane fractions showed a higher abundance of alkamides compared to the hexane fractions, suggesting that these compounds may be at least partially responsible for the observed anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, AE showed moderate activity against S. typhimurium and low activity against other bacteria, while RE was especially effective against a resistant strain of S. aureus, indicating an MIC of 31.25 μg/mL, likely due to its high content of alkamides, particularly spilanthol. Several fractions also inhibited bacteria such as P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. coli, possibly because of the presence of alkamides and compounds like β-amyrin. Full article
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