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Pharmaceuticals
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Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Plants
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Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Plants

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2025 | Viewed by 5711

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Duc Dat Le

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sunchon National University, 255 Jungangno, Suncheon 57922, Jeonnam, Republic of Korea
Interests: pharmacognogy; herbal medicines; ethnophamacognosy; inflammation
Dr. Cao Van Anh

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Institute of Pharmaceutical Education, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Interests: natural product chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues

Natural compounds are known for their numerous benefits and applications in supporting health and for the treatment of some human diseases through their use in both traditional and modern medicines. Today, the development of modern technology and techniques in the natural compounds industry promises strong growth in the search for active metabolites from natural sources. Natural products are renowned for their safety and minimal side effects on users. Their biological properties can be evaluated through activity tests on in vitro or in vivo models, promising their potential development into useful products for the prevention and treatment of diseases, thereby improving human health. In addition, the identification and quantification of the chemical constituents in medicinal plants also play crucial roles in evaluating the quality of herbal medicines. 

For this Special Issue, we invite scientists from both academia and industry to submit articles highlighting the application of different techniques in the discovery of herbal natural products and the study of their mechanisms of action.

Dr. Duc Dat Le
Dr. Cao Van Anh
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. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • herbal medicines
  • bioactive compounds
  • NMR
  • phytochemistry
  • analytical method

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 568 KiB  
Article
Does Green Brazilian Propolis Extract Improve Functional Capacity in Symptomatic Chronic Coronary Disease?—A Pilot Randomized Trial
by Clara Salles Figueiredo, Luiz Carlos Santana Passos, Caio Rebouças Fonseca Cafezeiro, Rodrigo Morel Vieira de Melo, Tainá Teixeira Viana, Eduardo Jorge Gomes de Oliveira, Andresa Aparecida Berretta and Marcelo Augusto Duarte Silveira
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(6), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060827 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 166
Abstract
Background: Inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). Low-dose colchicine has shown promise in reducing cardiovascular events, and green Brazilian propolis extract (EPP-AF® (standardized Brazilian green propolis extract) was provided by Apis Flora Indl. Coml. Ltda, Ribeirão [...] Read more.
Background: Inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of coronary heart disease (CHD). Low-dose colchicine has shown promise in reducing cardiovascular events, and green Brazilian propolis extract (EPP-AF® (standardized Brazilian green propolis extract) was provided by Apis Flora Indl. Coml. Ltda, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil), known for its anti-inflammatory properties, may offer additional therapeutic benefits. This pilot study aimed to evaluate whether six weeks of EPP-AF® supplementation improves functional capacity assessed by treadmill exercise testing. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study conducted at a coronary disease clinic in Brazil. Patients aged ≥ 18 years with stable CHD receiving optimized medical therapy were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either 200 mg of EPP-AF® or placebo twice daily for six weeks. The primary outcome was the change in treadmill exercise duration (in seconds). Secondary outcomes included total exercise time, functional capacity (measured in metabolic equivalents of task [METs]), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina classification. Statistical analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: A total of 59 patients were randomized, with a median follow-up of 6.5 weeks. There was no significant difference in the primary endpoint between groups: the median change in treadmill test time was 39 s in the EPP-AF® group versus 30 s in the placebo group (p = 0.83). No improvements were observed in METs, hs-CRP levels, SAQ scores, or CCS class in the EPP-AF® group. No major adverse cardiovascular events occurred during the study. Conclusions: EPP-AF® did not improve functional capacity, inflammatory markers, or angina symptoms in patients with stable CHD compared to placebo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Plants)
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Graphical abstract

18 pages, 12445 KiB  
Article
New Cannabinoids and Chlorin-Type Metabolites from the Flowers of Cannabis sativa L.: A Study on Their Neuroblastoma Activity
by Tuan-Quoc Nguyen, Hyo-Shin Park, Sun-Hyeong Choi, Da-Yun Hong, Jae-Yong Cheon, Young-Mi Lee, Chul-Min Kim, Jong-Ki Hong, Seo-Jeong Oh, Man-Soo Cho, Jang-Hoon Kim, Eun-Sol Lee, Jungwon Seo and Hyun-Ju Jung
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(4), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18040521 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 3600
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cannabis sativa has been utilized for medical purposes for thousands of years. It continues to be recognized as a plant with an extensive variety of medicinal and nutraceutical uses today. In this study, a chemical investigation of the flowers of C. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Cannabis sativa has been utilized for medical purposes for thousands of years. It continues to be recognized as a plant with an extensive variety of medicinal and nutraceutical uses today. In this study, a chemical investigation of the flowers of C. sativa isolated by using a variety of chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of eleven compounds. These purified compounds were evaluated for antitumor activity against SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. Methods: The compounds were isolated by using chromatographic techniques. Their structures were identified by the examination of spectroscopic methods, including 1D (1H, 13C, and DEPT) and 2D (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and mass spectrum, together with the comparison to those reported previously in the literature. The evaluation of toxicity on SK-N-SH cells was performed by the MTT method. Results: Eleven compounds were isolated from the flowers of C. sativa, including two new compounds, namely cannabielsoxa (1), 132-hydroxypheophorbide c ethyl ester (2), and six known cannabinoids (6–11), together with the first isolation of chlorin-type compounds: pyropheophorbide A (3), 132-hydroxypheophorbide b ethyl ester (4), and ligulariaphytin A (5) from this plant. The results also demonstrated that cannabinoid compounds had stronger inhibitory effects on neuroblastoma cells than chlorin-type compounds. Conclusions: The evaluation of the biological activities of compounds showed that compounds 4–10 could be considered as the potential compounds for antitumor effects against neuroblastomas. This is also highlighted by using docking analysis. Additionally, the results of this study also suggest that these compounds have the potential to be developed into antineuroblastoma products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Plants)
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30 pages, 9283 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Lagopsis supina Extract: Antioxidant, Adipogenic, and Ani-Inflammatory Effects
by Juhyun Choi, Duc Dat Le, Nayoung Roh, Jiseok Lee, Deumaya Shrestha, Thientam Dinh, Vinhquang Truong, Badamtsetseg Bazarragchaa, Soo-Yong Kim, Sung-Suk Suh, Mina Lee and Jong Bae Seo
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(2), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18020150 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1099
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lagopsis supina, a traditional Chinese medicine valued for its diuretic properties, has limited research on its antioxidant, adipogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of Lagopsis supina extract (LSE). Methods: LSE was prepared [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lagopsis supina, a traditional Chinese medicine valued for its diuretic properties, has limited research on its antioxidant, adipogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and biological activities of Lagopsis supina extract (LSE). Methods: LSE was prepared and evaluated for antioxidant activity, effects on adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and anti-inflammatory properties in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS)-based molecular networking was used to characterize its secondary metabolites. Results: LSE exhibited antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS assays. It significantly enhanced the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into mature adipocytes during early and intermediate stages by upregulating adipogenic transcription factors such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, and C/EBPβ, along with promoting cyclin E expression. LSE also increased PPARγ activity and the expression of its target genes, such as Glut 4, PEPCK, FABP4, and Plin2. Moreover, LSE inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by downregulating pro-inflammatory mediators (iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-6) and inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. Chemical profiling revealed eight major compound groups: glycosides, organic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylglycosides, phenolics, fatty acids, and others characterized by their mass fragmentation patterns, precursors, and UV absorption spectra. In silico analysis confirmed these compounds’ bioactivities, demonstrating strong interactions and binding affinities with antioxidant, adipogenic, and anti-inflammatory protein targets. Conclusions: These findings highlight LSE’s triple therapeutic potential: antioxidant activity, adipogenesis promotion, and inflammation attenuation. LSE emerges as a promising therapeutic candidate for managing obesity and related inflammatory complications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmacologically Active Compounds from Plants)
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