Anti-Cancer Drugs: Natural Products, Synthetic Compounds and Potential Pharmacological Effects and Applications
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2025) | Viewed by 3463
Special Issue Editors
Interests: anti-cancer; mechanism; animal model; pharmacological action; inhibitor; drug target; cancer stem cell
Interests: natural product; bioactive constituents; synthetic compound; small-molecule inhibitor; pharmacological action; drug development; mechanism
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Anti-cancer drug research lies in the fact that it not only provides us with effective treatment options to combat cancer but also significantly improves patients' survival rates and quality of life. As the incidence of cancer continues to rise, the development of new anti-tumor drugs has become particularly urgent. These studies involve not only the discovery and development of new drugs but also the improvement of existing medications to overcome resistance and side effects. Furthermore, anti-cancer drug research drives advancements in the biomedical field and promotes the development of personalized medicine, allowing treatment plans to be adjusted based on the specific conditions and genetic characteristics of patients, thereby achieving more precise therapeutic effects. Through continuous research and innovation, we hope to find more effective treatment methods.
Natural small-molecule drugs typically originate from plants, microorganisms, or animals, featuring complex chemical structures and diverse biological activities. They can exert anti-tumor effects through various mechanisms, such as by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and preventing metastasis. Natural small-molecule drugs hold an important position in the field of anti-tumor drug research. Synthetic small-molecule drugs are prepared through chemical synthesis methods, offering better controllability and consistency. The design of synthetic drugs can target specific sites, optimizing their efficacy and safety, thereby enhancing therapeutic effects. Although synthetic small-molecule drugs offer high flexibility and predictability in drug development, they may also face issues such as drug resistance and side effects.
In this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, we will discuss natural and synthetic compounds with anti-cancer properties, including their discovery, synthesis, structural modification, pharmacological actions and mechanisms, and their potential clinical values.
Dr. Kaiqun Ren
Dr. Hui Zou
Guest Editors
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. 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
- cancer
- natural product
- synthetic compounds
- mechanism
- structural modification
- pharmacological action
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.
