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The Role of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative...
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The Role of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 576

Editor

Dr. Katarzyna E. Stȩpnik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Physical Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
Interests: liquid chromatography; planar chromatography; micellar chromatography; bioactive compounds; QRARs; QSA(P)Rs; pharmacokinetics; blood brain barrier
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are characterised by a gradual loss of neurons, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and protein aggregation. In many cases, despite extensive research, it has proven extremely difficult to find treatments that can truly change the course of these diseases. However, medicinal plants offer promise as alternative treatments, thanks to their broad spectrum of bioactive compounds—such as alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids—which have shown neuroprotective effects at the molecular level. This Special Issue looks at new trends in plant-based approaches to neurodegeneration.

We focus on the molecular mechanisms involved, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. We invite original research and review articles that explore the pharmacological potential of medicinal plants in influencing key cellular processes, including autophagy, synaptic plasticity and neurotransmitter regulation. In addition, we encourage discussions on challenges and obstacles in drug development, bioavailability and clinical translation. By bringing together the latest research, this issue aims to deepen our understanding of plant-derived neuroprotective strategies and their potential role in future treatments.

Dr. Katarzyna E. Stȩpnik
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 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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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
  • neuroprotection
  • neurodegeneration
  • plant secondary metabolites
  • molecular mechanisms

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

29 pages, 1351 KB  
Review
Curcumin in Alzheimer’s Disease: From Mechanistic Insights to Translational Challenges and Emerging Curcuminoid Strategies
by Katarzyna Stępnik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(13), 5754; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135754 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 114
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder driven by complex interactions between protein aggregation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cellular dysfunction. Among plant-derived compounds, curcumin has emerged as one of the most extensively studied polyphenols due to its broad spectrum of biological activities. [...] Read more.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder driven by complex interactions between protein aggregation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cellular dysfunction. Among plant-derived compounds, curcumin has emerged as one of the most extensively studied polyphenols due to its broad spectrum of biological activities. This review provides a critical synthesis of the mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence on curcumin in AD. Experimental studies consistently demonstrate that curcumin modulates key pathogenic processes, including neuroinflammatory signaling, oxidative stress, and amyloid-β aggregation, with more limited evidence for effects on tau pathology. While in vitro studies offer detailed mechanistic insights, in vivo models provide more integrated evidence, including improvements in cognitive performance and reductions in pathological markers. Despite this strong preclinical foundation, the clinical evidence remains limited and inconsistent. Randomized controlled trials have not demonstrated clear therapeutic efficacy, with outcomes strongly influenced by formulation, bioavailability, and study design. Poor solubility, rapid metabolism, and limited brain exposure remain key translational barriers. In response, increasing attention has been directed toward formulation strategies and structurally related compounds. Emerging curcuminoids, such as bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), are discussed as potential next-generation candidates. Preliminary evidence suggests that BDMC may modulate oxidative stress, autophagy, astrocyte senescence, and amyloid-related processes, although the data remain largely preclinical. Overall, curcumin represents a mechanistically rich and preclinically promising multi-target compound but with unresolved translational limitations. Future research should prioritize pharmacokinetic optimization, formulation-dependent validation, and exploration of novel curcuminoid strategies to bridge the gap between experimental findings and clinical application in AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives)
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