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New Pharmacological Insights on Natural Macromolecules and Natural Small Molecules

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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: 25 April 2024 | Viewed by 8457

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Dong-Sung Lee

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Guest Editor

College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
Interests: inflammation; neuroinflammation; antioxidants; natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The molecules from natural products such as natural macromolecules, natural large molecules and natural small molecules are very valuable as important source materials for drug development. Natural macromolecules are widely used in various pharmacological applications such as pharmaceutical formulations, cell targeting and drug delivery systems. Natural macromolecules can be classified into proteins, carbohydrates, polysaccharides and nucleic acids according to their structural and physicochemical properties. Additionally, natural small molecules have played an important role in the experimental advances of organic chemistry and drug development. It has low molecular weight and includes lipids, monosaccharides, and other secondary metabolites. There are lots of natural small molecules that have proven pharmacological effects and are used as medicines. Natural macromolecules and natural small molecules are currently being researched as materials for pharmaceuticals in various fields and will become an even more important material for new drug development in the future. For these reasons, this Special Issue deals with natural macromolecules and natural small molecules obtained from different natural sources and provides insights on the chemistry, biological activities, biological nechanisms, and medical applications. We invite you to contribute your current work to this Special Issue as original research articles, review articles and short communications.

Dr. Dong-Sung Lee
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 natural molecules
natural macromolecules
natural small molecules
drug delivery
inflammatoty diseases
neurodegenerative diseases
skin diseases
cancer
metabolic diseases

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 2693 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Linderone Isolated from Lindera erythrocarpa Exerts Antioxidant and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects via NF-κB and Nrf2 Pathways in BV2 and HT22 Cells

by Zhiming Liu, Chi-Su Yoon, Hwan Lee, Hyeong-Kyu Lee and Dong-Sung Lee

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7569; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087569 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1184

Abstract

Linderone is a major compound in Lindera erythrocarpa and exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in BV2 cells. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of linderone action in BV2 and HT22 cells. Linderone suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, and prostaglandin E-2) in BV2 cells. Linderone treatment also inhibited the LPS-induced activation of p65 nuclear factor-kappa B, protecting against oxidative stress in glutamate-stimulated HT22 cells. Furthermore, linderone activated the translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and induces the expression of heme oxygenase-1. These findings provided a mechanistic explanation of the antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory effects of linderone. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of linderone in neuronal diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Pharmacological Insights on Natural Macromolecules and Natural Small Molecules)

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18 pages, 33998 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnoflorine from Berberis vulgaris Roots—Impact on Hippocampal Neurons in Mice after Short-Term Exposure

by Radosław Szalak, Małgorzata Matysek, Maryna Koval, Marcin Dziedzic, Edyta Kowalczuk-Vasilev, Marta Kruk-Slomka, Wojciech Koch, Marcin B. Arciszewski and Wirginia Kukula-Koch

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087166 - 12 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1349

Abstract

In search of novel potential drug candidates that could be used as treatments or prophylactics for memory impairment, an aporphine alkaloid magnoflorine (MAG) isolated from the root of Berberis vulgaris was proven to exhibit beneficial anti-amnestic properties. Its effects on immunoreactivity to parvalbumin in the mouse hippocampus were assessed together with a study on its safety and concentration in the brain and plasma. For this purpose, four experimental groups were created: the MAG10 group—treated with 10 mg MAG/kg b.w. i.p., the MAG20 group—treated with 20 mg MAG/kg b.w. i.p., the MAG50 group—treated with 50 mg MAG/kg b.w. i.p., and a control group—injected with saline i.p. at a volume corresponding to their weight. Our results indicated that the hippocampal fields CA1–CA3 were characterized by an elevated number of parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons (PV-IR) and nerve fibers in mice at the doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg b.w. (i.p.). No significant changes to the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 or TNF-α were observed for the above two doses; however, the administration of 50 mg/kg b.w. i.p. caused a statistically significant elevation of IL-6, IL-1beta plasma levels and an insignificant raise in the TNF-alpha value. The HPLC–MS analysis showed that the alkaloid’s content in the brain structures in the group treated with 50 mg/kg b.w. did not increase proportionally with the administered dose. The obtained results show that MAG is able to influence the immunoreactivity to PV-IR in hippocampal neurons and might act as a neuroprotective compound. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Pharmacological Insights on Natural Macromolecules and Natural Small Molecules)

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20 pages, 1332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proximate Analysis of Moringa oleifera Leaves and the Antimicrobial Activities of Successive Leaf Ethanolic and Aqueous Extracts Compared with Green Chemically Synthesized Ag-NPs and Crude Aqueous Extract against Some Pathogens

by Mostafa Ahmed, Diaa Attia Marrez, Nadia Mohamed Abdelmoeen, Ebtesam Abdelmoneem Mahmoud, Mohamed Abdel-Shakur Ali, Kincső Decsi and Zoltán Tóth

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043529 - 09 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2634

Abstract

Research on the use of different parts of the Moringa oleifera plant as a nutritional and pharmaceutical resource for human and animals has increased in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and the TPCs and TFCs of Moringa leaves, the antimicrobial activities of Moringa successive ethanolic, aqueous, crude aqueous extracts, and green-chemically synthesized characterized Ag-NPs. The results indicated that the ethanolic extract recorded the highest activity against E. coli. On the other side, the aqueous extract showed higher activity, and its effects ranged from 0.03 to 0.33 mg/mL against different strains. The MIC values of Moringa Ag-NPs against different pathogenic bacteria ranged from 0.05 mg/mL to 0.13 mg/mL, and the activity of the crude aqueous extract ranged from 0.15 to 0.83 mg/mL. For the antifungal activity, the ethanolic extract recorded the highest activity at 0.04 mg/mL, and the lowest activity was recorded at 0.42 mg/mL. However, the aqueous extract showed effects ranging from 0.42 to 1.17 mg/mL. Moringa Ag-NPs showed higher activity against the different fungal strains than the crude aqueous extract, and they ranged from 0.25 to 0.83 mg/mL. The MIC values of the Moringa crude aqueous extract ranged from 0.74 to 3.33 mg/mL. Moringa Ag-NPs and their crude aqueous extract may be utilized to boost antimicrobial attributes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Pharmacological Insights on Natural Macromolecules and Natural Small Molecules)

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Review

Jump to: Research

17 pages, 2407 KiB

Open AccessReview

Natural Products as the Potential to Improve Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

by Sung Wook Kim, Jun Ho Lee, Bumjung Kim, Gabsik Yang and Jong Uk Kim

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8827; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108827 - 16 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2161

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases in the world, and their incidence rates are increasing as our society ages. This creates a significant social and economic burden. Although the exact cause and treatment methods for these diseases are not yet known, research suggests that Alzheimer’s disease is caused by amyloid precursor protein, while α-synuclein acts as a causative agent in Parkinson’s disease. The accumulation of abnormal proteins such as these can lead to symptoms such as loss of protein homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation, which ultimately result in the death of nerve cells and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The medications currently available for these diseases only delay their progression and have many adverse effects, which has led to increased interest in developing natural products with fewer adverse effects. In this study, we selected specific keywords and thesis content to investigate natural products that are effective in treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. We reviewed 16 papers on natural products and found that they showed promising mechanisms of action such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mitochondrial function improvement. Other natural products with similar properties could also be considered potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, and they can be consumed as part of a healthy diet rather than as medicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Pharmacological Insights on Natural Macromolecules and Natural Small Molecules)

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