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Research on Chemical Composition and Activity of Natural Products, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1949

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vasil Aprilov Boulevard, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: natural product chemistry; bioactivity; chromatography; yeasts; plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute for Roses and Aromatic Plants, Agricultural Academy, 49 Osvobojdenie Blvd., 6100 Kazanlak, Bulgaria
Interests: essential oils; processing technology; distillation; extraction; chemistry of natural products; essential-oil-bearing plants; medicinal plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: food chemistry; functional foods; nutraceuticals; biologically active substances; extraction; secondary metabolites; antioxidants; polyphenols
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nature is an inexhaustible source of biologically active substances, and research related to them will always be relevant, regardless of whether new molecules are discovered or new activities of already known compounds are proven. For centuries, people have used the bounty of nature in the areas they inhabited, both for food and medicine. Today, borders have taken on another dimension, and the accumulated knowledge about the benefits of natural products is becoming available to many more people around the world. From an ecological point of view, it is extremely important to recover waste from agriculture and the food sector, which is a potential source of biologically important molecules. Modern science allows for the study of the metabolism of compounds of natural origin at the cellular level, modifying natural molecules in order to obtain derivatives with better activity or lower toxicity, and conducting in-depth research on a wide range of pharmacological effects.

Therefore, this Special Issue of Molecules aims to promote the latest advances in the isolation and identification of new molecules, the modification of known ones, and the demonstration of in vitro and in vivo activities of biologically active substances from terrestrial and marine plants and animals or microorganisms. Authors are encouraged to submit original articles or reviews.

Dr. Stela Dimitrova
Dr. Ana M. Dobreva
Prof. Dr. Petko Denev
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 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. 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

  • natural bioactive compounds
  • isolation and analysis
  • metabolism
  • in vitro and in vivo experiments
  • pharmacological study

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 5657 KB  
Article
A Pectin Polysaccharide from Arnebia szechenyi Kanitz and Its Digestion Product: Physicochemical Properties and Immunostimulatory and Antioxidant Activities
by Surina Bo, Peng Zhao, Sarangua Ochir, Huiwen Pang, Mu Dan, Wenming Bai, Man Zhang and Jingkun Lu
Molecules 2025, 30(19), 3852; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30193852 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 333
Abstract
The root of Arnebia szechenyi Kanitz, known as “Mongolia Zicao,” has been widely used in traditional Chinese and Mongolia medicine. Herein, we aimed to characterize a pectin polysaccharide extracted from A. szechenyi Kanitz root (ASP), elucidate its structure, and evaluate potential immunomodulatory activities [...] Read more.
The root of Arnebia szechenyi Kanitz, known as “Mongolia Zicao,” has been widely used in traditional Chinese and Mongolia medicine. Herein, we aimed to characterize a pectin polysaccharide extracted from A. szechenyi Kanitz root (ASP), elucidate its structure, and evaluate potential immunomodulatory activities through in vitro assays. Sugar composition analysis and high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) revealed that ASP is predominantly composed of GalA (45.44%), Gal (22.13%), and Ara (19.86%) with a homogenous molecular weight of 18.4 kD. ASP was identified as a typical pectin-like polysaccharide containing linear HG domains and potentially linked to complex branches with Ara and Glu residues. The monosaccharide analysis of the digestion product, D-ASP, supported this hypothesis. The Congo red test indicated the absence of a triple-helix structure in ASP and its digestion product D-ASP. ASP exhibited an irregular structure due to the branching fork, which disappeared after digestion, as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, ASP and D-ASP had certain antioxidant activities and significantly stimulated the release of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-a, NO), macrophage proliferation and phagocytic capability in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These findings outline the chemical and biological foundation for the development of novel drug candidates in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
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16 pages, 462 KB  
Article
Antihypertensive Effect of a Self-Microemulsifying System Obtained from an Ethanolic Extract of Heliopsis longipes Root in Spontaneously and L-NAME-Induced Hypertensive Rats
by Dailenys Marrero-Morfa, Beatriz A. Luz-Martínez, Francisco J. Luna-Vázquez, Carlos T. Quirino-Barreda, Isela Rojas-Molina, Martín García-Servín, Pedro A. Vázquez-Landaverde, Victoria Ruiz-Castillo, César Ibarra-Alvarado and Alejandra Rojas-Molina
Molecules 2025, 30(18), 3711; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30183711 - 12 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Arterial hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally. Previously, our research group has demonstrated that both organic extracts from Heliopsis longipes roots and affinin—its principal bioactive compound—induce vasodilation and exert antihypertensive effects in L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. [...] Read more.
Arterial hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally. Previously, our research group has demonstrated that both organic extracts from Heliopsis longipes roots and affinin—its principal bioactive compound—induce vasodilation and exert antihypertensive effects in L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. However, the poor water solubility of these extracts limits their oral administration and dosing. To address this limitation, a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (HL-SMDS) was developed from an ethanolic extract of H. longipes root to enhance its aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability. This study evaluated the antihypertensive efficacy of HL-SMDS in spontaneously hypertensive and L-NAME-induced hypertensive rat models, as well as its effects on endothelial reactivity. HL-SMDS significantly reduced systolic blood pressure in both models, demonstrating greater efficacy than the crude extract, likely due to improved solubility and systemic bioavailability of the active constituents. Moreover, HL-SMDS enhanced endothelial function in aortas from L-NAME-treated rats. These findings support the potential of HL-SMDS as a lipid-based phytopharmaceutical formulation that improves the oral bioavailability and antihypertensive effect of the ethanolic extract of H. longipes root. HL-SMDS offers a promising strategy for the development of phytopharmaceutical drugs to treat hypertension. Full article
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Review

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28 pages, 2183 KB  
Review
Salidroside: A Potential Drug Candidate to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Jiaying Guo, Shan Jiang, Mei Liu, Min Wang, Beibei Han, Ning Zhang, Yumei Liao, Yinhong Xiang, Jianxin Liu and Huifeng Sun
Molecules 2025, 30(19), 3865; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30193865 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 769
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a widespread autoimmune disease that significantly impacts the lives of RA patients. It is often typified as swelling and deformation of small joints, as well as systemic inflammation. Rhodiola rosea has been utilized for millennia to treat various ailments [...] Read more.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a widespread autoimmune disease that significantly impacts the lives of RA patients. It is often typified as swelling and deformation of small joints, as well as systemic inflammation. Rhodiola rosea has been utilized for millennia to treat various ailments and is known to contain numerous active compounds, including saponins, volatile oils, coumarins, and flavonoids. Recent studies have underscored the pivotal role of salidroside (SAL), a key constituent of Rhodiola rosea L. Modern research indicates that SAL has various pharmacological activities, such as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, and anti-cancer effects. Despite this, the pathogenesis of RA remains highly complex, and a notable lack exists in overview studies investigating the anti-RA mechanisms of SAL. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review the present research efforts on the anti-RA mechanisms of SAL and to explore future research prospects for this compound. Full article
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