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Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants
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Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 7332

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Maria Iorizzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy
Interests: natural products chemistry; NMR spectroscopy; mass spectrometry and GC-MS; medicinal plants; antioxidant activity; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Claudia Genovese

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in the Mediterranean, National Research Council (ISAFOM-CNR), Via Empedocle 58, 95128 Catania, Italy
Interests: natural products; carbohydrates; minerals; bioactive compounds; phytochemicals; secondary metabolites; phenolics; flavonoids; antioxidant activity; phytoremediation; ion chromatography; HPLC; HPAEC-PAD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. G. David Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Interests: chemistry; biotechnology; pharmacology of medicinal plants for healthcare

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nature creates plants for us with multiple purposes. In addition to beautifying and protecting our environment as living and processed materials, economic plants feed the hungry population, and medicinal plants are an indispensable part of healthcare systems in many countries. Multiple components of metabolites from medicinal plants offer unique health benefits, and isolated single molecules from plant extracts provide a rich source for modern drug discovery and development to fight cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic diseases, and so on. These diseases are often linked to the primary causes of excess reactive species and chronic inflammation in the human body.

Thus, the present Special Issue will focus on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer actions exhibited by plant extracts and isolated molecules. We encourage original research articles and reviews that contribute to an improved understanding and utilization of medicinal plants with these bioactivities for drug discovery and therapeutic application.

We also invite manuscripts elucidating the synergy of multiple components typically present in medicinal plants, crude extracts, and purified extracts, as well as those focusing on the isolation and characterisation of natural compounds by NMR spectroscopy techniques, mass spectrometry techniques (GC-MS, LC-MS). Studies exploring the interaction and connection among the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities are especially welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria Iorizzi
Dr. Claudia Genovese
Dr. G. David Lin
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

  • anti-inflammatory
  • antioxidant
  • antimicrobial
  • antidiabetic
  • anticancer
  • multicomponent synergy
  • natural products chemistry
  • phytopharmacology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3377 KiB  
Article
Optimizing the Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Extracts: A Comprehensive Study
by Matshoene V. Motene, Charity Maepa and Muendi T. Sigidi
Plants 2025, 14(5), 822; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050822 - 6 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 653
Abstract
The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch) bulb extracts and evaluation of their antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant properties were investigated. The crude plant extracts were prepared using distilled water, ethanol, and methanol for a comparison. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized [...] Read more.
The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch) bulb extracts and evaluation of their antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant properties were investigated. The crude plant extracts were prepared using distilled water, ethanol, and methanol for a comparison. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized via UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–VIS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed using the UV–VIS spectra at 550 nm. The TEM confirmed the nanoparticle morphology as a mixed dispersed sphere, oval, and triangular shapes with a size range of 7.8 nm to 31.3 nm. The secondary metabolites were detected using TLC, DPPH, and LC-MS. Antimicrobial activity was assessed based on agar-well diffusion; cytotoxicity was examined through MTS assays. Various phytochemical constituents were detected through TLC and LC-MS. The crude extracts and methanol-extract-capped AgNP were able to scavenge free radicals, as shown by the developments of inhibitory bands on the TLC plate. The agar well diffusion test revealed that the AgNP capped methanol extract had potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug resistant bacteria in comparison with penicillin and neomycin, with inhibition zones ranging between 10 mm and 14 mm for the methanol-extract-capped AgNP. The in vitro MTS assay revealed that methanol crude extracts and methanol-extract-capped AgNP had a less cytotoxic effect on the HEK293 cells in comparison with untreated cells (control). We therefore conclude that methanol was the best reducing solvent with the best overall nanoparticle morphology and performance in antimicrobial and cytotoxicity, in comparison to ethanol and distilled water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants)
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20 pages, 15417 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of the Anticancer Mechanism of Caesalpinia sappan L. Extract Against Colorectal Cancer by Integrating a Network Pharmacological Analysis and Experimental Validation
by Mibae Jeong, Jaemoo Chun, Sang-Min Park, Heerim Yeo, Se Won Na, In Jin Ha, Bonglee Kim and Mi-Kyung Jeong
Plants 2025, 14(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14020263 - 18 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1090
Abstract
Caesalpinia sappan L. has exhibited various pharmacological effects, yet its anticancer activities against colorectal cancer (CRC) and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the anticancer properties of an ethanol extract of C. sappan L. (CSE) against CRC cells, focusing on the [...] Read more.
Caesalpinia sappan L. has exhibited various pharmacological effects, yet its anticancer activities against colorectal cancer (CRC) and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the anticancer properties of an ethanol extract of C. sappan L. (CSE) against CRC cells, focusing on the identification of bioactive compounds and their mechanisms of action. A network pharmacology analysis was conducted to identify potential CRC targets and bioactive compounds of CSE, using LC-MS for compound identification. The anticancer effects of CSE were then validated through in vitro and in vivo models of CRC. The network pharmacological approach identified 87 overlapping genes between CSE targets and CRC-related genes, with protein–protein interaction analysis highlighting 33 key target genes. CSE inhibited cell proliferation in human CRC cell lines, including HCT 116, KM12SM, HT-29, and COLO 205, and induced apoptosis via caspase 3/7 activation. Western blot analyses confirmed the modulation of critical signaling pathways, including STAT3, AKT, and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Furthermore, CSE significantly suppressed tumor growth in MC38 CRC-bearing mice. These findings suggest that CSE possesses substantial potential as a natural anticancer agent for CRC treatment, highlighting the need for further exploration in therapeutic development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants)
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20 pages, 2901 KiB  
Article
Spectroscopic Characterization and Biological Effects of 1-Oxo-bisabolone-rich Pulicaria burchardii Hutch. subsp. burchardii Essential Oil Against Viruses, Bacteria, and Spore Germination
by Giusy Castagliuolo, Federica Dell’Annunziata, Sara Pio, Michela Di Napoli, Alessia Troiano, Dario Antonini, Natale Badalamenti, Maurizio Bruno, Vincenzo Ilardi, Veronica Folliero, Mario Varcamonti, Gianluigi Franci and Anna Zanfardino
Plants 2025, 14(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14010068 - 29 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1230
Abstract
Pulicaria species are used as herbal medicine and in the preparation of decoctions in several Asian and African regions. Among them, the plant Pulicaria burchardii is known for its medicinal properties, but comprehensive studies on its biological activity are still limited. This study [...] Read more.
Pulicaria species are used as herbal medicine and in the preparation of decoctions in several Asian and African regions. Among them, the plant Pulicaria burchardii is known for its medicinal properties, but comprehensive studies on its biological activity are still limited. This study examined the properties of the essential oil (EO) extracted by P. burchiardii and collected in Morocco during the flowering period. The focus was on its antimicrobial, anti-germinative, antioxidant, and antiviral activities, with the aim of evaluating its potential use in food preservation and beyond. The EO was subjected to various analyses to determine its chemical composition and biological efficacy. Specifically, GCMS and NMR analyses revealed that the EO is rich in oxygenated sesquiterpenes (72.59%), with 1-oxo-bisabolone being the predominant component (65.09%). The antimicrobial activity was tested against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating a significant inhibition of bacterial growth, particularly against Bacillus subtilis (MIC value of 0.6 mg/mL). The anti-germinative property was evaluated on spores of B. subtilis and other bacilli, such as Bacillus cereus, revealing a notable ability to prevent germination. For antiviral activity, the EO was tested against several pathogenic viruses including SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1, showing an effective broad-spectrum reduction in viral replication in vitro. This study demonstrated that P. burchardii essential oil had excellent antibacterial and antiviral capabilities. The future challenge will focus mainly on the principal compound, 1-oxo-bisabolone, to demonstrate its real effectiveness as an antibacterial and/or antiviral. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants)
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18 pages, 2481 KiB  
Article
Inhibition of Oral Pathogenic Bacteria, Suppression of Bacterial Adhesion and Invasion on Human Squamous Carcinoma Cell Line (HSC-4 Cells), and Antioxidant Activity of Plant Extracts from Acanthaceae Family
by Sureeporn Suriyaprom, Pornpimon Ngamsaard, Varachaya Intachaisri, Nitsanat Cheepchirasuk, Aussara Panya, Thida Kaewkod and Yingmanee Tragoolpua
Plants 2024, 13(18), 2622; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182622 - 20 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1530
Abstract
Medicinal plants have traditionally been used to treat various human diseases worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the leaf extracts of plants from the Acanthaceae family, specifically Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau, Thunbergia laurifolia Lindl., and Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl., for their compounds and antioxidant [...] Read more.
Medicinal plants have traditionally been used to treat various human diseases worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the leaf extracts of plants from the Acanthaceae family, specifically Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau, Thunbergia laurifolia Lindl., and Acanthus ebracteatus Vahl., for their compounds and antioxidant activity. The ethanolic extracts of A. ebracteatus showed the highest total phenolic content at 22.55 mg GAE/g extract and the strongest antioxidant activities, with IC50 values of 0.24 mg/mL and 3.05 mg/mL, as determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. The antibacterial efficacy of these extracts was also tested against Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The diameters of the inhibition zones ranged from 14.7 to 17.3 mm using the agar well diffusion method, with MIC and MBC values ranging from 7.81 to 250 mg/mL. Anti-biofilm formation, antibacterial adhesion, and antibacterial invasion assays further demonstrated that these medicinal plant extracts can inhibit bacterial biofilm formation and prevent the adhesion and invasion of oral pathogenic bacteria on the human tongue squamous cell carcinoma-derived cell line (HSC-4 cells). The ethanolic extracts of C. nutans and A. ebracteatus were able to inhibit the gtfD and gbp genes, which facilitate biofilm formation and bacterial adherence to surfaces. These findings provide new insights into the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of plant extracts from the Acanthaceae family. These activities could enhance the clinical and pharmaceutical applications of plant extracts as an alternative therapy for bacterial infections and a dietary supplement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants)
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Review

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15 pages, 544 KiB  
Review
Anticancer Potential of Tocopherols-Containing Plants and Semi-Synthetic Tocopherols
by Nesti Fronika Sianipar, Zidni Muflikhati, Dave Mangindaan and Khoirunnisa Assidqi
Plants 2024, 13(21), 2994; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212994 - 26 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1511
Abstract
Tocopherols, potent bioactive compounds with anticancer properties, remain understudied in herbal medicinal plants, presenting a significant knowledge gap in the field of natural anticancer agents. This review evaluates tocopherol-containing plants for their anticancer potential, analyzing Scopus publications from 2016 to 2024. Fifteen herbal [...] Read more.
Tocopherols, potent bioactive compounds with anticancer properties, remain understudied in herbal medicinal plants, presenting a significant knowledge gap in the field of natural anticancer agents. This review evaluates tocopherol-containing plants for their anticancer potential, analyzing Scopus publications from 2016 to 2024. Fifteen herbal medicinal plants were identified as promising candidates, including Bulbine anguistifolia Poelln, Punica granatum L., Moringa oleifera, Kigelia pinnata, and Typhonium flagelliforme Lodd. The review explores tocopherols’ anticancer mechanisms, including apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest. Factors influencing tocopherols’ anticancer effects are examined, such as their forms (α, β, γ, δ), concentrations, plant parts utilized, and their stability in various plants. Additionally, emerging research on semi-synthetic tocopherol derivatives is analyzed, highlighting their potential as adjuvants in chemotherapy and their role in enhancing drug delivery and reducing side effects. This comprehensive analysis aims to advance the development of plant-based anticancer pharmaceuticals and improve cancer treatment strategies. By elucidating the mechanisms and potential of tocopherol-containing plants, this review provides a foundation for future research in plant-based anticancer therapies. It emphasizes the need for further investigation into these plants’ anticancer properties, potentially leading to novel, more effective, and less toxic cancer therapies. The findings presented here contribute to a nuanced understanding of how tocopherol-containing plants can be leveraged in the development of future anticancer drugs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, and Anticancer Activities of Medicinal Plants)
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