Use of Bioactives for Treatment of Respiratory Diseases

Chronic lung diseases (CPD) include disorders that affect everything from the airways to lung parenchyma, and they are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that about 400 million people struggle with just two of these diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and about 1.6 million people a year die of lung cancer. Etiologic factors for these diseases involve everything from communicable or infectious agents (e.g., tuberculosis and COVID-19) to non-communicable ones (e.g., asthma, COPD, and lung cancer). Current drug therapies have sought to resolve the etiologic factors (e.g., with antibiotics), relieve symptoms (anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators). The advance in knowledge about the molecular mechanisms, immunological, and biochemical pathways (e.g., cellular senescence, Wnt/β-catenin signaling) involved in the development of several respiratory diseases has potentiated studies on the possible pharmacological targets and development of new drugs. Potential candidates have been bioactives (e.g., secondary metabolites, lipids, proteins, and peptides), as they have broad effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antibiotic effects. Thus, this Research Topic aims to highlight the current advances in the use of bioactives for managing CPD.

This Research Topic accepts original articles, reviews, and mini reviews including, but not limited, to the following themes:

• In vivo and in vitro studies that characterize the biological properties and mechanisms of action of bioactives (e.g., anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antibiotic) under CPD conditions.
• Clinical research on the use of bioactives to manage CPD.
• Use of histological, biochemical, and bioanalytical techniques to examine alterations on CPD-affected cells/tissues/organisms treated with bioactives.