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
Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants
share announcement

Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2025) | Viewed by 9151

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Amine Assouguem

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Protection and Environment, National School of Agriculture of Meknes, BP S 40, Meknes, Morocco
Interests: plants; agronomy; control methods; green chemistry; medicinal plants; sustainable agriculture; natural products; environmental protection; phytochemistry; organic farming
Prof. Dr. Mohammed Kara

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Conservation and Valorization of Natural Resources (LBCVRN) (ex LBPRN), Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
Interests: natural product; polyphenols; antioxidants; vegetable oils; oxidation; antioxidant activity; antimicrobial activity; phytochemical
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants are a remarkable source of chemicals, producing a wide range of bioactive compounds known as secondary metabolites. Instead, these compounds play a crucial role in plant defense, communication, and adaptation to their environment. They are responsible for the plant's aroma, color, taste, and resistance to pathogens, herbivores, and environmental stress. The isolation and characterization of secondary plant metabolites is a key area of research in natural product chemistry. These compounds have aroused immense interest in various fields, including pharmaceuticals and medicine (antibiotics, anticancer agents, anti-inflammatories and analgesics, antisturvites, etc.), agriculture (pesticides and herbicides, plant growth regulators, biological control agents, etc.), the food industry (flavoring agents, preservatives, etc.), cosmetics and personal care (perfumes, skin care, dyes, etc.), environmental applications (bioremediation, allelopathy, etc.). This Special Issue offers researchers a platform to publish their research results on in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies of secondary metabolites, their isolation and characterization, and their use in various fields.

We invite you to contribute and share the latest advances by answering questions on various aspects of secondary metabolites.

Prof. Dr. Amine Assouguem
Prof. Dr. Mohammed Kara
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

  • secondary metabolites
  • phytochemistry
  • extraction
  • essential oil
  • bioactive compounds
  • purification
  • plant metabolites
  • molecular docking
  • alkaloids
  • terpenoids
  • phenolics
  • flavonoids
  • nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
  • mass spectrometry (MS)
  • natural products
  • antimicrobial
  • antioxidant
  • high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
  • gas chromatography (GC)
  • solvent extraction
  • anticancer
  • anti-inflammatory
  • antiviral
  • antifungal
  • cytotoxicity
  • immunomodulatory
  • neuroprotective

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

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 11470 KB  
Article
The Phenylpropanoid Gatekeeper CtPAL1 Coordinates ABA-Induced Flavonoid Biosynthesis and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)
by Xiaoyu Liu, Guanyao Zhang, Mingran Dai, Hong Zhao, Wei Ma, Yanli Hu, Na Yao, Jian Zhang, Naveed Ahmad and Xiuming Liu
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3606; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233606 - 26 Nov 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) catalyzes the first committed step in the phenylpropanoid pathway that governs the entry of carbon flux into flavonoid biosynthesis and stress-responsive metabolism. However, how PAL explicitly mediates hormonal-induced flavonoid biosynthesis and promotes the antioxidant defense system in safflower (Carthamus [...] Read more.
Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) catalyzes the first committed step in the phenylpropanoid pathway that governs the entry of carbon flux into flavonoid biosynthesis and stress-responsive metabolism. However, how PAL explicitly mediates hormonal-induced flavonoid biosynthesis and promotes the antioxidant defense system in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) remains largely unknown. Here, we functionally characterize CtPAL1 and demonstrated its regulatory role in abscisic acid (ABA)-induced flavonoid biosynthesis and antioxidant defense. Using phylogenetic and structural predictions, we found that CtPAL1 was placed within a conserved branch of Asteraceae PAL proteins. A promoter analysis indicated multiple hormone- and stress-responsive cis-elements, and exposure to abiotic and hormonal treatments elicited complex, stimulus-dependent dynamics of CtPAL1 expression and flavonoid accumulation. Upon ABA treatment, the expression of CtPAL1 is rapidly induced, triggering early flavonoid biosynthesis. Moreover, CtPAL1-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines exhibited enhanced tolerance to ABA-induced stress by lower lipid peroxidation and higher antioxidant enzyme activities, accompanied with increased flavonoid production. Importantly, the transgenic overexpression of CtPAL1 in Arabidopsis led to the upregulation of the upstream flavonoid pathway genes (At4CL, AtCHI) and elevated total flavonoid levels (1.07–1.27-fold versus wild type), while silencing in safflower caused a reduced flavonoid content (0.52–0.77× controls) and the downregulation of pathway genes. A biochemical assay also confirms that recombinant CtPAL1 efficiently converts L-phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid, validating its catalytic function. Together, our results demonstrate that CtPAL1 functions as a highly conserved and functionally active PAL enzyme in safflower and acts as an ABA-responsive modulator of flavonoid biosynthesis and antioxidant defense. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 9727 KB  
Article
Chemical Profiling, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities, and In Silico Evaluation of Gardenia jasminoides Essential Oil
by Mohammed Kara, Nouha Haoudi, Nor El houda Tahiri, Fatima Zahra Rhebbar, Reda El Mernissi, Amine Assouguem, Hamid Slali and Jamila Bahhou
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071055 - 28 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2303
Abstract
Aromatic and medicinal plants have been integral to human civilization for thousands of years, serving not only as vital components in traditional and modern medicine but also as sources of captivating fragrances that enhance our sensory experiences. The main objective of this study [...] Read more.
Aromatic and medicinal plants have been integral to human civilization for thousands of years, serving not only as vital components in traditional and modern medicine but also as sources of captivating fragrances that enhance our sensory experiences. The main objective of this study was to explore the chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and in silico molecular docking attributes of Gardenia jasminoides essential oil (GJEO). The chemical compositions were determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) test. The antimicrobial activity was tested in vitro using three microbial strains (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus), and two fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger). In silico analysis by molecular docking was used to determine the interaction types of topoisomerase II receptors and the most important antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds (Eugenol, Methyleugenol, and α-Terpineol ligands). The obtained results highlight the presence of 25 volatile compounds including 5 new detected compounds: Methyleugenol (15.41%), 1-Undecyne (3.4%), 2,6,10-Dodecatrien-1-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl- (1.11%), 2,5-Cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)- (0.4%), and 5,9-Tetradecadiyne (0.32%). The antioxidant capacity of GJEO is around 1.25 µg equivalent of ascorbic acid/mL for TAC assay and IC50 = 19.05 µL/mL for DPPH test. GJEO exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16.67 µL/mL. In silico molecular docking analysis revealed strong interactions between ethyleugenol characterized by multiple bonding interactions, including Pi–Alkyl and carbon–hydrogen bonds, while α-Terpineol formed hydrogen and alkyl interactions. These results underline the potential of Gardenia jasminoides essential oil as a promising source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, highlighting its possible applications in pharmaceuticals and natural therapies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

40 pages, 1713 KB  
Review
Phloroglucinol α-Pyrones from Helichrysum: A Review on Structural Diversity, Plant Distribution and Isolation
by Yulian Voynikov
Plants 2025, 14(22), 3460; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14223460 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 503
Abstract
Helichrysum species (Asteraceae) are renowned for their diverse phytochemical profiles and traditional medicinal applications. Among their specialized metabolites, phloroglucinol-α-pyrone derivatives represent a structurally unique and pharmacologically significant class of compounds. This review consolidates over five decades of phytochemical research, documenting 52 distinct compounds [...] Read more.
Helichrysum species (Asteraceae) are renowned for their diverse phytochemical profiles and traditional medicinal applications. Among their specialized metabolites, phloroglucinol-α-pyrone derivatives represent a structurally unique and pharmacologically significant class of compounds. This review consolidates over five decades of phytochemical research, documenting 52 distinct compounds isolated from 11 Helichrysum species across the Mediterranean, African, and Iranian regions. The compounds are organized into structural subclasses, including monopyrones, dipyrones, and various phloroglucinol derivatives distinguished by their molecular scaffolds. Isolation yields reported in the literature range from trace amounts to relatively abundant constituents (0.48% w/w), with arzanol emerging as the most extensively studied compound. Bioactivity profiles reveal anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiparasitic properties, with arzanol demonstrating potent dual inhibition of mPGES-1 and 5-LOX. This review provides comprehensive reference data for future investigations into the chemistry and therapeutic potential of α-pyrone secondary metabolites from Helichrysum species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 2232 KB  
Review
Reprogramming Hairy Root Cultures: A Synthetic Biology Framework for Precision Metabolite Biosynthesis
by Chang Liu, Naveed Ahmad, Ye Tao, Hamad Hussain, Yue Chang, Abdul Wakeel Umar and Xiuming Liu
Plants 2025, 14(13), 1928; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14131928 - 23 Jun 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3982
Abstract
Hairy root cultures induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes (Rhizobium rhizogenes) provide a sustainable approach to meet the growing demand for economically valuable plant-derived compounds in the face of depleting natural resources. These cultures exhibit rapid, hormone-independent growth and genetic stability, making them [...] Read more.
Hairy root cultures induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes (Rhizobium rhizogenes) provide a sustainable approach to meet the growing demand for economically valuable plant-derived compounds in the face of depleting natural resources. These cultures exhibit rapid, hormone-independent growth and genetic stability, making them viable for producing bioactive compounds, plant-specialized metabolites, and recombinant proteins. However, challenges remain in optimizing large-scale production, improving bioreactor efficiency, and enhancing metabolite synthesis across different plant species. This review addresses these challenges by exploring the mechanisms behind the induction of hairy root cultures, their applications in genetic and metabolic engineering, and their potential in environmental remediation. The review further highlights recent advances in biotechnology and illustrates how the hairy root system can sustainably meet industrial, pharmaceutical, and agricultural needs. In addition, by pointing out essential research areas such as optimizing culture conditions, increasing metabolite yields, and scaling up production, this work strengthens the significance of hairy root cultures in meeting the demand for high-value products while ensuring sustainable resource utilization. In particular, the integration of hairy root systems with advanced genomic tools such as transcriptomics and CRISPR technology holds immense potential for accelerating pathway-specific metabolic engineering, enhancing biosynthetic flux, and expanding their applications in sustainable agriculture and pharmaceutical innovation. This convergence is expected to drive substantial economic value by optimizing the production of high-value bioactive compounds, improving crop resilience, and facilitating precision medicine. Future work involving systems and synthetic biology will be instrumental in unlocking novel functions and ensuring broader deployment of hairy root cultures across industrial biotechnological platforms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Plants)
►▼ 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