Isolation, Structure Elucidation and Biological Activity of Natural Products

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products have always played an important role in understanding molecular and physiological phenomena and as models for the design of new drugs. Modern hyphenated analytical techniques, the improvement in structural elucidation tools and the monitoring of new metabolites by biological tests have allowed significant advances in the discovery of new classes of bioactive natural products. In addition, many known natural products have been re-investigated in silico to determine interactions with enzymes involved in chronic illnesses such as cancer and emerging diseases such as COVID-19.

Medicinal plants are a well-established source of secondary metabolites with complex chemical structures and numerous biological activities. The antimalarial artemisinin is a prominent example of the contribution of a plant-derived natural product to humankind. In turn, research on fungal metabolites has grown significantly in recent decades due to the evolution of metabolic regulation techniques. In particular, structural alterations of chromatin have been extensively explored for the production of cryptic metabolites through the activation or silencing of specific metabolic routes. New niches for the isolation of fungal strains have also been explored, such as the marine environment, drylands, mangroves, and Antarctica. Endophytic fungi have created their own place in history due to their creative biosynthesis and also due to their ability to produce metabolites that are biosynthesized by the host.

This Special Issue of Molecules is dedicated to original research articles employing innovative approaches during the isolation, identification, detection, and monitoring of secondary metabolites. Research addressing natural products from plants or fungi isolated from algae, lichens, insects, marine organisms, etc., and in silico studies of pharmacological applications and the synthesis of natural products and derivatives are highly welcome. Review articles critically addressing the advancements in the area of natural bioactive products are also welcome.

I hope that this Special Issue may contribute to showing the face of research in natural bioactive products today and become an important reference material for the scientific community. 

Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Aparecida Takahashi
Guest Editor

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