Natural Bioactives and Advanced Delivery Strategies: From Novel Sources to Therapeutic Applications

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 833

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana Street, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Interests: cytokines; immunology; natural products; apitherapy; oral cavity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Chemistry, University of Opole, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland
Interests: skin; natural products; nanoparticles; release profiles; drug delivery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 19, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland
Interests: flavonoids; propolis; immune system; cytokines; apoptosis; cancer cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The pharmaceutical potential of natural products continues to expand as new bioactive compounds are identified from plants, microorganisms, marine life, and unconventional natural sources. Simultaneously, innovations in drug delivery systems are transforming how these compounds can be stabilized, targeted, and translated into effective therapies.

This Special Issue invites the submission of high-quality research and reviews focusing on the following topics:

Discovery of novel natural bioactives with pharmacological potential.

Therapeutic evaluation of newly characterized compounds, including anticancer, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-infective, and metabolic activities.

Innovative drug delivery systems (e.g., nanoformulations, lipid-based carriers, and smart systems) that enhance bioavailability, tissue targeting, and therapeutic efficacy.

Synergistic approaches combining natural compounds with modern formulation strategies.

Biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic, and mechanistic studies related to natural compound delivery.

Analytical, regulatory, and industrial perspectives on the development of nature-derived therapeutics.

The goal of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue between natural product chemists, pharmacologists, formulation scientists, and translational researchers working to bring nature-derived compounds into clinical relevance.

The submission of original research articles and reviews is welcome.

Dr. Anna Kurek-Górecka
Dr. Radosław Balwierz
Dr. Małgorzata Kłósek
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. Pharmaceutics 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 compounds
  • novel bioactives
  • drug delivery
  • nanocarriers
  • therapeutic innovation
  • phytochemicals
  • anticancer agents
  • translational pharmacology
  • formulation science

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

28 pages, 2704 KB  
Review
Natural Bioactive Compounds in Dental Materials: Balancing Biological Activity and Functional Properties
by Dana Gabriela Budala, Ionut Luchian, Teona Anamaria Tudorici, Andrei Georgescu, Florinel Cosmin Bida, Oana Cioanca, Nicoleta Tofan, Ancuta Goriuc, Gabriel Rotundu and Monica Hancianu
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(4), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18040462 - 9 Apr 2026
Viewed by 520
Abstract
The integration of bioactive natural compounds into dental materials has gained increasing attention as a strategy to improve biological functionality while maintaining material performance. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the main classes of natural compounds investigated in dental materials, [...] Read more.
The integration of bioactive natural compounds into dental materials has gained increasing attention as a strategy to improve biological functionality while maintaining material performance. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence regarding the main classes of natural compounds investigated in dental materials, their incorporation methods, and their influence on material properties. A literature-based narrative approach was conducted using major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on studies addressing natural compound incorporation into restorative, prosthetic, adhesive, cementitious, and hydrogel-based dental materials. The reviewed literature indicates that polyphenols, polysaccharides, proteins and peptides, terpenoids, and microbial- and marine-derived compounds have been incorporated using bulk modification, surface functionalization, coating systems, and hybrid material architectures. While these compounds may provide antimicrobial, antioxidant, and bioactive properties, they may also influence mechanical behavior, physicochemical stability, optical characteristics, surface properties, and release behavior, depending on compound chemistry, concentration, and incorporation strategy. The available evidence highlights the need for a balanced approach that considers both biological activity and material performance, as well as the importance of stability, standardization, and long-term clinical performance when integrating natural bioactive compounds into dental materials. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop