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Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 30530

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Piotr Paweł Wieczorek

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
Interests: transport mechanisms of organic compounds through liquid membranes; separation and preconcentration of organic compounds; sample preparation of xenobiotics using supported liquid membranes (SLM) and solid phase extraction (SPE) prior to further analysis; determination of xenobiotics in environment and food samples; separation of enantiomers and determination of their optical purity; investigation of biological activity of allelochemicals, phosphoorganic compounds and other xenobiotics; isolation, analysis and structure determination of natural products biodegradation of xenobiotics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, considerable attention has been given to natural biologically active substances. Higher plants, as well as other organisms like algae, produce a lot of biologically active compounds belonging to such chemical groups as terpenes, polysaccharides, sterols, phenolic compounds, phytohormones or fatty acids. These compounds not only play a very important role in plant cells and algae, but also show interesting properties towards other groups of organisms, including humans. They are usually obtained and used as essential oils or extracts. The biological activity and efficacy of such extracts and essential oils depend on the quality and quantity of the active substance contained in the raw material. Therefore, there is a need to develop and validate methodologies and techniques that are capable of isolating, separating, quantifying, and identifying such compounds and their metabolites. Many extraction and purification techniques, i.e., hydrodistillation, accelerated solvent extraction, Soxhlet extraction, or solid-phase extraction are used for the preparation of these substances; to analyze structure determination of natural biologically active compounds, chromatographic (GC-MS, LC-MS), electrophoretic (CE) and spectroscopic methods (NMR, IR, MS) are most often used. However, from the point of view of their application, it is important to determine the biological activity of both extracts and essential oils, as well as individual substances.

Therefore the aim of this Special Issue is to present new solutions and show progress in the field of obtaining and determining the structure of biologically active compounds from natural sources. For this reason, we kindly invite you to submit original research papers, communications, and review articles discussing or experimental studies on obtaining biologically active compounds and determining their structure and biological activity.

Prof. Dr. Piotr Paweł Wieczorek
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Natural active substances
Isolation and purification
Extraction methods
Chromatographic methods, GC, HPLC, HPTLC
Structure determination, NMR, IR, mass spectroscopy
Biological activity

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Possibilities of Using Medicinal Plant Extracts and Salt-Containing Raw Materials from the Aral Region for Cosmetic Purposes

by Izabela Nowak, Akmaral Issayeva, Marta Dąbrowska, Agata Wawrzyńczak, Henryk Jeleń, Bogusława Łęska, Azhar Abubakirova and Assel Tleukeyeva

Molecules 2022, 27(16), 5122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27165122 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1751

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the possibility of using medicinal plants in combination with salt-containing raw materials from the Aral Sea region for cosmetic purposes. The chemical and mineralogical compositions of salts occurring in this region were studied for pharmacological and cosmetic purposes. The salt-containing raw materials were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microflora of saline-containing raw materials and flora of the Zhaksy-Klych lake were studied. Fifty-six plant species were identified, of which 25% belong to the Asteraceae family, 32% were Poaceae, 22% were Amaranthaceae, and 21% were Tamaricaceae. Using the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, the composition of volatile compounds in such plant species as Artemisia alba L., Achilleamillifolium L., Eleagus commutate Bernh. Ex Rydb., Psoraleadrupacea Bunge, Artemisia cipa O. Vegd., Thymus vulgaris L., Morus alba L., Salvia pratensis L., Glycyrhizaglabra L., Tanacetum vulgare L., Polygonumaviculare L., Alhagipseudoalhagi Gagnebin and Peganumharmala L., chosen on the basis of their herbal components for future cosmetic products, was determined. In total, 187 different volatile compounds were found in the endemic plant species Glycyrrhizaglabra L., of which the following were dominant: 1,7-octadiene-3-, 2,6-dimethyl- with a peak area of 4.71%; caryophyllenes; bicyclo[7.2.0]4,11,11-trimethyl-8-methylene-, [1R-(1R*,4E,9S*)]—3.70%; bicyclo[2.2.1] heptane-2-1,7,7-trimethyl-,(1S)—3.46%; cyclohexanone, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyledene)-; 2-isopropyledene-5—2.97%; menthol; cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-; p-menthane-3-ol; menthol alcohol; and 2-isopropyl-5—2.08%. The remaining compounds were detected in amounts of less than 2.0%. Tests of seven cosmetic compositions developed on the basis of plant extracts and salt-containing raw materials revealed that three samples had a moisturizing effect. Launching the production of cosmetic products in the Aral region will not only reduce social tensions but also significantly improve the environmental situation in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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15 pages, 2140 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extracting Total Anthocyanin from Purple Sweet Potato Using an Effective Ultrasound-Assisted Compound Enzymatic Extraction Technology

by Fang Wang, Shuo Zhang, Guowei Deng, Kun Xu, Haiyan Xu and Jialei Liu

Molecules 2022, 27(14), 4344; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27144344 - 06 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1836

Abstract

This study aimed to develop an effective technique for extracting total anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (Mianzishu 9) (PSP9) by ultrasound-assisted compound enzymatic extraction (UAEE). Single-factor experiments, Plackett-Burman experimental design, and response surface methodology were utilized for optimizing extraction conditions, and the antioxidant activities were evaluated. Anthocyanins were also measured using an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph linked to a mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS). The maximum yield of total anthocyanins was 2.27 mg/g under the following conditions: the ethanol concentration was 78%, the material-to-liquid ratio was 1:15 g/mL, the enzyme ratio (cellulase: pectinase: papain) was 2:2:1 and its hydrolysis was at 41 °C, pH = 4.5, 1.5 h, the ultrasonication was at 48 °C and conducted twice for 20 min each time. In addition to higher yield, anthocyanins extracted from purple sweet potato by UAEE showed great ability to scavenge DPPH (IC₅₀ of 0.089 μg/mL) and hydroxyl radicals (IC₅₀ of 100.229 μg/mL). Five anthocyanins were found in the purple sweet potato extract from UAEE. Taken together, the ultrasound-assisted compound enzymatic method can rapidly and effectively extract anthocyanins with greater antioxidant capacity from purple sweet potato. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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27 pages, 12477 KiB

Open AccessArticle

QTOF-ESI MS Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Physalis peruviana L. (Cape Gooseberry) Husks and Fruits from Costa Rica

by Mirtha Navarro-Hoyos, Elizabeth Arnáez-Serrano, María Isabel Quirós-Fallas, Felipe Vargas-Huertas, Krissia Wilhelm-Romero, Felipe Vásquez-Castro, Diego Alvarado-Corella and Andrés Sánchez-Kopper

Molecules 2022, 27(13), 4238; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27134238 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1983

Abstract

There is increasing interest in research of secondary metabolites from Physalis peruviana (Cape gooseberry) because of their potential bioactivities. In this study, the profile of compounds found in fruits and husks from Costa Rica was determined through ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry using a quadrupole time-of-flight analyzer (UPLC-ESI-QTOF MS) on extracts (n = 10) obtained through pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions. In total, 66 different compounds were identified, comprising 34 withanolides, 23 sucrose ester derivatives and 9 flavonoids. UPLC-DAD analysis was performed to determine the β-carotene in fruits and to quantify the flavonoids in all 10 samples, with the results showing higher contents in samples from the Dota region (58.6–60.1 μg/g of dry material versus 1.6–2.8 mg/g of dry material). The Folin–Ciocalteau total polyphenolic content (FC) and antioxidant activity using the DPPH method showed better results for the husk extracts, with the ones from the Dota region holding the best values (4.3–5.1 mg GAE/g of dry material versus IC₅₀ = 1.6–2.3 mg of dry material/mL). In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between the RU, FC and DPPH values (r = −0.902, p < 0.05), aligning with previous reports on the role of polyphenols in antioxidant activity. Principal correlation analysis (PCoA) and hierarchical clustering (HC) analysis were performed on HRMS results, and they indicated that the D1 and D2 fruit samples from the Dota region were clustered with husks related to a higher presence of the analyzed metabolites. In turn, principal component analysis (PCA) performed on the flavonoid content and antioxidant activity yielded results indicating that the D1 and D2 husks and fruit samples from the Dota region stood out significantly, showing the highest antioxidant activity. In summation, our findings suggest that P. peruviana husks and fruits from Costa Rica constitute a substrate of interest for further studies on their potential health benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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13 pages, 1731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of the Antioxidant Properties of Green Macroalgae from Diverse European Water Habitats by Use of Several Semi-Quantitative Assays

by Zuzanna Piotrowicz, Łukasz Tabisz, Bogusława Łęska, Beata Messyasz and Radosław Pankiewicz

Molecules 2022, 27(12), 3812; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27123812 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1493

Abstract

Nowadays, algae are becoming more and more popular as a food group rich in nutrients, cosmetic raw materials full of antioxidants or valuable dietary supplements. They are of interest for the industry because they are found almost all over the world, in all climatic zones, both in fresh and salt waters. The aim of this study was to take a broad look at green algae (Chlorophyta) and to show how large the variability of the content of active compounds may depend on the species and the place and time of sample collection. Particular attention was paid to compounds with antioxidant activity, whose simplified profiles were created on the basis of complementary, semi-quantitative methods. Additionally, time-yield extraction optimizations were performed. Three different specimens of Ulva lactuca were compared: from the coastal zone of the Baltic Sea, from the open Baltic Sea area around Bornholm and Ulva spiralis (Ulva lactuca polymorph) from the Atlantic Ocean. The studied algae of the Cladophora genera were three different species of freshwater algae from various habitats: a lake (Cladophora glomerata), a river (Cladophora rivularis) and aquarium farming (Cladophora aegagropila, syn. Aegagropila linnaei). The content of antioxidants and the extraction efficiency varied significantly depending on the species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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13 pages, 2272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Variation of Amino Acid Contents and Identification of Sterols in Xinyang Mao Jian Green Tea

by Meng Sun, Fangfang Yang, Wanying Hou, Shuangfeng Jiang, Runqi Yang, Wei Zhang, Mingjie Chen, Yuhang Yan, Yuxin Tian and Hongyu Yuan

Molecules 2022, 27(11), 3562; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27113562 - 01 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1769

Abstract

As important biomolecules in Camellia sinensis L., amino acids (AAs) are considered to contribute to the overall green tea sensory quality and undergo dynamic changes during growth. However, limited by analytical capacity, detailed AAs composition in different growth stages remains unclear. To address this question, we analyzed the dynamic changes of 23 AAs during leaf growth in Xinyang Mao Jian (XYMJ) green tea. Using amino acid analyzer, we demonstrated that most AAs are abundant on Pure Brightness Day and Grain Rain Day. After Grain Rain, 23 AAs decreased significantly. Further analysis shows that theanine has a high level on the day before Spring Equinox and Grain Rain, accounting for 44–61% of the total free AAs content in tea leaves. Glu, Pro, and Asp are the second most abundant AAs. Additionally, spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol are first purified and identified in ethanol extract of XYMJ by silica gel column chromatography method. This study reveals the relationship between plucking days and the dynamic changes of AAs during the growth stage and proves the rationality of the traditional plucking days of XYMJ green tea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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24 pages, 3248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Evaluation of the Essential Oil of the New Ukrainian Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula x intermedia Cultivars Grown on the Same Plots

by Katarzyna Pokajewicz, Marietta Białoń, Liudmyla Svydenko, Nataliia Hudz, Radosław Balwierz, Dominik Marciniak and Piotr Paweł Wieczorek

Molecules 2022, 27(7), 2152; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27072152 - 26 Mar 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2485

Abstract

New cultivars of lavender adapted to arid steppe conditions were developed by the Institute of Rice of Ukrainian National Academy of Agrarian Sciences (NAAS). This work is a part of the characterization process of the new cultivars. The chemical composition of the essential oil of the seven new Lavandula angustifolia and eight new Lavandula x intermedia cultivars was investigated and compared. In total, 71 different compounds were identified. Linalool and linalool acetate were the main components in both species in ranges of 26.14–57.07% and 9.08–24.45%, respectively. They were followed by terpinen-4-ol (2.16–22.44%), lavandulyl acetate (2.12–10.23%), and lavandulol (1.30–3.14) in the case of L. angustifolia and camphor (10.11–12.55%), borneol (5.49–8.71%), and eucalyptol (0.47–7.41%) in the case of L. x intermedia. The oils had a valuable terpene profile—a high linalool content and the substantial presence of lavandulol and its ester. Nevertheless, they did not comply with the industry standards, mostly due to high levels of terpinene-4-ol. Evidently, a high content of terpinen-4-ol is a characteristic feature of L. angustifolia oils bred in Ukraine. Additionally, the LA3 cultivar yielded an oil with some of the highest linalool contents reported in the literature. Statistical analysis and literature data allowed for the comparative analysis of the gathered data. MANOVA, PCA, and HCA marked caryophyllene oxide as another potential differentiating compound between studied species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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10 pages, 2176 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tensiometry as a Simple Analytical Method for Quantification of Solubility and Release of Aroma Molecules in Aqueous Media

by Ruth Kudla, Jochen S. Gutmann and Larisa A. Tsarkova

Molecules 2021, 26(24), 7655; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26247655 - 17 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2128

Abstract

Dynamic tensiometry is shown to be a high-potential analytical tool in assessing physico-chemical characteristics of fragrance molecules, such as solubility limit, volatility as well as much rarely assessed interfacial activity of these amphiphilic molecules. Surface tension of aqueous solutions of selected essential oils has been measured as a function of time and fragrance concentration using maximum bubble pressure method. The effect of the temperature and saline solution on the rate of dissolution in water was assessed. Dynamic surface tension turned to be sensitive to the composition of fragrances, as demonstrated on examples of natural and synthetic mixtures. Furthermore, presented work reveals the possibility of maximum bubble pressure tensiometry method to quantify the amount of fragrance compositions in flavored salts, including the artificially aged carrier samples. Suggested here analytical approach can be used for the detection of the purity of essential oils, for the optimization of compositions and of the manufacturing processes of fragrances-containing products, as well as for the assessment of the release/evaporation of fragrances from carrier systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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17 pages, 1484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of The Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Activities of Dicliptera bupleuroides Isolated Compounds Using In Vitro and In Silico Studies

by Shehla Akbar, Saiqa Ishtiaq, Muhammad Jahangir, Sameh S. Elhady, Hanin A. Bogari, Abdelrahman M. Alahdal, Mohamed L. Ashour and Fadia S. Youssef

Molecules 2021, 26(23), 7196; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26237196 - 27 Nov 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2103

Abstract

Phytochemical investigation of chloroform fraction (DBC) and ethyl acetate fraction (DBE) of D. bupleuroides (Acanthaceae) resulted in the isolation of β-sitosterol (1) from DBC and vanillic acid (2) from DBE, which were first to be isolated from D. bupleuroides. β-Sitosterol (1) exhibited substantial antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 198.87 µg/mL), whereas vanillic acid (2) showed significant antioxidant power (IC₅₀ = 92.68 µg/mL) employing 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) radical scavenging capacity assay. Both compounds showed pronounced antimicrobial activity using the agar disc diffusion method, particularly against fungi showing MIC values of 0.182 and 0.02 concerning Candida albicans, respectively, and 0.001 mg/mL regarding Penicillium notatum. They revealed considerable antibacterial activity with MIC values ranging between 0.467 and 0.809 mg/mL. Vanillic acid (2) exhibited substantial anticancer potential displaying 48.67% cell viability at a concentration of 100 μg/mL using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyl-2H-Tetrazolium Bromide) assay concerning HepG2 cell lines. These results were further consolidated by in silico studies on different enzymes, where vanillic acid displayed a high fitting score in the active pockets of DNA-gyrase, dihydrofolate reductase, aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferase, and β-lactamase. It also inhibited human cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK-2) and DNA topoisomerase II, as revealed by the in silico studies. ADME/TOPKAT (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) prediction showed that vanillic acid exhibited reasonable pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity properties and, thus, could perfectly together with D. bupleuroides crude extract be incorporated in pharmaceutical preparations to counteract cancer and microbial invasion, as well as oxidative stress. Thus, it is concluded that D. bupleroides could be a potential source of therapeutically active compounds, which would be helpful for the discovery of clinically effective and safe drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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20 pages, 2467 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of the New Cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Bred in Ukraine

by Katarzyna Pokajewicz, Marietta Białoń, Liudmyla Svydenko, Roman Fedin and Nataliia Hudz

Molecules 2021, 26(18), 5681; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26185681 - 18 Sep 2021

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 4522

Abstract

Lavender, otherwise known as Lavandula angustifolia Mill., is widely used in landscaping, and its oil is a valuable raw material used in many industries. Therefore, new varieties of this plant are bred. The essential oil composition obtained from fresh flowers of thirteen new Ukrainian cultivars of L. angustifolia were analysed by GC-MS, and eighty-two components were identified. Linalool and linalyl acetate were principal constituents of all of the samples, and ranged from 11.4% to 46.7% and 7.4% to 44.2%, respectively. None of the studied samples fulfilled the requirements of Ph. Eur. and ISO 3515:2002. The main reason was a high content of α-terpineol (0.5–4.5%) and/or terpinene-4-ol (1.2–18.7%). Our results are in line with multiple researchers showing that the studied lavender oils do not comply with the industry standards despite their authenticity. We also investigated the effect of the growth year on the chemical composition of five tested cultivars grown on the same plots and noticed a considerable variability between years. The obtained experimental data did not show a significant inter-year trend for the content changes of the major components. Our results allow us to deeply characterize the new cultivars and evaluate their oil for a possible use in the industry, or to designate them for future selective breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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14 pages, 1097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antiproliferative Phenanthrenes from Juncus tenuis: Isolation and Diversity-Oriented Semisynthetic Modification

by Csaba Bús, Norbert Kúsz, Annamária Kincses, Nikoletta Szemerédi, Gabriella Spengler, László Bakacsy, Dragica Purger, Róbert Berkecz, Judit Hohmann, Attila Hunyadi and Andrea Vasas

Molecules 2020, 25(24), 5983; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25245983 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2144

Abstract

The occurrence of phenanthrenes is limited in nature, with such compounds identified only in some plant families. Phenanthrenes were described to have a wide range of pharmacological activities, and numerous research programs have targeted semisynthetic derivatives of the phenanthrene skeleton. The aims of this study were the phytochemical investigation of Juncus tenuis, focusing on the isolation of phenanthrenes, and the preparation of semisynthetic derivatives of the isolated compounds. From the methanolic extract of J. tenuis, three phenanthrenes (juncusol, effusol, and 2,7-dihydroxy-1,8-dimethyl-5-vinyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene) were isolated. Juncusol and effusol were transformed by hypervalent iodine(III) reagent, using a diversity-oriented approach. Four racemic semisynthetic compounds possessing an alkyl-substituted p-quinol ring (1–4) were produced. Isolation and purification of the compounds were carried out by different chromatographic techniques, and their structures were elucidated by means of 1D and 2D NMR, and HRMS spectroscopic methods. The isolated secondary metabolites and their semisynthetic analogues were tested on seven human tumor cell lines (A2780, A2780cis, KCR, MCF-7, HeLa, HTB-26, and T47D) and on one normal cell line (MRC-5), using the MTT assay. The effusol derivative 3, substituted with two methoxy groups, showed promising antiproliferative activity on MCF-7, T47D, and A2780 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 5.8, 7.0, and 8.6 µM, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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Review

Jump to: Research

17 pages, 2724 KiB

Open AccessReview

Overview of Allelopathic Potential of Lemna minor L. Obtained from a Shallow Eutrophic Lake

by Julia Gostyńska, Radosław Pankiewicz, Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda and Beata Messyasz

Molecules 2022, 27(11), 3428; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27113428 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2256

Abstract

Allelopathy is an interaction that releases allelochemicals (chemicals that act allelopathically) from plants into the environment that can limit or stimulate the development, reproduction, and survival of target organisms and alter the environment. Lemna minor L. contains chemicals that are allelopathic, such as phenolic acids. Chemical compounds contained in L. minor may have a significant impact on the development and the rate of multiplication and lead to stronger competition, which may enhance the allelopathic potential. Allelopathic potential may exist between L. minor and C. glomerata (L) Kütz. because they occupy a similar space in the aquatic ecosystem, have a similar preference for the amount of light, and compete for similar habitat resources. L. minor and C. glomerata can form dense populations on the water surface. Allelopathy can be seen as a wish to dominate one of the plants in the aquatic ecosystem. By creating a place for the development of extensive mats, an interspecific interaction is created and one of the species achieves competitive success. It is most effective as a result of the release of chemicals by macrophytes into the aquatic environment. Therefore, allelopathy plays a significant role in the formation, stabilization, and dynamics of the structure of plant communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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28 pages, 1314 KiB

Open AccessReview

Chemical Variability and Pharmacological Potential of Propolis as a Source for the Development of New Pharmaceutical Products

by Piotr Paweł Wieczorek, Nataliia Hudz, Oksana Yezerska, Vladimira Horčinová-Sedláčková, Mariia Shanaida, Oleksii Korytniuk and Iza Jasicka-Misiak

Molecules 2022, 27(5), 1600; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27051600 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 4140

Abstract

This review aims to analyze propolis as a potential raw material for the development and manufacture of new health-promoting products. Many scientific publications were retrieved from the Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases via searching the word "propolis". The different extraction procedures, key biologically active compounds, biological properties, and therapeutic potential of propolis were analyzed. It was concluded that propolis possesses a variety of biological properties because of a very complex chemical composition that mainly depends on the plant species visited by bees and species of bees. Numerous studies found versatile pharmacological activities of propolis: antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, etc. In this review, the composition and biological activities of propolis are presented from a point of view of the origin and standardization of propolis for the purpose of the development of new pharmaceutical products on its base. It was revealed that some types of propolis, especially European propolis, contain flavonoids and phenolic acids, which could be markers for the standardization and quality evaluation of propolis and its preparations. One more focus of this paper was the overview of microorganisms’ sensitivity to propolis for further development of antimicrobial and antioxidant products for the treatment of various infectious diseases with an emphasis on the illnesses of the oral cavity. It was established that the antimicrobial activity of different types of propolis is quite significant, especially to Gram-negative bacteria and lipophilic viruses. The present study could be also of interest to the pharmaceutical industry as a review for the appropriate design of standardized propolis preparations such as mouthwashes, toothpastes, oral drops, sprays, creams, ointments, suppositories, tablets, and capsules, etc. Moreover, propolis could be regarded as a source for the isolation of biologically active substances. Furthermore, this review can facilitate partially overcoming the problem of the standardization of propolis preparations, which is a principal obstacle to the broader use of propolis in the pharmaceutical industry. Finally, this study could be of interest in the area of the food industry for the development of nutritionally well-balanced products. The results of this review indicate that propolis deserves to be better studied for its promising therapeutic effects from the point of view of the connection of its chemical composition with the locality of its collection, vegetation, appropriate extraction methods, and standardization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isolation, Analysis and Structure Determination of Natural Active Substances)

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