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Molecules
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Bioactive Natural Products: Isolation, Modification, and Therapeutic Potential
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Bioactive Natural Products: Isolation, Modification, and Therapeutic Potential

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1901

Editors

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Wróblewska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Catalytic and Sorbent Materials Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
Interests: bioactive natural products and their applications natural products; plant extracts; biomass valorization; green extraction; chemical composition analysis (GC–MS); antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; drug delivery systems; cosmetic and therapeutic formulations; catalysis and functional materials heterogeneous catalysis; zeolites; mesoporous silica; catalyst synthesis; terpene transformations; selective oxidation and isomerization; bio-based feedstocks; natural catalysts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anna Fajdek-Bieda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medical Analytics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jakub’s from Paradyż Academy, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
Interests: natural bioactive compounds; green extraction methods; GC–MS analysis; antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; heterogeneous catalysis; porous materials (zeolites, mesoporous silica)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioactive natural products remain a cornerstone in the discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents. This Special Issue, entitled “Bioactive Natural Products: Isolation, Modification, and Therapeutic Potential”, highlights recent advances in the extraction, isolation, structural elucidation, and chemical modification of compounds derived from plants, microorganisms, and marine sources. Particular emphasis is placed on innovative, efficient, and sustainable methodologies, including green extraction techniques and environmentally friendly processing strategies, that enhance the yield, purity, and scalability of bioactive substances.

This Special Issue also focuses on the comprehensive biological evaluation of natural products and their derivatives, covering a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. Contributions addressing structure–activity relationships, mechanisms of action, and rational modification strategies aimed at improving bioavailability, stability, and selectivity are especially encouraged.

By integrating interdisciplinary approaches from chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and materials science, this Special Issue provides a platform for advancing the understanding of natural compounds from fundamental research to practical applications. It aims to offer a comprehensive overview of current trends and emerging directions in the field. Original research articles, reviews, and short communications are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Wróblewska
Dr. Anna Fajdek-Bieda
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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 products
  • extraction
  • isolation
  • chemical modification
  • pharmacological activity
  • structure–activity relationships
  • bioavailability
  • therapeutic potential

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 2734 KB  
Article
A Comparative Analysis of the Action Mechanisms of Cannabidiol, Cannabigerol, and Cannabinol in Human Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Lines
by Sahaphum Laprom, Boonya Shuntawiwat, Punyabhorn Rattanacheeworn, Yamaratee Jaisin, Kiattawee Choowongkomon and Papavee Samatiwat
Molecules 2026, 31(14), 2446; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31142446 - 13 Jul 2026
Viewed by 1574
Abstract
Background: Chemoresistance remains a major obstacle in managing cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The cannabis plant contains several phytocannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN), which exhibit anticancer properties. However, to the best of our knowledge, their effects on CCA have not been previously [...] Read more.
Background: Chemoresistance remains a major obstacle in managing cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The cannabis plant contains several phytocannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN), which exhibit anticancer properties. However, to the best of our knowledge, their effects on CCA have not been previously investigated. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of CBD, CBG, and CBN in CCA cells. Methods: KKU-100 and KKU-452 cells were treated with varying concentrations of CBD, CBG, and CBN for 24 and 48 h. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay, and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were calculated. KKU 452 cells were further analyzed for apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and Ki67 expression using flow cytometry. Proteomics profiling was performed to compare the effect of these cannabinoids with those of gefitinib and cisplatin. Results: Monotherapy with CBD, CBG, or CBN induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity at 24 and 48 h with lower IC50 values than those of cisplatin and comparable efficacy to that of gefitinib. At low doses, CBD, CBG, and CBN induced early apoptosis, while higher doses triggered late apoptosis. MMP loss increased by 2.5-, 4.9-, and 1.7-fold, respectively, after 6 h. Ki67, highly expressed in KKU-452 cells (Ki67-positive ratio = 3.16 ± 0.16), was significantly reduced after the cannabinoid treatment, with Ki67-positive ratios of 0.38 ± 0.22, 0.38 ± 0.13, and 0.32 ± 0.23 for CBD, CBG, and CBN, respectively. Proteomics analysis identified 2781 proteins affected by CBD, CBG, CBN, cisplatin, and gefitinib. All three cannabinoids downregulated key upstream regulatory proteins (LARP1, TFEB, and BCR). Similar patterns of LARP1 and TFEB downregulation were also observed with cisplatin and gefitinib. CBN showed the closest similarity to cisplatin, followed by gefitinib, by targeting CDK4/6 and PCGEM1 proteins. CBD and CBG exhibited the greatest similarity to each other, also influencing MASTL expression. Conclusions: CBD, CBG, and CBN exhibit potential anticancer activity in CCA by suppressing proliferation, reducing Ki67 expression, and inducing apoptosis through MMP disruption. The identification of shared molecular targets, including LARP1 and TFEB, provides new mechanistic insight and supports the potential development of cannabinoid-based therapeutic strategies for cholangiocarcinoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Natural Products: Isolation, Modification, and Therapeutic Potential)
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