Topic Editors

Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Biochemistry Section, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134 Verona, Italy
Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Campus di Fisciano, Salerno, Italy

Natural Products and Drug Discovery

Abstract submission deadline
30 September 2024
Manuscript submission deadline
31 December 2024
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927

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products are the oldest medicaments which have evolved in human history; they have always represented promising lead compounds for new drugs. Indeed, more than 50% of drugs approved in the last four decades are of natural origins.

Natural products and their derivatives have historically given a high contribution to pharmacotherapy, especially for the treatment of cancer, inflammatory and infectious diseases. They are now used for their antibiotic and antimitotic, antidiabetic and anti-metabolite, anti-aging and neuroprotective properties, as well as in antitumor drugs.

Additionally, fruits and vegetables, along with their nutritional constituents, are rich in bioactive compounds, often cited as ‘phytochemicals’, with health-promoting properties. Bioactives occurring in food plants, in particular polyphenols, exert activities that are considered of great interest in the prevention and treatment of diseases largely present in an ageing society.

Thus, natural products as drug leads continue to be highly attractive; however, the strategy for disease-based drug discovery must be achieved in parallel with the investigation of the molecular mechanisms and the intracellular targets of each natural compound.

This General Topic is focused on, but not limited to:

  • Isolation of new active natural compounds and their structural identification; • Characterization, purification and stabilization of bioactive natural compounds as well as their derivatives;
  • Bioavailability, enzyme inhibition, neuro-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and anti-bacterial activities of natural products;
  • Biochemical and the signaling pathways involved in the activity of natural compounds;
  • Different therapeutic applications of well-known natural compounds to explore new directions for future research.

The General Topic “Natural Products and Drug Discovery” will include original articles and reviews on in vitro or animal studies together with human studies aimed at defining their efficacy as therapeutic agents.

Dr. Marta Menegazzi
Dr. Sonia Piacente
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • bioactive phytochemicals
  • functional food ingredients
  • chemical identification of natural compounds
  • structure–bioactivity relations
  • mechanism of action
  • inflammatory diseases
  • autoimmune diseases
  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • cardiovascular disease
  • metabolic diseases
  • cancer
  • skin diseases

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Biomedicines
biomedicines
4.757 3.0 2013 17.4 Days 2200 CHF Submit
Biomolecules
biomolecules
6.064 5.7 2011 16.6 Days 2300 CHF Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
ijms
6.208 6.9 2000 15.9 Days 2500 CHF Submit
Scientia Pharmaceutica
scipharm
- 5.3 1930 17.4 Days 1000 CHF Submit
Plants
plants
4.658 3.6 2012 14.1 Days 2400 CHF Submit
Foods
foods
5.561 4.1 2012 15.8 Days 2400 CHF Submit
Molecules
molecules
4.927 5.9 1996 13.4 Days 2300 CHF Submit

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review
Effectiveness of Zingiber montanum Herbal Compress Remedy for Pain Management: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Sci. Pharm. 2023, 91(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm91020024 - 03 May 2023
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Abstract
The Zingiber montanum herbal compress remedy is a type of herbal medicine that can be used as an alternative treatment for improving pain symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a Z. montanum herbal compress remedy for pain relief. PubMed, [...] Read more.
The Zingiber montanum herbal compress remedy is a type of herbal medicine that can be used as an alternative treatment for improving pain symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a Z. montanum herbal compress remedy for pain relief. PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Thai databases were systematically searched for relevant articles published from inception to December 2022. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) wherein the efficacy of the Z. montanum remedy was compared to that of a placebo or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were included. Six RCTs with a total of 812 patients were included in the analysis. The efficacy of the Z. montanum remedy had a significantly decreased pain score compared to the placebo (SMD = −0.63; 95% CI = −1.20, −0.06; I2 = 90%), but there was no significant difference when compared to NSAIDs (SMD = −0.61; 95% CI = −1.41, 0.81; I2 = 73%). Moreover, the efficacy of the Z. montanum remedy in terms of the flexibility score (SMD = 0.59; 95% CI −0.56, 1.74; I2 = 86.0%) and quality of life (SMD = 0.34; 95% CI −0.38, 1.05; I2 = 81.0%) was similar to that of the placebo. This meta-analysis demonstrates that the use of the Z. montanum herbal compress remedy significantly reduces the pain scores reported by patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Natural Products and Drug Discovery)
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