Background/objectives: Propolis, known for its medicinal properties, faces challenges in pharmaceutical applications due to its low aqueous solubility, attributed to its resinous and hydrophobic nature. This limits oral administration, reducing its bioavailability and pharmacological activities. To overcome these barriers, cyclodextrins (CDs), cyclic oligosaccharides, are widely studied as carrier systems that enhance the solubility and bioavailability of propolis and other nonpolar compounds. This study aimed to review patents that developed innovative therapeutic approaches to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of propolis through complexation with CDs. Methods: Active and application patents registered over the last 17 years were searched across multiple databases, resulting in the selection of eight inventions for detailed analysis. Results: These patents highlight therapeutic applications of propolis–CD systems for conditions such as diabetes and skin and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as antimicrobial, immunostimulant, and antioxidant effects. Additionally, novel extraction processes free of organic solvents, including nanometric-scale powder extracts, are described. Conclusions: Findings from scientific articles support the patent data, demonstrating that CD complexation significantly enhances the solubility and therapeutic efficacy of propolis. Thus, these patents present an innovative and promising strategy for developing propolis-based pharmaceutical products.

Genipa americana L., popularly known as “jenipapo”, is a species easily found, especially in northeastern Brazil. It is remarkable for having iridoids in its composition. Popular for its blue pigment which has been used to manufacture paints and dyes. Furthermore, this plant is utilized for medicinal purposes in addressing a variety of illnesses. This review provide a comprehensive picture of the phytochemical and biological activities characteristics of Genipa americana L. deal with its ethnomedicinal use and botany based on literature reports. These researches pointed out a range of secondary metabolites with iridoids being the most prevalent and abundant. Until now, the biological tests have shown important pharmacological activities, especially the antioxidant, insecticide and antibacterial activities. Besides presenting itself in a very promising way in other areas such as food and cosmetics industry, it is also used in popular medicine to treat several diseases having this potential use disseminated in its various parts. Finally, for a better analysis and validation of its health benefits and properties, extensive research is needed, including clinical trials. The information gathered and approached in this paper might support the planning and discussion of future studies on the topic.

O presente trabalho prospectou artigos científicos relacionadas à alimentos e produtos naturais com atividade anti-Covid com o intuito de apresentar, à comunidade científica, aos governos e à sociedade, dados sobre as principais estratégias nutracêuticas, biotecnológicas e plantas medicinais utilizadas em alguns países durante o enfrentamento da pandemia COVID-19. A revisão de artigos sobre alimentos, plantas medicinais e produtos biotecnológicos foi realizada nas bases de dados periódicos da CAPES, PubMed, Science Direct, Willey on line library, Springer-Nature, Taylor & Francis, BMC, Hindawi, Scielo, ACS – American Chemical Society, Google acadêmico, “The LENS” e Questel-Orbit. Alimentos de uso frequente como alho, gengibre, cúrcuma, laranja azeda, vegetais e lactobacilos demonstraram ação anti-coronavirus comprovada. Foram descritos usos de plantas medicinais da Medicina tradicional Chinesa, Coreana, Indiana bastante utilizadas durante a pandemia. Algumas plantas medicinais e nutracêuticos como: extrato de própolis verde e extrato de própolis vermelha brasileiras, geleia real, pólen e mel também foram citados como produtos anti-covid, antiinflamatórios naturais e imunomodulatórios.

Análise da composição fitoquímica e doseamento de flavonoides totais dos extratos hidroalcoólicos de Cyperus iria L. e Cyperus articulatus L.

Propolis is a natural product of honey bees whose chemical composition is influenced by different plant species and environmental factors, resulting in diverse biological activities. A new propolis type, the greenish-brown propolis (GBPUP), was identified in the northeast of Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of seasonal variation in the chemical composition of GBPUP extracts over a 12-month period. LC–ESI–Orbitrap–FTMS and UFLC–DAD–UV–Vis revealed a chemical composition with some differences to that of Brazilian green propolis, with pinocembrin as the major compound, followed by galangin, pinostrobin, chrysin, artepillin C, and pinobanksin. The extracts exhibited high levels of total phenolic, flavonoid, and flavanone contents and moderate to high antioxidant activity. Circos plot analysis showed that specific metabolites were responsible for the high activity against S. aureus (artepillin C, kaempferol, and ferulic acid) and C. albicans (galangin, pinobanksin, chrysin, and pinocembrin) and for moderate antibacterial activity against E. faecalis (rutin) and E. coli (luteolin, rutin, quercetin, and caffeic acid). ANOVA simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) showed a strong correlation between the metabolites (p-coumaric acid, artepillin C, luteolin) and leishmanicidal activity. Thus, seasonal evaluation allowed the identification of bioactive molecules, the months with greater bioactivity of the GBPUP extracts representing the first comprehensive study of the seasonality of this new and promising propolis variety.

Moringa oleifera is an arboreal plant belonging to the family Moringaceae distributed in tropical areas and has gained enormous attention in the last decades. This research is a review on the association between aqueous extracts of M. oleifera leaves and diabetes mellitus and understanding its pharmacological functions and underlying mechanisms. The research refinement demonstrated the pharmaceutical potential of M. oleifera and its phytochemicals, given its antidiabetic effect. The prospective analysis showed the amount of application within IPC A61K in health area. The secondary metabolites present in M. oleifera, glucosinolates, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds may be responsible, in part, for the disease control hypoglycemic actions. Glucosinolates, when metabolized by salivary enzymes, give rise to sulforaphanes that act in preventing type 2 diabetes and in reducing insulin resistance. Flavonoids interact with intestinal enzymes by modifying carbohydrate metabolism by regulating glycemic levels, in addition to increasing insulin sensitivity. Phenolic compounds increase the expression of glucose transporters (GLUT4) and reduce the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, contributing to the reduction of glucose resistance and blood sugar control. Moringa oleifera can be used as complementary therapy of the type-2 diabetes.