Figure 1 - available via license: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Content may be subject to copyright.
A schematic representation of polyphenols in both plant chemical defense and human health and how modern technologies can be utilized to enhance production of these compounds (Created with BioRender.com).
Source publication
Polyphenols, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, are a group of specialized metabolites in plants that largely aid in plant defense by deterring biotic stressors and alleviating abiotic stress. Polyphenols offer a wide range of medical applications, acting as preventative and active treatments for diseases such as cancers and diabetes. Recently,...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... previous review articles mainly focused on the biological activity of PPs in humans, this review will discuss the most recent progress in both aspects, as well as challenges and perspectives in this field. Figure 1 illustrates the roles of polyphenols in both plant chemical defense and human health and various technologies that can be utilized to enhance the production of these compounds. ...
Context 2
... production of PPs greatly improves plant fitness in the presence of abiotic and biotic stressors. Abiotic stressors, such as drought, UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, soil salinity, and heavy metal exposure, can reduce plant growth and yields by inducing increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that destabilize and Figure 1. A schematic representation of polyphenols in both plant chemical defense and human health and how modern technologies can be utilized to enhance production of these compounds (Created with BioRender.com). ...
Context 3
... another study comparing curcumin supplementation to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) found that curcumin provides the same anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits as NSAIDS when treating osteoarthritis. Furthermore, the group treated with NSAIDS reported gastrointestinal issues while the group supplemented with curcumin did not experience these negative side-effects [76], suggesting that curcumin could be utilized as a more appealing alternative treatment to NSAIDS (Figure 1). ...
Citations
... Phytochemicals can also use their antiviral benefits by lowering oxidative stress, which is a characteristic of viral infections (95). Phytochemicals with antioxidant characteristics, such as flavonoids and polyphenols can shield host cells from harm by reactive oxygen species produced during viral infection (96). ...
Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is one of the dangerous diseases of poultry that affects the bursa of Fabricius, which is an important organ of the bird’s immune system. IBD virus is resistant to many drugs, making its control difficult. Vaccination of IBD is in practice for a long time worldwide to control IBD, but secondary issues like vaccine failure and lower efficacy lead to their reduced use in the field. Multiple medicines are currently used, but the phytochemicals have emerged as promising agents for controlling IBD. The drugs to be developed should possess direct antiviral properties by targeting viral entry mechanisms, enhancing the host immune response, and inhibiting viral protein synthesis. Phytochemicals have potential to contribute to food security by minimizing the possibility of disease outbreaks and ensuring that consumers worldwide obtain healthy poultry products. It has been now claimed that direct and indirect activities of phytochemicals can be effective in the control of IBDV. Although available evidence suggest that the phytochemicals can contribute in controlling occurrence IBDV, there is a definite need of focused studies to gain more insight and develop rational strategies for their practical use. This review highlights the disease caused by IBDV, inhibition of viral replication, boosting the immune system, disruption of viral membrane, and important phytochemicals showing antiviral activities against IBDV.
... The dried samples had a higher TAC probably due to the drying treatment, which possibly induced structural changes in the leaf, thus increasing the extraction of antioxidant compounds by enhanced solvent and mass transfer [22]. Plant phenolics have garnered interest due to their effectiveness as free radical scavengers and antioxidants defending against ultraviolet radiation or pathogens [1,23,24]. The low TPC in fresh leaf samples was probably caused by the presence of an active enzyme called polyphenol oxidase that degrades the phenolic compounds, and in the dried samples, low water activity might have led to the inactivation of these enzymes resulting in higher levels of phenolic compounds in the samples [25]. ...
Piper betle leaf powder is increasingly utilised as a health supplement. In this study, P. betle leaves were subjected to four different drying methods: convective air-drying, oven-drying, sun-drying, and no drying, with fresh leaves as control. Their antioxidant properties were then evaluated using colourimetric assays and GC-MS. Results showed that the sun-dried leaves had the highest (p < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity (66.23 ± 0.10 mg AAE/g), total polyphenol content (133.93 ± 3.76 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (81.25 ± 3.26 mg CE/g) and DPPH radical scavenging activity (56.48 ± 0.11%), and the lowest alkaloid content (45.684 ± 0.265 mg/gm). GC-MS analysis revealed that major constituents of aqueous extracts of fresh and sun-dried P. betle leaves were hydrazine 1,2-dimethyl-; ethyl aminomethylformimidate; glycerin; propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, methyl ester, (+/−)-; and 1,2-Cyclopentanedione. In conclusion, sun-dried leaves exhibited overall better antioxidant properties, and their aqueous extracts contained biologically active phytoconstituents that have uses in various fields.
... The generalist herbivore J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f insects, such as Spodoptera litura, cause substantial physical damage to leaves, reducing the plant's photosynthesis and growth, thereby hindering reproductive success and resulting in increased mortality rates (Beran et al., 2019;De Lange et al., 2020;Koltz et al., 2022;Quijano-Medina et al., 2019;Zhao et al., 2018). However, some plants have developed protection mechanisms against herbivory, such as leaves trichomes, biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, and enhance accumulation of metal substances (e.g., Cd) as evidenced by element defense hypothesis (EDH) (Divekar et al., 2022;Ninkovic et al., 2021;Stiller et al., 2021;War et al., 2018). Impacts of herbivorous insects on plants can be complex and vary based on insect species, host plant, and the environment in which insect-plant interacts. ...
... First, Cd in plant leaves acts as a toxicant to insects, leading to reduced herbivore feeding preference (Lin et al., 2020). Additionally, Cd-hyperaccumulation in plant tissues can alter the taste and/or nutritional quality of the leaves, making it less palatable to insects Stiller et al., 2021). Plants exposed to Cd stress exhibit an elevated production of secondary compounds, including phenolics and alkaloids, which possess deterrent effects on herbivores (Ogunkunle et al., 2021;Stolpe et al., 2017). ...
... Polyphenols and terpenoids protect fruits against pathogens, frugivores, and environmental stress and contribute to color and flavor [50,51]. Flavonoids mediate pollen formation and hence plant reproduction. ...
This study defined the physicochemical attributes, composition, and antioxidant capacity of four Polish cultivars of cornelian cherry (CC) at six stages of development and ripening. A total of 52 metabolites were identified by UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS and quantified by HPLC-PDA. In general, phenolic acids, hydrolyzable tannins, flavonols, iridoids, antioxidant activity, organic acids, and vitamin C decreased, while anthocyanins, malic acid, sugars, and titratable acidity increased. For the first time, we determined the evolution of the CC chemical properties and the metabolic behavior and quantified the individual compounds, and groups of compounds during ripening, in particular gallotannins, ellagitannins, iridoids, and organic acids. The main novelty of our study is that CC is a valuable resource for utilization at different degrees of maturity. We showed that unripe fruits in particular deserve valorization, as they contained the highest content of total bioactive phytocompounds (5589.1–6779.6 mg/100 g dw)—primarily phenolic acids > iridoids > tannins—and the highest antioxidant capacity. The intermediate stages were the most abundant in vitamin C (341.1–495.6 mg/100 g dw), ellagic acid (5.9–31.6 mg/100 g dw), gallotannins (47.8–331.1 mg/100 g dw), and loganic acid (1393.0–2839.4 mg/100 g dw). The ripe fruits contained less bioactive phytocompounds (1403.7–1974.6 mg/100 g dw)—primarily iridoids > phenolic acids > tannins > anthocyanins—and the lowest antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, ripe fruits showed the highest content of anthocyanins (30.8–143.2 mg/100 g dw), sugars (36.4–78.9 g/100 g dw), malic acid (5.5–12.2 g/100 g dw), and, favorably for the nutritional applications, the highest sugar-to-acids ratio (3.0–6.4). Our work illustrates in detail that quality attributes and the content of health-promoting phytocompounds in CC depend on the ripening stage and on the cultivar. These results advance the scientific knowledge about CC. Our findings can be helpful to select the optimal properties of CC for the development of diverse functional foods and phytopharmaceuticals applied in the prevention of civilization diseases.
... Among many major classes of allelochemicals, known as plant defense compounds (terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, glucosinolates), phenolic compounds, in particular, have long been associated with plant defense tactics, such as nematode resistance, [4,34,[45][46][47] and have garnered further research interest for their extended potential in plant and human health [48][49][50][51][52]. In general, phenolics include more complex polyphenol and oligophenol compounds and simpler monophenol compounds [53]. ...
Soybeans, one of the most valuable crops worldwide, are annually decimated by the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, resulting in massive losses in soybean yields and economic revenue. Conventional agricultural pesticides are generally effective in the short term; however, they pose growing threats to human and environmental health; therefore, alternative SCN management strategies are urgently needed. Preliminary findings show that phenolic acids are significantly induced during SCN infection and exhibit effective nematocidal activities in vitro. However, it is unclear whether these effects occur in planta or elicit any negative effects on plant growth traits. Here, we employed a phytochemical-based seed coating application on soybean seeds using phenolic acid derivatives (4HBD; 2,3DHBA) at variable concentrations and examined SCN inhibition against two SCN types. Moreover, we also examined plant growth traits under non-infected or SCN infected conditions. Notably, 2,3DHBA significantly inhibited SCN abundance in Race 2-infected plants with increasingly higher chemical doses. Interestingly, neither compound negatively affected soybean growth traits in control or SCN-infected plants. Our findings suggest that a phytochemical-based approach could offer an effective, more environmentally friendly solution to facilitate current SCN management strategies and fast-track the development of biopesticides to sustainably manage devastating pests such as SCN.
... Biodiversity 2024, e202300960 (7 of 11) antioxidants and free radicals. [22] Furthermore, phenolic compounds and flavonoids are known for their wide range of pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their effects on capillary fragility. [23] The observed antioxidant activity of the methanol extract aligns with its phytochemical composition, indicating a significant contribution of these compounds to its beneficial effects. ...
Diabetes is a prevalent metabolic disorder associated with various complications. Inhibition of α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase enzymes is an effective strategy for managing non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of Ormocarpum cochinchinense leaf through in vitro and in silico approaches. The methanol extract exhibited the highest phenolic and flavonoid content over solvent extracts aqueous, acetone, hexane and chloroform, same has been correlating with strong antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the methanol extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase enzymes, indicating its potential as an antidiabetic agent. Molecular docking analysis identified compounds, including myo‐inositol, with favorable binding energies comparable to the standard drug metformin. The selected compounds displayed strong binding affinity towards α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase enzymes. Structural dynamics analysis revealed that myo‐inositol formed a more stable complex with the enzymes. These findings suggest that O. cochinchinense leaf possesses antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, making it a potential source for developing therapeutic agents.
... There are some commonly employed methods to determine the antioxidant properties like ABTS (2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] and DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assays. Prevention of chain reaction, chelating metals, radical scavenging ability, and reducing capacity are the factors that are attributed to the antioxidant capacity of compounds (21). ROS generation can be avoided by the chelation of metal ions which is related to the catalysis of redox-active metals. ...
The comparative adaptability of the species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza from the southern districts of Kerala viz., Kollam, Alappuzha, Cochin and Thrissur was assessed in-vitro. B. gymnorrhiza being a salt-sensitive plant must be carefully analyzed before restoration practices. Without efficient ROS scavenging, the plant will not be able to survive the salinity fluctuation, there should be an equilibrium between both. The study reveals the adaptability of mangroves to salt tolerance assessed through secondary metabolites and enzymatic activity for the promotion of antioxidant activity with respect to salinity fluctuation from the four districts. The presence of secondary metabolites was further confirmed by GC-MS analysis. The plant thrived better in optimum salinity, and the highest phenolic content was obtained from Kollam. The antioxidant activity of DPPH and Fe 2+ was higher in the Alappuzha sample and the ABTS + was higher in the leaf sample collected from Thrissur. Methyl Commate B was reported for the first time in mangroves and from the species B. gymnorrhiza. Being a novel identification, it would pave the way for the medicinal use of the species and the SEM-EDX results reveal the high sequestration capacity of the plant.
... Moreover, their fiber content aids digestion and contributes to maintaining a healthy weight. These fruits also contain phytochemical compounds that actively reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (Budiyanto et al., 2022;Ranjha et al., 2021;Stiller et al., 2021). ...
Mangrove apple (Sonneratia caseolaris) stands as a remarkable tropical fruit indigenous to coastal regions, celebrated for its distinct flavor profile and the promising health benefits it offers. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can cause oxidative stress in the human body, leading to various chronic diseases. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of incorporating citrus bioflavonoids into mangrove apple syrup to enhance its radical scavenging activity and organoleptic properties. Samples were coded CF0, CF1, CF2, and CF3 (CF0 = mangrove syrup without the addition of citrus bioflavonoid; CF1 = mangrove syrup with the addition of 5% (v/v) citrus bioflavonoid; CF2 = mangrove syrup with the addition of 10% (v/v) citrus bioflavonoid, and CF3 = mangrove syrup with the addition of 15% (v/v) citrus bioflavonoid. The antioxidant activity test of mangrove apple syrup which has been added with citrus bioflavonoid was done quantitatively with a DPPH method. The syrup organoleptic test was carried out following SNI 2346:2015. The result of this reseasch show Citrus Bioflavonoid (
... Similarly, given that nitrogen (N) is an essential element for the plant, and it is subjected to a certain metabolic control [25,26], its content could also be used as a physiological indicator of vitality. However, the information available on the relation between N content and metal pollution is scarce, including whether metal pollution is connected in some way with the sources of N emissions and a stable N isotopic ratio δ 15 N. Finally, flavonoids are a class of secondary metabolites, many of which possess antioxidant functions, which the plant uses in response to or to protect itself from abiotic and biotic adverse factors, such as excess light, ultraviolet radiation, oxidative damage, nutritional deficiencies, injuries, herbivores, etc. [27][28][29][30]. Therefore, higher flavonoid content generally indicates that the plant is responding to some stressor in order to avoid, as far as possible, the associated physiological damage. ...
... On the other hand, the flavonoid content was negatively correlated with heavy metals (F1 and F3), and the only trees showing high flavonoid values were 4, 30 and 33, which did not show contamination for any of the elements studied ( Figure 2). This seems to contradict the role of flavonoids as indicators of abiotic stress, including heavy metal stress [28][29][30]. However, it should be taken into account that, as occurred with the vitality variables, the pollution levels found in the city studied were modest, and thus the plant responses were only slight. ...
... Probably, this was not due to a real pollution gradient but to other factors, such as the lower radiation received by the trees in the narrower streets of the city center. In fact, flavonoid content can be influenced by many different internal and environmental factors [27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]. In particular, the flavonoid index measured by the Dualex instrument is especially related to flavonols, which in turn are mostly dependent on UV radiation [31]. ...
Simple Summary
Air pollution in urban areas represents a major environmental risk to human and ecosystem health. Our aim was to test the adequacy of the Ligustrum lucidum physiological variables as proxies for heavy metal and platinum group element pollution. Chlorophyll, nitrogen and Fv/Fm generally showed high values typical of healthy plants, and they did not seem to be consistently affected by the different pollutants. Regarding flavonoid content, it was negatively correlated with heavy metals, which did not confirm its role as a protectant against metal stress. The relatively low levels of pollution usually found in the city of Logroño, together with the influence of other environmental factors and the relative tolerance of Ligustrum lucidum to modest atmospheric pollution, probably determined the only slight response of physiological variables to heavy metals and platinum group elements.
Abstract
Physiological variables (the content of chlorophyll, flavonoids and nitrogen, together with Fv/Fm) and the content of ten heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, V and Zn) and two platinum group elements (PGEs: Pd and Rh) were measured in the leaves of 50 individuals of Ligustrum lucidum trees regularly distributed in the city of Logroño (Northern Spain). Three of these variables increased with increasing physiological vitality (chlorophyll, nitrogen and Fv/Fm), whereas flavonoids increased in response to different abiotic stresses, including pollution. Our aim was to test their adequacy as proxies for the pollution due to heavy metals and PGEs. The three vitality indicators generally showed high values typical of healthy plants, and they did not seem to be consistently affected by the different pollutants. In fact, the three vitality variables were positively correlated with the first factor of a PCA that was dominated by heavy metals (mainly Pb, but also Sb, V and Ni). In addition, Fv/Fm was negatively correlated with the second factor of the PCA, which was dominated by PGEs, but the trees showing Fv/Fm values below the damage threshold did not coincide with those showing high PGE content. Regarding flavonoid content, it was negatively correlated with PCA factors dominated by heavy metals, which did not confirm its role as a protectant against metal stress. The relatively low levels of pollution usually found in the city of Logroño, together with the influence of other environmental factors and the relative tolerance of Ligustrum lucidum to modest atmospheric pollution, probably determined the only slight response of the physiological variables to heavy metals and PGEs.
... In fact, heavy metal stress induces the production of polyphenols as plant defense mechanisms called phytochelatins, including flavonoids, and other phytochemicals. These polyphenols have unique structures that assist by reducing ROS, binding metal ions, and producing monooxygenase as an important enzyme in the detoxification of heavy metals (Stiller et al. 2021). ...
The application of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) in various fields leads to their release into soil and water and, consequently, interaction with plants. Unlike its bulk counterpart, the phytotoxic potential of NiONPs is relatively less studied, particularly in a hormesis framework. Hormesis is an interesting phenomenon characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. Therefore, this study demonstrates the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of NiONPs on Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss as a medicinal plant cultivated in a pot experiment carried out in a greenhouse for 3 weeks. High bioaccumulation of nickel (Ni) in roots of treated plants relative to shoots indicates higher oxidative damage. NiONPs induced hormetic effects on photosynthetic pigments, as at low concentration of 50 mg/L stimulated chlorophyll (2.8-46.7%), carotenoid (16%), and anthocyanin (5.9%) contents and at higher concentrations inhibited the content of these pigments. A hormetic response was observed in growth parameters, i.e., NiONPs induced shoot height (7.2%) and weight (33%) at 100 mg/L, while inhibited shoot and root length (14.5-16.1% and 28.7-42.7%) and weight (46.8-48.1% and 37-40.6%), respectively, at 1000 and 2500 mg/L. The treated plants declined the toxic effects and oxidative stress caused by NiONPs by activating non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolic compounds and proline) and enzymatic antioxidants, i.e., increasing the levels of SOD, POD, CAT, and APX. Therefore, the present study investigated for the first time the different mechanisms and responses of D. kotschyi plants to NiONPs in a wide range of concentrations. The results suggest that NiONPs may act as an elicitor at lower concentrations in medicinal plants according to specific conditions. However, these NPs at higher concentrations induce oxidative stress and harmful effects on plants, so their use poses serious risks to human health and the environment.
