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Biopolymers are a leading class of functional material suitable for high-value applications and are of great interest to researchers and professionals across various disciplines. Interdisciplinary research is important to understand the basic and applied aspects of biopolymers to address several complex problems associated with good health and well-being. To reduce the environmental impact and dependence on fossil fuels, a lot of effort has gone into replacing synthetic polymers with biodegradable materials, especially those derived from natural resources. In this regard, many types of natural or biopolymers have been developed to meet the needs of ever-expanding applications. These biopolymers are currently used in food applications and are expanding their use in the pharmaceutical and medical industries due to their unique properties. This review focuses on the various uses of biopolymers in the food and medical industry and provides a future outlook for the biopolymer industry.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the main public health concerns of this century. This resistance is also associated with oxidative stress, which could contribute to the selection of resistant bacterial strains. Bearing this in mind, and considering that flavonoid compounds are well known for displaying both activities, we investigated a series of hydroxy-3-arylcoumarins with structural features of flavonoids for their antibacterial activity against different bacterial strains. Active compounds showed selectivity against the studied Gram-positive bacteria compared to Gram-negative bacteria. 5,7-Dihydroxy-3-phenylcoumarin (compound 8) displayed the best antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 11 μg/mL, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA strain) and Listeria monocytogenes with MICs of 22 and 44 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, molecular docking studies performed on the most active compounds against Staphylococcus aureus tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and topoisomerase II DNA gyrase revealed the potential binding mode of the ligands to the site of the appropriate targets. Preliminary structure–activity relationship studies showed that the antibacterial activity can be modulated by the presence of the 3-phenyl ring and by the position of the hydroxyl groups at the coumarin scaffold.

Skin aging is a progressive biological process of the human body, and it is not only time-dependent. Differently substituted 3-phenylcoumarins proved to efficiently inhibit tyrosinase. In the current work, new substitution patterns have been explored, and the biological studies were extended to other important enzymes involved in the processes of skin aging, as elastase, collagenase and hyaluronidase. From the studied series, five compounds presented inhibitory activity against tyrosinase, one compound against elastase, eight compounds against collagenase and two compounds against hyaluronidase, being five compounds dual inhibitors. The 3-(4′-Bromophenyl)-5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (1) and 3-(3′-bromophenyl)-5,7-dihydroxycoumarin (2) presented the best profiles against tyrosinase (IC50 = 1.05 µM and 7.03 µM) and collagenase (IC50 = 123.4 µM and 110.4 µM); the 3-(4′-bromophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (4) presented a good inhibition against tyrosinase and hyaluronidase; the 3-(3′-bromophenyl)-6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (5) showed an effective tyrosinase and elastase inhibition; and 6,7-dihydroxy-3-(3′-hydroxyphenyl)coumarin (11) presented a dual profile inhibition against collagenase and hyaluronidase. Furthermore, considering the overall activities tested, compounds 1 and 2 proved to be the most promising anti-aging compounds. These compounds also showed to have a photo-protective effect, without being cytotoxic to human skin keratinocyte cells. To predict the binding site with the target enzymes, computational studies were also carried out.

Phytochemicals are bioactive plant compounds that provide humans with health benefits, representing a valuable source of novel bioactive molecules [...].Phytochemicals are bioactive plant compounds that provide humans with health benefits, representing a valuable source of novel bioactive molecules [...].

Background: Inhibiting α-glucosidase and α-amylase is a well-established strategy for managing postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the adverse effects of current α-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) underscore the need for safer alternatives. Methods: This study introduces an efficient, metal-free, and environmentally friendly protocol for the selective, high-yield synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles. The reaction between o-phenylenediamine and various aromatic aldehydes proceeds smoothly in water at room temperature, using cost-effective and eco-friendly catalysts such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or salicylic acid (SA). The methodology exhibits broad versatility, enabled by the use of different o-phenylenediamines and a wide range of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes. Results: Selected compounds were assessed for their inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. While all exhibited low α-amylase inhibition, several showed significant α-glucosidase inhibition, with compounds 8s (IC50 = 0.39 ± 0.04 μM), 8k (IC50 = 7.4 ± 1.6 μM) and 8r (IC50 = 13.8 ± 2.7 μM) emerging as the most promising candidates. Notably, none of these compounds affected Caco-2 cell viability at concentrations up to 30 μM. Additionally, compounds 8r and 8s exhibited antioxidant properties, which may be relevant in counteracting the excessive production of free radicals associated with diabetes. Preliminary molecular docking and 500 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out on compounds 3k, 8i, 8k, and 8p–8s to support and interpret the experimental biological findings qualitatively.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), characterized by insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction, requires continuous advancements in management strategies, particularly in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia to prevent complications. Current antidiabetics, which have α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, have side effects, prompting the search for better alternatives. In addition, diabetes patients are particularly vulnerable to yeast infections because an unusual sugar concentration promotes the growth of Candida spp. in areas like the mouth and genitalia. Asphodelus microcarpus contains bioactive flavonoids with potential enzyme inhibitory properties. This study investigates α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and antioxidant and antimycotic capacity of ethanolic extracts from different parts of A. microcarpus. Results show that extracts significantly inhibit α-glucosidase, with the IC50 value being up to 25 times higher than for acarbose, while exerting low α-amylase activity. The extracts also demonstrated strong antioxidant properties and low cytotoxicity. The presence of phenolic compounds is likely responsible for the observed biological activities. Molecular docking analysis of 11 selected compounds identified emodin and luteolin as significant inhibitors of α-glucosidase. Additionally, the extracts demonstrated significant antibiofilm action against an MDR strain of Candida albicans. These findings suggest that A. microcarpus is a promising source of natural compounds for T2D management.

In this study, heterocyclic compounds containing a benzothiophene scaffold were designed and synthetized, and their inhibitory activity against cholinesterases (ChE) and the viability of SH-SY5Y cells have been evaluated. Benzothiophenes 4a–4i and benzothiophene-chalcone hybrids 5a–5i were tested against both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), revealing interesting structure–activity relationships. In general, benzothiophene–chalcone hybrids from series 5 proved to be better inhibitors of both enzymes, with compound 5f being the best AChE inhibitor (IC50 = 62.10 μM) and compound 5h being the best BChE inhibitor (IC50 = 24.35 μM), the last one having an IC50 similar to that of galantamine (IC50 = 28.08 μM), the reference compound. The in silico ADME profile of the compounds was also studied. Molecular docking calculations were carried out to analyze the best binding scores and to elucidate enzyme–inhibitors’ interactions.

New arylbenzofuran derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Five hybrid compounds (31–35) feature a 2-phenylbenzofuran core linked via a heptyloxy spacer to an N-methylbenzylamine moiety, to enhance interactions within the active site of BChE. Biological evaluation revealed that brominated derivatives 34 and 35 showed the highest cholinesterases (ChE) inhibition compared to their chlorinated analogs, with compound 34 showing the highest activity for both AChE (IC50 = 27.7 μM) and BChE (IC50 = 0.7 μM). These compounds proved to be non-cytotoxic and demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), highlighting their potential to mitigate oxidative stress: a key pathological factor in Alzheimer’s disease. Structural activity analysis suggests that bromine substitution at position 7 and the presence of a seven-carbon linker are critical for dual ChE inhibition and selectivity towards BChE. ADMET prediction indicates favorable pharmacokinetic properties, including drug-likeness and oral bioavailability. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of the 2-arylbenzofuran as a promising scaffold for multitarget-directed ligands in Alzheimer’s disease therapy.

Tyrosinase, a key protein in the biosynthesis of melanin pigments, is crucial in determining skin pigmentation. Inhibiting tyrosinase activity is a promising approach for treating conditions related to excessive pigmentation. For the synthesis of more potent tyrosinase inhibitors, we combined two approaches, para-substitution and lipophilicity, to enhance the inhibitory properties of (E)-2-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbotiamide, whose enzyme inhibitory properties have been previously demonstrated. The newly synthesized compounds showed potent inhibition activity against tyrosinase in the micromolar concentration range. The synthesised compounds were up to 41 times more effective than kojic acid. In addition to this biological activity, all molecules were evaluated for their sun protection factor to determine their photoprotective effects. All the compounds showed higher efficacy than reference compounds, used as sunscreens in photoprotective preparations. All compounds were noncytotoxic at the concentration required to inhibit tyrosinase activity. With the aim of defining the potential binding modes and the kind of interactions between the studied molecules and the catalytic site of mushroom tyrosinase, molecular docking simulations were also performed.

Pistacia lentiscus L. is widely reported in the ethnobotanical literature for its use in treating various pathologies, particularly skin disorders such as burns, inflammation, and wounds. These traditional applications suggest broader potential anti-aging activity and support the exploration of simple and sustainable extraction strategies. In this study, an aqueous extract obtained from leaf hydrodistillation residues, representing a by-product of essential oil production, was chemically characterized by LC-ESI-QToF-MS/MS and HPLC-PDA. The analysis identified 32 compounds, including 8 gallic acid derivatives, accounting for 70.7% of the total extract, and 24 flavonol glycosides. High total phenolic and flavonoid contents were associated with strong antioxidant activity, confirmed by the ABTS assay and by a dose-dependent intracellular ROS reduction in keratinocytes. The extract exhibited significant inhibitory activities against key skin-aging-related enzymes, with IC50 of 33.8 µg/mL and 17.4 µg/mL, respectively for tyrosinase and elastase. Notably, strong anti-hyaluronidase activity, IC50 4.3 µg/mL, is reported here for the first time, while no collagenase inhibition was observed. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated a favorable safety profile at biologically active concentrations. Overall, these results highlight the bioactivity of the P. lentiscus phenolic phytocomplex and support the valorization of hydrodistillation aqueous residues as a sustainable source of multifunctional bioactive compounds for dermocosmetic applications.