Forests That Heal: Importance of Medicinal Trees and Forest Understory Plants Conservation and Use

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 673

Special Issue Editor

Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
Interests: medicinal plants; phytochemistry; phylogenetics; computational analysis; ethnopharmacology; plant extracts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests harbor a huge diversity of medicinal plants and trees that have played a vital role in traditional and modern healthcare systems. These biological resources contribute not only to human health through the provision of pharmacologically active compounds, but also to ecological balance and cultural heritage. However, increasing deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and unsustainable harvesting practices pose significant threats to their survival. This Special Issue invites original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore the ethnobotanical importance, phytochemical profiling, pharmacological potential, and conservation strategies of medicinal forest species. We particularly welcome studies addressing sustainable harvesting practices, the domestication and cultivation of understory medicinal plants, and the role of forests in supporting global health through natural product-based therapeutics. Furthermore, contributions highlighting policy frameworks, community-based conservation efforts, and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches are highly encouraged. This Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on preserving medicinal biodiversity, ensuring sustainable utilization, and unlocking new drug discovery avenues from forest ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.

Dr. Adnan Amin
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • medicinal plants
  • ethnobotany
  • phytochemical diversity
  • conservation strategies
  • sustainable utilization

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 3379 KB  
Article
Molecular Responses of the NAC Gene Family in Acanthus ebracteatus: Involvement in Abiotic Stress Responses and Biosynthesis of Verproside and Verbascoside
by Jun Yao, Huiting Fan, Canming Xing and Ying Zhang
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1354; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081354 - 20 Aug 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
The NAC gene family, as a group of plant-specific transcription factors, plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, abiotic stress regulation, and biosynthesis of medicinal components. However, research on this family in the medicinal true mangrove Acanthus ebracteatus remains unreported. In this study, [...] Read more.
The NAC gene family, as a group of plant-specific transcription factors, plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, abiotic stress regulation, and biosynthesis of medicinal components. However, research on this family in the medicinal true mangrove Acanthus ebracteatus remains unreported. In this study, 56 NAC genes (AeNAC01-AeNAC56) were identified from A. ebracteatus transcriptome data, all encoding proteins with the NAM domain. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into two groups, with 51 in Group I and 5 in Group II. Comparative transcriptome analysis of roots, leaves, and flowers, validated by qRT-PCR, revealed lower AeNAC genes expression in leaves, with AeNAC10, AeNAC31, and AeNAC48 showing the lowest levels. Under salt, cold, and waterlogging, AeNAC03/44, /48/56 exhibited differential expression, suggesting their key roles in stress responses. Metabolome analysis further demonstrated that AeNAC14 and AeNAC48 significantly correlated with the biosynthesis of verproside and verbascoside, major bioactive phenythanoid glycodides in A. ebracteatus leaves with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study provides insights into the A. ebracteatus NAC gene family, identifying candidate targets for understanding the synergistic regulation of abiotic stress responses and medicinal component biosynthesis, which is significant for optimizing the plant’s growth and medicinal value via genetic engineering. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop