Integrated Approaches to Medicinal and Edible Plants: Linking Cultivation, Phytochemistry, and Biological Activity

Submission Deadline: 15 June 2027 View: 23 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editor(s)

Dr. Valeria P. Sülsen

Email: vsulsen@ffyb.uba.ar

Affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina

Homepage: Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica – UBA; https://iquimefa.conicet.gov.ar/;

Research Interests: asteraceae plants, medicinal and edible plants, flavonoids, terpenoids, infectious diseases, antitumor compounds, functional foods, PANCs

Dr. Ignacio Agudelo

Email: iagudelo@ffyb.uba.ar

Affiliation: Pharmacobotany Chair, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina

Homepage:

Research Interests: pharmaceutical botany, plant anatomy, medicinal plants

Dr. Laura C. Laurella

Email: c.laurella@docente.ffyb.uba.ar

Affiliation: Pharmacognosy Chair, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina

Homepage: Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica – UBA; https://iquimefa.conicet.gov.ar/

Research Interests: asteraceae plants, medicinal and edible plants, flavonoids, terpenoids, infectious diseases, antitumor compounds, functional foods, PANCs

Dr. Claudia Marcela Paredes

Email: claudiaparedes@fca.unju.edu.ar

Affiliation: Genetic Improvement Chair, Faculty of Agrarian Sciences, National University of Jujuy, Argentina

Homepage: www.fca.unju.edu.ar//oferta-academica/ingenieria-agronomica/mejoramiento-genetico/

Research Interests: conservation, characterization, improvement, and biotechnological utilization of native plant genetic resources and andean crops, through in vitro cultivation tools, seed technology, and genetic improvement, with an emphasis on regional biodiversity and protection of genetic heritage.

Summary

Plant species produce a wide array of secondary metabolites that play essential roles in their interaction with the environment. These compounds are biosynthesized through diverse metabolic pathways influenced by environmental and cultivation conditions. Many exhibit therapeutic properties, and plants containing them have been used for centuries in traditional medicine. In some cases, such as the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), domestication and large-scale cultivation have enabled the industrial production of bioactive alkaloids like morphine and codeine. Moreover, plant secondary metabolites often serve as pharmacophores and lead compounds for drug discovery.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 80% of the global population relies on traditional medicine, largely based on plant use. Medicinal and edible plants therefore represent a vital healthcare resource, particularly in developing countries, and their study spans agronomy, plant biology, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.

This Special Issue highlights advances in the integrated study of medicinal and edible plants, focusing on the interplay between cultivation conditions, metabolite production, and biological activity.

Suggested themes include:
· Cultivation, domestication, and sustainable production of medicinal and edible plants.
· Environmental and agronomic influences on secondary metabolite profiles.
· Phytochemical characterization and variation in bioactive compounds.
· In vitro and in vivo biological activities of plant extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds.
· Contributions integrating into these areas are particularly encouraged.

Keywords