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Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products

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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 2022) | Viewed by 16843

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiangkai Li

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Guest Editor

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: functional food; immune function; gut microbiota; bioactive compound identification; probiotics; fermentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Toshiro Shigaki

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Guest Editor

Plant Pathology Laboratory, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-40 Okada, Samukawa-machi, Koza-gun, Kanagawa 253-0105, Japan
Interests: plant–microbe interactions; phytomedicine; phytonutrients; biological means of water purification; wound healing

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Tu Youyou won the Nobel Prize in 2015 for her discovery of artemisinin. Long before that, humans had utilized natural plant products for medicines, and there are still millions of people who choose plants for their primary pharmaceutical needs. However, most natural plant products have not been properly studied and characterized. In the last few years, there have been many achievements and advancements in this field. Beyond pharmaceutics, natural plant products have also been found useful in dietary use, prebiotics, agriculture, pathogen control, environmental remediation, etc. Therefore, this Special Issue mainly focuses on the latest advances in natural plant products, both functions and mechanisms. Research about medicine-related products is welcomed. We also encourage manuscripts about plant products used in other fields. Research article can be directly submitted and reviews need to be discussed ahead of time with one of the co-Editors.

Prof. Dr. Xiangkai Li
Prof. Dr. Toshiro Shigaki
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 plant products
prebiotics
bioactive compounds
phytotherapy
phytoremediation
traditional Chinese medicine

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3607 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Baicalin Targets HSP70/90 to Regulate PKR/PI3K/AKT/eNOS Signaling Pathways

by Yinzhu Hou, Zuqing Liang, Luyu Qi, Chao Tang, Xingkai Liu, Jilin Tang, Yao Zhao, Yanyan Zhang, Tiantian Fang, Qun Luo, Shijun Wang and Fuyi Wang

Molecules 2022, 27(4), 1432; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041432 - 21 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2507

Abstract

Baicalin is a major active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine Scutellaria baicalensis, and has been shown to have antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. However, the protein targets of baicalin have remained unclear. Herein, a chemical proteomics strategy was developed by combining baicalin-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (BCL-N₃@MNPs) and quantitative mass spectrometry to identify the target proteins of baicalin. Bioinformatics analysis with the use of Gene Ontology, STRING and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, was performed to annotate the biological functions and the associated signaling pathways of the baicalin targeting proteins. Fourteen proteins in human embryonic kidney cells were identified to interact with baicalin with various binding affinities. Bioinformatics analysis revealed these proteins are mainly ATP-binding and/or ATPase activity proteins, such as CKB, HSP86, HSP70-1, HSP90, ATPSF1β and ACTG1, and highly associated with the regulation of the role of PKR in interferon induction and the antiviral response signaling pathway (P = 10⁻⁶), PI3K/AKT signaling pathway (P = 10⁻⁵) and eNOS signaling pathway (P = 10⁻⁴). The results show that baicalin exerts multiply pharmacological functions, such as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antioxidant functions, through regulating the PKR and PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathways by targeting ATP-binding and ATPase activity proteins. These findings provide a fundamental insight into further studies on the mechanism of action of baicalin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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14 pages, 3140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antilymphoma Effect of Incomptine A: In Vivo, In Silico, and Toxicological Studies

by Fernando Calzada, Elihú Bautista, Sergio Hidalgo-Figueroa, Normand García-Hernández, Elizabeth Barbosa, Claudia Velázquez, Rosa María Ordoñez-Razo and Angel Giovanni Arietta-García

Molecules 2021, 26(21), 6646; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26216646 - 2 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1747

Abstract

Incomptine A (IA) is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Decachaeta incompta that induces apoptosis, reactive oxygen species production, and a differential protein expression on the U-937 (diffuse histiocytic lymphoma) cell line. In this work, the antitumor potential of IA was investigated on Balb/c mice inoculated with U-937 cells and through the brine shrimp lethality (BSL) test. Furthermore, IA was subjected to molecular docking study using as targets proteins associated with processes of cancer as apoptosis, oxidative stress, and glycolytic metabolism. In addition to determining the potential toxicity of IA in human, its acute toxicity was performed in mice. Results reveals that IA showed high antilymphoma activity and BSL with an EC₅₀ of 2.4 mg/kg and LC₅₀ 16.7 µg/mL, respectively. The molecular docking study revealed that IA has strong interaction on all targets used. In the acute oral toxicity, IA had a LD₅₀ of 149 mg/kg. The results showed that the activities of IA including antilymphoma activity, BSL, acute toxicity, and in silico interactions were close to the methotrexate, an anticancer drug used as positive control. These findings suggest that IA may serve as a candidate for the development of a new drug to combat lymphoma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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19 pages, 4498 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight into Seasonal Change of Phytochemicals, Antioxidant, and Anti-Aging Activities of Root Bark of Paeonia suffruticosa (Cortex Moutan) Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis

by Shicong Yang, Xiaoyan Liu, Jingyu He and Menghua Liu

Molecules 2021, 26(20), 6102; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26206102 - 10 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2035

Abstract

Chemical compositions, antioxidants, and anti-aging activities of Cortex Moutan (CM), from different collection periods and different producing areas, were measured and compared in order to obtain excellent CM extracts. The bioactivities of CM extracts were examined by an in vitro antioxidant method and a UVB irradiated human dermal fibroblast (HDF) model. Phytochemical properties were obtained from ultra-fast liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-Q-TOF-MS) prior to the multivariate statistical analysis. As for the results, the extracts of Heze CM (HZCM) and Luoyang CM (LYCM) collected in June had better in vitro antioxidant activities, significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), compared to other CM extracts. HZCM and LYCM extracts could upregulate the relative expression of SOD and GSH-Px mRNA. The extract of HZCM collected in June could significantly repress the production of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) and improve the production of procollagen type I (PCOL)-I in UVB irradiated HDF. In total, 50 compounds, including 17 monoterpenoids, 19 flavonoids, 13 phenols, and 1 amino acid were identified or tentatively identified in the CM extracts. Gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, oxypaeoniflorin, paeoniflorin, 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloyl glucose, and paeonol were predominant compounds in the CM extracts. Taken together, CM collected from April to September had better antioxidant and anti-aging effects for external usage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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12 pages, 2256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Regulation of Betulinic Acid on α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

by Shinhui Lee, Woog Jung, Sanung Eom, Hye Duck Yeom, Heui-Dong Park and Junho H. Lee

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2659; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092659 - 1 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1940

Abstract

Betulinic acid (BA) is a major constituent of Zizyphus seeds that have been long used as therapeutic agents for sleep-related issues in Asia. BA is a pentacyclic triterpenoid. It also possesses various anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. Current commercially available sleep aids typically use GABAergic regulation, for which many studies are being actively conducted. However, few studies have focused on acetylcholine receptors that regulate wakefulness. In this study, we utilized BA as an antagonist of α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α3β4 nAChRs) known to regulate rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness. Effects of BA on α3β4 nAChRs were concentration-dependent, reversible, voltage-independent, and non-competitive. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular-docking studies confirmed the binding of BA at the molecular level and showed that the α3 subunit L257 and the β4 subunit I263 residues affected BA binding. These data demonstrate that BA can bind to a binding site different from the site for the receptor’s ligand, acetylcholine (ACh). This suggests that BA may be an effective antagonist that is unaffected by large amounts of ACh released during wakefulness and REM sleep. Based on the above experimental results, BA is likely to be a therapeutically useful sleep aid and sedative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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Review

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17 pages, 937 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mechanisms and Advances in Anti-Ovarian Cancer with Natural Plants Component

by Jingyuan Wu, Tuoyu Zhou, Yinxue Wang, Yanbiao Jiang and Yiqing Wang

Molecules 2021, 26(19), 5949; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195949 - 30 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3445

Abstract

Ovarian cancer ranks seventh in the most common malignant tumors among female disease, which seriously threatens female reproductive health. It is characterized by hidden pathogenesis, missed diagnosis, high reoccurrence rate, and poor prognosis. In clinic, the first-line treatment prioritized debulking surgery with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. The harsh truth is that female patients are prone to relapse due to the dissemination of tumor cells and drug resistance. In these circumstances, the development of new therapy strategies combined with traditional approaches is conductive to improving the quality of treatment. Among numerous drug resources, botanical compounds have unique advantages due to their potentials in multitarget functions, long application history, and wide availability. Previous studies have revealed the therapeutic effects of bioactive plant components in ovarian cancer. These natural ingredients act as part of the initial treatment or an auxiliary option for maintenance therapy, further reducing the tumor and metastatic burden. In this review, we summarized the functions and mechanisms of natural botanical components applied in human ovarian cancer. We focused on the molecular mechanisms of cell apoptosis, autophagy, RNA and DNA lesion, ROS damage, and the multiple-drug resistance. We aim to provide a theoretical reference for in-depth drug research so as to manage ovarian cancer better in clinic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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17 pages, 1657 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Potency of Seaweed Sulfated Polysaccharides for the Correction of Hemostasis Disorders in COVID-19

by Tatyana A. Kuznetsova, Boris G. Andryukov, Ilona D. Makarenkova, Tatyana S. Zaporozhets, Natalya N. Besednova, Ludmila N. Fedyanina, Sergey P. Kryzhanovsky and Mikhail Yu. Shchelkanov

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2618; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092618 - 29 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3273

Abstract

Hemostasis disorders play an important role in the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and outcome of COVID-19. First of all, the hemostasis system suffers due to a complicated and severe course of COVID-19. A significant number of COVID-19 patients develop signs of hypercoagulability, thrombocytopenia, and hyperfibrinolysis. Patients with severe COVID-19 have a tendency toward thrombotic complications in the venous and arterial systems, which is the leading cause of death in this disease. Despite the success achieved in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, the search for new effective anticoagulants, thrombolytics, and fibrinolytics, as well as their optimal dose strategies, continues to be relevant. The wide therapeutic potential of seaweed sulfated polysaccharides (PSs), including anticoagulant, thrombolytic, and fibrinolytic activities, opens up new possibilities for their study in experimental and clinical trials. These natural compounds can be important complementary drugs for the recovery from hemostasis disorders due to their natural origin, safety, and low cost compared to synthetic drugs. In this review, the authors analyze possible pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the hemostasis disorders observed in the pathological progression of COVID-19, and also focus the attention of researchers on seaweed PSs as potential drugs aimed to correction these disorders in COVID-19 patients. Modern literature data on the anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and fibrinolytic activities of seaweed PSs are presented, depending on their structural features (content and position of sulfate groups on the main chain of PSs, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and type of glycosidic bonds, the degree of PS chain branching, etc.). The mechanisms of PS action on the hemostasis system and the issues of oral bioavailability of PSs, important for their clinical use as oral anticoagulant and antithrombotic agents, are considered. The combination of the anticoagulant, thrombolytic, and fibrinolytic properties, along with low toxicity and relative cheapness of production, open up prospects for the clinical use of PSs as alternative sources of new anticoagulant and antithrombotic compounds. However, further investigation and clinical trials are needed to confirm their efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Functions, Mechanisms and Applications of Natural Plant Products)

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