Synthesis, Bioactivity and Structure–Activity Relationship of Natural Products and Their Derivatives

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products and their derivatives have been a cornerstone of pharmaceutical research, serving as a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse chemical structures and therapeutic properties. These naturally occurring molecules, often derived from plants, microorganisms, and marine organisms, provide unique scaffolds that inspire synthetic modifications to enhance their efficacy, stability, and selectivity. The study of these compounds continues to bridge traditional medicine and modern drug discovery, offering promising solutions to address unmet medical needs.

This Special Issue explores the transformative potential of natural products in drug discovery and development. Emphasizing their synthesis, biological evaluation, and structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, it aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying their therapeutic effects and optimize their efficacy. Natural products, derived from diverse biological sources, have long been integral to pharmaceutical innovation, offering unique molecular frameworks for novel drug development.

For this Special Issue, we welcome contributions highlighting advanced methodologies for isolating, synthesizing, and modifying natural compounds. It also focuses on evaluating their bioactivities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, and how structural modifications can enhance these effects. Integrating synthetic chemistry, computational modeling, and modern bioanalytical techniques is especially encouraged to provide a comprehensive understanding of these compounds’ mechanisms of action.

Targeted at researchers and professionals in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and biotechnology, this Special Issue seeks to foster collaboration across disciplines. Authors are encouraged to submit original research articles that contribute to advancing the field. Submission guidelines and deadlines are available on the journal's online platform.

The Special Issue will includes also articles from the 3rd International Conference on Chemo and BioInformatics (https://iccbikg.kg.ac.rs/), Kragujevac, Serbia, 25–26 September 2025.

Dr. Jelena R. Đorović Jovanović
Dr. Jelena S. Katanic Stankovic
Guest Editors

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