Search Results (1,307)

Wild Ganoderma lucidum from Nepal’s high-altitude regions was studied to identify key bioactive compounds and assess the influence of solvent type—water, ethanol, methanol, and acetone—on extraction efficiency and biological activity. Extracts were evaluated for antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity against HeLa cells, and phytochemical composition via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Solvent type significantly affected both yield and bioactivity. Acetone yielded the highest crude extract (5.01%), while ethanol extract exhibited the highest total phenolic (376.5 ± 9.3 mg PG/g) and flavonoid content (30.3 ± 0.5 mg QE/g). Methanol extract was richest in lycopene (0.07 ± 0.00 mg/g) and β-carotene (0.45 ± 0.02 mg/g). Ethanol extract demonstrated consistently strong DPPH, superoxide, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity, along with high reducing power. All extracts showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells, with ethanol and water extracts showing the greatest inhibition (>65% at 1000 µg/mL). GC-MS profiling identified solvent-specific bioactive compounds including sterols, terpenoids, polyphenols, and fatty acids. Notably, pharmacologically relevant compounds such as hinokione, ferruginol, ergosterol, and geranylgeraniol were detected. These findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of G. lucidum, underscore the importance of solvent selection, and suggest that high-altitude ecological conditions may influence its bioactive metabolite profile. Full article

Nudibranchs have garnered increasing interest in biomedical research due to their complex chemical defense mechanisms, many of which are derived from their diet, including sponges, cnidarians, tunicates, and algae. Their remarkable ability to sequester dietary toxins and synthesize secondary metabolites positions them as a promising source of biologically active compounds with potential therapeutic applications, particularly in oncology. This study aimed to review and summarize the available literature on the bioactive potential of nudibranch-derived compounds, focusing mainly on their antitumor properties. Although research in this area is still limited, recent studies have identified alkaloids and terpenoids isolated from species such as Dolabella auricularia, Jorunna funebris, Dendrodoris fumata, and members of the genus Phyllidia. These compounds exhibit notable cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines, including those from colon (HCT-116, HT-29, SW-480), lung (A549), and breast (MCF7) cancer. These findings suggest that compounds derived from nudibranchs could serve as scaffolds for the development of more effective and selective anticancer therapies. In conclusion, nudibranchs represent a valuable yet underexplored resource for antitumor drug discovery, with significant potential to contribute to the development of novel cancer treatments. Full article

Background: Phoebe zhennan and Phoebe chekiangensis are valuable evergreen trees recognized for their unique aromas and ecological significance, yet the organ-related distribution and functional implications of aroma-active volatiles remain insufficiently characterized. Methods: In this study, we applied an integrated GC-MS-based volatile metabolomics approach combined with a relative odor activity value (rOAV) analysis to comprehensively profile and compare the volatile metabolite landscape in the seeds and leaves of both species. Results: In total, 1666 volatile compounds were putatively identified, of which 540 were inferred as key aroma-active contributors based on the rOAV analysis. A multivariate statistical analysis revealed clear tissue-related separation: the seeds were enriched in sweet, floral, and fruity volatiles, whereas the leaves contained higher levels of green leaf volatiles and terpenoids associated with ecological defense. KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that terpenoid backbone and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways played major roles in shaping these divergent profiles. A Venn diagram analysis further uncovered core and unique volatiles underlying species and tissue specificity. Conclusions: These insights provide an integrated reference for understanding tissue-divergent volatile profiles in Phoebe species and offer a basis for fragrance-oriented selection, ecological trait evaluation, and the sustainable utilization of organ-related metabolic characteristics in breeding and conservation programs. Full article

Over the years, macromycete fungi have been used as a source of food, part of religious rites and rituals, and as a medicinal remedy. Species with strong health-promoting potential include Hericium erinaceus, Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus ostreatus, Flammulina velutipes, and Inonotus obliquus. These species contain many bioactive compounds, including β-glucans, endo- and exogenous amino acids, polyphenols, terpenoids, sterols, B vitamins, minerals, and lovastatin. The level of some biologically active substances is species-specific, e.g., hericenones and erinacines, which have neuroprotective properties, and supporting the production of nerve growth factor in the brain for Hericium erinaceus. Due to their high health-promoting potential, mushrooms and substances isolated from them have found applications in livestock nutrition, improving their welfare and productivity. This phenomenon may be of particular importance in the nutrition of laying hens and broiler chickens, where an increase in pathogen resistance to antibiotics has been observed in recent years. Gallus gallus domesticus is a key farm animal for meat and egg production, so the search for new compounds to support bird health is important for food safety. Studies conducted to date indicate that feed supplementation with mushrooms has a beneficial effect on, among other things, bird weight gain; bone mineralisation; and meat and egg quality, including the lipid profile and protein content and shell thickness, and promotes the development of beneficial microbiota, thereby increasing immunity. Full article

Background: This paper deals with the detection of amino acid composition of Iraqi Ocimum basilicum (basil) leaves and evaluation of the cytotoxic effects of the plant leaf extract on human colorectal cancer cells. Methods: Leaves of Ocimum basilicum were collected from Iraq in November 2024. After drying and powdering, the plant material went through cold methanol extraction. Initial phytochemical screening was conducted to identify the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, and terpenoids. Amino acid analysis was completed by an amino acid analyzer with fluorescence detection. The cytotoxic effect was evaluated via the MTT assay on HRT-18 cell lines. Morphological changes were further tested using dual Propidium Iodide/Acridine Orange assay fluorescent staining. Results: Seventeen amino acids were detected in the plant extract. The extract showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on HRT-18 cells, with significant reduction in cell viability at concentrations of more than 25 µg/mL. Morphological alterations of membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage were observed, suggesting apoptotic activity. The IC₅₀ value confirmed strong cytotoxic potential. Conclusions: The extract of Ocimum basilicum leaf cultivated in Iraq shows a rich amino acid profile and significant cytotoxic activity against colorectal cancer cells that highlights its potential effect as a natural source of anticancer compounds. Full article

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a multidrug-resistant pathogen, poses a significant threat to global healthcare. This review evaluates the potential of marine algal metabolites as novel antibacterial agents against MRSA. We explore the clinical importance of S. aureus, the emergence of MRSA as a “superbug”, and its resistance mechanisms, including target modification, drug inactivation, efflux pumps, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing. The limitations of conventional antibiotics (e.g., β-lactams, vancomycin, macrolides) are discussed, alongside the promise of algal-derived compounds such as fatty acids, pigments, polysaccharides, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds. These metabolites exhibit potent anti-MRSA activity by disrupting cell division (via FtsZ inhibition), destabilizing membranes, and inhibiting protein synthesis and metabolic pathways, effectively countering multiple resistance mechanisms. Leveraging advances in algal biotechnology, this review highlights the untapped potential of marine algae to drive innovative, sustainable therapeutic strategies against antibiotic resistance. Full article

Sanghuangporus spp. are medicinal fungi with significant therapeutic value, but their taxonomic ambiguity and frequent market adulteration have hindered their standardized utilization. In this study, untargeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to systematically analyze the metabolic profiles of three Sanghuangporus species: Sanghuangporus. sanghuang (SS), Sanghuangporus. vaninii (SV), and Sanghuangporus. baumii (SB). A total of 788 metabolites were identified and classified into 16 categories, among which 97 were common differential metabolites, including bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polysaccharides, and terpenoids. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic patterns among the species. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differential metabolites were mainly involved in flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis. Notably, SV and SB exhibited significantly higher levels of several key bioactive compounds, including Apigenin and D-glucuronolactone, compared to SS. These findings highlight substantial interspecies differences in metabolic composition and pharmacological potential, providing a scientific basis for species authentication, quality control, and medicinal development of Sanghuangporus. Full article

Marine-derived fungi have proven to be a rich source of structurally diverse terpenoids with significant pharmacological potential. This systematic review of 119 studies (2020–2024) identifies 512 novel terpenoids, accounting for 87% of the total discoveries to 2020, from five major classes (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, sesterterpenes, and triterpenes) isolated from 104 fungal strains across 33 genera. Sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids constitute the predominant chemical classes, with Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Eutypella, and Penicillium being the most productive genera. These fungi were primarily sourced from distinct marine niches, including deep sea sediments, algal associations, mangrove ecosystems, and invertebrate symbioses. Notably, 57% of the 266 tested compounds exhibited diverse biological activities, encompassing anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicroalgal, antifungal, cytotoxic effects, etc. The chemical diversity and biological activities of these marine fungal terpenoids underscore their value as promising lead compounds for pharmaceutical development. Full article

Cancer presents significant challenges owing to its complex molecular pathways and resistance to therapy. Natural metabolites have significant medicinal potential by regulating the sensing and signaling pathways associated with cancer development. Recognizing their interactions within the tumor microenvironment may unveil innovative techniques for inhibiting malignant activities and improve therapy success. This article highlights studies regarding ovarian cancer metabolism, signaling mechanisms, and therapeutic natural substances. This study summarizes clinical and experimental results to emphasise the synergistic effects of alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids in improving therapeutic effectiveness and alleviating drug resistance. Bioactive compounds are essential in regulating ovarian cancer metabolism and signaling pathways, affecting glycolysis, lipid metabolism, and the survival of tumor cells. This review examines metabolic programming and essential pathways, including glycolysis, TCA cycle, lipid metabolism, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, AMPK, and MAPK, emphasizing their therapeutic significance. The integration of metabolic treatments with medicines based on natural compounds has significant potential for enhancing treatment effectiveness and mitigating therapeutic resistance. Ovarian cancer needs an integrated strategy that includes metabolic reprogramming, signaling modulation, and drugs derived from natural products. Natural chemicals provide intriguing approaches to address chemotherapy resistance and improve treatment efficacy. Further research is required to enhance these methodologies and evaluate their practical applicability for improved patient outcomes. Full article

The holistic use of Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds is not as popular amongst rural South Africans. This study screened for the phytochemicals, antimicrobial, and antioxidant potentials as well identifying the compounds in the oils of South African Moringa seed oils using cost-effective thin layer chromatography bioautography and dot blot assays, because fewer studies have been conducted using seed samples from this country. The results obtained indicated that the best oil extract yield (24.04%) was obtained for hexane from 60.10 g of powdered seeds. The yield of the other extracts ranged from 6.2 to 9.5%. Positive test results were obtained for terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and tannins, with potentially good antioxidant properties for scavenging free radicals from 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and good antimicrobial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii (BAA 747), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 27853), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), with the best zone of inhibition of 314.2 mm² obtained for oil extracted with hexane, followed by dichloromethane, methanol, and acetone oil extracts, respectively. The best minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.032 mg/mL against P. aeruginosa was recorded for the hexane oil, compared with ciprofloxacin, which had an MIC of 0.0039 mg/mL against the same pathogen. The identification of the in-oil compounds proposed to mitigate inhibitory activity against the test microbes was carried out through GC-MS analysis matching our results with the GC-MS library. These compounds included ursane-3,16-diol, azetidin-2-one, 1-benzyl-4à-methyl, dibutyl phthalate, 4-methyl-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)pent-1-ene, 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, 3-ethyl-4-methyl, octopamine rhodoxanthin, 29,30-dinorgammacerane-3,22-diol, 21,21-dimethy, cholan-24-oic acid, 3,7-dioxo, and benzyl alcohol. These are in addition to the stability-indicating marker compounds like oleic acid (54.9%), 9-Octadecenoic acid (z)-, methyl ester (23.3%), n-hexadecanoic acid (9.68%), among others observed over a five year period. Full article

Members of Sideritis sect. Empedoclia (Lamiaceae), known as ‘mountain tea’, are widely used medicinal plants. Their taxonomic classification is complex due to frequent hybridization and subtle morphological distinctions. This study examines 12 populations of eight native Sideritis taxa from Greece: S. clandestina subsp. clandestina, S. clandestina subsp. peloponnesiaca, S. euboea, S. raeseri subsp. raeseri, S. raeseri subsp. attica, S. scardica, S. sipylea, and S. syriaca subsp. syriaca. The objectives were to (1) monitor non-polar secondary metabolites (mainly terpenoids) using gas chromatography; (2) shed light on their phylogenetic relationships; (3) evaluate the correlation between genetic and chemical data. Diterpenes, particularly sideridiol, siderol, 7-epicandicandiol, and ent-3α,18-dihydroxy-kaur-16-ene, were the most abundant chemical compounds. Categorical Principal Component Analysis revealed that S. raeseri subsp. attica is chemically distinct, while the rest are grouped into two clusters: one comprising S. clandestina and S. sipylea, and the other including all the rest. Genetic analysis based on chloroplast DNA (matK, psbA-trnH, trnL-F), showed that S. sipylea and S. syriaca subsp. syriaca were the most phylogenetically distant groups. Our study enhances the understanding of Sideritis chemovariability and phylogeny, supporting also taxonomic, authentication, and breeding efforts. Full article

Infectious diseases have been treated using plants and their compounds for thousands of years. This knowledge has enabled modern techniques to identify specific antiviral remedies and to understand their molecular mechanism of action. Numerous active phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans), coumarins, thiophenes, saponins, furyl compounds, small proteins, and peptides, are promising options for treating and preventing viral infections. It has been shown that plant-derived products can prevent or inhibit viral entry into and replication by host cells. Biotechnological advances have made it possible to engineer plants with an increased capacity for the production and accumulation of natural antiviral compounds. Plants can also be engineered to produce various types of antivirals (cytokines, antibodies, vaccines, and lectins). This study summarizes the current understanding of the antiviral activity of specific plant-derived metabolites, emphasizing their mechanisms of action and exploring the enormous potential of plants as biological factories. Full article

Dioscorea species, known as “Yams”, belong to the Dioscoreaceae family. Members of the Dioscoreaceae family are widely distributed across subtropical and tropical regions. They are notable for their high content of starch, dietary fiber, and various bioactive compounds. In addition to serving as a staple food source, these tubers possess significant medicinal value in traditional medicine, particularly for treating diabetes, diarrhea, and various inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to comprehensively summarize the active components and food development potential of Dioscorea species from research over the past decade by searching commonly used databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. This review highlights the classification of bioactive compounds in Dioscorea spp. using the NPClassifier tool. We discuss 60 representative bioactive metabolites, including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, alkaloids, and amino acids. Additionally, we discuss the functional food applications and regulations of Dioscorea spp., which possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anticancer properties. This review is expected to provide scientific ideas for future research related to prioritizing the optimization of extraction technologies, the execution of rigorous clinical trials to confirm therapeutic effects, and the exploration of novel applications of Dioscorea spp. bioactives to fully harness their potential in improving human health. Full article

This review highlights the critical role of chemotaxonomy in the identification, authentication, and discovery of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants. By analyzing secondary metabolites using techniques like UV spectroscopy, FTIR, HPLC, GC-MS, NMR, LC-MS-Qtof, and MALDI-TOF MS, chemotaxonomy ensures accurate plant identification, supporting the safe and effective use of plants in herbal medicine. Key secondary metabolites used in chemotaxonomic identification include alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, tannins, and plant peptides. Chemotaxonomy also facilitates the discovery of novel compounds with therapeutic potential, contributing to drug development. The integration of chemotaxonomy with genomics and proteomics allows a deeper understanding of plant biosynthesis and the mechanisms behind bioactive compound production. However, challenges due to variability in metabolite profiles and the lack of standardized methods remain, and future research should focus on developing global databases, improving standardization, and incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance plant identification and bioactive compound discovery. The integration of chemotaxonomy with personalized medicine offers the potential to tailor plant-based therapies to individual genetic profiles, advancing targeted treatments. This review underscores chemotaxonomy’s importance in bridging traditional knowledge and modern science, offering sustainable solutions for medicinal plant use and drug development. Full article

Endophytic microorganisms inhabiting plant tissues constitute a unique and largely untapped reservoir of bioactive metabolites, including phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and anthraquinones, among others. This review focuses on the potential of these compounds to modulate the complex processes of wound repair, such as hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Uniquely, this review delineates the specific mechanisms supported not only by indirect evidence but by primary research directly linking endophytic metabolites to wound repair. We synthesized and evaluated evidence from 18 studies, of which over 75% directly assessed wound healing effects through in vitro and in vivo models. Metabolites from endophytic microorganisms promoted wound contraction, suppressed biofilm formation by key pathogens (e.g., MRSA, P. aeruginosa), and accelerated tissue re-epithelialization in animal models. Other compounds demonstrated >99% wound closure in rats, while several extracts showed anti-inflammatory and cytocompatible profiles. Nevertheless, the majority of studies applied unstandardized methods and used crude extracts, hindering precise structure–activity assessment. The originality of this review lies in drawing attention to direct evidence for wound healing from diverse endophytic sources and systematically identifying gaps between preclinical promise and clinical translation, positioning endophytes as a sustainable platform for next-generation wound therapeutics. Full article