Synthetic and Natural Drugs: Pharmacological Activity, Biochemical Properties, and Applications
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 95
Special Issue Editors
Interests: targeted oligonucleotide delivery; structure-based drug design; cancer biology; immunotherapy
Interests: bioactive natural products; phytochemistry; inflammation; flavonoids; functional foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The study of both synthetic and natural drugs offers profound insights into their pharmacological activities, biochemical properties, and diverse therapeutic applications. In recent years, there has been remarkable progress in the development of synthetic drugs with targeted mechanisms, as well as in the exploration of natural products with unique bioactive compounds. This ongoing research plays a pivotal role in drug discovery and development, advancing the field of medicine by providing innovative treatments for various diseases and health conditions.
However, significant challenges remain. The synthesis and discovery of drugs must address issues such as optimizing bioavailability, improving selectivity, minimizing side effects, and overcoming resistance mechanisms. Additionally, the identification and characterization of natural compounds from plant, marine, and microbial sources require the integration of advanced biochemical and pharmacological approaches. The field is also shifting towards personalized medicine, where drug efficacy is tailored to individual patients based on genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors.
In this Special Issue, we invite submissions that explore both synthetic and natural drugs, focusing on their pharmacological actions, biochemical interactions, and clinical potential. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
- Development of new synthetic drug candidates with enhanced efficacy and safety profiles;
- Pharmacological activities of natural products and their potential therapeutic applications;
- Mechanisms of action at the cellular and molecular level;
- Advances in drug design and discovery using structure-based and computational approaches;
- Biochemical properties of drug compounds affecting absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME);
- Drug resistance mechanisms and strategies to overcome them;
- Synergistic effects of combination therapies involving synthetic and/or natural drugs;
- Case studies on drug application in treating specific diseases;
- Challenges and opportunities in translating drug candidates from preclinical to clinical settings;
- Comparative studies on the efficacy and safety of synthetic versus natural drugs.
We encourage original research articles, reviews, and case studies that showcase recent advancements and future directions in the field of pharmacology and biochemistry of synthetic and natural drugs. This Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary research and stimulate new collaborations between synthetic organic chemists, pharmacologists, biochemists, and medical researchers to further enhance our understanding and application of these drugs.
We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.
Dr. Kasireddy Sudarshan
Dr. Hari Prasad Devkota
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- synthetic drugs
- natural products
- pharmacological activity
- biochemical properties
- drug discovery
- mechanisms of action
- ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)
- drug design
- drug resistance
- combination therapies
- targeted therapy
- therapeutic applications
- personalized medicine
- structure-based drug design
- preclinical to clinical translation
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
