Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.6
4.1
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi...
share announcement

Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi and Algae

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 7781

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Manasés González-Cortazar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Sur, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Argentina No. 1, Col. Centro, Xochitepec 62790, Morelos, Mexico
Interests: natural products; phytochemistry; structural elucidation; pharmacology; secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gloria María Molina-Salinas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Unidad de Investigación Médica Yucatán, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
Interests: clinical and molecular epidemiology of emerging, re-emerging, and healthcare-associated infections; development of new agents against multidrug-resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis and ESKAPE-E bacteria; ethnopharmacological study of Mayan medicinal plants for anti-infective properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alejandro Zamilpa Alvarez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Sur, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Argentina No. 1, Col. Centro, Xochitepec 62790, Morelos, Mexico
Interests: natural products; phytochemistry; structural elucidation; pharmacology; secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Throughout history, there has been an interest in the study of plants, fungi and algae to obtain compounds. Simple aqueous extractions from plants, flowers and insects have been used to isolate compounds whose flavor, color and odor have been used for different purposes. The therapeutic use of plants in society constitutes part of the universal culture that humanity has accumulated; however, the selection process for randomly collected plants and the phytochemical examination of plants with the aim of identifying new chemical compounds have allowed us to discover a wide range of organic compounds with interesting properties. In medicinal chemistry, one of the main objectives in the development of a drug is to find a suitable candidate that has the desired pharmacological activity (preferably through a single receptor) and very few or no side effects, which is why alternatives are sought, such as the use of aqueous extracts of plants, fungi and algae for the treatment of frequent medical problems, such as infectious, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. The metabolism of plants is very important and occurs through enzymatic chemical reactions, which generate primary and secondary metabolites that can be isolated, characterized and chemically modified to enhance their biological activities. This Special Issue aims to understand the secondary metabolites present in plants, fungi and algae, as well as their biological effects. Articles that include pharmacological studies using in vitro and in vivo models and that include partial or total chemistry are welcome.

Dr. Manasés González-Cortazar
Dr. Gloria María Molina-Salinas
Dr. Alejandro Zamilpa Alvarez
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. Plants 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

  • phytochemicals
  • biological activities
  • natural product isolation
  • extraction of natural products
  • compound isolation
  • bioactive secondary metabolites
  • chromatography
  • structure elucidation
  • phytochemical purification
  • marine natural products

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 1373 KiB  
Article
Inorganic Element Identification and In Vitro Preliminary Evaluation of Three Types of Standardized Black Chokeberry Extracts Against Human Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells (HPAECs)
by Valentina Oana Buda, Camelia Oprean, Oana Isabella Gavriliuc, Zorita Diaconeasa, Adina Căta, Daniela Haidu, Daliana Minda, Andreea Păunescu, Cristina Adriana Dehelean and Corina Danciu
Plants 2025, 14(8), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14081202 - 12 Apr 2025
Viewed by 720
Abstract
Black chokeberry (BCK), known as Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott, has been employed for various purposes throughout history, being exploited both for its nutritional properties (functional foods, beverages, food preservatives, and natural food colorants) and for its therapeutic benefits (including cardiovascular and metabolic settings). [...] Read more.
Black chokeberry (BCK), known as Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott, has been employed for various purposes throughout history, being exploited both for its nutritional properties (functional foods, beverages, food preservatives, and natural food colorants) and for its therapeutic benefits (including cardiovascular and metabolic settings). This paper presents the first report on the identification of inorganic elements in three standardized BCK extracts: frozen berries (FrozArs), dried berries (DryArs), and evaporated juice (EvArJ). Additionally, the antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of these extracts on human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) were evaluated. Concentrations ranging from 1 μg/mL to 10 μg/mL were tested. Inorganic element analysis revealed detectable levels of metals, including aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). Notably, cadmium was found in very low amounts (0.026 μg/g in the FrozArs), while iron was the most abundant element in the juice (597.665 μg/g). MTT assays demonstrated that all three extracts exhibited antiproliferative activity against HPAECs. Cell cycle analysis revealed a decrease in the G2/M phase for all extracts, along with an appearance of the sub-G0 phase at the highest concentration tested. The DryAr extract also slightly reduced the number of cells in the G0-G1 phase. Annexin V/PI staining indicated a mild increase in the percentage of necrotic cells associated with the DryAr extract. The potential implications of these findings are significant, particularly for those interested in the health effects of dietary supplements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi and Algae)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2768 KiB  
Article
Salinity as an Inducer of Antioxidant Activity Exerted by Mangrove Species from Campeche, Mexico
by Carlos A. Chan-Keb, José L. Aragón-Gastélum, Claudia M. Agraz-Hernández, Román A. Pérez-Balan, Eduardo J. Gutiérrez Alcántara, Marco A. Popoca-Cuaya, Mónica A. Guillen-Poot, Emanuel Hernández-Núñez and Francisco J. Aguirre-Crespo
Plants 2025, 14(5), 800; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050800 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1234
Abstract
The mangrove ecosystem is reported to have a large diversity of species that develop in environments with high salinity levels. Plant species from mangroves are used in traditional medicine and are potential sources of chemicals entities with therapeutic applications. The present work aims [...] Read more.
The mangrove ecosystem is reported to have a large diversity of species that develop in environments with high salinity levels. Plant species from mangroves are used in traditional medicine and are potential sources of chemicals entities with therapeutic applications. The present work aims to assess and document the influence of salinity on the antioxidant activity exerted by extracts of mangrove species through spectroscopic and chemical analysis. The highest salinity is recorded in Río Verde (RV) in Petén Neyac (PN), an LPBR site. The leaves of Laguncularia racemosa (from RV and PN) recorded the highest extraction yield (35.29 ± 0.45%). Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of several families of secondary metabolites in the leaves of Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, and L. racemosa collected in PN and RV, and the chromatographic profile confirms the complexity of the extracts, especially in L. racemosa-RV. The highest content of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and simple phenols was recorded in R. mangle (in RV and PN); flavonoids were high in A. germinans (RV), and the highest antioxidant activity was recorded in L. racemosa (RV) using the DPPH model (EC50: 39.74 ± 0.91 μg/mL; Emax: 67.82 ± 1.00%). According to HPLC, gallic acid (GA), and quercetin (Q) are important metabolites in L. racemosa. FTIR spectra can identify several chemical groups and fingerprint regions in complex mixtures, such as methanolic extracts of the species under study. In this context, this is the first report on chemical changes resulting from species collected at sites with different degrees of salinity. GA is the main metabolite affected by salinity and participates in the antioxidant activity exerted by the original extract, which could explain the physiological adaptations of L. racemosa and its traditional uses. L. racemosa (RV) is ideal for a bioguided phytochemical study that would yield valuable knowledge about its medicinal properties, support ecological conservation, and drive innovation across multiple industries. Further analytical studies are needed to corroborate the impact of salinity on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi and Algae)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2490 KiB  
Article
Mayan Medicinal Plants Bignonia potosina and Thouinia paucidentata Demonstrate Anti-Infective Properties Against the Priority Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
by Gloria María Molina-Salinas, Angel Dzul-Beh, Andrés Humberto Uc-Cachón, Haziel Eleazar Dzib-Baak, Avel Adolfo González-Sánchez, Geovani Antonio Palma-Pech and Carlos Javier Quintal-Novelo
Plants 2024, 13(24), 3498; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13243498 - 14 Dec 2024
Viewed by 2071
Abstract
(1) Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CBRAB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CBRPA) are critical and high-priority pathogens that require new therapeutic developments. Medicinal plants are valuable pharmaceutical resources. This study explored the anti-infective properties of Mayan plants, Bignonia potosina, and Thouinia paucidentata. (2) [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CBRAB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CBRPA) are critical and high-priority pathogens that require new therapeutic developments. Medicinal plants are valuable pharmaceutical resources. This study explored the anti-infective properties of Mayan plants, Bignonia potosina, and Thouinia paucidentata. (2) Methods: Plant parts were extracted using n-hexane, and their ability to inhibit bacterial growth and counteract resistance mechanisms and virulence factors in CBRAB and CBRPA was assessed. GC-MS analysis of the composition of the non-polar extracts and chemometric techniques correlated the phytoconstituents with anti-infective properties. (3) Results: Bignonia potosina liana and flower extracts exhibited potent antibacterial activity against A. baumannii strains (MIC 15.7 to 250 µg/mL) and moderate activity against P. aeruginosa strains (MIC 250 to 1000 µg/mL). Thouinia paucidentata leaf extract at 1000 µg/mL reduced imipenem MIC by 2048-fold for CBRAB, and B. potosina flower extract significantly inhibited A. baumannii catalase activity (at 62.5 µg/mL) and reduced P. aeruginosa pyocyanin production (at 1000 µg/mL). Chemometric analysis identified fatty acids, fatty acid amides, terpenes, and higher alkanes as contributors to their anti-infective properties. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights the potential of medicinal plants in the development of novel anti-infective therapies against CBRAB and CBRPA with various targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi and Algae)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1301 KiB  
Article
Isolation, Identification and Pigment Analysis of Novel Cyanobacterial Strains from Thermal Springs
by Sandugash K. Sandybayeva, Bekzhan D. Kossalbayev, Bolatkhan K. Zayadan, Jiří Kopecký, Ardak B. Kakimova, Kenzhegul Bolatkhan and Suleyman I. Allakhverdiev
Plants 2024, 13(21), 2951; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212951 - 22 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2566
Abstract
Cyanobacterial pigments have attracted considerable attention in industry due to their bioactive potential and natural origin. In the present study, the growth dynamics and pigment composition, in terms of chlorophyll a, total carotenoids and phycobiliprotein content, of four cyanobacterial strains isolated from [...] Read more.
Cyanobacterial pigments have attracted considerable attention in industry due to their bioactive potential and natural origin. In the present study, the growth dynamics and pigment composition, in terms of chlorophyll a, total carotenoids and phycobiliprotein content, of four cyanobacterial strains isolated from thermal springs, namely Oscillatoria subbrevis CZS 2201, Phormidium ambiguum CZS 2205, Nostoc calcicola TSZ 2203, and Synechococcus sp. CZS 2204, were investigated. The analysis revealed that the maximum quantity of chlorophyll a and total carotenoids was observed in Oscillatoria subbrevis CZS 2201 (26.49 and 3.44 µg mL−1), followed by Phormidium ambiguum CZS 2205 (18.64 and 2.32 µg mL−1), whereas a minimum amount was detected in Synechococcus sp. CZS 2204 (12.13 and 1.24 µg mL−1), respectively. In addition, Oscillatoria subbrevis CZS 2201 showed higher quantity of phycobiliproteins, especially C-phycocyanin (45.81 mg g−1), C-phycoerythrin (64.17 mg g−1) and C-allophycocyanin (27.45 mg g−1). Moreover, carotenoid derivatives of Oscillatoria subbrevis CZS 2201 were also identified, among which β-carotene was the dominant form (1.94 µg mL−1), while the accumulation of zeaxanthin and myxoxanthophyll was relatively high (0.53 and 0.41 µg mL−1, respectively) compared with echinenone and cryptoxanthin (0.34 and 0.23 µg mL−1, respectively). The study revealed that Oscillatoria subbrevis CZS 2201 was a potent producer of secondary carotenoids, including myxoxanthophyll. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analysis and Biological Activity of Extracts from Plants, Fungi and Algae)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop