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Pharmaceuticals
Special Issues
Analgesic Phytochemicals and Their Medicinal Potential
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Analgesic Phytochemicals and Their Medicinal Potential

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 2487

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Cristiane Flora Villarreal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo 147, Salvador 40170-115, Bahia, Brazil
Interests: pain; analgesic; anti-inflammatory; pharmacology; mechanisms of chronic pain
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pain is a global health problem in modern society. It has been estimated that 1 in 5 adults suffer from pain in the world. Regardless of the amount of clinically available analgesic drugs, there is still a gap in the therapeutic management of pain, as even the most widely used analgesics are still ineffective or unsafe for some patients, especially those suffering from chronic pain. Natural products have been used for healing purposes since the dawn of mankind. Knowledge about medicinal plants has evolved over the centuries, now allowing for the industrial-scale production of plant-derived drugs. Historically, phytochemicals have contributed significantly to the discovery of new analgesics, as illustrated by opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are the basic pharmacological classes for current pain management and were developed from plant-derived compounds. In this context, the special issue "Analgesic Phytochemicals and their Medicinal Potential" invites researchers to contribute original research articles and review articles related to plant-derived analgesic compounds with potential for the drug discovery process. Topics of interest include the pharmacological characterization of phytochemicals in experimental models of pain, studies of mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic profile, adverse effects and toxicity, isolation and identification of new analgesic phytochemicals, pharmaceutical technology of analgesic phytochemicals, and clinical trials.

Prof. Dr. Cristiane Flora Villarreal
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • analgesic
  • pharmacology
  • phytochemistry
  • mechanism of action
  • natural products
  • medicinal plants
  • phytotherapy
  • bioactive molecules
  • pharmaceutical formulations

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1224 KiB  
Article
Antinociceptive Analysis of Natural Monoterpenes Eugenol, Menthol, Carvacrol and Thymol in a Zebrafish Larval Model
by Cláudia Alexandra Rocha, Luís M. Félix, Sandra Mariza Monteiro and Carlos Venâncio
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(4), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17040457 - 2 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1068
Abstract
In the last decade, a considerable number of studies have broadened our knowledge of the nociceptive mechanisms of pain, a global health problem in both humans and animals. The use of herbal compounds such as eugenol, menthol, thymol, and carvacrol as analgesic agents [...] Read more.
In the last decade, a considerable number of studies have broadened our knowledge of the nociceptive mechanisms of pain, a global health problem in both humans and animals. The use of herbal compounds such as eugenol, menthol, thymol, and carvacrol as analgesic agents has accompanied the growing interest in this area, offering a possible solution for this complex problem. Here, we aimed to explore how these natural substances—at three different concentrations (2, 5 and 10 mg/L)—affect the pain responses in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae exposed to 0.05% acetic acid (AA) for 1 min. By analysing the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), 5′-ectonucleotidase and NTPDases, as well as aversion and exploratory behaviours, it was observed that that although all substances were effective in counteracting the pain stimulus, the concentration range within which they do so might be very limited. Eugenol, despite its acknowledged properties in fish anaesthesia, failed to alleviate the pain stimulus at low concentrations. Contrastingly, menthol exhibited the most promising results at the lowest concentrations tested. Overall, it is concluded that menthol might be a good analgesic for this species, qualifying it as a substance of interest for prospective studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analgesic Phytochemicals and Their Medicinal Potential)
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16 pages, 3778 KiB  
Article
Cleomin Exerts Acute Antinociceptive Effects in Mice via GABAB and Muscarinic Receptors
by Luíza Carolina França Opretzka, Max Denisson Maurício Viana, Alyne Almeida de Lima, Thalisson Amorim de Souza, Marcus Tullius Scotti, Josean Fechine Tavares, Marcelo Sobral da Silva, Milena Botelho Pereira Soares and Cristiane Flora Villarreal
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(11), 1547; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16111547 - 2 Nov 2023
Viewed by 901
Abstract
Cleomin, a 1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione, was recently isolated from Neocalyptrocalyx longifolium, a species traditionally used for treating painful conditions. Reports about the pharmacological activities of cleomin are lacking. Here, the antinociceptive effects of cleomin were investigated using mice models of pain, namely the formalin, [...] Read more.
Cleomin, a 1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione, was recently isolated from Neocalyptrocalyx longifolium, a species traditionally used for treating painful conditions. Reports about the pharmacological activities of cleomin are lacking. Here, the antinociceptive effects of cleomin were investigated using mice models of pain, namely the formalin, the cold plate, and the tail flick tests. Motor integrity was assessed in the rota-rod test. Antagonism assays and in silico docking analyses were performed to investigate the putative mechanisms of action. Cleomin (12.5–25 mg/kg), at doses that did not induce motor impairment, induced dose-dependent antinociception in both early and late phases of the formalin test and reduced nociceptive behaviors in both the cold plate and tail flick tests. Pretreatments with phaclofen and atropine attenuated the antinociceptive effects of cleomin, implicating the involvement of GABAB and muscarinic receptors. In silico docking studies suggested satisfactory coupling between cleomin and GABAB and M2 receptors, hence corroborating their role in cleomin’s activity. Pretreatments with naloxone, yohimbine, bicuculline, and methysergide did not affect the antinociception of cleomin. In silico pharmacokinetics prediction showed a good drug ability profile of cleomin. In conclusion, cleomin promoted antinociception mediated by GABAB and muscarinic receptors. These findings support further investigation of the analgesic potential of cleomin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analgesic Phytochemicals and Their Medicinal Potential)
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