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COMAN, Cristina, Olivia Dumitrita RUGINA, and Carmen SOCACIU. "Plants and Natural Compounds with Antidiabetic Action." Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 40, no. 1 (May 14, 2012): 314. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/nbha4017205.
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Diabetes has become the most common metabolic disease worldwide. In particular, type 2 diabetes is the most commonly encountered type of diabetes, which is characterised by the inability of the organism to respond to normal levels of circulating insulin, also called insulin resistance. Current antidiabetic therapy is based on synthetic drugs that very often have side effects. For this reason, there is a continuous need to develop new and better pharmaceuticals as alternatives for the management and treatment of the disease. Natural hypoglycaemic compounds may be attractive alternatives to synthetic drugs or reinforcements to currently used treatments. Their huge advantage is that they can be ingested in everyday diet. Recently, more attention is being paid to the study of natural products as potential antidiabetics. This mini review of the current literature is structured into three main sections focused on: (a) plant extracts, (b) plant biomolecules, and (c) other natural molecules that have been used for their antidiabetic effects. Potential molecular mechanisms of action are also discussed.
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Lu, Kai, Madhavi Bhat, and Sujit Basu. "Plants and their active compounds: natural molecules to target angiogenesis." Angiogenesis 19, no. 3 (May 6, 2016): 287–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10456-016-9512-y.
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Molteni, Monica, Annalisa Bosi, and Carlo Rossetti. "Natural Products with Toll-Like Receptor 4 Antagonist Activity." International Journal of Inflammation 2018 (2018): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/2859135.
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Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) are the innate immunity receptors that play an activating role when interacting with molecules released by bacteria and viruses (PAMPs, pathogen-associated molecular patterns) or with molecules released by injured cells and tissues (DAMPs, danger-associated molecular patterns). TLR triggering leads to the induction of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, driving the activation of both innate and adaptive immunity. In particular, Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) has been described to be involved in the inflammatory processes observed in several pathologies (such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, neuropathic pain, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer). Molecules obtained by natural sources have been discovered to exert an anti-inflammatory action by targeting TLR4 activation pathways. This review focuses on TLR4 antagonists obtained from bacteria, cyanobacteria, and plants.
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Saikin, Semion K., Alexander Eisfeld, Stéphanie Valleau, and Alán Aspuru-Guzik. "Photonics meets excitonics: natural and artificial molecular aggregates." Nanophotonics 2, no. 1 (February 1, 2013): 21–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2012-0025.
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AbstractOrganic molecules store the energy of absorbed light in the form of charge-neutral molecular excitations – Frenkel excitons. Usually, in amorphous organic materials, excitons are viewed as quasiparticles, localized on single molecules, which diffuse randomly through the structure. However, the picture of incoherent hopping is not applicable to some classes of molecular aggregates – assemblies of molecules that have strong near-field interaction between electronic excitations in the individual subunits. Molecular aggregates can be found in nature, in photosynthetic complexes of plants and bacteria, and they can also be produced artificially in various forms including quasi-one dimensional chains, two-dimensional films, tubes, etc. In these structures light is absorbed collectively by many molecules and the following dynamics of molecular excitation possesses coherent properties. This energy transfer mechanism, mediated by the coherent exciton dynamics, resembles the propagation of electromagnetic waves through a structured medium on the nanometer scale. The absorbed energy can be transferred resonantly over distances of hundreds of nanometers before exciton relaxation occurs. Furthermore, the spatial and energetic landscape of molecular aggregates can enable the funneling of the exciton energy to a small number of molecules either within or outside the aggregate. In this review we establish a bridge between the fields of photonics and excitonics by describing the present understanding of exciton dynamics in molecular aggregates.
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El Menyiy, Naoual, Aya Khouchlaa, Nasreddine El Omari, Gokhan Zengin, Monica Gallo, Domenico Montesano, and Abdelhakim Bouyahya. "Litholytic Activities of Natural Bioactive Compounds and Their Mechanism Insights." Applied Sciences 11, no. 18 (September 18, 2021): 8702. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11188702.
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Urolithiasis is a disease characterized by the formation of stones, which are crystalline accretions that form in the urinary tract from minerals dissolved in the urine. Moreover, it is considered to be a complex and multifactorial disease, requiring treatment. Unfortunately, current treatments are insufficient or may induce several side effects. In fact, medicinal plants are among the anti-litholytic treatments that are strongly recommended by many studies. Indeed, these natural resources contain bioactive molecules of different natures, such as flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, and phenolic acids, which have recently demonstrated very important anti-litholytic effects. The molecular mechanisms involved are multiple and variable, and can reach cellular and molecular levels. In this review, we have discussed in depth the work that has studied the bioactive molecules of medicinal plants and their major potential against urolithiasis. Scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were searched from their inception until April 2021.The cellular and molecular mechanisms are presented and discussed. Some mechanisms of action related to these bioactive compounds are highlighted. This review could provide a scientific starting point for further studies on urolithiasis and natural bioactive compounds, especially flavonoids.
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Carvalho, B. M. A., J. D. L. Santos, B. M. Xavier, J. R. Almeida, L. M. Resende, W. Martins, S. Marcussi, et al. "Snake Venom PLA2s Inhibitors Isolated from Brazilian Plants: Synthetic and Natural Molecules." BioMed Research International 2013 (2013): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/153045.
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Ophidian envenomation is an important health problem in Brazil and other South American countries. In folk medicine, especially in developing countries, several vegetal species are employed for the treatment of snakebites in communities that lack prompt access to serum therapy. However, the identification and characterization of the effects of several new plants or their isolated compounds, which are able to inhibit the activities of snake venom, are extremely important and such studies are imperative. Snake venom contains several organic and inorganic compounds; phospholipases A2(PLA2s) are one of the principal toxic components of venom. PLA2s display a wide variety of pharmacological activities, such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, anticoagulant, hemorrhagic, and edema-inducing effects. PLA2inhibition is of pharmacological and therapeutic interests as these enzymes are involved in several inflammatory diseases. This review describes the results of several studies of plant extracts and their isolated active principles, when used against crude snake venoms or their toxic fractions. Isolated inhibitors, such as steroids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, are able to inhibit PLA2s from different snake venoms. The design of specific inhibitors of PLA2s might help in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs, more specific antivenom, or even as alternative approaches for treating snakebites.
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Mohamed Yafout, Amine Ousaid, Ibrahim Sbai El Otmani, Youssef Khayati, and Amal Ait Haj Said. "Natural products from the traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia: A potential lead for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19." International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 11, SPL1 (November 27, 2020): 1278–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.26452/ijrps.v11ispl1.3619.
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The new SARS-CoV-2 belonging to the coronaviruses family has caused a pandemic affecting millions of people around the world. This pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization as an international public health emergency. Although several clinical trials involving a large number of drugs are currently underway, no treatment protocol for COVID-19 has been officially approved so far. Here we demonstrate through a search in the scientific literature that the traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia, which includes more than 500 medicinal plants, is a fascinating and promising source for the research of natural molecules active against SARS-CoV-2. Multiple in-silico and in-vitro studies showed that some of the medicinal plants used by Moroccans for centuries possess inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. These inhibitory activities are achieved through the different molecular mechanisms of virus penetration and replication, or indirectly through stimulation of immunity. Thus, the potential of plants, plant extracts and molecules derived from plants that are traditionally used in Morocco and have activity against SARS-CoV-2, could be explored in the search for a preventive or curative treatment against COVID-19. Furthermore, safe plants or plant extracts that are proven to stimulate immunity could be officially recommended by governments as nutritional supplements.
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Acquaviva, Rosaria, Giuseppe Antonio Malfa, and Claudia Di Giacomo. "Plant-Based Bioactive Molecules in Improving Health and Preventing Lifestyle Diseases." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 6 (March 15, 2021): 2991. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22062991.
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The Special Issue, “Plant-Based Bioactive Molecules in Improving Health and Preventing Life-style Diseases”, includes original research papers and reviews, which aim to increase knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying multiple biological effects of natural compounds from plants, responsible for maintaining human health and improving many diseases caused by people’s daily lifestyles [...]
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Mousavi, Seyyed Sasan, Akbar Karami, Tahereh Movahhed Haghighi, Sefren Geiner Tumilaar, Fatimawali, Rinaldi Idroes, Shafi Mahmud, et al. "In Silico Evaluation of Iranian Medicinal Plant Phytoconstituents as Inhibitors against Main Protease and the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2." Molecules 26, no. 18 (September 21, 2021): 5724. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules26185724.
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The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which initially appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Elderly individuals and those with comorbid conditions may be more vulnerable to this disease. Consequently, several research laboratories continue to focus on developing drugs to treat this infection because this disease has developed into a global pandemic with an extremely limited number of specific treatments available. Natural herbal remedies have long been used to treat illnesses in a variety of cultures. Modern medicine has achieved success due to the effectiveness of traditional medicines, which are derived from medicinal plants. The objective of this study was to determine whether components of natural origin from Iranian medicinal plants have an antiviral effect that can prevent humans from this coronavirus infection using the most reliable molecular docking method; in our case, we focused on the main protease (Mpro) and a receptor-binding domain (RBD). The results of molecular docking showed that among 169 molecules of natural origin from common Iranian medicinal plants, 20 molecules (chelidimerine, rutin, fumariline, catechin gallate, adlumidine, astragalin, somniferine, etc.) can be proposed as inhibitors against this coronavirus based on the binding free energy and type of interactions between these molecules and the studied proteins. Moreover, a molecular dynamics simulation study revealed that the chelidimerine–Mpro and somniferine–RBD complexes were stable for up to 50 ns below 0.5 nm. Our results provide valuable insights into this mechanism, which sheds light on future structure-based designs of high-potency inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2.
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Karade, Divya, Durairaj Vijayasarathi, Narendra Kadoo, Renu Vyas, P. K. Ingle, and Muthukumarasamy Karthikeyan. "Design of Novel Drug-like Molecules Using Informatics Rich Secondary Metabolites Analysis of Indian Medicinal and Aromatic Plants." Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening 23, no. 10 (December 28, 2020): 1113–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1386207323666200606211342.
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Background: Several medicinal plants are being used in Indian medicine systems from ancient times. However, in most cases, the specific molecules or the active ingredients responsible for the medicinal or therapeutic properties are not yet known. Objective: This study aimed to report a computational protocol as well as a tool for generating novel potential drug candidates from the bioactive molecules of Indian medicinal and aromatic plants through the chemoinformatics approach. Methods: We built a database of the Indian medicinal and aromatic plants coupled with associated information (plant families, plant parts used for the medicinal purpose, structural information, therapeutic properties, etc.) We also developed a Java-based chemoinformatics open-source tool called DoMINE (Database of Medicinally Important Natural products from plantaE) for the generation of virtual library and screening of novel molecules from known medicinal plant molecules. We employed chemoinformatics approaches to in-silico screened metabolites from 104 Indian medicinal and aromatic plants and designed novel drug-like bioactive molecules. For this purpose, 1665 ring containing molecules were identified by text mining of literature related to the medicinal plant species, which were later used to extract 209 molecular scaffolds. Different scaffolds were further used to build a focused virtual library. Virtual screening was performed with cluster analysis to predict drug-like and lead-like molecules from these plant molecules in the context of drug discovery. The predicted drug-like and lead-like molecules were evaluated using chemoinformatics approaches and statistical parameters, and only the most significant molecules were proposed as the candidate molecules to develop new drugs. Results and Conclusion: The supra network of molecules and scaffolds identifies the relationship between the plant molecules and drugs. Cluster analysis of virtual library molecules showed that novel molecules had more pharmacophoric properties than toxicophoric and chemophoric properties. We also developed the DoMINE toolkit for the advancement of natural product-based drug discovery through chemoinformatics approaches. This study will be useful in developing new drug molecules from the known medicinal plant molecules. Hence, this work will encourage experimental organic chemists to synthesize these molecules based on the predicted values. These synthesized molecules need to be subjected to biological screening to identify potential molecules for drug discovery research.
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Achibat, Hanane, Nohad A. AlOmari, Federica Messina, Luca Sancineto, Mostafa Khouili, and Claudio Santi. "Organoselenium Compounds as Phytochemicals from the Natural Kingdom." Natural Product Communications 10, no. 11 (November 2015): 1934578X1501001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1934578x1501001119.
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Selenium is naturally present in soils but it is also produced by pollution from human activities into the environment. Its incorporation into plants affords organoselenium metabolites that, depending on the nature of the molecules and the plant species, can be incorporated into proteins, stored or eliminated by volatilization. The possibility to use the selenium metabolism of some plants as a method for bioremediation and, at the main time, as a source of selenated phytochemicals is here discussed taking into consideration the growing interest in organic selenium derivatives as new potential therapeutic agents.
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Malerba, Massimo, and Raffaella Cerana. "Recent Applications of Chitin- and Chitosan-Based Polymers in Plants." Polymers 11, no. 5 (May 8, 2019): 839. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/polym11050839.
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In recent years, the use of complex molecules based on the natural biopolymer chitin and/or on its deacetylated derivative chitosan has resulted in great advantages for many users. In particular, industries involved in the production of drugs, cosmetics, biotechnological items, and food have achieved better results using these particular molecules. In plants, chitin- and chitosan-based molecules are largely used as safe and environmental-friendly tools to ameliorate crop productivity and conservation of agronomic commodities. This review summarizes the results of the last two years on the application of chitin- and chitosan-based molecules on plant productivity. The open questions and future perspectives to overcome the present gaps and limitations are also discussed.
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Leuci, Rosalba, Leonardo Brunetti, Viviana Poliseno, Antonio Laghezza, Fulvio Loiodice, Paolo Tortorella, and Luca Piemontese. "Natural Compounds for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases." Foods 10, no. 1 (December 24, 2020): 29. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10010029.
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Secondary metabolites from plants and fungi are stimulating growing interest in consumers and, consequently, in the food and supplement industries. The beneficial effects of these natural compounds are being thoroughly studied and there are frequent updates about the biological activities of old and new molecules isolated from plants and fungi. In this article, we present a review of the most recent literature regarding the recent discovery of secondary metabolites through isolation and structural elucidation, as well as the in vitro and/or in vivo evaluation of their biological effects. In particular, the possibility of using these bioactive molecules in the prevention and/or treatment of widely spread pathologies such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases is discussed.
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Mohan, Syam, Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha, Hafiz A. Makeen, Hassan A. Alhazmi, Mohammed Al Bratty, Shahnaz Sultana, Waquar Ahsan, Asim Najmi, and Asaad Khalid. "Bioactive Natural Antivirals: An Updated Review of the Available Plants and Isolated Molecules." Molecules 25, no. 21 (October 22, 2020): 4878. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules25214878.
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Viral infections and associated diseases are responsible for a substantial number of mortality and public health problems around the world. Each year, infectious diseases kill 3.5 million people worldwide. The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 has become the greatest health hazard to people in their lifetime. There are many antiviral drugs and vaccines available against viruses, but they have many disadvantages, too. There are numerous side effects for conventional drugs, and active mutation also creates drug resistance against various viruses. This has led scientists to search herbs as a source for the discovery of more efficient new antivirals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65% of the world population is in the practice of using plants and herbs as part of treatment modality. Additionally, plants have an advantage in drug discovery based on their long-term use by humans, and a reduced toxicity and abundance of bioactive compounds can be expected as a result. In this review, we have highlighted the important viruses, their drug targets, and their replication cycle. We provide in-depth and insightful information about the most favorable plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals against viral targets. Our major conclusion is that plant extracts and their isolated pure compounds are essential sources for the current viral infections and useful for future challenges.
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Escandón-Rivera, Sonia Marlen, Rachel Mata, and Adolfo Andrade-Cetto. "Molecules Isolated from Mexican Hypoglycemic Plants: A Review." Molecules 25, no. 18 (September 10, 2020): 4145. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules25184145.
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Like in many developing countries, in Mexico, the use of medicinal plants is a common practice. Based on our own field experience, there are at least 800 plants used for treating diabetes nowadays. Thus, their investigation is essential. In this context, this work aims to provide a comprehensive and critical review of the molecules isolated from Mexican hypoglycemic plants, including their source and target tested. In the last few years, some researchers have focused on the study of Mexican hypoglycemic plants. Most works describe the hypoglycemic effect or the mechanism of action of the whole extract, as well as the phytochemical profile of the tested extract. Herein, we analyzed 85 studies encompassing 40 hypoglycemic plants and 86 active compounds belonging to different classes of natural products: 28 flavonoids, 25 aromatic compounds, other than flavonoids, four steroids, 23 terpenoids, 4 oligosaccharides, and 1 polyalcohol. These compounds have shown to inhibit α-glucosidases, increase insulin secretion levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and block hepatic glucose output. Almost half of these molecules are not common metabolites, with a narrow taxonomic distribution, which makes them more interesting as lead molecules. Altogether, this analysis provides a necessary inventory useful for future testing of these active molecules against different hypoglycemic targets, to get a better insight into the already described mechanisms, and overall, to contribute to the knowledge of Mexican medicinal plants.
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Fan, Boyuan, Qiong Wang, Weihong Wu, Qinwei Zhou, Dongling Li, Zenglai Xu, Li Fu, Jiangwei Zhu, Hassan Karimi-Maleh, and Cheng-Te Lin. "Electrochemical Fingerprint Biosensor for Natural Indigo Dye Yielding Plants Analysis." Biosensors 11, no. 5 (May 14, 2021): 155. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/bios11050155.
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Indigo is a plant dye that has been used as an important dye by various ancient civilizations throughout history. Today, due to environmental and health concerns, plant indigo is re-entering the market. Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Kuntze is the most widely used species in China for indigo preparation. However, other species under Strobilanthes have a similar feature. In this work, 12 Strobilanthes spp. were analyzed using electrochemical fingerprinting technology. Depending on their electrochemically active molecules, they can be quickly identified by fingerprinting. In addition, the fingerprint obtained under different conditions can be used to produce scattered patter and heatmap. These patterns make plant identification more convenient. Since the electrochemically active components in plants reflect the differences at the gene level to some extent, the obtained electrochemical fingerprints are further used for the discussion of phylogenetics.
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Arruda, Rejanne Lima, Nathália Olívia de Sousa Garcia, Nathália Ferreira Souza, Fernanda Maria da Silva, Evilanna Lima Arruda, and Edemilson Cardoso da Conceição. "Natural photoprotectors: A literature review." Research, Society and Development 10, no. 5 (April 25, 2021): e0810514603. http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i5.14603.
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Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has contributed to the onset of various skin diseases, including skin cancer. Consequently, there are a series of incentives for research and development of innovative photoprotectors that can provide protection against such health problems. With the growing consumer interest in cosmetic products of natural origin, there has been an increase in new proposals such as the replacement of synthetic assets with molecules extracted from medicinal plants that present activity compatible or superior to synthetic products and with lesser environmental impact. Natural photoprotectors are gaining attention within this scenario, and some previous studies have demonstrated their potential for use. A literature review was conducted on the main groups and active principles of plants with photoprotective activity and for this purpose we used national and international scientific articles from the Medline/PubMed, SCIELO, LILACs, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. We mentioned 17 different species of medicinal plants with photoprotective action and their respective active ingredients. The flavonoid group was the most cited and studied in relation to the protective capacity against ultraviolet radiation and its isolated action and synergistic action was highlighted. Studies show that plant extracts from different plant species have a photoprotective action, among which they highlight the rich in antioxidant compounds, such as plants of the species Ginkgo biloba, Psidium guajava, Camellia sinensis and Lippia sp. which stand out for their large amount of polyphenols, especially flavonoids.
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RENZAGLIA, KAREN S., JUAN CARLOS VILLARREAL AGUILAR, and DAVID J. GARBARY. "Morphology supports the setaphyte hypothesis: mosses plus liverworts form a natural group." Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution 40, no. 2 (December 27, 2018): 11. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/bde.40.2.1.
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The origin and early diversification of land plants is one of the major unresolved problems in evolutionary biology. Occurring nearly half a billion years ago, the transmigration of green organisms to land changed the landscape and provided the food source for terrestrial life to invade a vast uninhabited space, adapt and radiate. Although bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are often regarded as the earliest terrestrial organisms, the order of their divergence remains contentious even as molecular analyses become more conclusive with expanded taxon sampling, massive genetic data and more sophisticated methods of analysis (Cox et al. 2018; Morris et al. 2018). Indeed, virtually every combination of relationships among bryophytes has been proposed based on molecules (Qiu et al. 2006; Wickett et al. 2014; Cox et al. 2018). Fortunately, in 2018 it appears that we are approaching a consensus based on molecules, and that is that although bryophytes may or may not be monophyletic, mosses plus liverworts form a natural group (Puttick et al. 2018). In this essay, we point out that this inference is neither new nor surprising as it has been the fundamental conclusion of morphological analyses for over 25 years starting with an exhaustive cladistic analysis of characters associated with motile cell development in green plants (Garbary et al. 1993).
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Stroe, Andreea C., and Simona Oancea. "Immunostimulatory Potential of Natural Compounds and Extracts: A Review." Current Nutrition & Food Science 16, no. 4 (July 13, 2020): 444–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573401315666190301154200.
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The proper functioning of human immune system is essential for organism survival against infectious, toxic and oncogenic agents. The present study aimed to describe the scientific evidence regarding the immunomodulatory properties of the main micronutrients and specific phytochemicals. Plants of food interest have the ability to dynamically affect the immune system through particular molecules. Plant species, type of compounds and biological effects were herein reviewed mainly focusing on plants which are not commonly used in food supplements. Several efficient phytoproducts showed significant advantages compared to synthetic immunomodulators, being good candidates for the development of immunotherapeutic drugs.
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Moraes, Rita M., Antonio Luiz Cerdeira, and Miriam V. Lourenço. "Using Micropropagation to Develop Medicinal Plants into Crops." Molecules 26, no. 6 (March 21, 2021): 1752. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061752.
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Medicinal plants are still the major source of therapies for several illnesses and only part of the herbal products originates from cultivated biomass. Wild harvests represent the major supply for therapies, and such practices threaten species diversity as well as the quality and safety of the final products. This work intends to show the relevance of developing medicinal plants into crops and the use of micropropagation as technique to mass produce high-demand biomass, thus solving the supply issues of therapeutic natural substances. Herein, the review includes examples of in vitro procedures and their role in the crop development of pharmaceuticals, phytomedicinals, and functional foods. Additionally, it describes the production of high-yielding genotypes, uniform clones from highly heterozygous plants, and the identification of elite phenotypes using bioassays as a selection tool. Finally, we explore the significance of micropropagation techniques for the following: a) pharmaceutical crops for production of small therapeutic molecules (STM), b) phytomedicinal crops for production of standardized therapeutic natural products, and c) the micropropagation of plants for the production of large therapeutic molecules (LTM) including fructooligosaccharides classified as prebiotic and functional food crops.
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Удалова, Zh Udalova, Зиновьева, and S. Zinoveva. "Induction of plant resistance to nematodes sedentary biogenic elicitors." Russian Journal of Parasitology 3, no. 4 (December 25, 2016): 575–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.12737/23085.
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Objective of research: to study the mechanisms of induced tomato plant resistance to rootknot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and potato to cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis.
Materials and methods: The biogenic elicitors — chitosan and signal molecules — SA, JA for the modulation of immune plant responses were used. In experiment 1, tubers of potato cultivars Istrinskii (PCN-susceptibility) and Krinitsa (PCN-resistant), were treated with aqueous solutions of the immunomodulators at the specified concentrations. A low molecular weight soluble chitosan and acetylation degree of 15% and signal molecule — SA was used as an elicitor. In experiment 2, system tomato M. incognia was studied. Water solutions of chitosan, signal molecules: SA, JA were used for treatment of tomato seeds for 2 h and then the seeds were planted in sterile soil. The control plants were treated with water. Cultivation of plants was carried out by the standard technique. Plants were maintained in a greenhouse long enough for the nematodes to complete their life cycle. Development of nematodes in the processed plants estimated on morphophysiological and population characteristics. Biochemical indicators of roots and leaves of tomatoes estimated for 14 days after infection of plants. Previously identified major biochemical indicators of the plants in the genome that contain genes that determine the resistance of plants.
The effects of biogenic elicitors on plant resistance were also evaluated by some metabolic changes related to natural plant resistance to tomato and potato to plant nematodes. These indicators were studied in clarifying mechanisms of induced resistance.
Results and discussion: Biogenic elicitors induce systemic resistance of plants to plant parasitic nematodes — Meloidogyne incognita and Globodera rostochiensis (decrease in the parasitic invasion of the roots; an inhibition of the vital activity of the parasite; a decrease in fertility and the amount of agents sources (larvae and eggs) capable of infecting the plants).
The addition of signal molecules (salicylic and jasmonic acid) to elicitors increased their activity as immunomodulators. In present investigation, the mechanisms of induced plant resistance nematode were studied. The data obtained suggest that the mechanisms natural and induced by biogenic elicitors tomato resistance to the nematode have the same origin. These features meet all requirements of the new generation of methods of plant protection and the use of biogenic elicitors to raise plant resistance to parasitic nematodes may be promising.
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Bauer, Wolfgang D., and Max Teplitski. "Can plants manipulate bacterial quorum sensing?" Functional Plant Biology 28, no. 9 (2001): 913. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pp01064.
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This paper originates from an address at the 8th International Symposium on Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes, Sydney, NSW, December 2000 Higher plants have been found to secrete a variety of unknown signal-mimic compounds that can stimulate or inhibit behaviors in bacteria, which are regulated by N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules. A wide range of bacterial species use AHLs or other signal molecules to regulate the expression of many of their genes in response to changes in population density. Thus, the ability of higher plants to specifically alter AHL-regulated behavior in bacteria by production of AHL signal-mimic compounds could be of broad consequence. We briefly review what is known about AHL signaling in bacteria and the synthesis of AHL signal-mimic compounds by plants, and then consider some of the important questions concerning the roles these plant signal-mimic compounds may play in natural encounters between plants and bacteria.
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Sun, Qiu, Jörg Heilmann, and Burkhard König. "Natural phenolic metabolites with anti-angiogenic properties – a review from the chemical point of view." Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 11 (February 16, 2015): 249–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.3762/bjoc.11.28.
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Considering the many secondary natural metabolites available from plants, phenolic compounds play a particularly important role in human health as they occur in significant amounts in many fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. In this review natural phenolic compounds of plant origin with significant anti-angiogenic properties are discussed. Thirteen representatives from eight different natural or natural-like phenolic subclasses are presented with an emphasis on their synthesis and methods to modify the parent compounds. When available, the consequence of structural variation on the pharmacological activity of the molecules is described.
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Hostettmann, Kurt, and Andrew Marston. "Plants as a Still Unexploited Source of New Drugs." Natural Product Communications 3, no. 8 (August 2008): 1934578X0800300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1934578x0800300814.
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Higher plants are a source of thousands of natural products, with an almost infinite variety of different structural variations. These molecules often have specific functions and many of them have biological activities which can be of use to humans. They may provide lead compounds for the development of new drugs or they may be indispensable tools in biomedical research.
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Zaid, Abdel Naser, and Rowa’ Al Ramahi. "Depigmentation and Anti-aging Treatment by Natural Molecules." Current Pharmaceutical Design 25, no. 20 (September 19, 2019): 2292–312. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612825666190703153730.
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Natural molecules are becoming more accepted choices as cosmetic agents, many products in the market today claim to include natural components. Plants include many substances that could be of a value in the whitening of the skin and working as anti-aging agents. A wide range of articles related to natural skin whitening and anti-aging agents have been reviewed. Many plant-derived and natural molecules have shown to affect melanin synthesis by different mechanisms, examples include Arbutin, Ramulus mori extract, Licorice extract, Glabridin, Liquiritin, Kojic acid, Methyl gentisate, Aloesin, Azelaic acid, Vitamin C, Thioctic acid, Soya bean extracts, Niacinamide, α and β-hydroxy acids, Lactic acid, Chamomile extract, and Ellagic acid. Some of the widely used natural anti-aging products as natural antioxidants, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and coenzyme Q can counteract the effects of reactive oxygen species in skin cells and have anti-aging properties on the skin. It was concluded that many natural products including antioxidants can prevent UV-induced skin damage and have whitening and anti-aging effects. It is very important to develop and stabilize appropriate methods for the evaluation of the whitening and anti-aging capacity of natural products and their exact mechanism of action to ensure real efficacy based on evidence-based studies. The attention should be oriented on the formulations and the development of an appropriate vehicle to ensure suitable absorption of these natural products in addition to evaluating the suitable concentration of these molecules required having the desired effects without causing harmful side effects.
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Barreto, Maria do Carmo, Vera Lúcia Gouveia, Gonçalo Pereira Rosa, and Ana Maria Loureiro Seca. "Searching for Molecules against Cancer in the Azores: Plants, Macroalgae, and Synthetic Compounds." Proceedings 22, no. 1 (August 12, 2019): 61. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2019022061.
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Pursuing the goal of finding active molecules against cancer using various approaches, wefocused on natural-based scaffolds in terrestrial plants and in marine macroalgae, taking advantageof the rich biodiversity of the Azores islands. [...]
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Chang, T. C., Y. W. Pan, S. S. Chen, and C. K. Chen. "Removal of natural organic matter (NOM) using ozonation and ultrafiltration." Water Supply 1, no. 5-6 (June 1, 2001): 49–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2001.0099.
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Pilot studies were conducted at Liu-Du water treatment located in Keelung, Taiwan. Raw water was first treated by conventional coagulation- sedimentation-filtration (CSF) processes, and then pumped into the pilot plants. For the pilot plants, both ozone/GAC and ozone/UF processes were operated simultaneously for NOM removal comparisons. Both systems were controlled at the same operating conditions with ozone dosing of 4.5, 6.0 and 9.0 mg/L. The results demonstrate that both ozone/UF and ozone/GAC processes can enhance NOM removal after the CSF process. More NOM was removed by the Ozone/GAC process because ozone broke the large molecules into smaller molecules, which increases the GAC adsorption potential. However, the ozone/UF process provides higher removal capacity in turbidity. In both processes, ozone dosing was not proportional to NOM removal of each process and 6.0 mg/L is found to be the optimal dosing. Owing to increasing adsorbability by ozonation, the ozone/GAC process is a very competitive process in NOM removal when associated with the CSF process.
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Buyukbingol. "Natural Products for Anti-Cancer Progress: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence." Proceedings 40, no. 1 (December 30, 2019): 37. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2019040037.
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Finding for more effective anticancer drugs on almost different types of cancer, a huge number of molecules is still under evaluation and barely many more than 100,000 compounds have been tested with researchers and several institutions since recent decades. The fact that plant-derived molecules are treated at various levels against cancer is based on a very long history. This has enabled many molecules derived from plant sources to be used in cancer treatment. With the introduction of artificial intelligence, studies on the discovery of new molecules that may be effective in the etiology of various diseases have gained weight as in every field. Artificial intelligence learns the relationship between molecular structure and biological components in certain mathematical algorithms with the obtained in vitro and in vivo values and helps to create new molecular patterns as a result of certain validations. In fact, the artificial intelligence, is now able to develop novel algorithms over the initially defined and further realization might proceed new designs with advanced programming by self-settings new routes through the improvement of desired targets. The introduction of the genetic profile and consequently the discovery of new drug molecules will be one of the most important fields of study of the future. Molecules to be obtained from plant sources will also have very important roles in this direction. Drug therapy for patients with the same disease but with a different genetic profile does not give the same treatment success in every patient. The reason for this is that due to the different mutations in DNA, the protein structures encoded by the genes show differences and the interaction pattern of molecules on the proteins responsible for diseases, could be different. Therefore, for each patient, due to the mutation, diverse molecules that can interact with mutated proteins should be required. This issue is becoming increasingly important all over the world, especially under the name of precision medicine and in the form of personalized drug administration, and demonstrates the importance of drug treatment depending on the individual's genetic profile. It is then useful to treat anticancer molecules of plant origin in this direction. For this purpose, gene rearrangements and gene editing procedures can be applied in plants by using CRISPR technology to improve several factors through leading to design and develop new plant origin molecules for the intended purpose with the assistance of artificial intelligence algorithms.
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Abubakr, Md, Subhash C. Mandal, and Sugato Banerjee. "Natural Compounds against Flaviviral Infections." Natural Product Communications 8, no. 10 (October 2013): 1934578X1300801. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1934578x1300801039.
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Arthropod borne flaviviral diseases are a major public health concern in the tropics. However, the majority of cases are associated with Dengue virus (DENV), Yellow Fever virus (YFV), West Nile virus (WNV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections. Despite their profound clinical and economic impact among large sections of the population there is a lack of effective treatment against these diseases. A large number of plants are available in nature, which may act as a source for lead molecules against various diseases including arthropod borne flaviviral infections. In this review we discuss various crude extracts as well as purified compounds from natural sources with promising anti-DENV, YFV, WNV and CHIKV activity.
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Sechet, Emmanuel, Erica Telford, Clément Bonamy, Philippe J. Sansonetti, and Brice Sperandio. "Natural molecules induce and synergize to boost expression of the human antimicrobial peptide β-defensin-3." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 42 (October 1, 2018): E9869—E9878. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1805298115.
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Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are mucosal defense effectors of the human innate immune response. In the intestine, AMPs are produced and secreted by epithelial cells to protect the host against pathogens and to support homeostasis with commensals. The inducible nature of AMPs suggests that potent inducers could be used to increase their endogenous expression for the prevention or treatment of diseases. Here we aimed at identifying molecules from the natural pharmacopoeia that induce expression of human β-defensin-3 (HBD3), one of the most efficient AMPs, without modifying the production of proinflammatory cytokines. By screening, we identified three molecules isolated from medicinal plants, andrographolide, oridonin, and isoliquiritigenin, which induced HBD3 production in human colonic epithelial cells. This effect was observed without activation of the NF-κB pathway or the expression of associated proinflammatory cytokines. We identified the EGF receptor as the target of these compounds and characterized the downstream-activated MAPK pathways. At the chromatin level, molecules increased phosphorylation of histone H3 on serine S10 and recruitment of the c-Fos, c-Jun, and Elk1 or c-Myc transcription factors at the HBD3 promoter. Interestingly, stimulating cells with a combination of andrographolide and isoliquiritigenin synergistically enhanced HBD3 induction 10-fold more than observed with each molecule alone. Finally, we investigated the molecular basis governing the synergistic effect, confirmed our findings in human colonic primary cells, and demonstrated that synergism increased cellular antimicrobial activity. This work shows the capability of small molecules to achieve induction of epithelial antimicrobial defenses while simultaneously avoiding the deleterious risks of an inflammatory response.
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Singla, Rajeev K., Ashok K. Dubey, Arun Garg, Ramesh K. Sharma, Marco Fiorino, Sara M. Ameen, Moawiya A. Haddad, and Masnat Al-Hiary. "Natural Polyphenols: Chemical Classification, Definition of Classes, Subcategories, and Structures." Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 102, no. 5 (September 1, 2019): 1397–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jaoac/102.5.1397.
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Abstract Background: Polyphenols are natural compounds synthesized exclusively by plants with chemical features related to phenolic substances and eliciting strong antioxidants properties. Objective: The aim of this paper is to give a reliable overview of the chemical classification of natural polyphenols. Methods: Literature survey was done through google scholar, pubmed and scopus search engine. Results and Discussion: These molecules or classes of natural substances are characterized by two phenyl rings at least and one or more hydroxyl substituents. This description comprehends a large number of heterogeneous compounds with reference to their complexity. Therefore, polyphenols can be simply classified into flavonoids and non-flavonoids, or be subdivided in many sub-classes depending on the number of phenol units within their molecular structure, substituent groups, and/or the linkage type between phenol units. Polyphenols are widely distributed in plant tissues where they mainly exist in form of glycosides or aglycones. The structural diversity of flavonoid molecules arises from variations in hydroxylation pattern and oxidation state resulting in a wide range of compounds: flavanols, anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, isoflavones, flavones, flavonols, flavanones, and flavanonols.
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Muñoz, Brucoli, Zecchini, Sandoval-Hernandez, Arboleda, Lopez-Vallejo, Delgado, et al. "XIAP as a Target of New Small Organic Natural Molecules Inducing Human Cancer Cell Death." Cancers 11, no. 9 (September 9, 2019): 1336. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers11091336.
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X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is an emerging crucial therapeutic target in cancer. We report on the discovery and characterisation of small organic molecules from Piper genus plants exhibiting XIAP antagonism, namely erioquinol, a quinol substituted in the 4-position with an alkenyl group and the alkenylphenols eriopodols A–C. Another isolated compound was originally identified as gibbilimbol B. Erioquinol was the most potent inhibitor of human cancer cell viability when compared with gibbilimbol B and eriopodol A was listed as intermediate. Gibbilimbol B and eriopodol A induced apoptosis through mitochondrial permeabilisation and caspase activation while erioquinol acted on cell fate via caspase-independent/non-apoptotic mechanisms, likely involving mitochondrial dysfunctions and aberrant generation of reactive oxygen species. In silico modelling and molecular approaches suggested that all molecules inhibit XIAP by binding to XIAP-baculoviral IAP repeat domain. This demonstrates a novel aspect of XIAP as a key determinant of tumour control, at the molecular crossroad of caspase-dependent/independent cell death pathway and indicates molecular aspects to develop tumour-effective XIAP antagonists.
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Shah, Syed Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Riaz, Naveed Munir, and Ghulam Rasool. "Cardioprotective Potential of Plant-Derived Molecules: A Scientific and Medicinal Approach." Dose-Response 17, no. 2 (April 1, 2019): 155932581985224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1559325819852243.
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Since the beginning of human civilization, plants have been used in alleviating the human distress and it was recorded for about thousands of years ago that the plants are being used for medicinal purposes. Natural bioactive compounds called phytochemicals are obtained from medicinal plants, vegetables, and fruits, which functions to combat against various ailments. There is dire need to explore the plant biodiversity for its medicinal and pharmacological potentials. Different databases such as Google scholar, Medline, PubMed, and the Directory of Open Access Journals were searched to find the articles describing the cardioprotective function of medicinal plants. Various substances from a variety of plant species are used for the treatment of cardiovascular abnormalities. The cardioprotective plants contain a variety of bioactive compounds, including diosgenin, isoflavones, sulforaphane, carotinized, catechin, and quercetin, have been proved to enhance cardioprotection, hence reducing the risk of cardiac abnormalities. The present review article provides the data on the use of medicinal plants particularly against cardiac diseases and to explore the molecules/phytoconstituents as plant secondary metabolites for their cardioprotective potential.
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Arnason, John T., and Mark A. Bernards. "Impact of constitutive plant natural products on herbivores and pathogensThe present review is one in the special series of reviews on animal–plant interactions." Canadian Journal of Zoology 88, no. 7 (July 2010): 615–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z10-038.
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Plants defend themselves from pests with deterrent or toxic phytochemicals. In addition to the development of preformed mechanical barriers such as cutin and suberin, the first line of defense for plants against pathogens and herbivores is constitutive (preformed) biologically active inhibitors. Because of the adaptation of insects and pathogens to these inhibitors, plants have evolved a stunning diversity of new and different bioactive molecules to combat pests. Some representative mechanisms of plant defense include the use of antimicrobial, anitfeedant, and phototoxic molecules. Examples of natural product defenses of specific plant families are also described. Diversity and redundancy in plant defenses is key to slowing pest resistance to host-plant defenses.
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Ayoub, Zeenat, Archana Mehta, and Siddhartha Kumar Mishra. "ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW OF NATURAL PRODUCTS IN CANCER PREVENTION AND THERAPY." Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 11, no. 6 (June 7, 2018): 32. http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2018.v11i6.24792.
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The World Health Organization reports that approximately 80% population from developing countries are facing complications from synthetic drugs used in maintaining their primary health-care needs. The chemotherapeutic strategies are very striking and have earned serious concern as potential means of controlling the incidence of this dreadful disease. However, the major problem in cancer is the long lasting toxicity of the well reputable chemical drugs. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have attracted enormous attention, to fight against various diseases with their broad-spectrum biological and therapeutic properties. Although plants, phytochemicals and their analogues have been confirmed to be safe and effective, having strong anticancer properties. A number of pharmaceutical agents with diverse chemical structures of natural origin from plants have been discovered as anticancer agents such as vincristine, vinblastine, podophyllotoxin, camptothecin, taxol, resveratrol, withaferin A, quercetin, and curcumin. Further modifications of these phytochemicals led to the development of numerous outstanding molecules such as drugs like topotecan, irinotecan, taxotere, etoposide, and teniposide. In this in-depth review, we meticulously investigated the selected medicinal plants for their anticancer properties. In particular, novel compounds from plants have beneficial effects on human health. Our observations suggest the preventive and therapeutic use of phytochemicals in managing various human malignancies.
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Khazir, Jabeena, Darren L. Riley, Lynne A. Pilcher, Pieter De-Maayer, and Bilal Ahmad Mir. "Anticancer Agents from Diverse Natural Sources." Natural Product Communications 9, no. 11 (November 2014): 1934578X1400901. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1934578x1400901130.
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This review attempts to portray the discovery and development of anticancer agents/drugs from diverse natural sources. Natural molecules from these natural sources including plants, microbes and marine organisms have been the basis of treatment of human diseases since the ancient times. Compounds derived from nature have been important sources of new drugs and also serve as templates for synthetic modification. Many successful anti-cancer drugs currently in use are naturally derived or their analogues and many more are under clinical trials. This review aims to highlight the invaluable role that natural products have played, and continue to play, in the discovery of anticancer agents.
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Tsygankova, Victoria A., Yaroslav V. Andrusevich, Elena N. Shysha, Lyudmila O. Biliavska, Tatyana O. Galagan, Anatoly P. Galkin, Alla I. Yemets, Galina A. Iutynska, and Yaroslav B. Blume. "RNAi-mediated Resistance against Plant Parasitic Nematodes of Wheat Plants Obtained in Vitro Using Bioregulators of Microbiological Origin." Current Chemical Biology 13, no. 1 (February 8, 2019): 73–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2212796812666180507130017.
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Background:Plant parasitic nematodes are dangerous pests that damage various agricultural crops and decrease their productivity.Objective:The resistance of new lines of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants obtained under in vitro conditions on MS media containing microbial bioregulators to plant parasitic nematodes was studied under in vitro and greenhouse conditions.Methods:Here we conducted physiological and molecular-genetic studies of resistance of wheat plants to nematodes.Results:In vitro experiments showed that wheat plants grown on MS media with microbial bioregulators had 20-37 % of infestation with cereal cyst nematode Heterodera avenae, significantly lower when compared with 73 % of infestation of the control plants grown without bioregulators. Bioregulators increased morphometric parameters of the wheat plants obtained under in vitro conditions on MS media and further grown under greenhouse conditions on the natural invasive background: stem height increased 13.6-37.5 %, flag leaf length 18.0-19.3 %, ear length 6.8-24.6 %, and ear weight 27.0- 54.5 %, when compared with control wheat plants. The difference in the degree of hybridizated molecules mRNA and si/miRNA from control and experimental wheat plants increased: 15-39 % in plants grown under in vitro conditions on the invasive background created by H. avenae and 33-56 % in seeds of plants grown under greenhouse conditions on the natural invasive background. The silencing activity of si/miRNA from wheat plants grown on MS media with bioregulators increased: 20-51 % in plants grown under in vitro conditions on the invasive background created by H. avenae or 38-64 % in plants grown under greenhouse conditions on the natural invasive background.Conclusion:Our studies confirm the RNAi-mediated resistance to plant nematodes of wheat plants obtained on media with microbial bioregulators and grown under in vitro and greenhouse conditions.
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Iheagwam, Franklyn Nonso, and Solomon Oladapo Rotimi. "Computer-Aided Analysis of Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutic Targets: Identification of Potent Molecules from African Medicinal Plants." Scientifica 2020 (September 14, 2020): 1–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/1878410.
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The COVID-19 pandemic, which started in Wuhan, China, has spread rapidly over the world with no known antiviral therapy or vaccine. Interestingly, traditional Chinese medicine helped in flattening the pandemic curve in China. In this study, molecules from African medicinal plants were analysed as potential candidates against multiple SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic targets. Sixty-five molecules from the ZINC database subset (AfroDb Natural Products) were virtually screened with some reported repurposed therapeutics against six SARS-CoV-2 and two human targets. Molecular docking, druglikeness, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) of the best hits were further simulated. Of the 65 compounds, only three, namely, 3-galloylcatechin, proanthocyanidin B1, and luteolin 7-galactoside found in almond (Terminalia catappa), grape (Vitis vinifera), and common verbena (Verbena officinalis), were able to bind to all eight targets better than the reported repurposed drugs. The findings suggest these molecules may play a role as therapeutic leads in tackling this pandemic due to their multitarget activity.
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Orme, Anastasia, Thomas Louveau, Michael J. Stephenson, Ingo Appelhagen, Rachel Melton, Jitender Cheema, Yan Li, et al. "A noncanonical vacuolar sugar transferase required for biosynthesis of antimicrobial defense compounds in oat." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 52 (December 5, 2019): 27105–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1914652116.
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Plants produce an array of natural products with important ecological functions. These compounds are often decorated with oligosaccharide groups that influence bioactivity, but the biosynthesis of such sugar chains is not well understood. Triterpene glycosides (saponins) are a large family of plant natural products that determine important agronomic traits, as exemplified by avenacins, antimicrobial defense compounds produced by oats. Avenacins have a branched trisaccharide moiety consisting ofl-arabinose linked to 2d-glucose molecules that is critical for antifungal activity. Plant natural product glycosylation is usually performed by uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs). We previously characterized the arabinosyltransferase that initiates the avenacin sugar chain; however, the enzymes that add the 2 remainingd-glucose molecules have remained elusive. Here we characterize the enzymes that catalyze these last 2 glucosylation steps. AsUGT91G16 is a classical cytosolic UGT that adds a 1,2-linkedd-glucose molecule tol-arabinose. Unexpectedly, the enzyme that adds the final 1,4-linkedd-glucose (AsTG1) is not a UGT, but rather a sugar transferase belonging to Glycosyl Hydrolase family 1 (GH1). Unlike classical UGTs, AsTG1 is vacuolar. Analysis of oat mutants reveals thatAsTG1corresponds toSad3, a previously uncharacterized locus shown by mutation to be required for avenacin biosynthesis.AsTG1andAsUGT91G16form part of the avenacin biosynthetic gene cluster. Our demonstration that a vacuolar transglucosidase family member plays a critical role in triterpene biosynthesis highlights the importance of considering other classes of carbohydrate-active enzymes in addition to UGTs as candidates when elucidating pathways for the biosynthesis of glycosylated natural products in plants.
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Salehi, Fokou, Yamthe, Tali, Adetunji, Rahavian, Mudau, et al. "Phytochemicals in Prostate Cancer: From Bioactive Molecules to Upcoming Therapeutic Agents." Nutrients 11, no. 7 (June 29, 2019): 1483. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11071483.
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Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the second deadliest malignancy in men and the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Traditional plants have been applied to handle various diseases and to develop new drugs. Medicinal plants are potential sources of natural bioactive compounds that include alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and steroids. Many of these naturally-occurring bioactive constituents possess promising chemopreventive properties. In this sense, the aim of the present review is to provide a detailed overview of the role of plant-derived phytochemicals in prostate cancers, including the contribution of plant extracts and its corresponding isolated compounds.
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Carrasco-Gallardo, Carlos, Leonardo Guzmán, and Ricardo B. Maccioni. "Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Procognitive Activity." International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 2012 (2012): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/674142.
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Shilajitis a natural substance found mainly in the Himalayas, formed for centuries by the gradual decomposition of certain plants by the action of microorganisms. It is a potent and very safe dietary supplement, restoring the energetic balance and potentially able to prevent several diseases. Recent investigations point to an interesting medical application toward the control of cognitive disorders associated with aging, and cognitive stimulation. Thus, fulvic acid, the main active principle, blocks tau self-aggregation, opening an avenue toward the study of Alzheimer's therapy. In essence, this is a nutraceutical product of demonstrated benefits for human health. Considering the expected impact ofshilajitusage in the medical field, especially in the neurological sciences, more investigations at the basic biological level as well as clinical trials are necessary, in order to understand how organic molecules ofshilajitand particularly fulvic acid, one of the active principles, and oligoelements act at both the molecular and cellular levels and in the whole organism.
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Lichota, Anna, and Krzysztof Gwozdzinski. "Anticancer Activity of Natural Compounds from Plant and Marine Environment." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19, no. 11 (November 9, 2018): 3533. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms19113533.
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This paper describes the substances of plant and marine origin that have anticancer properties. The chemical structure of the molecules of these substances, their properties, mechanisms of action, their structure–activity relationships, along with their anticancer properties and their potential as chemotherapeutic drugs are discussed in this paper. This paper presents natural substances from plants, animals, and their aquatic environments. These substances include the vinca alkaloids, mistletoe plant extracts, podophyllotoxin derivatives, taxanes, camptothecin, combretastatin, and others including geniposide, colchicine, artesunate, homoharringtonine, salvicine, ellipticine, roscovitine, maytanasin, tapsigargin, and bruceantin. Compounds (psammaplin, didemnin, dolastin, ecteinascidin, and halichondrin) isolated from the marine plants and animals such as microalgae, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, invertebrates (e.g., sponges, tunicates, and soft corals) as well as certain other substances that have been tested on cells and experimental animals and used in human chemotherapy.
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Dinić, Jelena, Ana Podolski-Renić, Marko Jeremić, and Milica Pešić. "Potential of Natural-Based Anticancer Compounds for P-Glycoprotein Inhibition." Current Pharmaceutical Design 24, no. 36 (February 15, 2019): 4334–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612825666190112164211.
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Medicinal value of natural products comes from symbiotic and competitive evolution in Earth’s complex biosphere. Billions of years of co-evolutionary interactions among millions of species have produced a large repertoire of defense molecules effective in fighting bacteria, viral, and fungal pathogens. Each species contains millions of different and useful molecules and new research technologies enabled the screening of molecules and complex mixtures from diverse biological sources. Traditional use of plants and other species led to the discovery of many bioactive compounds with various properties. In the last four decades, a large number of them were evaluated for their potential to treat cancer. Penetration of drugs into the cancer cell is necessary for their lethal pharmacological effect through interaction with intracellular target molecules. Increased activity of membrane efflux pumps reduces the intracellular drug accumulation, thereby preventing drug-target interactions. The discovery of the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cells prompted the efforts in overcoming drug resistance by P-gp inhibition. The search for nontoxic anticancer agents from natural sources able to overcome MDR has been imperative in the field of drug design and discovery. Herein, we review various natural compounds from diverse sources emphasizing their potential to inhibit P-gp activity and/or expression.
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Madla, Siribhorn, and Potchanapond Graidist. "Several Alkaloids Derived from Plants and Their Underlying Molecular Mechanisms of Action in the Fight Against Cancer." Songklanagarind Medical Journal 35, no. 2 (November 21, 2016): 83. http://dx.doi.org/10.31584/smj.2017.35.1.625.
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Multidrug resistance is one of the major obstacles to successful cancer chemotherapy, which causes cancer to remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Therefore, the use of natural products for cancer prevention and therapy has been continuously investigated and developed for decades. Alkaloids are one of the important compounds derived from natural products that have been extensively studied for their potential use as cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic drugs in both in vitro and animal studies. This short review intends to present the molecular mechanisms of action of alkaloids on stimulation and inhibition some signaling molecules involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, metastasis and apoptosis pathways of cancer cells. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of alkaloids against cancer will provide clues towards a diagnostic, prevention and therapeutic applications. Based on the information provided in this article, alkaloids show remarkable potential as anticancer agents. However, more research and clinical trials are crucial before applying any of these alkaloids as new medicine to treat cancer patients.
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Pan, Yanqing, Todd L. Lowary, and Rik R. Tykwinski. "Naturally occurring and synthetic polyyne glycosides." Canadian Journal of Chemistry 87, no. 11 (November 2009): 1565–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/v09-117.
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Polyyne glycosides are a class of natural products that have been found in terrestrial plants, fungi, and marine algae. Many display interesting and potentially useful biological activities, which in some cases has initiated synthetic efforts toward their formation. This review provides a comprehensive report of polyyne glycosides isolated from natural sources, as well as the synthesis of these molecules and their analogues.
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Berni, Roberto, Giampiero Cai, Jean-Francois Hausman, and Gea Guerriero. "Plant Fibers and Phenolics: A Review on Their Synthesis, Analysis and Combined Use for Biomaterials with New Properties." Fibers 7, no. 9 (August 31, 2019): 80. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/fib7090080.
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Devising environmental-friendly processes in biotechnology is a priority in the current economic scenario. We are witnessing a constant and steady push towards finding sustainable solutions to societal challenges by promoting innovation-driven activities minimizing the environmental impact and valorizing natural resources. In bioeconomy, plants are among the most important renewable sources of both fibers (woody and cellulosic) and phytochemicals, which find applications in many industrial sectors, spanning from the textile, to the biocomposite, medical, nutraceutical, and pharma sectors. Given the key role of plants as natural sources of (macro)molecules, we here provide a compendium on the use of plant fibers functionalized/impregnated with phytochemicals (in particular phenolic extracts). The goal is to review the various applications of natural fibers functionalized with plant phenolics and to valorize those plants that are source of both fibers and phytochemicals.
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Manso, Jacopo, Javad Sharifi-Rad, Wissam Zam, Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou, Miquel Martorell, and Raffaele Pezzani. "Plant Natural Compounds in the Treatment of Adrenocortical Tumors." International Journal of Endocrinology 2021 (September 17, 2021): 1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5516285.
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Plant natural products are a plethora of diverse and complex molecules produced by the plant secondary metabolism. Among these, many can reserve beneficial or curative properties when employed to treat human diseases. Even in cancer, they can be successfully used and indeed numerous phytochemicals exert antineoplastic activity. The most common molecules derived from plants and used in the fight against cancer are polyphenols, i.e., quercetin, genistein, resveratrol, curcumin, etc. Despite valuable data especially in preclinical models on such compounds, few of them are currently used in the medical practice. Also, in adrenocortical tumors (ACT), phytochemicals are scarcely or not at all used. This work summarizes the available research on phytochemicals used against ACT and adrenocortical cancer, a very rare disease with poor prognosis and high metastatic potential, and wants to contribute to stimulate preclinical and clinical research to find new therapeutic strategies among the overabundance of biomolecules produced by the plant kingdom.
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Rosa, Marcela N., Larissa R. V. e Silva, Giovanna B. Longato, Adriane F. Evangelista, Izabela N. F. Gomes, Ana Laura V. Alves, Bruno G. de Oliveira, et al. "Bioprospecting of Natural Compounds from Brazilian Cerrado Biome Plants in Human Cervical Cancer Cell Lines." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 7 (March 25, 2021): 3383. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22073383.
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Cervical cancer is the third most common in Brazilian women. The chemotherapy used for the treatment of this disease can cause many side effects; then, to overcome this problem, new treatment options are necessary. Natural compounds represent one of the most promising sources for the development of new drugs. In this study, 13 different species of 6 families from the Brazilian Cerrado vegetation biome were screened against human cervical cancer cell lines (CCC). Some of these species were also evaluated in one normal keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). The effect of crude extracts on cell viability was evaluated by a colorimetric method (MTS assay). Extracts from Annona crassiflora, Miconia albicans, Miconia chamissois, Stryphnodendron adstringens, Tapirira guianensis, Xylopia aromatica, and Achyrocline alata showed half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values < 30 μg/mL for at least one CCC. A. crassiflora and S. adstringens extracts were selective for CCC. Mass spectrometry (Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer (ESI FT-ICR MS)) of A. crassiflora identified fatty acids and flavonols as secondary compounds. One of the A. crassiflora fractions, 7C24 (from chloroform partition), increased H2AX phosphorylation (suggesting DNA damage), PARP cleavage, and cell cycle arrest in CCC. Kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside and oleic acid were bioactive molecules identified in 7C24 fraction. These findings emphasize the importance of investigating bioactive molecules from natural sources for developing new anti-cancer drugs.
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Mudalungu, Cynthia M., Chrysantus M. Tanga, Segenet Kelemu, and Baldwyn Torto. "An Overview of Antimicrobial Compounds from African Edible Insects and Their Associated Microbiota." Antibiotics 10, no. 6 (May 22, 2021): 621. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10060621.
Full textAbstract:
The need for easily biodegradable and less toxic chemicals in drug development and pest control continues to fuel the exploration and discovery of new natural molecules. Like certain plants, some insects can also respond rapidly to microbial infections by producing a plethora of immune-induced molecules that include antibacterial and antifungal peptides/polypeptides (AMPs), among other structurally diverse small molecules. The recent recognition that new natural product-derived scaffolds are urgently needed to tackle life-threatening pathogenic infections has been prompted by the health threats posed by multidrug resistance. Although many researchers have concentrated on the discovery of AMPs, surprisingly, edible insect-produced AMPs/small molecules have received little attention. This review will discuss the recent advances in the identification and bioactivity analysis of insect AMPs, with a focus on small molecules associated with the microbiota of selected African edible insects. These molecules could be used as templates for developing next-generation drugs to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens.
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Giguet-Valard, Anna-Gaelle, Kevin Raguette, Stephanie Morin, Remi Bellance, and Juliette Smith Ravin. "Gossypetin Derivatives are also Putative Inhibitors of SARS-COV 2: Results of a Computational Study." Journal of Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences 1, no. 6 (October 2020): 201–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.37871/jbres1144.
Full textAbstract:
SARS-CoV-2 is the third most highly virulent human coronavirus of the 21st century. It is linked with fatal respiratory illness. Currently, there are still no effective treatments of Covid-19. Among many drugs evaluated, few have proven conclusive clinical efficacy. Furthermore, the spread of the disease mandates that ideal medications against Covid-19 be cheap and available worldwide. Therefore, there is a rationale to evaluate whether treatments of natural origin from aromatic and medicinal plants have the ability to prevent and/or treat COVID-19. We evaluated in this study the inhibition of COVID-19 protease by natural plants compounds such as Gossypetin-3'-O-glucoside (G3'G). G3'G has been isolated from the petals of Talipariti elatum Sw. found almost exclusively in Martinique. It has no crystallography or modelisation studies. Antifungal and antioxidant properties are already published. We study its binding affinity so potential inhibition capability against SARS-CoV2 3CLpro mean protease as compared to other previously tested natural or pharmacological molecules by molecular docking. We propose Gossypetin derivatives as good tropical natural compounds candidate that should be further investigated to prevent or treat COVID19.