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The Role of Natural Antioxidants in Managing and Preventing Chronic Diseases

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemicals and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 January 2026) | Viewed by 4538

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 87, 95125 Catania, Italy
Interests: Mangifera indica L.; bioactive compounds; antioxidant; antifibrotic

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Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University KORE of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy
Interests: metabolomics; oxidative stress; tumor microenvironment; hematological disease; epigenetics; inflammation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, represent the leading causes of mortality worldwide, often driven by oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The recent literature increasingly supports that natural antioxidants, sourced from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and seeds, play a crucial role in managing and counteracting these damaging processes, offering potential protective and therapeutic effects.

The aim of this Special Issue of Nutrients entitled “The Role of Natural Antioxidants in Managing and Preventing Chronic Diseases” is to provide researchers, clinicians, and dietitians with detailed resources on the potential of natural antioxidants in chronic disease management.

Authors are encouraged to contribute with original research articles and comprehensive reviews that explore the mechanisms through which natural antioxidants interact with the main biochemical and molecular pathways, supporting cellular homeostasis against the specific chronic affliction. Studies will feature all natural antioxidants, including, but not limited to, polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and essential vitamins, examining their effectiveness in both the prevention and clinical management of chronic diseases.

This collection also seeks to highlight applied research, translational studies, dietary interventions, and perspectives on integrating antioxidant-rich foods into preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Giuseppe Carota
Dr. Sebastiano Giallongo
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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

  • natural products
  • dietary supplementation
  • functional food
  • nutraceuticals
  • polyphenols
  • antioxidants
  • inflammation
  • oxidative stress
  • biochemical pathways
  • obesity and metabolic syndrome
  • diabetes
  • cardiovascular diseases and hypertension
  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • cancer

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 41590 KB  
Article
Nuciferine Ameliorates Lipotoxicity-Mediated Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury by Reducing Reverse Electron Transfer Mediated Oxidative Stress
by Man Wang, Xiaobing Shi, Yufeng Zhou, Jianhui Feng, Yining Diao, Gang Li, Zhenhua Wang and Chengjun Ma
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030425 - 27 Jan 2026
Viewed by 863
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The widespread adoption of high-fat diets has contributed to a rising incidence of metabolic disorders and associated cardiovascular diseases. This trend exacerbates myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury following interventional or thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction, leading to higher mortality and heart [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The widespread adoption of high-fat diets has contributed to a rising incidence of metabolic disorders and associated cardiovascular diseases. This trend exacerbates myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury following interventional or thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction, leading to higher mortality and heart failure in affected individuals with metabolic dysregulation, for whom effective interventions are limited. Nuciferine, which possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and metabolic regulatory properties, has shown potential in improving post-I/R cardiac function, yet its mechanism remains unclear. Methods: This study utilized an ex vivo mouse heart model perfused with high-glucose/high-fatty acid solutions to establish a metabolic stress condition mimicking key aspects of the diabetic milieu and to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of nuciferine. Complementarily, a model of lipotoxicity combined with hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury was established in human cardiomyocyte cells (AC16). Results: Nuciferine significantly improved post-I/R functional recovery and attenuated succinate accumulation, an effect comparable to the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibitor dimethyl malonate (DMM). Mechanistically, nuciferine bound to an SDH subunit, inhibiting its activity and subsequent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production via mitochondrial reverse electron transport (RET). It also activated Sirt1-dependent pathways, mitigating apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in AC16 cardiomyocytes. The Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) inhibitor selisistat (EX527) abolished nuciferine’s protection, while DMM mirrored its efficacy, underscoring nuciferine’s dual role in inhibiting SDH-mediated RET and activating Sirt1 in alleviating I/R injury under metabolic stress conditions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that nuciferine confers cardioprotection by simultaneously attenuating RET-related oxidative stress and activating Sirt1. Full article
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Review

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32 pages, 1382 KB  
Review
The Simultaneous Prevention of Multiple Diseases: A “One Ring to Rule Them All” Framework for Redox-Driven Health and Longevity
by Harold Robert Silverstein, Albert A. Rizvanov, Donald David Haines, Fadia F. Mahmoud, Stephen Christopher Rose, Valeriya V. Solovyeva, Kristina V. Kitaeva and Arpad Tosaki
Nutrients 2026, 18(6), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18061007 - 22 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1247
Abstract
Chronic non-communicable diseases rarely occur in isolation; cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, malignant, and age-associated disorders share upstream drivers including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic imbalance. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological, interventional, and mechanistic studies identified through targeted literature searches to examine [...] Read more.
Chronic non-communicable diseases rarely occur in isolation; cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, malignant, and age-associated disorders share upstream drivers including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic imbalance. This narrative review synthesizes epidemiological, interventional, and mechanistic studies identified through targeted literature searches to examine redox biology as a shared mechanistic hub linking these conditions. We evaluate antioxidant-rich dietary patterns, selected nutraceuticals, myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury as a clinical exemplar, rare redox-imbalance disorders as mechanistic stress models, and emerging gene-based reinforcement of endogenous antioxidant systems. Rather than proposing clinical targets, we present an integrative, hypothesis-generating framework illustrating how coordinated lifestyle-driven modulation of redox balance may simultaneously influence multiple disease trajectories. Collectively, the evidence supports a unified redox framework for multi-disease prevention for multi-disease prevention and future intervention design. Full article
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32 pages, 378 KB  
Review
Neuroprotective Herbs Associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease
by Georgiana Smaranda Marțiș, Rodica Ana Ungur, Anamaria Pop, Evelina Maria Bordean, Claudia Pașca and Ileana Monica Borda
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030439 - 29 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1474
Abstract
There is currently no treatment for Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s (AD) diseases, and medications that target the blockage of amyloid plaque cascades appear to be the most promising for preventing these diseases. However, it is believed that consuming natural antioxidants, particularly phytochemicals such [...] Read more.
There is currently no treatment for Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s (AD) diseases, and medications that target the blockage of amyloid plaque cascades appear to be the most promising for preventing these diseases. However, it is believed that consuming natural antioxidants, particularly phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds, may help the treatment process for neurodegenerative illnesses. Phenolic substances such as phenolic acids, polyphenols, and flavonoids have been shown to have antioxidant properties in plants and are thought to have a similar impact in humans. This review provides an analysis of the current landscape of PD and AD pathophysiology, paying particular attention to phytochemical-based therapeutic, preventive, and management strategies using disclosed herb candidates in in vivo/vitro studies. We also highlight the herb-derived components that have recently been identified for their effects in the treatment of PD/AD to provide a review and perspectives for the development of the next generation of drugs and preparations for the treatment of PD/AD. Full article
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