Exploring the Antioxidant Activity of Natural Extracts: New Findings and Potential Food- and Non-Food-Related Applications
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 March 2026 | Viewed by 300
Special Issue Editor
Interests: phytochemistry; materials science; applications in agriculture and food; antifouling; resin extraction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plants have long been recognized for their medicinal properties, with antioxidants playing a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative stress and related diseases, acting as radical scavengers. Antioxidants, particularly those derived from plant extracts, have gained significant attention due to their potential to mitigate these harmful effects and promote overall health. However, over the last decade, potential antioxidant sources have expanded, including algae, shells, milk, fish, fungi, and more.
Recent scientific advancements have focused on identifying and utilizing plant-derived antioxidants to enhance health and develop novel therapeutic applications. Studies have demonstrated that bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids found in plant extracts exhibit strong antioxidant properties, making them valuable candidates for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food preservation applications. The exploration of antioxidant activity in plant extracts offers a promising avenue for understanding their potential benefits in disease prevention and sustainable healthcare solutions. However, many of their potential applications lie outside of the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields, such as food preservation, cosmetics, packaging, antifouling protection, etc.
The Special Issue "Exploring the Antioxidant Activity of Natural Extracts: New Findings and Potential Food- and Non-Food-Related Applications" aims to advance the understanding of natural antioxidants derived from plant, microbial, and other biological sources. This issue will focus on identifying novel antioxidant compounds, optimizing extraction techniques, and evaluating their effectiveness in various applications. By highlighting both food-related and non-food-related uses, the issue seeks to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and materials science. It presents the collection of the most recent findings in plants with extreme antioxidant content, also known as superfruits, best growth management practices correlated with the antioxidant yield from such fruits, innovating extraction and processing techniques and industrial technologies, nanotechnology polymeric and antifouling coatings with antioxidants incorporated, their use in environmental protection, and many other topics.
Molecules is an international, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to chemistry and its interdisciplinary applications. Its scope includes organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, natural products chemistry, materials science, and analytical chemistry. This Special Issue aligns with the journal’s scope by emphasizing the chemical characterization, bioactivity, and technological applications of antioxidant molecules. Given the journal’s commitment to publishing cutting-edge research, this issue will contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms and industrial potential of natural antioxidants.
By bridging fundamental research with applied science, this issue aims to accelerate the development of sustainable solutions utilizing natural antioxidants, fostering advancements across multiple disciplines.
As a part of this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Plant sources of antioxidants and best growth practices correlated with antioxidant yield
- Superfruits and specialty crops for antioxidant extraction
- Extraction and processing methods that preserve antioxidants
- Proof of health benefits brought about by antioxidants. Examples: anti-obesity, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-viral activities, etc.
- Food processing to create products rich in antioxidants
- Non-food-related applications of antioxidants. Examples: antifouling protection, immune boosters for other plants, and conductive elements of batteries
- New biomedical applications of antioxidants
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Victoria V. Volkis
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- natural antioxidants
- superfruits
- specialty crops
- polyphenols
- flavonoids
- tannins
- anthocyanins
- carotenoids
- vitamins
- phytochemistry
- extraction techniques
- processing
- functional food
- sustainable technology
- technical applications
- antifouling
- obesity
- inflammation
- diabetes
- cosmetics
- pharmaceuticals
- environmental protection
- material science
- radical scavenging
- nutraceuticals
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