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Phytochemicals: Antioxidant, Antitumoral and Anti-inflammatory Activity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 10614

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mariano Martinez-Vázquez

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Guest Editor

Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. C. Exterior, C. Universitaria, Coyoacán CDMX 04510, México
Interests: natural products; quorum sensing; cancer; natural product chemistry; pharmacology; crystal structure; crystallization; phytochemicals; synthesis, antioxidant activity; X-ray diffraction; anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant species need to synthesize a large number of chemical compounds, so-called phytochemicals, to ensure their survival. Most of these compounds are classified as specialization or secondary metabolism metabolites. The main functional characteristic of the specialization metabolites is that they do not participate directly in the primary metabolism but intervene decisively in the species’ survival. For example, compounds with a high degree of unsaturation, such as flavones, chalcones, and phenols that absorb light, will be synthesized in light stress environments. Thus, the synthesis of phytochemicals is highly dependent on the growth conditions of plant species. Consequently, nature provides us with an infinite number of chemical compounds with a significant structural variety. Since its beginnings, humanity has used medicinal plants whose positive effects are due to the presence of some secondary metabolites. However, it is not only the plants used in the different traditional pharmacopeias that provide phytochemicals with medicinal properties, but also species not used traditionally. There is a tradition of obtaining antitumor compounds from plant species such as taxol from Taxus brevifolia or vinca alkaloids obtained from Catharanthus roseus. The anti-inflammatory properties of the Heterotheca inuloides, which synthesizes flavones among other metabolites that inhibit inflammation processes and have antioxidant properties, are also well known. A group that has recently attracted attention are triterpenes such as ursolic acid and others that are very abundant in nature and have cytotoxic properties for human cancer lines and anti-inflammatory properties. It is known that anti-inflammatory processes are intricately linked to the onset of tumor processes. Therefore, it is essential to obtain natural compounds with anti-inflammatory properties, emphasizing in vivo experiments. Unquestionably, the study of phytochemicals with antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties represents an exciting area of research with an infinite range of possibilities. Therefore, we invite our colleagues to publish their latest findings in this Special Issue dedicated to phytochemicals and their semisynthetic derivatives with antitumor, cytotoxic to human cancer lines, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Dr. Mariano MARTINEZ-VAZQUEZ
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.

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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

antioxidants
anti-inflammatory
antitumor
phytochemicals
secondary metabolites
natural products

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 399 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Green, Brown, and Dark Propolis

by Ana Luiza Santos Vieira, Vinícius Tadeu da Veiga Correia, Ana Luiza Coeli Cruz Ramos, Nayana Hayss Araújo da Silva, Leonardo Assis Campos Jaymes, Julio Onésio Ferreira Melo, Ana Cardoso Clemente Filha Ferreira de Paula, Maria Aparecida Vieira Teixeira Garcia and Raquel Linhares Bello de Araújo

Plants 2023, 12(18), 3204; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183204 - 08 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1313

Abstract

The chemical composition of propolis varies between different types, due to the specific vegetation found near the hives and the climatic and soil conditions worldwide. Green propolis is exclusive to Brazil, produced by bees, with the resin of the plant Baccharis dracunculifolia. Brown propolis is a specific variety produced mainly in Northeast Brazil from the plant Hyptis divaricata, also known as “maria miraculosa”. Dark propolis is a variety of propolis produced by bees from the resin of the plant known as Jurema Preta (Mimosa hostilis benth). In this study, the aqueous extracts of green, brown, and dark propolis were analyzed for their antioxidant capacity using ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH, and their chemical profiles were determined using paper spray mass spectrometry. Among the three extracts, green propolis had the highest content of total phenolic compounds (2741.71 ± 49.53 mg GAE. 100 g⁻¹), followed by brown propolis (1191.55 ± 36.79 mg GAE. 100 g⁻¹), and dark propolis had the lowest content (901.79 ± 27.80 mg GAE. 100 g⁻¹). The three types of propolis showed high antioxidant capacity, with green showing the highest antioxidant capacity for the three methods used. Using paper spray mass spectrometry, it was possible to suggest the presence of 116 substances, including flavonoids (56), phenylpropanoids (30), terpenes (25), carboxylic acids (1), benzoic acid derivatives (1), fatty acids (1), amino acids (1) and alkaloids (1). The compounds in the green, brown, and dark propolis extracts reinforce the bioactive potential for application in these tree extracts’ food and pharmaceutical products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Antioxidant, Antitumoral and Anti-inflammatory Activity)

18 pages, 5330 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis, DFT Analyses, Antiproliferative Activity, and Molecular Docking Studies of Curcumin Analogues

by Mohamed Jawed Ahsan, Kavita Choudhary, Amena Ali, Abuzer Ali, Faizul Azam, Atiah H. Almalki, Eman Y. Santali, Md. Afroz Bakht, Abu Tahir and Salahuddin

Plants 2022, 11(21), 2835; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212835 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1712

Abstract

With 19.3 million new cases and almost 10 million deaths in 2020, cancer has become a leading cause of death today. Curcumin and its analogues were found to have promising anticancer activity. Inspired by curcumin’s promising anticancer activity, we prepared three semi-synthetic analogues by chemically modifying the diketone function of curcumin to its pyrazole counterpart. The curcumin analogues (3a–c) were synthesized by two different methods, followed by their DFT analyses to study the HOMO/LUMO configuration to access the stability of compounds (∆E = 3.55 to 3.35 eV). The curcumin analogues (3a–c) were tested for antiproliferative activity against a total of five dozen cancer cell lines in a single (10 µM) and five dose (0.001 to 100 µM) assays. 3,5-Bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyryl)-1H-pyrazole-1-yl-(phenoxy)ethanone (3b) and 3,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyryl)-1H-pyrazole-1-yl-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)ethanone (3c) demonstrated the most promising antiproliferative activity against the cancer cell lines with growth inhibitions of 92.41% and 87.28%, respectively, in a high single dose of 10 µM and exhibited good antiproliferative activity (%GIs > 68%) against 54 out of 56 cancer cell lines and 54 out of 60 cell lines, respectively. The compound 3b and 3c demonstrated the most potent antiproliferative activity in a 5-dose assay with GI₅₀ values ranging between 0.281 and 5.59 µM and 0.39 and 0.196 and 3.07 µM, respectively. The compound 3b demonstrated moderate selectivity against a leukemia panel with a selectivity ratio of 4.59. The HOMO-LUMO energy-gap (∆E) of the compounds in the order of 3a > 3b > 3c, was found to be in harmony with the anticancer activity in the order of 3c ≥ 3b > 3a. Following that, all of the curcumin analogues were molecular docked against EGFR, one of the most appealing targets for antiproliferative activity. In a molecular docking simulation, the ligand 3b exhibited three different types of interactions: H-bond, π-π-stacking and π-cationic. The ligand 3b displayed three H-bonds with the residues Met793 (with methoxy group), Lys875 (with phenolic group) and Asp855 (with methoxy group). The π-π-stacking interaction was observed between the phenyl (of phenoxy) and the residue Phe997, while π-cationic interaction was displayed between the phenyl (of curcumin) and the residue Arg841. Similarly, the ligand 3c displayed five H-bonds with the residue Met793 (with methoxy and phenolic groups), Lys845 (methoxy group), Cys797 (phenoxy oxygen), and Asp855 (phenolic group), as well as a halogen bond with residue Cys797 (chloro group). Furthermore, all the compound 3a–c demonstrated significant binding affinity (−6.003 to −7.957 kcal/mol) against the active site of EGFR. The curcumin analogues described in the current work might offer beneficial therapeutic intervention for the treatment and prevention of cancer. Future anticancer drug discovery programs can be expedited by further modifying these analogues to create new compounds with powerful anticancer potentials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Antioxidant, Antitumoral and Anti-inflammatory Activity)

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Review

Jump to: Research

23 pages, 4742 KiB

Open AccessReview

Phenanthroindolizidine Alkaloids Secondary Metabolites Diversity in Medicinally Viable Plants of the Genus Tylophora

by Ehab M. Mostafa, Arafa Musa, Hamdoon A. Mohammed, Abdulaziz Ibrahim Alzarea, Mohamed A. Abdelgawad, Mohammad M. Al-Sanea, Ahmed Ismail, Ameeduzzafar Zafar, Mohammed Elmowafy, Samy Selim and Riaz A. Khan

Plants 2023, 12(5), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051143 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2060

Abstract

Plants of the genus Tylophora have commonly been used in traditional medicine in various communities, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions of climatic zones. Of the nearly 300 species reported in the Tylophora genus, eight are primarily used in various forms to treat a variety of bodily disorders based on the symptoms. Certain plants from the genus have found use as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-allergic, anti-microbial, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-oxidant, smooth muscle relaxant, immunomodulatory, and anti-plasmodium agents, as well as free-radical scavengers. Pharmacologically, a few plant species from the genus have exhibited broad-spectrum anti-microbial and anti-cancer activity, which has been proven through experimental evaluations. Some of the plants in the genus have also helped in alcohol-induced anxiety amelioration and myocardial damage repair. The plants belonging to the genus have also shown diuretic, anti-asthmatic, and hepato-protective activities. Tylophora plants have afforded diverse structural bases for secondary metabolites, mainly belonging to phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, which have been found to treat several diseases with promising pharmacological activity levels. This review encompasses information on various Tylophora species, their distribution, corresponding plant synonyms, and chemical diversity of the secondary metabolic phytochemicals as reported in the literature, together with their prominent biological activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Antioxidant, Antitumoral and Anti-inflammatory Activity)

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17 pages, 1561 KiB

Open AccessReview

Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth.): Ancestral Tropical Staple with Future Potential

by Nancy González-Jaramillo, Natalia Bailon-Moscoso, Rodrigo Duarte-Casar and Juan Carlos Romero-Benavides

Plants 2022, 11(22), 3134; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223134 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4755

Abstract

A pre-Columbian staple, Bactris gasipaes Kunth. is a palm tree domesticated around 4000 years ago, so appreciated that a Spanish chronicler wrote in 1545, “only their wives and children were held in higher regard” by the Mesoamerican natives. The peach palm is an integral part of the foodways and gastronomy of Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and other tropical American countries; meanwhile, it is almost unknown in the rest of the world, except for hearts of palm. Although abundant, the species faces anthropogenic threats. The purpose of this study is to describe and summarize the physicochemical, nutritional, and bioactive characteristics of the peach palm and its two main alimentary products: hearts of palm and fruits, highlighting the functional and antioxidant potential of the latter, showing both ancestral and modern uses. There is active research on peach palm products and coproducts that aim for better, more sustainable uses of its traditional and recently found properties. The review and presentation of studies on this strategically relevant species can motivate the protection of endangered populations and stimulate new lines of research to advance development in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, with fair trade, sustainable development goals, and adaptation to climate change in mind. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals: Antioxidant, Antitumoral and Anti-inflammatory Activity)

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