Therapeutic Potential of Natural Plant-Derived Compounds in Glioblastoma and Other Brain Tumors
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 20
Special Issue Editors
Interests: neurosurgery; neurooncology; neurotraumatology; glioblastoma; brain tumors; CNS tumors; cancer; CNS tumor therapy; glioblastoma therapy; tumor microenvironment; brain; nervous system; antioxidants; bioactive compounds
Interests: CNS tumors; glioblastoma; pathology; histology; gut; brain; nutrients; gene therapy; brainstem; CNS; PNS; ENS; NMJ; Batten disease; muscles; antioxidants; bioactive compounds
Interests: pharmaceutical chemistry; drug discovery; drug screening; new drug discovery; lead generation; synthetic medicinal chemistry; drug synthesis; natural compounds; phytochemistry
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Glioblastoma remains one of the most lethal and treatment-resistant cancers, largely due to its profound intratumoral heterogeneity, invasive nature, and the presence of the blood–brain barrier, which limits drug penetration. Current standard therapies, including surgery, radiation, and temozolomide, offer only modest survival benefits, with the 5-year survival rate remaining below 10%. Natural plant-derived compounds—such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, and polyphenols—have emerged as promising candidates for targeting glioblastoma and other brain tumors through diverse mechanisms, including induction of apoptosis, inhibition of proliferation, suppression of angiogenesis, and modulation of drug resistance pathways. Advances in nanoformulations and prodrug design are also enabling improved targeting and brain bioavailability of these compounds.
For this Special Issue, we invite original research articles and reviews focusing on the role of plant-derived natural compounds in glioblastoma and other brain tumors. Relevant topics include mechanistic studies of phytochemicals that influence tumor signaling, resistance pathways, glioma stem cell plasticity, and therapeutic synergy with existing treatments. We also welcome research exploring pharmacokinetics, novel delivery systems for improved brain targeting, and the modulation of tumor metabolism and the tumor microenvironment by dietary or plant-based compounds.
Dr. Agnieszka Nowacka
Dr. Ewa Aleksandra Ziółkowska
Dr. Daniela De Vita
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- glioblastoma
- GBM
- brain tumors
- natural plant‑derived compounds
- phytochemicals
- blood–brain barrier
- signaling targets
- tumor microenvironment
- therapeutic opportunities
- targeted therapy
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