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Nutrients
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Nutraceuticals and Functional Bioactives: From Biochemical Mechanisms to Nutritional Applications
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Nutraceuticals and Functional Bioactives: From Biochemical Mechanisms to Nutritional Applications

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 1112

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Simona Ioana Vicas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, 26 Gen. Magheru Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Interests: bioactive compounds; phenols; glucosinolates; functional food; nutraceuticals; antioxidant capacity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Maria Niţescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Preclinical Department 3, Complementary Sciences, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: nutrition; prevention; chronic diseases; public health; food safety; functional foods; plant-based diet
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The intention of this Special Issue, “Nutraceuticals and Functional Bioactives: From Biochemical Mechanisms to Nutritional Applications,” is to bring together the latest research on the properties, functions, and health benefits of bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals from natural sources. This Special Issue encourages rigorous research and detailed review articles that explore the molecular and biochemical pathways that affect the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and metabolic processes of these compounds. A pronounced focus is placed on the application of laboratory research findings within frameworks pertinent to nutrition, including their integration into functional foods, dietary supplements, and cutting-edge formulations designed to augment their bioavailability and stability.

Special emphasis is placed on translating laboratory data into nutritionally useful contexts, such as their addition to functional foods, dietary supplements, and new formulations aimed at increasing their bioavailability and stability. Studies on extraction, encapsulation, and delivery systems of plant-derived bioactives, as well as their effect in reducing oxidative stress and promoting metabolic health, are particularly encouraged.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how functional bioactives can contribute to health maintenance and disease prevention by combining multidisciplinary perspectives from food chemistry, biochemistry, and nutritional science, bridging the gap between molecular research and practical nutritional applications.

As the Guest Editor of this Special Issue, I warmly encourage researchers to submit their experimental and theoretical interdisciplinary studies on nutraceuticals and functional bioactives derived from natural resources, with a particular emphasis on their bioactivity, bioavailability, and biological effects.

Prof. Dr. Simona Ioana Vicas
Prof. Dr. Maria Niţescu
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Nutrients 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 2900 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

  • nutraceuticals
  • bioactive compounds
  • functional foods
  • antioxidant mechanisms
  • anti-inflammatory activity
  • oxidative stress
  • metabolic health
  • natural products
  • bioavailability
  • food formulations

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 1008 KB  
Article
A Multi-Component Nutraceutical Formulation for the Management of Vascular and Inflammatory Alterations Characteristic of the Oedema Disorders
by Maria Maisto, Adua Marzocchi, Vincenzo Piccolo, Roberto Ciampaglia, Marlo De Vivo and Gian Carlo Tenore
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030523 - 4 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 766
Abstract
Background: Oedema is a multifactorial condition arising from the interplay between increased microvascular permeability, impaired lymphatic clearance, and sustained inflammation. Conventional treatments often fail, highlighting alternative therapies. This study explores a novel nutraceutical formulation (NF) based on the combination of different natural [...] Read more.
Background: Oedema is a multifactorial condition arising from the interplay between increased microvascular permeability, impaired lymphatic clearance, and sustained inflammation. Conventional treatments often fail, highlighting alternative therapies. This study explores a novel nutraceutical formulation (NF) based on the combination of different natural extracts, i.e., Melilotus officinalis L., Olea europaea L., Morinda citrifolia L., Quercus robur L., and bromelain, aimed at reducing inflammation, a key contributor to oedema pathophysiology. In vitro assays further demonstrated that NF exhibits a marked antioxidant capacity and effectively inhibits key enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade, supporting its ability to counteract oxidative stress and inflammatory signalling involved in oedema pathophysiology. Methods: The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of NF were assessed in vitro using radical scavenging assays and enzyme inhibition tests targeting key components of the arachidonic acid cascade. The immunomodulatory effects of NF were investigated in RAW264.7 macrophages by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR to evaluate macrophage polarisation and cytokine expression. The anti-oedematous and vascular effects were further examined in vivo using acetic acid–induced inflammation and carrageenan-induced paw oedema models in thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats (Charles River, Calco, Italy). Results: The study demonstrated that NF significantly modulates macrophage polarisation, reducing the proportion of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages (F4/80+CD11b+) by 3.23 times compared to control (p < 0.01). A quantitative PCR analysis further confirmed a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) by 51.3% (95% CI 48.0–58.7, p < 0.001), 64.1% (95% CI 57.0–71.2, p < 0.001), and 53.7% (95% CI 51.7–55.7, p < 0.001), respectively compared to the control, while anti-inflammatory markers (Arg-1, CD206) increased significantly, suggesting a shift towards an M2 anti-inflammatory state. The NF ability to contrast the pathological alteration characteristic of this disease was further tested in the rat oedema model of thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats. The NF treatment reduced LTB4 and plasma protein levels compared to the control group. In addition, NF could decrease the paw thickness in the rat-based carrageenan-induced oedema model (Charles River, Calco, Italy; n = 30) by 22.5% compared to the control (95% CI 11.0–34.0, p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that NF may provide a multi-target approach to support the management of some physiopathological changes in complex oedema-related conditions by both modulating inflammation and restoring vascular functionality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutraceuticals and Functional Bioactives: From Biochemical Mechanisms to Nutritional Applications)
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