Exploring the Functional Activity of Natural Products

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products continue to serve as an exceptional source of structurally diverse bioactive compounds with wide-ranging pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Despite the tremendous progress achieved in the field of synthetic and combinatorial chemistry, naturally derived molecules remain a cornerstone in modern drug discovery and biomedical research.

This Special Issue aims to explore recent advances in the isolation, characterization, and mechanistic exploration of natural compounds with significant biological activities.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and short communications that focus on the chemical characterization, biological activity, molecular targets, and potential therapeutic applications of natural compounds derived from plants, marine organisms, fungi, and microorganisms.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Isolation, identification, and structural elucidation of bioactive compounds;
• Mechanistic insights into the bioactivity, signaling pathways, and molecular targets of natural products;
• In vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches to assessing functional activity;
• Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties of natural extracts and metabolites;
• Bioavailability studies and clinical studies of natural products;
• Synergistic effects with conventional drugs;
• Ethnopharmacological studies and validation of traditional medicinal uses;
• Applications in nutraceuticals, functional foods, and cosmeceuticals.

With this Special Issue, we aim to provide a platform for interdisciplinary contributions from pharmacognosy, biochemistry, molecular biology, and related fields, aiming to deepen our understanding of how natural products can be developed into effective therapeutic agents.

Dr. Antonio Speciale
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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