The Antioxidant Properties and Pharmacology of Plant Natural Products
A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 41
Special Issue Editor
Interests: natural product chemistry; applications of bioenergy generation with antiviral activity in natural products using microbial fuel cells; traditional Chinese medicine and food processing methods; food chemistry
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to launch a new Special Issue entitled “The Antioxidant Properties and Pharmacology of Plant Natural Products”. Natural substances derived from plants—particularly those used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and related herbal practices—have been recognized for centuries for their therapeutic potential. In recent years, growing global interest in safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs has intensified research into their antioxidant activity and diverse pharmacological effects.
Bioactive constituents from medicinal plants, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols, and polysaccharides, are known to regulate oxidative balance, neutralize free radicals, and influence cellular signaling pathways. These compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective effects. Moreover, TCM processing techniques and food-processing methods can alter or enhance the chemical profile and biological activity of these natural agents, providing new opportunities for developing functional foods and clinical therapeutics.
This Special Issue seeks to showcase recent progress in isolation, structural elucidation, pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical applications of plant-derived natural products, with particular emphasis on their antioxidant roles. We also encourage the submission of papers that apply advanced tools—such as biotechnology, metabolomics, molecular docking, and network pharmacology—to uncover the mechanisms of action of these compounds.
We welcome original research papers, comprehensive reviews, and case studies addressing the antioxidant and pharmacological aspects of plant natural products, particularly focusing on TCM processing, and food-based applications. Contributions to this collection should provide important insights into the prevention and treatment of disease and the promotion of human health.
Dr. Po-Wei Tsai
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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
- antioxidant properties
- pharmacology
- plant natural products
- traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
- bioactive constituents
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