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Natural Bioactive Compounds: Therapeutic Potential in the Management of Chronic Diseases

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 787

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada
Interests: dietary antioxidants; phytochemicals; polyphenols; flavonoids and their derivatives; chemoprevention; molecular mechanisms of action; DNA damage signaling and DNA repair; postbiotics of polyphenols
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders, are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. These conditions often stem from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In recent years, natural bioactive compounds have gained significant attention for their therapeutic potential in preventing and managing chronic diseases. These compounds, derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms, exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties.

The therapeutic effects of natural bioactive compounds are largely attributed to their ability to modulate various biochemical and molecular pathways. Their key mechanisms include antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, modulation of gut microbiota, regulation of metabolism and intercellular signaling, induction of apoptosis of cancer cells, and regulation of immune responses. Natural bioactive compounds hold immense promises for the prevention and management of chronic diseases. By targeting multiple pathways, these compounds offer a holistic approach to health. However, translating their potential into effective therapies requires addressing challenges related to bioavailability, stability, and standardization.

 Original research and review articles are welcome to discuss the advancement of our knowledge within the prevention and therapeutic potential of natural bioactive compounds in the management of chronic diseases, the interaction of these compounds with gut microbiota, and approaches to enhance their stability, bioavailability, and bioefficacy.

Prof. Dr. H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • natural bioactives
  • phytochemicals
  • polyphenols
  • isoprenoids
  • alkaloids
  • bioactive lipids and peptides
  • prebiotics
  • postbiotics
  • chronic diseases
  • non-communicable diseases

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 1020 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Glucosinolates from Upcycled Cauliflower Using Response Surface Methodology
by Hana Derbew Gedif, Tess Astatkie, Joanna Tkaczewska and H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe
Molecules 2025, 30(11), 2326; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112326 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 580
Abstract
This study aimed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) process using food-grade ethanol to recover glucosinolates from upcycled cauliflower through response surface methodology. The optimized extraction process was compared with traditional extraction using maceration with solvents such as methanol and acetone. The optimum [...] Read more.
This study aimed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) process using food-grade ethanol to recover glucosinolates from upcycled cauliflower through response surface methodology. The optimized extraction process was compared with traditional extraction using maceration with solvents such as methanol and acetone. The optimum UAE conditions identified for extracting glucosinolates from upcycled cauliflower were: 42% ethanol as solvent at 43 °C for 30 min. The total glucosinolate content recovered was 7400 μg sinigrin equivalence (SE)/g dry weight (DW) of biomass. The ultra-pressure liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) analysis confirmed that the optimized UAE yielded the highest levels of glucoraphanin (1.31 ± 0.12 μg/g DW of biomass) and sulforaphane (28.2 ± 3.34 μg/g DW of biomass). The extracts possess greater antioxidant activity as determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power and DPPH radical scavenging activity. The optimized UAE process significantly enhanced the extraction of valuable phytochemical molecules from the upcycled cauliflower. Further studies should focus on evaluating their therapeutic and preventive potential for applications in nutrition and health. Full article
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