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Natural Products in Italy
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Natural Products in Italy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2021) | Viewed by 16488

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Maria Carla Marcotullio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: plant extract analysis; bioactive natural compounds; natural product isolation and characterization; NMR spectroscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Primary and secondary metabolites from plants, microorganisms, and animals still offer a wide field of investigation for researchers. The study of natural products is multidisciplinary and involves different experties (chemistry, phytochemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, botany, microbiology, etc.) that can contribute to better elucidate natural products’ role. The Italian flora is represented by many autochthnous and non-native and exotic, but naturalized, species. These plants, together with terrestrial or marine organisms, offer many research opportunities.

This Special Issue aims to illustrate the most recent and pertinent developments in natural product research, involving both Italian scientists’ research and foreign researchers’ studies of Italian terrestrial and marine organisms. Such an issue would be of great interest to researchers working in different fields, such as natural product chemistry, phytochemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology, pharmacognosy, botany, etc., particularly on Italian plants and organisms.

Prof. Maria Carla Marcotullio
Guest Editor

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

  • Bioactive natural compounds
  • Plant natural compounds
  • Marine natural compounds
  • Natural compounds from microorganisms and fungi
  • Isolation and structure elucidation
  • Natural product analysis

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1166 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Characterization and In Vitro Antioxidant Properties of Four Brassica Wild Species from Italy
by Valentina Picchi, Roberto Lo Scalzo, Aldo Tava, Filippo Doria, Sergio Argento, Stefania Toscano, Simone Treccarichi and Ferdinando Branca
Molecules 2020, 25(15), 3495; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153495 - 31 Jul 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2712
Abstract
In the present study, we evaluated for the first time the variability of antioxidant traits of four Brassica wild species: B. incana, B. macrocarpa, B. villosa, and B. rupestris. The content of the main water-soluble antioxidants (phenolics, ascorbic acid, [...] Read more.
In the present study, we evaluated for the first time the variability of antioxidant traits of four Brassica wild species: B. incana, B. macrocarpa, B. villosa, and B. rupestris. The content of the main water-soluble antioxidants (phenolics, ascorbic acid, and total biothiols) and the in vitro antioxidant potential (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) and superoxide anion scavenging capacity) were investigated. A total of 28 polyphenolic compounds were identified by LC/MS and quantitated by HPLC/DAD analysis. Kaempferol and quercetin derivatives were the most abundant phenolics compared to hydroxycinnamoyl gentiobiosides. In the ten populations, phenolics ranged from 163.9 to 533.9 mg/100 g dry weight (d.w.), ascorbic acid from 7.6 to 375.8 mg/100 g d.w., and total biothiols from 0.59 to 5.13 mg/100 g d.w. The different classes of phytochemicals were separated using solid-phase extraction at increasing methanol concentrations, and the antioxidant power of fractionated extracts was evaluated. The superoxide anion scavenging activity was significantly correlated to phenolics, particularly to flavonol derivatives, while DPPH was mainly related to ascorbic acid content. The present findings improve the knowledge of the phytochemical composition of Italian Brassica wild species by showing the great diversity of phytochemicals among populations and highlighting their importance as a valuable genetic resource for developing new cultivars with improved bioactive content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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9 pages, 1370 KiB  
Communication
Cell Growth Inhibition of Saponin XII from Dipsacus japonicus Miq. on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells
by Ba Thi Cham, Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh, Do Thi Thao, Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh, Nguyen Thanh Tam, Bui Kim Anh, Isabella Muscari, Sabrina Adorisio, Tran Van Sung, Trinh Thi Thuy and Domenico V. Delfino
Molecules 2020, 25(15), 3325; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153325 - 22 Jul 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2246
Abstract
In previous studies, we isolated the known compound saponin XII from the roots of Dipsacus japonicus Miq. Here, we show that this compound reduced the number of acute myeloid leukemia OCI-AML3 cells as evaluated by a hemocytometer. Flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that the [...] Read more.
In previous studies, we isolated the known compound saponin XII from the roots of Dipsacus japonicus Miq. Here, we show that this compound reduced the number of acute myeloid leukemia OCI-AML3 cells as evaluated by a hemocytometer. Flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that the reported activity was associated with a significant increase of apoptosis and of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, with a decrease of cells in the S and G2/M phases. Thus, the inhibition of cell growth in OCI-AML3 cells was due to antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects. Interestingly, the bioactivity of saponin XII exerted its effect at a concentration as low as 1 µg/mL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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11 pages, 1070 KiB  
Article
Identification of the Volatile Components of Galium verum L. and Cruciata leavipes Opiz from the Western Italian Alps
by Aldo Tava, Elisa Biazzi, Domenico Ronga and Pinarosa Avato
Molecules 2020, 25(10), 2333; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25102333 - 16 May 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2727
Abstract
The chemical composition of the volatile fraction from Galium verum L. (leaves and flowers) and Cruciata laevipes Opiz (whole plant), Rubiaceae, was investigated. Samples from these two plant species were collected at full bloom in Val di Susa (Western Alps, Turin, Italy), [...] Read more.
The chemical composition of the volatile fraction from Galium verum L. (leaves and flowers) and Cruciata laevipes Opiz (whole plant), Rubiaceae, was investigated. Samples from these two plant species were collected at full bloom in Val di Susa (Western Alps, Turin, Italy), distilled in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. A total of more than 70 compounds were identified, making up 92%–98% of the total oil. Chemical investigation of their essential oils indicated a quite different composition between G. verum and C. laevipes, both in terms of the major constituents and the dominant chemical classes of the specialized metabolites. The most abundant compounds identified in the essential oils from G. verum were 2-methylbenzaldheyde (26.27%, corresponding to 11.59 μg/g of fresh plant material) in the leaves and germacrene D (27.70%; 61.63 μg/g) in the flowers. C. laevipes essential oils were instead characterized by two sesquiterpenes, namely β-caryophyllene (19.90%; 15.68 μg/g) and trans-muurola-4(15),5-diene (7.60%; 5.99 μg/g); two phenylpropanoids, benzyl alcohol (8.30%; 6.71 μg/g), and phenylacetaldehyde (7.74%; 6.26 μg/g); and the green-leaf alcohol cis-3-hexen-1-ol (9.69%; 7.84 μg/g). The ecological significance of the presence of such compounds is discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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12 pages, 1910 KiB  
Article
Leek or Garlic? A Chemical Evaluation of Elephant Garlic Volatiles
by Roberta Ascrizzi and Guido Flamini
Molecules 2020, 25(9), 2082; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25092082 - 29 Apr 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2891
Abstract
“Aglione della Valdichiana” is listed among the Traditional Agronomic and Edible Products of Italy, as it is a typical product of the Chiana Valley (Tuscany, Italy). It is also known as “elephant garlic”, due to the dimension of its cloves, and, other than [...] Read more.
“Aglione della Valdichiana” is listed among the Traditional Agronomic and Edible Products of Italy, as it is a typical product of the Chiana Valley (Tuscany, Italy). It is also known as “elephant garlic”, due to the dimension of its cloves, and, other than in the Italian Mediterranean area, its presence is also reported in North Africa and Southwest Asia. The current botanical classification identifies it as a leek variety (Allium ampeloprasum L.), although its appearance, except for its larger dimensions, resembles that of garlic. In the present study, the spontaneous volatile emission of whole and cut cloves of “Aglione della Valdichiana” (elephant garlic), garlic, and leek has been profiled by headspace solid phase micro-extraction. The results have been subjected to statistical analyses (analysis of variance, hierarchical cluster, and principal component analysis) to assess whether the chemical profile confirmed the botanical proximity of elephant garlic and leek, rather than garlic. The phytochemical volatiles evaluation indicated a higher proximity of elephant garlic to garlic, rather than leek, at least for the Chiana Valley specimen analyzed in this study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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13 pages, 2610 KiB  
Article
Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Antiproliferative Compounds from Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort
by Sabrina Adorisio, Laura Giamperi, Anahi Elena Ada Bucchini, Domenico Vittorio Delfino and Maria Carla Marcotullio
Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1893; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081893 - 20 Apr 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2943
Abstract
Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort (Asteraceae) n-hexane extract displayed high cell proliferation inhibitory activity against acute myeloid leukaemia cells (OCI-AML3) and was therefore subjected to a bioassay-guided multistep separation procedure. Two thymol derivatives, namely 10-acetoxy-8,9-epoxythymol tiglate (1) and 10-acetoxy-9-chloro-8,9-dehydrothymol (2 [...] Read more.
Limbarda crithmoides (L.) Dumort (Asteraceae) n-hexane extract displayed high cell proliferation inhibitory activity against acute myeloid leukaemia cells (OCI-AML3) and was therefore subjected to a bioassay-guided multistep separation procedure. Two thymol derivatives, namely 10-acetoxy-8,9-epoxythymol tiglate (1) and 10-acetoxy-9-chloro-8,9-dehydrothymol (2), were isolated and identified by means of NMR spectroscopy. Both of them exhibited a significant dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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8 pages, 778 KiB  
Article
Antiproliferative Properties of Papaver rhoeas Ovule Extracts and Derived Fractions Tested on HL60 Leukemia Human Cells
by Elisa Ovidi, Valentina Laghezza Masci, Stefania Garzoli, Gabriella Gambellini, Saran Vittoria Keita, Daniele Zago, Giovanni Turchetti, Lorenzo Modesti and Antonio Tiezzi
Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1850; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081850 - 17 Apr 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2105
Abstract
Papaver rhoeas plant is common in many regions worldwide and contributes to the landscape with its red flower. In the present study we first carried out morphological investigation by optical and scanning electron microscopy of the ovules within the ovary. After ovules’ isolation [...] Read more.
Papaver rhoeas plant is common in many regions worldwide and contributes to the landscape with its red flower. In the present study we first carried out morphological investigation by optical and scanning electron microscopy of the ovules within the ovary. After ovules’ isolation we prepared extracts to test possible cytotoxic activities on HL60 leukemia human cells and investigated the extracts using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). P. rhoeas ovules showed an elongated, round shape and the presence of ordered sculptures on the ovule surface. The ovule extracts showed cytotoxic activity on HL60 human cells mainly found in some TLC-isolated spots. Compounds consisting of active spots were identified by GC-MS investigations. Our findings on the P. rhoeas ovule compounds open perspectives for further investigations of TLC-isolated spots on other human cancer cell lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Products in Italy)
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