Neurodegenerative Diseases and Natural Products: Signaling Pathways

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Aging".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 5347

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The term neurodegenerative disease refers to a group of neurological disorders that predominantly impact neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) that are characterized by the slow loss of neurons in the CNS, resulting in deficiencies in certain brain processes (memory, movement, and cognition). Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, aberrant protein misfolding and aggregation, and apoptosis are some of the basic pathways linked to neurodegeneration process. Extensive research has been done trying to explain the mechanism of action and potential therapy targets for neurodegenerative disorders. As a result, neuroprotection strategies and related processes engage with the pathophysiological change to avoid and to delay the development of neurodegeneration. Herbal medicines and nutraceuticals represent an important and valuable source in the prevention, rather than the treatment, of neurological disorders. In various experimental models of neurological disorders, phytoconstituents have shown to have modulatory effects on the nervous system. 

In this Special Issue, submissions, including original research and review papers, are welcome and can cover all aspects of natural product activity on neurodegeneration and that elucidate their underlying mechanisms of action.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Molecular docking experiments: receptor-ligand interaction;
  • Target enzymes in neurodegenerative diseases;
  • Newly synthesized compounds and optimization of natural compounds;
  • Pharmacological evaluation and signaling pathways: in vitro and in vivo assays;
  • The impact of natural products on neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration;
  • Neurobehavioral pharmacological studies (zebrafish or rodent models).

Prof. Dr. Lucian Hritcu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Cells 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

  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • natural products
  • molecular docking
  • neuroinflammation
  • neurodegeneration
  • signal pathways
  • behavioral neuroscience

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

20 pages, 2703 KiB  
Review
Therapeutic Efficacies of Berberine against Neurological Disorders: An Update of Pharmacological Effects and Mechanisms
by Jia-Wen Shou and Pang-Chui Shaw
Cells 2022, 11(5), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11050796 - 24 Feb 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4942
Abstract
Neurological disorders are ranked as the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, underscoring an urgent necessity to develop novel pharmacotherapies. Berberine (BBR) is a well-known phytochemical isolated from a number of medicinal herbs. BBR has attracted much [...] Read more.
Neurological disorders are ranked as the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, underscoring an urgent necessity to develop novel pharmacotherapies. Berberine (BBR) is a well-known phytochemical isolated from a number of medicinal herbs. BBR has attracted much interest for its broad range of pharmacological actions in treating and/or managing neurological disorders. The discoveries in basic and clinical studies of the effects of BBR on neurological disorders in the last decade have provided novel evidence to support the potential therapeutical efficacies of BBR in treating neurological diseases. In this review, we summarized the pharmacological properties and therapeutic applications of BBR against neurological disorders in the last decade. We also emphasized the major pathways modulated by BBR, which provides firm evidence for BBR as a promising drug candidate for neurological disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurodegenerative Diseases and Natural Products: Signaling Pathways)
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