About this Research Topic
Neurodegenerative diseases have affected, and still are affecting, many lives worldwide - and they are very costly for health care systems. Currently, there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases, and chemically synthesized drugs (which are prescribed to be taken orally) can only control these diseases, while also causing many side effects. Another complication to consider for available oral drugs is the difficulty of efficiently getting passed through the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain.
The nose and the olfactory system (being a direct route to the brain for drug delivery) can allow the active constituents of herbs, with small enough size, to reach the brain in the aroma form. We, therefore, feel it is important to conduct research into the anti-aggregation/anti-fibrillation effects of small, herbal, aroma molecules in vitro on protein/peptides associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as the amyloid-beta peptide, tau protein, and alpha-synuclein protein.
Additionally, research on the specific role of medicinal plant extracts on cognitive and non-cognitive processes in animal models (mice, rats, zebrafish) or cell lines, on the brain expression of genes involved in cognitive inflammatory responses, and on the brain oxidative stress would help to unravel if/how medicinal plant extracts can help treat neurodegenerative diseases. Studies on the neuroprotective role of the aroma of small molecules on enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases would also provide important evidence for how the herbs' aroma can specifically affect the function of enzymes.
To better understand the effects of medicinal plant extracts from a pharmacokinetic perspective, the transport and pharmacokinetic characteristics, plasma to brain distribution, and the rate and extent of the herbal-based extracts’ distribution across the blood-brain barrier can be target areas for investigation. Additionally, the mechanism of different plant-based extracts and bioactive substances from the nasal route to the blood-brain barrier could be investigated by cell culture studies. Crossing the blood-brain barrier and pharmacokinetic evaluations in animal models would allow the investigation of different approaches in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and reduce the problems that are faced with therapeutic interventions and models in neurodegenerative studies.
This Research Topic aims at investigating ethnopharmacological aspects concerning the mechanism of action of different medicinal plant extracts and bioactive substances on the structure and function of protein/enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases by signaling provided via the olfactory system or by non-olfactory signaling mechanism. Appropriate and complementary scientific techniques should be used to derive outcomes with significant claims in this research area.
Therefore, we welcome pharmacology-relevant submissions which provide both sound and significant claims using appropriate scientific methods (advanced and modern-day model systems and experimental approaches) covering the following areas:
• The role of plant-derived aroma on anti-aggregation/anti-fibrillation of protein such as amyloid-beta peptide, tau, and alpha-synuclein protein in the brain.
• The role of plant-derived aroma on neuroprotection of enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases.
• The role of plant-derived aroma on the structure and function of protein using structural and functional analyses.
• Studies into the entrapment of highly toxic oligomeric species of the protein involved in neurodegenerative diseases as targets for drug design.
• The role of plant-based extracts (essential oil, aqueous and alcoholic extracts) on (i) cognitive and non-cognitive processes in animal models (mice, rats, zebrafish) or cell lines; (ii) on the brain expression of genes involved in cognitive inflammatory responses; and (iii) on the brain oxidative stress.
• Studies about the presence of olfactory receptors outside the nose and the olfactory system itself.
• Studies about the effect of aroma on non-olfactory systems/organs.
• Studies about the involvement of the olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
• The role of plant-based extracts and bioactive substances on blood-brain barrier distribution.
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One can find more information about the Article Types guidelines in the Ethnopharmacology section here.
All the manuscripts submitted to this project will be peer-reviewed and need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here).
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The Editorial Team for this Research Topic would like to acknowledge the contribution made to the Topic by Dr. Zahra Seraj in the role of Project Coordinator.
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The nose and the olfactory system (being a direct route to the brain for drug delivery) can allow the active constituents of herbs, with small enough size, to reach the brain in the aroma form. We, therefore, feel it is important to conduct research into the anti-aggregation/anti-fibrillation effects of small, herbal, aroma molecules in vitro on protein/peptides associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as the amyloid-beta peptide, tau protein, and alpha-synuclein protein.
Additionally, research on the specific role of medicinal plant extracts on cognitive and non-cognitive processes in animal models (mice, rats, zebrafish) or cell lines, on the brain expression of genes involved in cognitive inflammatory responses, and on the brain oxidative stress would help to unravel if/how medicinal plant extracts can help treat neurodegenerative diseases. Studies on the neuroprotective role of the aroma of small molecules on enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases would also provide important evidence for how the herbs' aroma can specifically affect the function of enzymes.
To better understand the effects of medicinal plant extracts from a pharmacokinetic perspective, the transport and pharmacokinetic characteristics, plasma to brain distribution, and the rate and extent of the herbal-based extracts’ distribution across the blood-brain barrier can be target areas for investigation. Additionally, the mechanism of different plant-based extracts and bioactive substances from the nasal route to the blood-brain barrier could be investigated by cell culture studies. Crossing the blood-brain barrier and pharmacokinetic evaluations in animal models would allow the investigation of different approaches in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and reduce the problems that are faced with therapeutic interventions and models in neurodegenerative studies.
This Research Topic aims at investigating ethnopharmacological aspects concerning the mechanism of action of different medicinal plant extracts and bioactive substances on the structure and function of protein/enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases by signaling provided via the olfactory system or by non-olfactory signaling mechanism. Appropriate and complementary scientific techniques should be used to derive outcomes with significant claims in this research area.
Therefore, we welcome pharmacology-relevant submissions which provide both sound and significant claims using appropriate scientific methods (advanced and modern-day model systems and experimental approaches) covering the following areas:
• The role of plant-derived aroma on anti-aggregation/anti-fibrillation of protein such as amyloid-beta peptide, tau, and alpha-synuclein protein in the brain.
• The role of plant-derived aroma on neuroprotection of enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases.
• The role of plant-derived aroma on the structure and function of protein using structural and functional analyses.
• Studies into the entrapment of highly toxic oligomeric species of the protein involved in neurodegenerative diseases as targets for drug design.
• The role of plant-based extracts (essential oil, aqueous and alcoholic extracts) on (i) cognitive and non-cognitive processes in animal models (mice, rats, zebrafish) or cell lines; (ii) on the brain expression of genes involved in cognitive inflammatory responses; and (iii) on the brain oxidative stress.
• Studies about the presence of olfactory receptors outside the nose and the olfactory system itself.
• Studies about the effect of aroma on non-olfactory systems/organs.
• Studies about the involvement of the olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
• The role of plant-based extracts and bioactive substances on blood-brain barrier distribution.
---
One can find more information about the Article Types guidelines in the Ethnopharmacology section here.
All the manuscripts submitted to this project will be peer-reviewed and need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here).
---
The Editorial Team for this Research Topic would like to acknowledge the contribution made to the Topic by Dr. Zahra Seraj in the role of Project Coordinator.
---
Keywords: Neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, Par-kinson’s disease, Olfactory system, Ethnopharmacology, Medicinal plant, Plant extract
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
