About this Research Topic
Tropical diseases are major health hazards in warm-weather regions, mostly impacting populations in underdeveloped nations. These illnesses, which are frequently brought on by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, can cause serious illness, disability, and even death if they are not treated. Leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, dengue fever, malaria, and Chagas disease are a few of the tropical illnesses that are most common.
Historically, natural products have played an essential role in combating tropical diseases, particularly in the case of malaria. Quinine, which is derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, was the first widely used antimalarial drug, revolutionizing the treatment and control of malaria in the 17th century. In the 20th century, the discovery of artemisinin from the plant Artemisia annua marked another milestone in antimalarial therapy. Artemisinin and its derivatives remain the most effective treatment for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, especially in combination therapies. Beyond malaria, other natural products have shown significant promise against various tropical diseases. For instance, berberine, an alkaloid present in several medicinal plants, exhibits potent antiprotozoal activity, making it a potential candidate for treating leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Additionally, marine-derived compounds such as bryostatin-1 from the bryozoan Bugula neritina have shown potent activity against schistosomiasis. These examples underscore the vast potential of natural products as a treasure trove for new therapeutic agents against tropical diseases, offering hope for more effective and sustainable disease management strategies.
Natural goods are abundant sources of substances having medicinal qualities that have historically been used in medicine. These products are obtained from plants, animals, and microbes. Because many traditional treatments used in tropical areas are based on natural items, it is possible to treat or prevent tropical diseases with them. Tropical illnesses like leishmaniasis and malaria have grown resistant to traditional therapies, making them more challenging to cure. A wide range of chemical structures found in natural goods may be able to circumvent resistance processes and offer substitute therapeutic approaches. A common feature of natural goods is their bioactive molecules, which have a variety of pharmacological actions. These substances can interfere with pathogen growth, obstruct transmission, or alter host immune responses, among other phases of the infectious cycle of tropical illnesses. In addition, natural products are a great resource for the discovery and development of new drugs. Novel chemicals with therapeutic potential against tropical diseases can be identified by researchers by screening plant extracts, marine creatures, and microbial metabolites. This method has resulted in the discovery of numerous significant medications.
We therefore welcome submissions relating to the following sub-themes:
Examine various natural sources, such as microbes, plants, and marine life, for possible therapeutic substances to treat tropical illnesses.
Access the therapeutic efficacy of natural components and determine how they work to combat infections that cause tropical diseases.
Explore the techniques and approaches including bioinformatics, machine learning, and AI, used to find and create new medications such as natural product-based vaccines from natural sources to cure tropical illnesses.
Investigate the creation of combination medicines for increased efficacy against tropical diseases, as well as possible synergistic interactions between conventional medications and natural chemicals.
Examine the problems associated with medication resistance in tropical diseases and consider the potential benefits of natural products in addressing resistance mechanisms.
Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of natural product-based treatments for tropical illnesses, as well as the potential for practical use, by reviewing clinical studies and translational research projects.
Analyze regulatory frameworks and policy implications pertaining to the creation, licensing, and marketing of natural product-based treatments for tropical illnesses.
Determine how natural product-based treatments for the prevention and treatment of tropical illnesses affect public health, as well as the measures used to guarantee impacted populations have fair access to these medications.
Historically, natural products have played an essential role in combating tropical diseases, particularly in the case of malaria. Quinine, which is derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, was the first widely used antimalarial drug, revolutionizing the treatment and control of malaria in the 17th century. In the 20th century, the discovery of artemisinin from the plant Artemisia annua marked another milestone in antimalarial therapy. Artemisinin and its derivatives remain the most effective treatment for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, especially in combination therapies. Beyond malaria, other natural products have shown significant promise against various tropical diseases. For instance, berberine, an alkaloid present in several medicinal plants, exhibits potent antiprotozoal activity, making it a potential candidate for treating leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. Additionally, marine-derived compounds such as bryostatin-1 from the bryozoan Bugula neritina have shown potent activity against schistosomiasis. These examples underscore the vast potential of natural products as a treasure trove for new therapeutic agents against tropical diseases, offering hope for more effective and sustainable disease management strategies.
Natural goods are abundant sources of substances having medicinal qualities that have historically been used in medicine. These products are obtained from plants, animals, and microbes. Because many traditional treatments used in tropical areas are based on natural items, it is possible to treat or prevent tropical diseases with them. Tropical illnesses like leishmaniasis and malaria have grown resistant to traditional therapies, making them more challenging to cure. A wide range of chemical structures found in natural goods may be able to circumvent resistance processes and offer substitute therapeutic approaches. A common feature of natural goods is their bioactive molecules, which have a variety of pharmacological actions. These substances can interfere with pathogen growth, obstruct transmission, or alter host immune responses, among other phases of the infectious cycle of tropical illnesses. In addition, natural products are a great resource for the discovery and development of new drugs. Novel chemicals with therapeutic potential against tropical diseases can be identified by researchers by screening plant extracts, marine creatures, and microbial metabolites. This method has resulted in the discovery of numerous significant medications.
We therefore welcome submissions relating to the following sub-themes:
Examine various natural sources, such as microbes, plants, and marine life, for possible therapeutic substances to treat tropical illnesses.
Access the therapeutic efficacy of natural components and determine how they work to combat infections that cause tropical diseases.
Explore the techniques and approaches including bioinformatics, machine learning, and AI, used to find and create new medications such as natural product-based vaccines from natural sources to cure tropical illnesses.
Investigate the creation of combination medicines for increased efficacy against tropical diseases, as well as possible synergistic interactions between conventional medications and natural chemicals.
Examine the problems associated with medication resistance in tropical diseases and consider the potential benefits of natural products in addressing resistance mechanisms.
Evaluate the safety and effectiveness of natural product-based treatments for tropical illnesses, as well as the potential for practical use, by reviewing clinical studies and translational research projects.
Analyze regulatory frameworks and policy implications pertaining to the creation, licensing, and marketing of natural product-based treatments for tropical illnesses.
Determine how natural product-based treatments for the prevention and treatment of tropical illnesses affect public health, as well as the measures used to guarantee impacted populations have fair access to these medications.
Keywords: Natural Products, Bioactive Compounds, Tropical Diseases, Natural Medicine, Metabolites, Plant Derived Compounds.
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.
