Dear Colleagues, Neurodegenerative diseases are among the most serious health problems affecting millions of people worldwide, and their incidence is dramatically growing together with increased lifespan. These diseases are a heterogenous group of chronic, progressive disorders characterized by the gradual loss of neurons in the central nervous system, which leads to deficits in specific brain functions. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. These multifactorial debilitating disorders share common molecular and cellular characteristics, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, excitotoxicity, and inflammation. Nowadays, there are no therapeutic approaches to cure or even halt the progression of these disorders. In this context, natural products, because of their broad spectrum of pharmacological and biological activities, are considered promising alternatives for the treatment of neurodegeneration. Natural compounds have been recognized to possess different biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. Moreover, natural compounds have been recently shown to counteract protein misfolding and to modulate autophagy and proteasome activity. In this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute original research articles, as well as review articles regarding the biological effect of natural products in preventing/counteracting neurodegeneration. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Clinical or preclinical studies investigating natural products in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases The role of natural products in counteracting oxidative stress in neurodegeneration The role of natural products in counteracting inflammation in neurodegeneration The use of natural products in modulating autophagy and proteasome activity to counteract abnormal protein aggregation in neurodegeneration The role of natural products in modulating signaling pathways involved in neurodegeneration The use of natural products as lead compounds in drug discovery for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases Prof. Dr. Cristina Angeloni Prof. Dr. David Vauzour Guest Editors
Natural Products and Neuroprotection
Angeloni, Cristina;
2019-01-01
Abstract
Dear Colleagues, Neurodegenerative diseases are among the most serious health problems affecting millions of people worldwide, and their incidence is dramatically growing together with increased lifespan. These diseases are a heterogenous group of chronic, progressive disorders characterized by the gradual loss of neurons in the central nervous system, which leads to deficits in specific brain functions. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. These multifactorial debilitating disorders share common molecular and cellular characteristics, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, excitotoxicity, and inflammation. Nowadays, there are no therapeutic approaches to cure or even halt the progression of these disorders. In this context, natural products, because of their broad spectrum of pharmacological and biological activities, are considered promising alternatives for the treatment of neurodegeneration. Natural compounds have been recognized to possess different biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. Moreover, natural compounds have been recently shown to counteract protein misfolding and to modulate autophagy and proteasome activity. In this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute original research articles, as well as review articles regarding the biological effect of natural products in preventing/counteracting neurodegeneration. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following: Clinical or preclinical studies investigating natural products in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases The role of natural products in counteracting oxidative stress in neurodegeneration The role of natural products in counteracting inflammation in neurodegeneration The use of natural products in modulating autophagy and proteasome activity to counteract abnormal protein aggregation in neurodegeneration The role of natural products in modulating signaling pathways involved in neurodegeneration The use of natural products as lead compounds in drug discovery for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases Prof. Dr. Cristina Angeloni Prof. Dr. David Vauzour Guest EditorsI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
