The rising popularity of medicinal and health food plants/fungi(MHFP) in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals highlights their pivotal role in bridging the gap between traditional medicine and modern dietary practices. These plants are cherished not only for their nutritional value but also for their therapeutic properties, making them crucial in the formulation of health-enhancing products. Given the growing consumer interest in natural, effective health interventions, MHFP-based functional foods aptly respond to the global call for sustainable health solutions, particularly in managing chronic ailments, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunctions.

This Research Topic aims to fortify our understanding of how MHFP can be optimized to craft functional foods and nutraceuticals that are both effective and sustainable. Challenges like unraveling the action mechanisms of bioactive compounds, refining extraction processes, and enhancing compound stability and bioavailability in food products are at the forefront of this field. The integration of cutting-edge biotechnological advancements such as green extraction methods and nanotechnology for effective delivery systems is revolutionizing the way these MHFP benefits are harnessed.

To advance the frontier of MHFP-based health solutions, this issue seeks to compile the latest research that navigates the complexities of phytochemical integration into everyday health products. We invite contributions focusing on themes including, but not restricted to:

Phytochemical profiling of MHFP and their active compounds

Development and evaluation of MHFP-based functional foods for specific health scenarios

Exploration of MHFP in personalized nutrition and nutrigenomics

Safety evaluations and interaction potentials of MHFP supplements with traditional medications

Innovative strategies for incorporating MHFP elements into daily diets for optimal health

By promoting interdisciplinary collaboration across pharmacology, food science, and biotechnology, this publication aims to catalyze innovation in the field and contribute significantly to public health advancements.

Important Note:

All contributions to this Research Topic must follow the guideline listed in this section:

• Purely in silico/AI-based studies are outside of our scope.

• The introduction needs to describe the background of the research object focusing on the traditional or local use of a traditional medicine and provide bibliographical references that illustrate its recent application in general healthcare.

• Network studies must critically assess the pharmacological evidence to evaluate the potential effects of a preparation / MHFP product and the limitations of the evidence. An in vitro or in vivo assessment needs to be an integrated part of the study

• Chemical anti-oxidant assays like the DPPH or ABTS assay are of no pharmacological relevance, Therefore they can only be used a chemical-analytical assays without pharmacological claims.

• Please self-assess your MS using the ConPhyMP tool (https://ga-online.org/best-practice) and submit the relevant sections of the tool with your submission. You need to follow the standards established in the ConPhyMP statement Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205).

• All the manuscripts need to fully comply with the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version here). Importantly, please ascertain that the ethnopharmacological context is clearly described (pillar 3d) and that the material investigated is characterized in detail (pillars 2 a and b).

Submit your idea

Impact

Frontiers in Pharmacology

Submit your idea

Impact