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Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits
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Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4064

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Huihsuan Lin

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Guest Editor
Department of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jiangou N. Rd., South Dist., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
Interests: natural product pharmacology; plant-based bioactive; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism; metabolic syndrome
Prof. Dr. Jing-Hsien Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jiangou N. Rd., South Dist., Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
Interests: functional foods; phytochemicals; metabolic disorders; nutrition; toxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural plant extracts have long been recognized for their medicinal value and health-promoting properties. This Special Issue, "Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits", aims to highlight recent advances in the identification, characterization, and functional evaluation of plant-derived bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential.

We welcome original research and review articles that explore the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and metabolic regulatory effects of medicinal plant extracts. Studies focusing on chronic diseases such as diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cardiovascular disorders, and obesity are particularly encouraged.

Submissions may include in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, preclinical investigations, and mechanistic analyses involving cell signaling pathways, gene expression modulation, or biomarker evaluation. Research on traditional medicinal plants, novel extraction methods, and phytochemical profiling is also highly encouraged.

This Special Issue aims to bring together high-quality, evidence-based research that advances our understanding of the health benefits of plant-derived compounds and supports the development of natural products for disease prevention and health maintenance.

Prof. Dr. Huihsuan Lin
Prof. Dr. Jing-Hsien Chen
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. 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 activity
  • anti-inflammatory mechanism
  • anticancer effect
  • medicinal plant extracts
  • diabetes
  • metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)
  • cardiovascular health
  • cell signaling pathways
  • plant-derived compounds

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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18 pages, 3657 KB  
Article
Artemisia indica Willd. Extract Regulate NLRP3 Inflammasome and ENaC Trafficking in Angiotensin II-Stimulated Renal Tubular Cells
by Chiao-Yun Tseng, Hui-Hsuan Lin, Yu-Hsuan Liang, Chia-Wen Tsai, Yueching Wong and Jing-Hsien Chen
Plants 2026, 15(9), 1405; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15091405 - 4 May 2026
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Abstract
Artemisia indica Willd. is widely used in traditional medicine and dietary practices. Phytochemical analysis of Artemisia indica Willd. aqueous extract (AAE) by HPLC–ESI–MS/MS identified isochlorogenic acid C (ICAC) as a major constituent. Angiotensin II (Ang II) disrupts renal tubular epithelial cell homeostasis and [...] Read more.
Artemisia indica Willd. is widely used in traditional medicine and dietary practices. Phytochemical analysis of Artemisia indica Willd. aqueous extract (AAE) by HPLC–ESI–MS/MS identified isochlorogenic acid C (ICAC) as a major constituent. Angiotensin II (Ang II) disrupts renal tubular epithelial cell homeostasis and contributes to renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of AAE and ICAC in Ang II-stimulated NRK52E cells. Both AAE and ICAC significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and proinflammatory cytokine release. Mechanistic analyses showed that AAE inhibited Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R)-mediated NF-κB activation and suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, thereby alleviating inflammatory responses and pyroptosis. In addition, AAE and ICAC restored sodium homeostasis by reactivating neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4-like (Nedd4-2), promoting epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) ubiquitination and reducing its apical membrane accumulation. Molecular docking suggested that ICAC interacts with the extracellular domain of α-ENaC, supporting its regulatory role. Overall, AAE and ICAC protect renal tubular epithelial cells against Ang II-induced injury by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and dysregulated sodium transport, highlighting their potential as plant-derived therapeutic agents for hypertension-associated renal dysfunction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits)
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21 pages, 7923 KB  
Article
(-)-Epi-Osmundalactone-Rich Fraction from Angiopteris evecta Suppresses Proliferation and Induces Intrinsic Apoptosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells via MAPK Pathway Modulation
by Punnida Arjsri, Kamonwan Srisawad, Warathit Semmarath, Lapamas Rueankham, Aroonchai Saiai, Songyot Anuchapreeda and Pornngarm Dejkriengkraikul
Plants 2026, 15(5), 764; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15050764 - 1 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), most notably adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma, have been the most frequently diagnosed lung cancer and continue to represent a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, largely due to its aggressive growth and limited therapeutic responsiveness. Natural products [...] Read more.
Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), most notably adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma, have been the most frequently diagnosed lung cancer and continue to represent a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, largely due to its aggressive growth and limited therapeutic responsiveness. Natural products derived from traditional medicinal plants remain a valuable source for the discovery of novel anti-cancer agents. In this study, the anti-cancer potential of Angiopteris evecta (G. Forst.) Hoffm., a medicinal fern widely used in Thai traditional medicine, was investigated in human NSCLC, A549 and H1299 cells. Subsequential solvent extraction yielded hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol fractions, among which the ethyl acetate extract (AE-EA) exhibited the strongest growth inhibitory activity. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of AE-EA by thin-layer chromatography generated an (-)-epi-osmundalactone-rich fraction (OLRF), which contained three closely related lactone/furanone derivatives, with (-)-epi-osmundalactone as the predominant constituent, as determined by NMR analysis. AE-EA and OLRF significantly suppressed NSCLC cell viability and clonogenic survival and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, accompanied by downregulation of cyclin D1, cyclin E1, CDK-2, and CDK-4 (p < 0.05). Both treatments also triggered intrinsic apoptosis, as evidenced by mitochondrial membrane depolarization, reduced expression of Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL, and survivin, and activation of cleaved caspase-9 and caspase-3. Mechanistically, AE-EA and OLRF significantly suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling through inhibition of ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38 phosphorylation in both NSCLC cells (p < 0.05). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that AE-EA and OLRF exert pronounced anti-cancer effects in both NSCLC cells through coordinated inhibition of MAPK signaling, induction of cell-cycle arrest, and activation of intrinsic apoptosis, supporting their potential for further development as plant-derived anti-cancer agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits)
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20 pages, 2819 KB  
Systematic Review
Investigating the Impact of Abelmoschus esculentus on Glycemia and Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes
by Kabelo Mokgalaboni, Wendy N. Phoswa, Sidney Hanser and Sogolo L. Lebelo
Plants 2026, 15(5), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15050817 - 7 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background: Abelmoschus esculentus L. (okra) has shown potential efficacy in animal models of metabolic disorders; however, evidence from clinical studies emanates from trials with a small sample size, and the findings remain contradictory. This study aims to evaluate the impact of okra [...] Read more.
Background: Abelmoschus esculentus L. (okra) has shown potential efficacy in animal models of metabolic disorders; however, evidence from clinical studies emanates from trials with a small sample size, and the findings remain contradictory. This study aims to evaluate the impact of okra on glycemia and insulin resistance in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes. Method: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science, including manual screening of references. Abelmoschus esculentus, okra, Hibiscus esculentus, lady’s finger, and diabetes were used as potential keywords and adjusted for each database. A meta-analysis web tool was used to analyze the data, with results reported as the mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD), along with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Nineteen clinical studies conducted in patients with T2D and prediabetes were analyzed. The evidence revealed that, compared to the control group, okra significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (SMD = −0.70 (95% CI, −1.03 to −0.36), p < 0.0001) and glycated hemoglobin (MD = −0.77%, 95%CI (−1.36 to −0.18), p = 0.0102. Furthermore, it reduced the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels, MD = −0.61, 95% CI (−1.07, −0.15), p < 0.0097. However, no significant effect was observed on insulin (p = 0.5823). Conclusions: The evidence gathered in this study suggests that okra may have the potential to regulate glycemia in individuals with T2D and prediabetes. However, the effect on insulin resistance remains controversial, as only HOMA-IR was improved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medicinal Plant Extracts and Their Health Benefits)
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