{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T08:26:57Z","timestamp":1787300817745,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787270400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Natural products derived from plants and microorganisms remain promising alternatives to synthetic chemicals and conventional substances across a wide range of fields, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and industry. They also play an important role in the development of sustainable biopesticides and biofertilizers. Chemically, natural products can be grouped into overlapping structural and biosynthetic categories, including alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, and polyketides. Each group reflects distinct chemical characteristics and associated biological functions. This overview highlights the main findings from the Molecules Special Issue: \u201cNatural Products: Isolation, Analysis and Biological Activity, 2nd Edition\u201d, focusing on three categories: (i) plant protection, plant health, and plant biotechnology; (ii) functional foods and health-promoting formulations; and (iii) therapeutic natural products and derivatives. Exploring the mechanisms of action of natural products is essential for ensuring safety and optimizing sustainable resource use. This understanding drives critical innovations across drug discovery and materials science. Ultimately, such research reinforces their cross-disciplinary significance for advancing human health and promoting environmental sustainability.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules31162921","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T08:14:01Z","timestamp":1787300041000},"page":"2921","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Natural Products: Advances in Isolation, Characterization, Biological Activities, and Plant Protection Applications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"31","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6018-7319","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hazem S.","family":"Elshafie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (DAFE), University of Basilicata, Via dell\u2019Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117853","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodres.2025.117853","article-title":"Natural Sources of Bioactive Compounds: Recent Advances in Isolation, Functionalization, and Health Benefits","volume":"223","author":"Ghotekar","year":"2026","journal-title":"Food Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.3390\/ddc3010011","article-title":"Plant-Derived Natural Products: A Source for Drug Discovery and Development","volume":"3","author":"Chaachouay","year":"2024","journal-title":"Drugs Drug Candidates"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126597","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2020.126597","article-title":"Mycoremediation Effect of Trichoderma harzianum Strain T22 Combined with Ozonation in Diesel-Contaminated Sand","volume":"252","author":"Elshafie","year":"2020","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115748","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejmech.2023.115748","article-title":"Innate Functions of Natural Products: A Promising Path for the Identification of Novel Therapeutics","volume":"260","author":"Suresh","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur. J. Med. Chem."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Divekar, P.A., Narayana, S., Divekar, B.A., Kumar, R., Gadratagi, B.G., Ray, A., Singh, A.K., Rani, V., Singh, V., and Singh, A.K. (2022). Plant Secondary Metabolites as Defense Tools Against Herbivores for Sustainable Crop Protection. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23052690"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Netzker, T., Fischer, J., Weber, J., Mattern, D.J., K\u00f6nig, C.C., Valiante, V., Schroeckh, V., and Brakhage, A.A. (2015). Microbial Communication Leading to the Activation of Silent Fungal Secondary Metabolite Gene Clusters. Front. Microbiol., 6.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2015.00299"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chmiel, J., Wolski, K., Bakalorz, K., Manirafasha, E., and Ku\u017anik, N. (2026). Natural Strategies for Increasing Yields: The Role of Plant Extracts and Micronutrients as Natural Resources in Sustainable Intensification. Resources, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/resources15050063"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/0168-1605(87)90034-1","article-title":"Antibacterial Properties of Plant Essential Oils","volume":"5","author":"Deans","year":"1987","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Danielewicz, J., Horoszkiewicz, J., Jajor, E., Korbas, M., Zamojska, J., Dworza\u0144ska, D., W\u0119gorek, P., Grzanka, M., Sobiech, \u0141., and Idziak, R. (2025). The Use of Selected Essential Oils as an Alternative Method of Controlling Pathogenic Fungi, Weeds and Insects on Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.). Agriculture, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/agriculture15212214"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Elshafie, H.S., De Martino, L., Formisano, C., Caputo, L., De Feo, V., and Camele, I. (2023). Chemical Identification of Secondary Metabolites from Rhizospheric Actinomycetes Using LC-MS Analysis: In Silico Antifungal Evaluation and Growth-Promoting Effects. Plants, 12.","DOI":"10.20944\/preprints202304.0118.v1"}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/31\/16\/2921\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T08:14:18Z","timestamp":1787300058000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/31\/16\/2921"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"16","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules31162921"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules31162921","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]]}}}