Bioactive Natural and Synthetic Products in Human Health and Diseases: Basic, Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Dear Colleagues,

The homeostasis of the human body is guaranteed throughout life, and across all ages, by the use of nature’s blessed natural dietary products or in their modified format as synthetic scaffold products that help to boost immunity, maintain health, treat ailments or prevent disease occurrence or recurrence, and thus ensure normal wellbeing. Biologically active natural and plant-derived (e.g., fruits and vegetables) product preparations and synthetic scaffold products are garnering interest as valid human-health promotion, disease prevention, and management  entities, both in modern and alternative medicine. Several of these bio-actives are antioxidants, polyphenols, and other major medicinal entities that regulate vital physiological processes including gene expression, protein synthesis, metabolism, differentiation, and growth by mechanisms that are not well understood. Through epidemiological and intervention studies, several of these bioactives have been claimed and/or proven to offer protection against aging and health, environmental hazards, oxidative stress, infection and several chronic inflammatory diseases like acne, atopic dermatitis, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, psoriasis, diabetes, diabetic ulcers, chronic wounds, various cancers, obesity, and several associated risk factors. Moreover, cutting-edge research utilizing physiologically attainable doses in appropriate in vitro and preclinical model systems have provided some mechanistic insights into their benefits. Additionally, validating the health-beneficial effects of nutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals and the detailed understanding of their intake, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, dose–response relationship, and efficacy are thought-provoking of complex relations, and such studies are warranted.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to update knowledge vis-à-vis the role of bioactive natural products from plants and dietary sources and synthetic scaffold compounds in human health and diseases such as those affecting the skin, other epithelial tissues like the breast, and other organ systems to shed light on the global relevance of scientific research findings on their usages. This may range from human health promotion, to disease prevention and treatment, to the reduction of adverse side effects, misuse, and purposeless spending.

To help bridge the current knowledge gap, this Special Issue of Nutrients invites the submission of manuscripts describing original research, communications, legislative documentations, or quality reviews of the scientific literature in health promotion and disease prevention and treatment in skin and other organs. These conditions may include but are not limited to infection; environmental and oxidative stress; chronic inflammatory diseases including skin conditions like acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and diabetic wounds; and various kinds of cancer. Submissions addressing a broad range of topics, including studies covering bioavailability, understanding physiological functional processes, molecular targets, pathways, and mechanisms of action are welcome. These may be in vitro studies, preclinical animal models, human population studies, and dietary intervention studies evaluating impacts on human health, disease prevention and management, and advice on intake and usage.

We look forward to your exciting submissions.

Dr. Felicite Noubissi-Kamdem
Dr. Anthony L. Walker
Dr. Jean Christopher Chamcheu
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. Nutrients 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 2900 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.