Natural Therapeutic Alternatives for the Treatment of Neurological Diseases: From Preclinical to Clinical
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Neuroscience and Neural Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1349
Editors
Interests: neurodegenerative diseases; neurodegeneration; neurological diseases; endocrinology; neuroscience
Interests: behavioural science; biological psychology; experimental psychology; pharmacology; phytochemistry
Interests: epilepsy; neurodegenerative diseases; anticonvulsants; neuroprotection
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce an upcoming Special Issue of Applied Sciences focusing on naturally sourced treatments used as a therapeutic alternative for neurological diseases, from preclinical to clinical settings. Neurological disorders represent the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. According to the WHO predictions, it is estimated that by 2040, neurological diseases will surpass cancer and become the second leading cause of death worldwide. However, the development of therapies represents a major challenge, as do new pharmacological and therapeutic targets to slow their progression. On the other hand, the search for effective neuroprotective strategies has generated great interest and is focused on plant metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenols, among others, which have shown different antioxidant, protective, and anti-inflammatory effects, as they combat oxidative stress, a key factor in neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body, causing neuronal damage and the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, among others.
Our goal in launching this Special Issue is to provide an overview of the latest findings in preclinical and clinical studies using plant extracts and secondary metabolites, in order to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments and enable researchers to identify the effect of potential therapeutic agents on these diseases. In addition, medical and scientific contributors will also provide translational perspectives on how these preclinical and clinical research results can advance the treatment of these diseases. This compilation of original research and reviews will provide readers with a comprehensive overview of advances in preclinical and clinical research for the treatment and/or pharmacological management of these diseases.
The specific approaches are as follows:
- Studies of neurological diseases focused on animal models that use plant metabolites or phytopharmaceuticals as an alternative treatment for these diseases.
- Clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of natural treatments for neurological diseases.
- Isolation and characterization of secondary plant metabolites with potential use in the treatment of neurological diseases.
- Innovative in vitro and in vivo studies focused on the treatment of neurological diseases using natural products.
We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, preclinical and clinical trials.
Dr. Eduardo Rivadeneyra-Domínguez
Dr. Juan Francisco Rodríguez-Landa
Guest Editors
Dr. Isaac Zamora-Bello
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- natural products
- polyphenols
- flavonoids
- antioxidants
- Ginkgo biloba
- Centella asiatica
- resveratrol
- curcumin
- lycopene
- kaempferol
- astaxanthin
- essential oils
- neuroprotective agents
- neurodegeneration
- neuroinflammation
- animal models
- neurological diseases
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