Therapeutic Innovations from Plants and Their Bioactive Extracts

Dear Colleagues,

Plants have served as essential tools in traditional healing systems for millennia, and their relevance continues in contemporary drug discovery and evidence-based medicine. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 80% of the global population still relies on herbal remedies and plant-derived preparations for primary healthcare needs. This enduring reliance underscores the importance of systematically investigating the therapeutic potential of plant-based compounds.

Plants and their extracts are rich sources of structurally diverse and biologically active phytochemicals, including polyphenols, anthocyanins, and other natural compounds. These constituents possess a wide range of biomedical activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotective effects. Despite the wealth of therapeutic promise, only about 10–15% of known plant species have been subjected to thorough phytochemical and pharmacological analysis. This suggests a vast and largely untapped reservoir of novel biomolecules with potential clinical utility.

Recent advances in molecular biology, natural compound isolation, pharmaceutical technology, and analytical chemistry have significantly enhanced our ability to identify, isolate, and characterize new plant-derived bioactive substances. These tools have opened the door to the targeted exploration of herbal extracts and phytochemicals for their roles in modulating oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation, and other pathophysiological processes involved in diseases such as dermatitis, psoriasis, diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative disorders.

To translate laboratory findings into therapeutic strategies, preclinical models—ranging from in vitro cellular systems to in vivo animal models—are indispensable for elucidating mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and safety profiles. Furthermore, well-designed clinical studies are essential to confirm efficacy and tolerability in humans, bridging the gap between experimental research and real-world application. The integration of traditional knowledge with rigorous scientific validation in both preclinical and clinical contexts has the potential to yield new target molecules and innovative treatment modalities for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, and metabolic conditions.

This Special Issue invites high-quality contributions focused on the discovery, characterization, and biomedical application of bioactive compounds from plants. We especially encourage submissions that explore therapeutic effects in experimental and clinical models, highlight novel mechanisms of action, or present innovative techniques for the preparation and standardization of herbal extracts.

Dr. Rita Kiss
Prof. Dr. Annamária Pallag
Guest Editors

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• herbals
• plant extracts
• phytochemicals
• polyphenols
• anthocyanins
• natural compounds isolation
• herbal extract characterization
• bioactive extracts preparation
• oxidative stress
• apoptosis
• inflammation
• dermatitis
• psoriasis
• diabetes mellitus
• neurodegenerative disorders
• CNS diseases
• new target molecules
• animal models
• clinical studies