Chemical Characterization and Bioactivities of Plant Specialized Metabolites

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past twenty-five years, substantial advances in analytical and molecular biology techniques have provided unprecedented opportunities for the systematic exploration of the plant kingdom and the natural products biosynthesized by plants.

Although plants, plant extracts, and isolated plant metabolites continue to attract considerable attention as functional foods, dietary supplements, and raw materials for cosmetics and medicines, current knowledge of plant metabolites, including their ecological functions, remains incomplete. By the end of the twentieth century, only approximately 15% of the estimated 250,000 known plant species had been investigated phytochemically, and only 6% had been evaluated for biological activity. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved through the widespread application of liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, the development of new databases, and improvements in automated database-searching tools. Nevertheless, further research is required to generate comprehensive data on previously unexplored plant species, novel plant natural products, and their biological activities.

We cordially invite submissions addressing the chemistry and functions of plant-specialized metabolites for inclusion in this Special Issue. The range of biological activities of interest encompasses both interactions significant in an environmental context—such as allelopathic, antimicrobial, repellent, or antifeedant activity—and those with potential applications in medicine, nutrition, and cosmetology. Contributions focusing on structure elucidation, assessment of biological activity, mechanistic studies of biologically active plant natural products, comprehensive metabolomic analyses, and the development of novel analytical methods are particularly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Anna Stojakowska
Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Galanty
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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