Infectious diseases have been treated using plants and their compounds for thousands of years. This knowledge has enabled modern techniques to identify specific antiviral remedies and to understand their molecular mechanism of action. Numerous active phytochemicals, such as alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans), coumarins, thiophenes, saponins, furyl compounds, small proteins, and peptides, are promising options for treating and preventing viral infections. It has been shown that plant-derived products can prevent or inhibit viral entry into and replication by host cells. Biotechnological advances have made it possible to engineer plants with an increased capacity for the production and accumulation of natural antiviral compounds. Plants can also be engineered to produce various types of antivirals (cytokines, antibodies, vaccines, and lectins). This study summarizes the current understanding of the antiviral activity of specific plant-derived metabolites, emphasizing their mechanisms of action and exploring the enormous potential of plants as biological factories.

The incidence of male fertility disorders has increased greatly due to various genetic and lifestyle factors. Recently, it has been hypothesized that vitamin D may be involved with idiopathic infertility. The goal of the study was to determine the effect and relationship between blood vitamin D metabolites, intracellular sperm vitamin D levels, and gene expression of 1‐α‐hydroxylase and VDR, with regard to semen quality. Seventy volunteers aged 25–45 were involved in the study. According to spermogram analysis, participants were stratified into normozoospermic control group, non‐normozoospermic target group, and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic group. Vitamin D metabolites (total 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol, 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol) in blood and spermatozoa were determined by ELISA. Free and bioavailable 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol were calculated using the Vermeulen equation. mRNA expression of VDR and 1‐α hydroxylase was evaluated by qPCR. Free and bioavailable 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol were significantly higher in the control group compared to the target group and compared to the oligoasthenoteratozoospermic group . Intracellular sperm 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol was higher in the control group compared to the target group. The mRNA levels of 1‐ α‐hydroxylase were significantly higher in the control samples, while VDR expression was significantly higher in the target group. Significant positive correlations were established between free and bioavailable 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol with sperm motility and morphology. Vitamin D metabolites in blood and intracellular sperm 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol seem to exert beneficial effects on sperm motility and morphology. Regarding sperm quality, these effects are more pronounced in the free and bioavailable 25OHD compared to the total 25OHD in blood. Higher expression of 1‐α‐hydroxylase likely leads to higher intracellular levels of 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol, which could contribute to sperm motility and morphology. Higher VDR expression may be a compensatory mechanism related to lower intracellular sperm 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol.

Dysregulation in miRNA expression has been reported in a variety of tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC), where adiponectin regulates a number of processes related to tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to identify a panel of heavily and consistently altered miRNAs in CRC that affect adiponectin signaling based on bioinformatics analysis and cross-referencing the available literature. Bioinformatics tools were used to analyze publicly available datasets to identify miRNAs targeting the adiponectin pathway that are substantially dysregulated in CRC. In parallel, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to gather and explore existing knowledge on the relationship between CRC, adiponectin signaling, and miRNA dysregulation. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a set of miRNAs that target adiponectin signaling and are consistently altered in CRC. Several candidate miRNAs, including miR-215-5p, miR-340-5p, miR-181a-5p, miR-150-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-19a-3p, and miR-21-5p, were identified as potential key regulators of the adiponectin cascade, while also being systemically dysregulated in CRC. Through gene ontology enrichment analysis, we further elucidated the biological processes and pathways impacted by these miRNAs, providing insight into their contributions to CRC. The literature review did not identify any previously reported shared connection between these miRNAs, adiponectin signaling, and CRC pathogenesis.

Sambucus ebulus L. (dwarf elder) is a polyphenol-rich medicinal plant with a long history of ethnopharmacological use whose biological potential remains substantially underexplored. This narrative review examines the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-proliferative properties of S. ebulus fruit preparations and their molecular mechanisms. Literature was retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (no lower date limit; upper limit May 2026) using “Sambucus ebulus” and related terms combined with relevant biological and pathway keywords; studies restricted to non-fruit tissues or lacking phytochemical characterization were excluded or flagged. The fruits contain anthocyanins, flavonols, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins, and stilbenes that collectively modulate NF-κB, MAPK, JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt, and Nrf2 signaling. Available evidence is predominantly in vitro, with limited in vivo data, and two human intervention studies. Data support anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-proliferative activities that appear to arise from the combined action of multiple phytochemicals. Critical limitations of available research include the absence of clinical trials, limited pharmacokinetic data, lack of standardized preparations, and insufficient formal safety characterization, all of which must be addressed before translational application can be considered.

Agrimonia eupatoria L. is a medicinal plant used in traditional medicine in Bulgaria and other European countries. Recently, the volatile profile of the essential oil and infusion obtained from the dried aerial parts of A. eupatoria was analyzed, and their biological potential was determined through a multitarget in silico approach. Steam distillation, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC-FID) were used to obtain and analyze substances. Molecular docking was performed on the major compounds from both extracts against cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)—enzymes associated with neuroinflammation. Seventeen volatile compounds were identified, with a significant difference between the two profiles. The extraction method influenced the composition of the preparations: nonpolar substances, such as hexahydrofarnesyl acetone and β-bisabolene, predominated in the oil, while more polar compounds, such as linalool, prevailed in the infusion. Isophytol and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone exhibited the best binding affinities against the target enzymes in silico , suggesting potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects.