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Current Research in Antimicrobial Natural Products

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 (20 April 2025) | Viewed by 10735

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Food Science and Technology (ICTAL), La Serna 58, 24007 León, Spain
Interests: foodborne pathogens; microbiology of food; natural extract from palantas; propolis; bioactive compounds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There are several microorganisms which possess pathogenic traits. Due to the contamination of these pathogenic microorganisms, food safety is becoming a major concern on a global level. Annually, 33 million people are affected by foodborne illness across the globe. Many of the pathogenic microbes, on account of their exceptional surviving conditions, have a potential risk of surviving even after cleaning and sterilization processes. Therefore, they become a great risk of illness. In addition, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations carried out a study revealing that one-third (1.3 billion tons per year) of food production for human consumption is lost because of spoilage or waste. Although there is continuous development in food technology, the morbidity caused by foodborne illness, food loss, and biofilm formation are still prevailing, especially in developing countries. Both the health and economic sectors of countries worldwide suffer due to this threat. There is an increasing demand for natural compounds due to their efficacy against various microorganisms, and they are being considered as a safer option over synthetic ones. These products or compounds are obtained from different sources including bacteria, plants, animals, etc. All of them exert their action via certain mechanisms derived from their chemical composition and are considered helpful in the control of microorganisms and response to resistance to antibiotics.

The objective of this Special Issue of IJMS is to present the latest research on various aspects of natural antimicrobial products (bio-preservation) as strategies to control pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. Original research and review articles are invited.

Dr. Jose Javier Sanz-Gómez
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural products
  • chemical composition
  • spoilage microorganisms
  • pathogens
  • food preservatives
  • biofilms
  • safety assessment
  • clean label
  • antibiotics resistance

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 5151 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Determination of Cytotoxic Effects of Ten Essential Oils on Prototheca bovis, Which Causes Mastitis in Dairy Cows
by Maria Kuczyńska, Magdalena Kot, Marcin Stocki, Ewa Zapora, Tomasz Jagielski, Magdalena Perlińska-Teresiak and Aleksandra Kalińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(12), 5451; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26125451 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 331
Abstract
Mastitis is a common condition in dairy cattle that causes huge losses globally. The inflammation is caused by the invasion of the teat canal by pathogens, including hard-to-control single-cell microalgae of the genus Prototheca. The aim of the study was the in [...] Read more.
Mastitis is a common condition in dairy cattle that causes huge losses globally. The inflammation is caused by the invasion of the teat canal by pathogens, including hard-to-control single-cell microalgae of the genus Prototheca. The aim of the study was the in vitro comparison of the antimicrobial properties of 10 selected essential oils (EOs) and amphotericin B (AMB) against Prototheca bovis strains (PRO3 and PRO7) from different regions in Poland. The antialgal effect was estimated by using toxicity tests. The chemical composition of the EOs was determined by using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The tested EOs had significant cytotoxic effects on algal viability. A statistical analysis of the results revealed that the highest biocidal potential, at a concentration of 2%, was demonstrated by lavender, rosemary, and oregano oils, reducing the survival of the Prototheca bovis strains, on average, by 51.21%, 45.83%, and 45.15%, respectively. In comparison, AMB reduced algal viability by an average of 88% compared with the control groups. Further research into the utilization of the biocidal properties of lavender, rosemary, and oregano oil against Prototheca spp. may help to develop new forms of treatments against mastitis caused by this pathogen in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Antimicrobial Natural Products)
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21 pages, 4662 KiB  
Article
Regioselective and Stereoselective Synthesis of Parthenolide Analogs by Acyl Nitroso-Ene Reaction and Their Biological Evaluation against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
by Bruna Gioia, Francesca Ruggieri, Alexandre Biela, Valérie Landry, Pascal Roussel, Catherine Piveteau, Florence Leroux, Ruben C. Hartkoorn and Nicolas Willand
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(24), 17395; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242417395 - 12 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1731
Abstract
Historically, natural products have played a major role in the development of antibiotics. Their complex chemical structures and high polarity give them advantages in the drug discovery process. In the broad range of natural products, sesquiterpene lactones are interesting compounds because of their [...] Read more.
Historically, natural products have played a major role in the development of antibiotics. Their complex chemical structures and high polarity give them advantages in the drug discovery process. In the broad range of natural products, sesquiterpene lactones are interesting compounds because of their diverse biological activities, their high-polarity, and sp3-carbon-rich chemical structures. Parthenolide (PTL) is a natural compound isolated from Tanacetum parthenium, of the family of germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactones. In recent years, parthenolide has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, antimigraine, and anticancer properties. Recently, PTL has shown antibacterial activities, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. However, few studies are available on the potential antitubercular activities of parthenolide and its analogs. It has been demonstrated that parthenolide’s biological effects are linked to the reactivity of α-exo-methylene-γ-butyrolactone, which reacts with cysteine in targeted proteins via a Michael addition. In this work, we describe the ene reaction of acylnitroso intermediates with parthenolide leading to the regioselective and stereoselective synthesis of new derivatives and their biological evaluation. The addition of hydroxycarbamates and hydroxyureas led to original analogs with higher polarity and solubility than parthenolide. Through this synthetic route, the Michael acceptor motif was preserved and is thus believed to be involved in the selective activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Antimicrobial Natural Products)
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Review

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40 pages, 12153 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Activity of Arthrospira (Former Spirulina) and Dunaliella Related to Recognized Antimicrobial Bioactive Compounds
by Yana Ilieva, Maya Margaritova Zaharieva, Hristo Najdenski and Alexander Dimitrov Kroumov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(10), 5548; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25105548 - 19 May 2024
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5141
Abstract
With the increasing rate of the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon, natural products gain our attention as potential drug candidates. Apart from being used as nutraceuticals and for biotechnological purposes, microalgae and phytoplankton have well-recognized antimicrobial compounds and proved anti-infectious potential. In this review, we [...] Read more.
With the increasing rate of the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon, natural products gain our attention as potential drug candidates. Apart from being used as nutraceuticals and for biotechnological purposes, microalgae and phytoplankton have well-recognized antimicrobial compounds and proved anti-infectious potential. In this review, we comprehensively outline the antimicrobial activity of one genus of cyanobacteria (Arthrospira, formerly Spirulina) and of eukaryotic microalgae (Dunaliella). Both, especially Arthrospira, are mostly used as nutraceuticals and as a source of antioxidants for health supplements, cancer therapy and cosmetics. Their diverse bioactive compounds provide other bioactivities and potential for various medical applications. Their antibacterial and antifungal activity vary in a broad range and are strain specific. There are strains of Arthrospira platensis with very potent activity and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 2–15 µg/mL against bacterial fish pathogens including Bacillus and Vibrio spp. Arthrospira sp. has demonstrated an inhibition zone (IZ) of 50 mm against Staphylococcus aureus. Remarkable is the substantial amount of in vivo studies of Arthrospira showing it to be very promising for preventing vibriosis in shrimp and Helicobacter pylori infection and for wound healing. The innovative laser irradiation of the chlorophyll it releases can cause photodynamic destruction of bacteria. Dunaliella salina has exhibited MIC values lower than 300 µg/mL and an IZ value of 25.4 mm on different bacteria, while Dunaliella tertiolecta has demonstrated MIC values of 25 and 50 μg/mL against some Staphylococcus spp. These values fulfill the criteria for significant antimicrobial activity and sometimes are comparable or exceed the activity of the control antibiotics. The bioactive compounds which are responsible for that action are fatty acids including PUFAs, polysaccharides, glycosides, peptides, neophytadiene, etc. Cyanobacteria, such as Arthrospira, also particularly have antimicrobial flavonoids, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, quinones and some unique-to-them compounds, such as phycobiliproteins, polyhydroxybutyrate, the peptide microcystin, etc. These metabolites can be optimized by using stress factors in a two-step process of fermentation in closed photobioreactors (PBRs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Antimicrobial Natural Products)
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29 pages, 1249 KiB  
Review
Multiplicative Effects of Essential Oils and Other Active Components on Skin Tissue and Skin Cancers
by Hyeong Jae Kim and Jeong Hee Hong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(10), 5397; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25105397 - 15 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2652
Abstract
Naturally derived essential oils and their active components are known to possess various properties, ranging from anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer activities. Numerous types of essential oils and active components have been discovered, and their permissive roles have been addressed in various [...] Read more.
Naturally derived essential oils and their active components are known to possess various properties, ranging from anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancer activities. Numerous types of essential oils and active components have been discovered, and their permissive roles have been addressed in various fields. In this comprehensive review, we focused on the roles of essential oils and active components in skin diseases and cancers as discovered over the past three decades. In particular, we opted to highlight the effectiveness of essential oils and their active components in developing strategies against various skin diseases and skin cancers and to describe the effects of the identified essential-oil-derived major components from physiological and pathological perspectives. Overall, this review provides a basis for the development of novel therapies for skin diseases and cancers, especially melanoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Antimicrobial Natural Products)
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