Bioactive Molecules Profile from Natural Compounds

Abstract

Currently, wide world research is focused on sustainable development and the demand for innovative clean technologies, nevertheless natural potential reconsideration could represent a viable solution for the identification and design of new pharmacological agents from renewable resources. The main reason consists of special properties of these natural derivates: immunomodulating activity with continuously perfectible selectivity and efficiency. Plants and herb extracts have been used for centuries as traditional medicines, throughout the entire world. Romanian phytotherapy represents practically a very important part of our traditional knowledge and heritage. Therapeutic properties of plant active principles still continue to be the subject of many researches. In this chapter, an overview of plant bioactive molecules from the perspective of modern phytochemistry is presented. A special part is devoted to a very special medicinal plant, Viscum album, in particular identification of amino acids and thionins from mistletoe.

Chemical Profile, Antioxidant, Anti-Proliferative, Anticoagulant and Mutagenic Effects of a Hydroalcoholic Extract of Tuscan Rosmarinus officinalis

“…as the type and number of different classes of molecules in plant extracts influence their bioactivity and consequently their use [2]. For example, terpenoids show antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory effects; phenolics acids have anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic, anti-inflammation and anti-allergic activities; alkaloids have antispasmodic, antimalarial, analgesic and diuretic activities; flavonoids possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, activities, are cardiovascular and hepato-protective; saponins are antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, anti-hypoglycemic, antihepatotoxic and hepatoprotective, anticoagulant, neuroprotective, antioxidant; tannins are antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, diuretics, hemostatic, anti-mutagenic, metal ionchelators, antiseptic [2] Rosmarinus officinalis L. is an aromatic, evergreen plant belonging to the family Lamiaceae, native of Mediterranean regions, where it grows wild, but now widely distributed all over the world. The dark green, needle-like leaves of the plant are usually used as spice for flavoring in food cooking, but rosemary is cultivated not only for its aromatic properties but mainly for its antioxidant activity [3][4][5][6].…”

Free amino acid contents of selected Ethiopian plant and fungi species: a search for alternative natural free amino acid sources for cosmeceutical applications

“…As reported by the world health organization (WHO), about 80% of the total world population uses herbal medicines as their first-line primary health-care (Nagalingam 2017 ; Srivastava et al 2019 ; Sharma et al 2019 ). This resurgence of public interest in herbal remedies has been attributed to several factors including but not limited to the following: (a) herbal medicines are practically a mixture of many bioactive chemicals that can act synergistically (Sandberg and Corrigan 2001 ; Segneanu et al 2017 ); (b) they might be more effective as compared to similar substances obtained through chemical synthesis (Thornfeldt 2005 ); (c) they are economically feasible and can be used by people at all economic levels; (d) they are preferable in terms of safety (side effects), contraindications and interactions with other substances (Segneanu et al 2017 ); and (e) they have superior structural diversity, complex structure and multiple stereo centers (Phillipson 2001 ). There is also belief that herbal medicines are superior to manufactured products.…”

“…Understanding their benefits, the WHO has been working toward increasing the use of herbal medicines (WHO 2013 ) and currently about 25% of new drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or the European Medical Agency (EMA) are directly or indirectly plant based (Newman and Cragg 2012 ; Calixto 2019 ). Hence, research on plant-based bioactive molecules is among the top research topics in the pharmaceutical sector (Segneanu et al 2017 ; Azmir et al 2013 ; Chikezie et al 2015 ). Due to such reasons, many countries have been extensively using their plants for pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications (Ji et al 2017 ; Ruhsam and Hollingsworth 2018 ).…”

The importance of Structural and Functional Analysis of Extracts in Plants

“…Secondary metabolites vary widely in chemical structure (types of functional groups, number and position with respect to the carbon skeleton, substitution in the aromatic ring, stereochemistry, side chain length, saturation, etc.) [ 8 ] and the most extensively studied are those with antioxidant properties that protect cellular systems from oxidative damage through a variety of mechanisms able to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease [ 9 ].…”