Botanicals: Bioactive Molecules and Therapeutic Properties for Human Health 2021

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is entitled “Botanicals: Bioactive Molecules and Therapeutic Properties for Human Health 2021”.

Historically, phytochemicals and their structural derivatives have played a major role in treating many illnesses. Many plant-derived nutraceuticals exhibit health benefits and are available for human consumption without a medical prescription. Due to the increased consumption of nutraceuticals, one of the lingering questions relates to the identity and quantity of active components in available preparations. Modern scientific techniques have enabled scientists to quantify the active components found in herbal remedies. Moreover, analytical techniques enable scientists to isolate and characterize these low molecular weight phytochemicals with health benefits as well. Phytochemicals are structurally fascinating, and scientists show great interest in better understanding their medicinal properties. Once the bioactive components in plant materials have been identified, these natural compounds and their structural analogs can be further developed into therapeutically promising leads. Chemical and biological research enable scientists to investigate their chemical diversity and medicinal properties. Additionally, medicinal chemists utilize various approaches, including chemical synthesis, molecular modeling, and structure-based drug design to improve the physiochemical properties, desired bioactivity, and metabolic degradation of drug leads. Medicinal chemistry research also provides new knowledge about the mode of action of drug leads. This Special Issue aims to highlight the consumption and safety of botanicals, and scientific approaches available to uncover botanicals and their analogs with therapeutic potential. For this Special Issue, we are inviting research articles on the following topics: (a) benefits and safety of nutraceuticals, (b) isolation of new structural classes of botanicals, (c) chemical synthesis of botanicals and derivatives, and (d) medicinal chemistry and biological evaluation of botanicals. We are also extending the invitation to experts from the abovementioned areas of research to contribute review articles to this Special Issue.

Dr. Sabesan Yoganathan
Guest Editor

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