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Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Nervous...
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Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Nervous System Diseases

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 4417

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Zhen Tian

E-Mail
Guest Editor
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: neurodegenerative diseases; pain; anxiety; depression

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The nervous system is the most complex system of the human body, with a variety of functions still being unclear. “Nervous system diseases” are often referred to as an umbrella term for multiple disorders affecting either the peripheral nervous system, spinal cord or brain, such as neurodegenerative diseases, neurovascular disorders (e.g., hemorrhages, stroke), infections (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis), neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., depression, schizophrenia), structural disorders (e.g., brain or spinal cord injuries) or conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, sciatica, migraines, epilepsy, etc. Generally speaking, the pathophysiology of these diseases is often very complex and largely unknown. Taking neurodegenerative diseases as an example, they are mainly caused by the selective dysfunction and progressive degeneration of neurons, glial cells, synapses and the interconnected networks. Currently, the available therapeutic options provide only symptomatic relief rather than halting the disease progression, while also frequently being associated with several adverse effects. Therefore, it is essential to seek new therapeutic strategies to treat these diseases.

Natural products are a rich sources of novel drugs, either through direct use in treating diseases or providing lead compounds for the developing candidate drugs. For example, the widely used neurological drugs morphine, cannabidiol and huperzine A  all initially originated from natural products. Hence, natural products may provide an important approach in treating nervous system diseases. In this Special Issue, we invite researchers in the field highlighting the therapeutic potential of natural products to identify future directions that will lead to discoveries and alternative therapies for nervous system diseases. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Zhen Tian
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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
  • nervous system diseases
  • drug discovery
  • neurodegeneration
  • neuroinflammation
  • chronic pain
  • neuropsychiatric disorders

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 3623 KiB  
Article
6-Shogaol Abrogates Parkinson’s Disease in Rotenone-Induced Rodents: Based on In Silico Study and Inhibiting TNF-α/NF-κB/IL-1β/MAO-B
by Misbahuddin Rafeeq, Fahad A. Al-Abbasi, Muhammad Afzal, Ehssan Moglad, Salwa D. Al-Qahtani, Sami I. Alzrea, Naif A. R. Almalki, Faisal Imam, Nadeem Sayyed and Imran Kazmi
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(10), 1348; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17101348 - 9 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1903
Abstract
Background/Objectives: 6-Shogaol is a comparatively innovative anti-Parkinson’s remedy with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. This investigation intended to determine the role of 6-shogaol in the Parkinson’s disease (PD) paradigm in rotenone-induced rats. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats (10–12 weeks old; 180 ± 20 g) [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: 6-Shogaol is a comparatively innovative anti-Parkinson’s remedy with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. This investigation intended to determine the role of 6-shogaol in the Parkinson’s disease (PD) paradigm in rotenone-induced rats. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats (10–12 weeks old; 180 ± 20 g) were divided into five groups. Animals with rotenone-induced experimental PD were subsequently treated with 6-shogaol-10 at 20 mg/kg for 28 days. After the experimental duration, behavioural investigations were performed, i.e., open field test, forced swim test, rotarod test, and catalepsy test. Biochemical assessments like AChE, GSH, CAT, SOD, MDA, nitrite, ceruloplasmin, proinflammatory markers such as IL-1β, NF-κB, TNF-α, and catecholamines markers (DA, GABA, and MAO-B) were determined. The docking procedure was conducted using the AutoDock Vina docking protocol. Furthermore, histopathology was performed. Results: Rotenone significantly increased the level of MAO-B, oxidative, nitrative, and pro-inflammatory markers. However, there was a decline in ceruloplasmin, dopamine, and endogenous antioxidants. Treatment with 6-shogaol (10 and 20 mg/kg) considerably sustained the elevation of oxidative stress and inflammatory indicators and decreased AChE activity and dopamine levels. In the histology of the brain, 6-shogaol improved the neuronal structure and reduced the degeneration of neurons. Based on the binding energy values, compound 6-shogaol demonstrates a favourable binding affinity to AChE, MAO-B, DA, and GABA with respective binding energies of −8.214, −8.133, −7.396 and −6.189 kcal/mol. Conclusions: In this study, 6-shogaol exhibited neuroprotective properties against PD, which could be employed as a prospective medication for PD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Nervous System Diseases)
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Review

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19 pages, 2688 KiB  
Review
Neuroprotective Potential of Glycyrrhizic Acid in Ischemic Stroke: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Prospects
by Yanwen Li, Juan Wu, Fang Du, Tao Tang, Jonathan Chee Woei Lim, Thilakavathy Karuppiah, Jiaxin Liu and Zhong Sun
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(11), 1493; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17111493 - 7 Nov 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2127
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, with current therapies limited in addressing its complex pathophysiological mechanisms, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and impaired autophagy. Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), a bioactive compound from licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, with current therapies limited in addressing its complex pathophysiological mechanisms, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and impaired autophagy. Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), a bioactive compound from licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), has demonstrated neuroprotective properties in preclinical studies. This review consolidates current evidence on GA’s pharmacological mechanisms and assesses its potential as a therapeutic agent for ischemic stroke. Methods: This review examines findings from recent preclinical studies and reviews on GA’s neuroprotective effects, focusing on its modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy. Studies were identified from major scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase, covering research from January 2000 to August 2024. Results: GA has demonstrated significant neuroprotective effects through the modulation of key pathways, including HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB and Keap1/Nrf2, thereby reducing neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Additionally, GA promotes autophagy and modulates immune responses, suggesting it could serve as an adjunct therapy to enhance the efficacy and safety of existing treatments, such as thrombolysis. Conclusions: Current findings underscore GA’s potential as a multi-targeted neuroprotective agent in ischemic stroke, highlighting its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. However, while preclinical data are promising, further clinical trials are necessary to validate GA’s therapeutic potential in humans. This review provides a comprehensive overview of GA’s mechanisms of action, proposing directions for future research to explore its role in ischemic stroke management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Nervous System Diseases)
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