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Natural Medicines and Functional Foods for Human Health

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 July 2025 | Viewed by 313

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: functional food; food nutrition; herbs; traditional Chinese medicine; memory; depression; dementia; Alzheimer disease; Parkinson's disease; inflammation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing global prevalence of chronic diseases and lifestyle-related health issues has underscored the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies that are safe, effective, and sustainable. In recent years, natural medicines and functional foods have gained significant attention as potential alternatives or complementary approaches to conventional treatments, owing to their bioactive compounds that offer therapeutic benefits beyond basic nutrition. These natural products, derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms, possess diverse pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects, making them valuable candidates for the prevention and management of various health conditions. This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest research on natural medicines and functional foods, with a focus on their potential to promote human health. It seeks to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the health benefits of these bioactive substances, as well as their applications in disease prevention, management, and overall wellness.

Dr. Qiong Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • functional food
  • natural medicine
  • traditional Chinese medicine
  • memory
  • depression
  • dementia
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • space medicine
  • sleeplessness
  • anti-inflammation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 2984 KiB  
Article
Astragalus Extract Mixture HT042 Reverses Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression Through Dual Modulation of Innate and Adaptive Immunity
by Se-Young Kim, Joohee Son, Minju Kim, Chae Yun Baek, Mi-Yeon Kim, Ari Shin, Donghun Lee and Hocheol Kim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4850; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104850 - 19 May 2025
Viewed by 120
Abstract
Deficiencies in immune function increase susceptibility to infections and chronic diseases by impairing immune surveillance and tolerance mechanisms, especially in children with immature immune systems. Chronic inflammation associated with immune dysfunction can impair childhood by suppressing the GH–IGF-1. HT042 is composed of Astragalus [...] Read more.
Deficiencies in immune function increase susceptibility to infections and chronic diseases by impairing immune surveillance and tolerance mechanisms, especially in children with immature immune systems. Chronic inflammation associated with immune dysfunction can impair childhood by suppressing the GH–IGF-1. HT042 is composed of Astragalus mongholicus, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Phlomis umbrosa, which are medicinal herbs that are traditionally utilized in East Asia to promote growth and enhance immune function; thus, HT042 itself holds potential as an immunomodulator. We evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of HT042 in a cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced immunosuppressed mouse model, as well as in ex vivo primary splenocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages. HT042 demonstrated remarkable immune-enhancing effects, including the restoration of weight loss and hematological parameters, as well as enhancing NK cell activity. Primary splenocytes treated with HT042 showed increased expression of CD3, CD4, and CD8, along with Th subset transcription factors (T-bet, GATA3, RORγt, Foxp3) and corresponding cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17, IL-10). In RAW 264.7 macrophages, HT042 increased nitric oxide production and upregulated NOS2, COX-2, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α). It is noteworthy that HT042 enhances both innate and adaptive immune pathways, particularly via T cell modulation and macrophage activation, as this study is among the first to demonstrate such effects in the context of CYP-induced immunosuppression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Medicines and Functional Foods for Human Health)
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