The concept of neuroregeneration in adult humans is a controversial topic. It is beyond the common knowledge of neurogenesis that also comprises endogenous neuroprotection leading to neuroplasticity and neurorestoration. The past decade has witnessed an intense interest in natural products that offer health-promoting effects on neurodegenerative diseases and aging through neuroprotection and/or neuroregeneration. In line with this, medicinal herbs (plants), culinary and medicinal mushrooms, macroalgae, microalgae and their derivatives have been utilised holistically by herbalists, naturopathic physicians and Chinese herbal practitioners for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, neuromuscular disorders, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and peripheral nerve injury.
Therapy aimed at boosting antioxidant defenses or reducing pro-oxidant production are efficient in preventing, ameliorating or arresting neurodegenerative diseases. Similarly, the combined use of a mitochondrial antioxidant and an iron-binding chelator is rapidly emerging as a powerful therapeutic strategy for a wide range of neuromuscular disorders.
In recent years, numerous findings have been published on the potential benefits of natural products in neuroprotection and neuroregeneration. For successful bench-to-bedside translation of the research, key questions with regards to their molecular mechanisms in the attenuation of programmed cell death (PCD) signalling events and inflammation, improvement of microcirculation in the brain, and restoration of synaptic failure and altered neurogenesis must be clearly addressed, justifying their therapeutic roles.
In vitro and in vivo studies provide valuable information for all stages of biomedical research. We also encourage research findings involving human subjects (including research on identifiable human material and data) in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration.
We also want to remind potential authors:
• Antioxidant studies must be based on in vivo or in vitro work.
• Chemical assays, such as DPPH, are not accepted.
• The composition, including preparation must be stated unambiguously (including the amount of each drug in a polyherbal preparation and the extraction procedure) and the complete species and drug name must be included.
• To read through our 4 pillars below, with particular attention to 1a: ‘The traditional context must be described in the introduction and supported with bibliographical primary references. This may be based on modern uses of a plant in general healthcare'.
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All the manuscripts submitted to the collection will need to fully comply with the
Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version
here).
