Current Trends in Medicinal Plant Research and Neurodegenerative Disorders

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Background

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major health problem globally with high prevalence among aged population. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), prion diseases, Huntington’s disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Among these, AD represents a major health concern for the researchers and clinicians with more than 50 million patients worldwide which is expected to be tripled by 2050. AD is a progressive age-related brain disorder and is the most common cause of dementia. It is clinically characterized by gradual loss of memory, synaptic and neuronal functions. There are several pathological mediators associated with AD pathologies. These pathological cascades associated with multicellular events comprised of basic hallmarks of AD such as aggregation of misfolded proteins such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein causing plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/oxidative stress, impairment in cellular and metal ion homeostasis and brain cholesterol metabolism. These pathological events display a reciprocal relation with various molecular and cellular signaling e.g. via stress kinase MAPK, neuronal survival p-PI3K/Akt/GSK3β, anti-oxidantNrf2/HO-1 pathways. Brain metabolic associated signaling such as silent information regulator 1 (Sirt-1) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways, pro-inflammatory TLR4/NF-kB signaling and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways could be considered too. Together, these abnormalities lead to learning and memory dysfunction as well as synaptic and neuronal loss. For this purpose, our prime focus would be on the promising therapeutic substance, which might act as a disease-modifying drug, which will be interfered with or intended to modify or inhibit these pathological cascades at multi-targets and subsequently halt the progression of AD. Despite the huge financial investment and health science advancement, to date, no therapy is available to cure AD. Only symptomatic treatment is being used for AD. Thus, it is urgently required to explore the potential therapeutic agents to halt and cure AD.

Medicinal plants represent an alternative source of therapy for many diseases. Plants are enriched with novel bioactive compounds and are used as natural healers since the establishment of the human era. Modern analytical techniques have enabled scientists to isolate and identify phytoconstituents, link them with pharmacological effects, and evaluate them as potential drugs. Moreover, medicinal plants and plant-derived molecules can sometimes be considered to be safer and more effective, and the success rate for the effective development of drugs from natural sources is high in comparison to synthesized compounds. The main advantage of natural products as a source of lead compounds is the molecular diversity found in nature. Currently available drugs are associated with serious side effects like hepatotoxicity and are only useful in mild types of AD. Therefore, it is necessary to search for new, safe, and effective drug candidates. Medicinal plants are potential sources of novel bioactive compounds and have had an extensive history of therapeutic utility. Galantamine, an alkaloid acting as an anticholinesterase inhibitor was isolated from the snowdrop and is approved for the therapy of AD. Research has been directed at studying the biological effects of traditionally used plants. Studies on natural products including well-characterized solvent extracts, isolated pure compounds, and synthetic derivatives of natural compounds will be considered.

The overarching goal of this Research Topic is to provide a platform for researchers to globalize their cutting-edge research regarding the potential role of medicinal plants and natural products in the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders, especially AD and dementia. The Research Topic will include (but not limited to) pharmacology-relevant molecular studies on medicinal plants and isolated compounds targeting various potential and novel pathways and molecular mechanisms to prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases. We welcome Original Research and Review articles related to the following subtopics, but not limited to:
• Neuroprotective studies on medicinal plants;
• Neurotoxicological potentials of natural products;
• Oxidative stress and neurodegeneration;
• Anti-oxidant signaling Nrf2/HO-1 pathways;
• Inflammatory pathways;
• Potential and novel signaling pathways;
• Amyloid beta;
• Neurofibrillary tangles;
• Synaptic and memory dysfunction;
• Neuroprotective potentials of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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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).

Keywords: Neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, Neurotoxic effect, Medicinal plants, Traditional medicine, Neuroprotective agents

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