Phytochemical Constituents and Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases in 2023

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-derived phytochemicals have emerged as novel agents able to protect against chronic disorders. Owing to the diversity of phytochemicals, they cover a wide spectrum of therapeutic indications against cancer and inflammation-related diseases, as well as cardiovascular, rheumatoid, autoimmune, and neurological diseases, and represent an abundant source of lead compounds for the development of novel medications. Recently, efforts to understand these diseases via conventional molecular biological experiments to collect omics data have rapidly expanded. In order to determine the poly-pharmacological effects of multicomponent phytochemicals, significant time and effort is required in the form of conventional experiments. The treatment of diseases with phytochemicals through the regulation of intestinal inflammation, such as the gut–brain axis, has recently attracted significant attention. Therefore, we should aim to develop a deeper understanding of these diseases and the development of improved treatments through a more integrated approach.

An important direction for future investigation is the further optimization of integrated phytochemical analysis and network pharmacology to predict multiple targets. Combinatorial strategies that target multiple mechanisms to increase anti-inflammatory efficacy and trigger an innate immune response to control chromosome stability may offer the best solution for clinically meaningful treatment. This Special Issue aims to identify lead compounds for inflammation-related diseases through in-depth studies on the mechanisms of medicinal plant components.

This Special Issue will consider papers presenting analyses of both herbal compounds and crude materials, as long as the study considers phytochemicals. In addition to in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies, articles utilizing clinical evidence (systematic reviews or meta-analysis) are welcome. However, when utilizing clinical data, there should be an in-depth additional analysis of the pharmacological mode of action of the natural product under study, and the authors' original views on indications should be presented. Studies that merely synthesize clinical evidence for natural products will not be considered.  

Dr. Ki Sung Kang
Dr. Young-Joo Kim
Dr. Donghun Lee
Dr. Eugene Huh
Guest Editors

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• bioactive natural products
• innate immune
• inflammatory-related diseases
• telomere and telomerase
• metastasis