Extraction, Characterization and Pharmacology of Natural Products

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit original articles to the Special Issue entitled "Extraction, Characterization and Pharmacology of Natural Products".

This Special Issue aims to highlight all aspects related to the quality of plant-based products and the effects of manipulation processes. Studies on extract optimization and comparative studies of extraction techniques and their effects on qualitative and quantitative composition and pharmacological profile are encouraged, as well as comparative studies to investigate quality with respect to the variability of natural sources. Also, investigations of the effects of selected steps of the productive chain (from plant growth to final formulation of herbal-based manufactures) on product quality are encouraged.

The goal of this Special Issue is related to the characterization of phytochemical and botanical aspects of plant material-based extracts, with regard to the optimization and validation of analytical methods for the qualitative and quantitative fingerprint of secondary metabolites. Additionally, eco-toxicological evaluations are encouraged in order to investigate the biocompatibility of extracts in multiple biological models.

This Special Issue will explore potential pharmacological applications of medicinal plant-derived extracts. In this regard, in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro studies are welcome. The main pharmacological topic includes the investigation of extracts’ and isolated metabolites’ activity in relation to safety, quality, and potential applications of plants and derived products as tools for managing human and animal health.

Finally, the effects of chemical and technological processes on biocompatibility are of great interest. In this regard, authors could discuss experimental data reporting intrinsic and production process-induced toxicity. The evaluation of toxicity via in vivo studies, despite being significantly relevant, is not mandatory. Authors could also submit manuscripts reporting preliminary toxicological profiles obtained from in vitro and ex vivo studies, in agreement with world’s recognized ethical principles. Innovative and eco-biocompatible approaches are encouraged as well, with a special emphasis on the modern concept of circular economy.

Prof. Dr. Luigi Menghini
Prof. Dr. Claudio Ferrante
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. Processes 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 2400 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.