This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms of cinnamon leaves and identify activity-related quality markers (Q-markers). Through UHPLC-HRMS and GC-MS/MS, 40 compounds were identified in cinnamon leaves. Network pharmacology analysis revealed 244 potential targets closely associated with the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of cinnamon leaves. After screening, 18 core active components and 15 key targets (such as STAT3, IL-6 and TLR4) were retained. Molecular docking results demonstrated that components such as coumarin and cinnamaldehyde exhibited low binding energies with key targets, suggesting good binding affinity. In vitro antioxidant assays demonstrated that both the ethanol extract and volatile oil of cinnamon leaves exhibited over 92% scavenging efficiency against ABTS[+]· and DPPH radicals, confirming their significant antioxidant activity. Based on the Q-marker screening principles, cinnamic acid, coumarin, 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde, and cinnamaldehyde were identified as Q-markers for cinnamon leaves.

Microcystis aeruginosa, a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, produces diverse secondary metabolites with notable anticancer potential. This study evaluated the in vitro effects of its metabolites on two gastrointestinal cancer cell lines, AGS and SW480. Strain identification was confirmed through morphological and molecular analyses, while GC-MS profiling revealed a variety of bioactive fatty acid esters such as E-11-Hexadecenoic acid, ethyl ester, Linoleic acid, ethyl ester, Hexadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, and Palmitic acid ethyl ester. High chlorophyll a content (22.42 ug/g fresh weight (FW)), Total phenolic (9.42 ug/g FW), flavonoid (15.86 ug/g FW), and anthocyanin (6.42 ug/g FW) contents indicated strong photosynthetic activity and metabolic richness. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated significant antiproliferative effects, with IC50 values of 365-536 and 244-409 µg/mL in AGS and SW480 cells after 24 and 48 h respectively. Western blot analysis further revealed apoptosis-related molecular alterations, including Bax upregulation, Bcl-2 suppression, and activation of p53 in both cell lines.

This study revealed an integrated investigation of the cytotoxic potential targeting leukaemia of an active fraction, enriched in (9Z)-5,8,11-trihydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid (OA), obtained from Abelmoschus sagittifolius roots, a promising Vietnamese traditional plant. OA-enriched fraction exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against Molt4 cancer cell line (IC50 = 42 µg/mL), showing greater sensitivity compared to K562, U937, THP1, and Jurkat cancer cell lines. Network pharmacology results suggested that OA might exhibit its anti-leukaemia activity primarily via altering the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Molecular docking further demonstrated strong binding affinities of OA towards ESR1, PPARG, and PIK3CA, mediated by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Besides, simulated digestion studies indicated the limited bioavailability and bioaccessibility of OA. The ADMET study also indicated that OA is suited as a lead or bioactive component in standardised functional foods or phytopharmaceuticals than a systemic small-molecule drug. Further research should be done to confirm its therapeutic uses for developing functional and nutraceutical supplements.

Carissa spinarum L. is traditionally valued for its medicinal properties, yet its bioactive potential remains insufficiently explored. In this study, stem and leaf extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), metabolite composition, and biological activities. TPC values were 87.13 and 89.90 mg GAE at concentrations of 217.83 mg/mL and 224.78 mg/mL for stem and leaf extracts, respectively. 1H-NMR analysis revealed several tentative bioactive metabolites including syringic acid, catechin, hiravanone, quinic acid, betulinic acid, and linoleic acid. Antibacterial activity tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and MRSA showed strong inhibition of all pathogens except B. subtilis. Anticancer activity on HeLa cells and antioxidant evaluation using DPPH confirmed higher efficacy of the stem extract compared to the leaf extract. Overall, C. spinarum demonstrates promising antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, supporting its potential as a source of natural therapeutic agents.

Two novel lipids lentinoside A (6), [1-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(2S,3R,4E,8E)-2-[(2'R)-2-hydroxytricosanoylamino]-9-methyl-4,8-heptadecadiene-1,3-diol], and lentinamide A (5), [((2'R)-2-hydroxy-N-((2S,3S,4R)-1,3,4-trihydroxyheptatriacontan-2-yl)pentadecanamide)] were isolated from Lentinus sajor-caju (Fr.) Fr. 1838, alongside stearic acid (1), ergosterol (2), ergosterol endoperoxide (3), and asperglaucide (4). Antioxidant evaluation revealed that (3) (25.706%) and the extract (25.858%, IC50 = 0.188 mg/mL) exhibited DPPH[•] radical scavenging capacity, though lower than the reference ascorbic acid (21.26%, IC50 = 0.0621 mg/mL). In the ABTS[•+] assay, (4) demonstrated the strongest activity (0.800 mg TE/g), followed by (6) (0.646 mg TE/g) and (5) (0.612 mg TE/g). FRAP assay revealed (5) had the highest ferric reducing capacity (0.982 ± 0.069 mg Fe(II)/g), followed by (4) (0.690 mg Fe(II)/g). In contrast, (2) (0.456 mg Fe(II)/g) and the extract (0.440 mg Fe(II)/g) displayed weak capacity. These findings highlight lipid and peptide contributions to the nutraceutical potential of L. sajor-caju and expands the chemical diversity of bioactive fungal metabolites.

A refined polysaccharide component (ADP-0.1-1) was isolated and purified from Angelicae dahuricae radix. Structural analysis revealed that ADP-0.1-1 had a molecular weight of 1.32 × 10[7] Da and was primarily composed of galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara), galacturonic acid (GalA), rhamnose (Rha), mannose (Man), and glucose (Glc). Methylation analysis, along with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, indicated that the main chain of ADP-0.1-1 was →3,5)-α-Araf-(1→ and →4,6)-β-D-Galp-(1→, the side chains were →4)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-GalAp-(1→, →5)-α-Araf-(1→, and terminal units were α-Araf-(1→ residues. In an H2O2-induced oxidative stress model using RAW264.7 macrophages, ADP-0.1-1 not only reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content but also enhanced the activities of key antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT). Furthermore, it up-regulated the mRNA expression of antioxidant-related genes such as HO-1, NQO1, SOD2, GPX1, and CAT. The mechanism underlying these effects is closely associated with the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway.

The essential oil (EO) extracted from fresh flowers of Solenanthus tubiflorus Murb. growing in Tunisia was analysed by GC/MS and its chemical composition was reported for the first time. Seventy-two compounds were identified, with 3-carene (19.57%), estragole (17.75%), bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane, 4-methylene-1-(1-methylethyl)- (7.32%), and α-terpinyl acetate (6.13%) as the major constituents. The antibacterial activity of the EO was evaluated against five bacterial strains using the microbroth dilution assay. It showed notable activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1% (v/v). The antibacterial mechanism of the essential oil against S. aureus was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed severe morphological alterations including membrane disruption, cell deformation, and cytoplasmic leakage. Moreover, molecular docking of the main compounds with the acylated penicillin-binding protein 2a from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (PDB: 1MWT) demonstrated promising interactions. These findings highlight the potential of Solenanthus tubiflorus Murb. EO as a natural antibacterial agent.

Spoilage microorganisms and food borne pathogens are major public health concerns causing enormous economic losses globally. The organoleptic qualities of food products are frequently altered in an undesired way by conventional food preservation techniques. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), on the other hand, naturally synthesise antimicrobial substances that successfully prevent the growth of harmful and spoilage microorganisms without lowering the quality of food. Owing to these traits, LAB-derived compounds like bacteriocins are commonly utilised in food and dairy processing industries. In the present study, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Limosilactobacillus fermentum were isolated from curd from commercially available brand and evaluated for their antimicrobial efficacy under a range of environmental conditions. Integrated spectroscopic profiling of antimicrobial metabolites present in crude supernatant of LAB reveal that glycosylated molecules featuring ester or peptide could play a key role in the inhibitory effects seen against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

β-Carboline derivatives are important nitrogen-containing heterocycles widely studied in medicinal chemistry because of their diverse biological activities and flexible chemical properties. This mini-review summarises recent progress reported from 2013 to 2025 in the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of β-carboline-based compounds, with particular emphasis on their potential to address antimicrobial resistance. Key synthetic methods discussed include Pictet-Spengler cyclisation, oxidative aromatisation, and N-alkylation, which allow the preparation of structurally diverse derivatives such as hybrids, quaternary ammonium salts, and dimers. The review also highlights the broad therapeutic potential of these compounds, including antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and antiviral activities. Structure-activity relationship studies show that modifications at positions C-1, C-3, N-2, and N-9 strongly influence important properties such as lipophilicity, membrane permeability, and biological potency. Compound 15a bearing fatty alcohol hybrid at C-3 position has a very low MIC value at 2.8 μg/mL against Bacillus subtilis MTCC 121, dimeric N2-benzylated quaternary salts displayed an exceptional low MIC value at 0.01-0.05 μmol/mL against MRSA and 1-hydrazide derivatives shows a potent antifungal efficacy by exhibiting EC50 lower than 0.23 μg/mL. In particular, N-quaternization, lipophilic chain introduction, and hybridisation with active pharmacophores can significantly enhance antimicrobial activity. Overall, β-carbolines remain promising scaffolds for future anti-infective drug development.

This study chemically characterized and evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antiproliferative activities of a methanolic leaf extract from A. galeata (LE) and a bioconverted leaf biomass extract (BLBE) obtained through B. polydamas-mediated bioconversion. Chemical composition was analyzed by NMR and LC-MS/MS, while cytotoxicity was assessed by the sulforhodamine B assay in NIH/3T3, B16-F10, and 786-0 cells. Both extracts were rich in kolavenic acid and showed antiproliferative activity (GI5。 = 32.96-78.49 μg mL[-1][1]). LE was more active in vitro, whereas BLBE showed greater in vivo efficacy, reducing tumor growth by 87% at 20 mg/animal. Seventy-two compounds were identified, including 14 unique to BLBE, among which oxidized clerodanes and amino acid-conjugated diterpenoid derivatives were the predominant compounds. These bioconversion products may have enhanced antitumor activity, although further studies are needed to confirm this relationship and clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Lipophilic extracts were obtained from whole fruits (SxFr), pulp (SxP), seeds (SxS), and flowers (SxFl) of Prunus spinosa (blackthorn) by Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane. Essential oil (EOFl) was extracted from flowers by hydrodistillation. GC/MS analysis allowed the identification of aldehydes, ketones, oxygenated sesquiterpenes, and fatty acid (FA) methyl esters (methyl linoleate 23.3% and methyl hexadecanoate 19.2%) in EOFl, while evidenced higher proportions of n-tricosane (12.3%), n-pentacosane (15.8%), and heptacosane (14.9%) in SxFl. Oleic and linoleic acids were identified as the main FA in SxFr and SxS extracts by HPLC-DAD/ELSD, after mild saponification. Linolenic and linoleic acids represented the major FA in SxFl, while SxP was mainly characterised by oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acids. SxFl and SxP (at 100 µg/mL) were the most active in scavenging ABTS[•+] and DPPH[•] radicals, respectively. SxFr exhibited cytotoxicity in cancer HeLa cells (MTT assay). Lipophilic P. spinosa extracts showed potential nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

Egg-derived oils are used in folk wound care, yet comparative, mechanism-oriented evaluation across poultry species and extraction routes is limited. Oils from quail, chicken, and goose eggs were produced by thermal rendering and solvent extraction; solvent extraction increased yield (chicken 6.5380%, goose 5.7027%) versus rendering (goose 4.3628%, quail 0.6700%). gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed fatty acid methyl esters dominated by methyl oleate (38.635-57.635%) and methyl hexadecanoate (24.543-26.920%), consistent with FTIR-ATR lipid bands. No radical scavenging activity was detected in the DPPH[•] and ABTS[•+] assays, but selective enzyme inhibition was observed: hyaluronidase 18.54-34.69%, collagenase up to 52.81% (quail-extraction), and elastase up to 46.17% (chicken-extraction; EGCG 26.68%); tyrosinase inhibition was absent. In a scratch assay, 10 µg/mL oils increased closure to 80.43-100% by day 5 (control: 67.85%), whereas 30-100 µg/mL were cytotoxic. ICP-MS indicated essential minerals with sporadic heavy-metal signals, supporting purification before topical development. Docking supported preferential hydrophobic binding to hyaluronidase/collagenase pockets, aligning with bioassay selectivity and permeability predictions.

Chemical investigation of the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. FH-1 from Valeriana officinalis L., guided by GNPS molecular networking, afforded six compounds. These included two rare open-chain butenolides, designated as terrusnolides D (1) and F (2), together with four known analogues: terrusnolide A (3), versiol (4), decumbenone A (5), and decumbenone B (6). Their structures were unequivocally determined through extensive spectroscopic methods (HRESIMS, 1D/2D NMR, and ECD). Antifungal evaluation against the phytopathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides demonstrated that compounds 1 and 3 exhibited significant inhibitory activity, with EC50 values of 32.77 ± 1.12 μg/mL and 42.81 ± 1.01 μg/mL, respectively, both outperforming the positive control carbendazim.

Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remains a major global health burden due to late diagnosis, limited therapeutic options, and frequent resistance to drugs such as sorafenib, regorafenib, and lenvatinib. Natural products continue to attract attention as a rich source of structurally diverse anticancer candidates. Plant-derived secondary metabolites, including terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolics, have shown activity against HCC, yet their organisation by plant organ and mechanism of action remains insufficiently addressed. In this review, anti-HCC natural products reported over the past four decades were collected from the Dictionary of Natural Products, PubMed, and Google Scholar. More than 116 compounds were classified by plant sources, including leaves, fruits, seeds, flowers, bark, and subterranean organs. These compounds mainly act by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, modulating the cell cycle, suppressing telomerase activity, and regulating key signalling pathways in HCC cell lines, supporting natural products as valuable leads for anti-HCC drug discovery.

The genus Pseudoconyza Cuatrec. (Inuleae, Asteraceae) is a monotypic genus widespread in Africa, Asia, North and Central America. Pseudoconyza viscosa (Mill.) D'Arcy is the only species of the genus, formerly known as Laggera aurita, although some authors report it as Blumea viscosa. The plant is largely utilised in the local popular medicine and although research has been carried out on its biological properties, its essential oil results are poorly investigated. This is the first report regarding the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) from aerial parts of this plant, collected in Oman. The EO (Pv) was characterised by large amounts of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (37.4%), with β-selinene (11.6%) as main metabolite of the oil, and oxygenated sesquiterpene (28.4%), although also good quantity of limonene (11.2%), belonging to monoterpene hydrocarbons (19.8%) was also observed. A comparison with previously published results regarding EOs of the Laggera species is discussed.