Recent Advances in Medicinal Plants and Plant-Derived Compounds: Neuroprotective, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Anticancer, and Antimicrobial Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The growing interest in plant-based resources for therapeutic purposes reflects a paradigm shift in biomedical research and clinical practice. Medicinal plants and plant-derived compounds offer a wide array of bioactive compounds with demonstrated neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, and antimicrobial properties. Establishing robust scientific evidence on these natural agents is essential to validate their efficacy, ensure safety, and promote their integration into modern healthcare strategies.

Neurodegenerative diseases, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress-related disorders, cancer, and microbial resistance represent major global health challenges. Conventional synthetic drugs, while effective, often present limitations such as adverse effects, resistance development, and high production costs. In this context, plant-derived compounds offer promising alternatives and complementary approaches. Their multitarget mechanisms of action, synergistic effects, and generally favourable safety profiles make them attractive candidates for preventive and therapeutic applications.

Edible plants, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, contribute not only to nutrition but also to health maintenance through their phytochemical content. Polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, and other secondary metabolites have shown potential in modulating key biological pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative damage, tumour progression, and microbial infection. Similarly, medicinal plants traditionally used in ethnopharmacology are being re-evaluated under rigorous scientific frameworks to identify novel therapeutic agents.

Documenting and disseminating scientific evidence on these resources is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it supports the rational use of phytotherapy in clinical settings. Secondly, it fosters innovation in drug discovery by providing leads for new pharmacologically active molecules. Finally, it contributes to the preservation and valorisation of ethnobotanical knowledge.

In summary, advancing research on medicinal and edible plants with therapeutic properties is not only scientifically relevant but also socially and clinically impactful. It bridges traditional knowledge with modern science, offering sustainable and integrative solutions to pressing health issues.

We warmly encourage researchers, clinicians, and professionals working in phytotherapy, pharmacognosy, nutrition, and biomedical sciences to contribute to this Special Issue. It offers a unique opportunity to publish original research, reviews, and case studies that advance knowledge in this interdisciplinary field. By sharing high-quality scientific evidence, contributors will help shape future strategies in integrative medicine, and natural product-based drug discovery. We look forward to receiving submissions that reflect the diversity, innovation, and therapeutic potential of plant-based resources.

Prof. Dr. Isabel Martínez Solís
Dr. Jose Ignacio Bueso-Bordils
Prof. Dr. Nuria Acero de Mesa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.