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Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits
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Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2025) | Viewed by 7338

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carlota Gómez-Rincón

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gállego, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain
2. Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón, IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: drug discovery; natural products; bioactive molecules; functional foods; nutraceuticals; C. elegans; alternative biological model; antioxidants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Edible flowers have been used throughout the centuries in traditional cuisine and phytotherapy. In recent years, interest in this plant resource has increased beyond its aesthetic value. Comprising an array of vibrant colors and delicate flavors, edible flowers represent rich sources of nutritional and phytochemical compounds. The main groups of dietary phytochemicals present in edible flowers include flavonoids, phenolic acids and anthocyanins. All of them have remarkable antioxidant properties that contribute to human health. Recent studies suggest that flower species contain unique secondary metabolites with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and cardio-protective properties. Beyond their antioxidant capacity, edible flowers have been postulated as a promising source of new bioactive compounds. Harnessing these compounds could lead to innovative pharmaceuticals and functional foods. Despite their potential and high global biodiversity, a substantial number of floral varieties remain unexplored and underutilized.

This Special Issue will cover a wide variety of areas aiming to contribute to the overall knowledge on the chemical composition and biological properties of edible flowers.

Dr. Carlota Gómez-Rincón
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. 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

  • antioxidant
  • phenolic compound
  • edible flowers
  • functional foods
  • flavonoids
  • polyphenols
  • biological activity
  • bioactive compounds
  • phytochemicals

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 2946 KiB  
Article
Influence of Plant Part Selection and Drying Technique: Exploration and Optimization of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of New Guinea Impatiens Extracts
by Fabián Delgado Rodríguez, Gabriela Azofeifa, Silvia Quesada, Nien Tzu Weng Huang, Arlene Loría Gutiérrez and María Fernanda Morales Rojas
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071092 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 411
Abstract
Impatiens L. plants are sources of polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. There are scarce data about these effects in the case of Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull, a relevant species in ornamental plant industry with ethnobotanical backgrounds. The aim of this study is [...] Read more.
Impatiens L. plants are sources of polyphenols with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. There are scarce data about these effects in the case of Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull, a relevant species in ornamental plant industry with ethnobotanical backgrounds. The aim of this study is to provide information regarding the antioxidant and the antibacterial properties of the ethanol extracts of I. hawkeri to support new applications. HPTLC was used to estimate the concentration of seven known bioactive metabolites reported among Impatiens plants. Total phenolics, flavonoids, and monomeric anthocyanins were also measured. An orthogonal platform with chemical and biological in vitro assays was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the extracts. Antibacterial activity was determined by broth microdilution assay on human pathogenic bacteria. The results were integrated by correlation and principal component analysis to identify the most promissory plant part and drying technique to optimize the evaluated activities. Data suggest the tentative identification of bioactive chemical markers for the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the extracts (quercetin and rutin). Freeze-dried leaves and flowers are the most promissory parts of I. hawkeri for the development of antioxidant nutraceuticals or preservatives. The results demonstrate that phenolic compounds play a major role in the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of I. hawkery extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits)
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24 pages, 2346 KiB  
Article
Nutrients, Phytochemicals, and In Vitro Biological Activities of Goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) Fruit and Calyx
by Mikel Añibarro-Ortega, Maria Inês Dias, Jovana Petrović, Filipa Mandim, Sonia Núñez, Marina Soković, Víctor López, Lillian Barros and José Pinela
Plants 2025, 14(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14030327 - 22 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1933
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive characterization of Physalis peruviana L., covering the nutritional composition of the fruit and the phytochemical profiles and in vitro bioactive properties of berry and calyx extracts. The fresh fruit stood out as a source of dietary fiber (5.16 [...] Read more.
This study provides a comprehensive characterization of Physalis peruviana L., covering the nutritional composition of the fruit and the phytochemical profiles and in vitro bioactive properties of berry and calyx extracts. The fresh fruit stood out as a source of dietary fiber (5.16 g/100 g) and is low in fat (0.49 g/100 g). A 100-g serving also contained notable amounts of ascorbic acid (32.0 mg), tocopherols (2.34 mg), potassium (253 mg), phosphorus (45 mg), and magnesium (20 mg). HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis tentatively identified five physalin derivatives and one withanolide in the fruit extract, which showed significant antiproliferative activity against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NCI-H460) cells. The calyx extracts contained three phenolic acids and four flavonoids, demonstrating high antioxidant activity through physiologically relevant cell-based assays, the ability to inhibit advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation and nitric oxide production, and also antiproliferative properties. These findings highlight goldenberry as a nutrient-dense fruit rich in vitamins and functional compounds with potential health benefits, supporting its recognition as a “superfruit”. Furthermore, the fruit calyx emerged as a valuable source of bioactive secondary metabolites with potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries and related sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits)
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12 pages, 1694 KiB  
Article
Phenolic Compounds Characterization of Caryocar brasiliense Peel with Potential Antioxidant Activity
by Júlio Onésio Ferreira Melo, Beatriz Conchinhas, António Eduardo Baptista Leitão, Ana Luiza Coeli Cruz Ramos, Isabel Maria Nunes de Sousa, Ricardo Manuel de Seixas Boavida Ferreira, Ana Cristina Ribeiro and Paula Batista-Santos
Plants 2024, 13(15), 2016; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152016 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1699
Abstract
The pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) fruit peel, despite being frequently discarded, has a high content of bioactive compounds, and therefore has a high nutritional value. The present study aimed to explore the bioactivities in the pequi peel, particularly their potential health benefits [...] Read more.
The pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) fruit peel, despite being frequently discarded, has a high content of bioactive compounds, and therefore has a high nutritional value. The present study aimed to explore the bioactivities in the pequi peel, particularly their potential health benefits at the level of antioxidant activity. The exploitation of this fruit could also present significant economic benefits and applications of pequi by-products would represent a reduction in waste, having a positive impact on the environment. Phenolic compounds present in the pequi exocarp and external mesocarp were identified by paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) and quantified by HPLC. The total phenolic content (TPC) along with the amount of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and the amount of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) were also determined in peel extracts. Epicatechin was the most abundant phenolic compound found, followed by the caffeic, salicylic, and gallic acids. In addition, fingerprinting revealed compounds related to several beneficial health effects. In short, the results obtained were encouraging for potential applications of pequi peel in the field of functional foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits)
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20 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Some Moroccan Date Palm Fruit Varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.): A Two-Year Study
by Abdoussadeq Ouamnina, Abderrahim Alahyane, Imane Elateri, Abderrahim Boutasknit and Mohamed Abderrazik
Plants 2024, 13(8), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081119 - 17 Apr 2024
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2403
Abstract
In Morocco, the abundance of low-value varieties in the oases may provide an opportunity to capitalize on this richness to create new nutraceutical food products. In this context, the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of four Moroccan date varieties were analyzed. Our results [...] Read more.
In Morocco, the abundance of low-value varieties in the oases may provide an opportunity to capitalize on this richness to create new nutraceutical food products. In this context, the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of four Moroccan date varieties were analyzed. Our results indicate that the levels of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and total condensed tannins vary, respectively, from 91.86 to 364.35 mg GAE/100 g of dry weight (DW), 46.59 to 111.80 mg QE/100 g DW and 16.10 to 42.03 mg CE/100 g DW during the 2021 harvest season. Furthermore, during the 2022 harvest season, these contents vary, respectively, from 119.13 to 410.39 mg GAE/100 g DW, 59.30 to 110.85 mg QE/100 g DW and 21.93 to 53.95 mg CE/100 g DW. The results of the HPLC-UV-VIS analysis revealed that, in all four varieties, gallic acid was and remained one of the major compounds in the date extracts. In addition, a high antioxidant activity of date extracts was particularly observed in the three tests, namely ferric reducing power (FRAP), ferrous ion chelating capacity (FIC) and the phosphomolybdate test. This richness in phenolic compounds makes low-value dates a source of active ingredient that can replace the synthetic antioxidants used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Compounds: Profile and Biological Activity of Flowers and Fruits)
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