Alzheimer's Disease: Ethnopharmacological Perspectives on Herbal and Fungal Metabolites and Extracts

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and interconnected pathological changes involving amyloid beta accumulation, tau pathology, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroimmune dysregulation, mitochondrial impairment, and metabolic disturbance. Within the theoretical and clinical framework of diverse traditional medical systems, herbal and fungal metabolites and extracts have long been used to address memory loss, cognitive deterioration, and related symptoms. Their multicomponent and multitarget properties may provide innovative strategies for slowing down the complex pathological processes of AD. Nevertheless, stronger connections are needed among documented traditional uses, reproducible preparation methods, pharmacologically active metabolites, efficacy and validated biological mechanisms.This Research Topic aims to critically evaluate the traditional foundations and modern pharmacological evidence supporting herbal and fungal metabolites and extracts for the prevention and treatment of AD including specific symptoms. It seeks to advance rigorous ethnopharmacological research that connects traditional indications, compatibility principles, preparation practices, and clinical experience with contemporary experimental findings. Particular attention will be given to studies evaluating how formula compatibility and the combination of specific botanical drugs influence bioavailability, pharmacological activity, efficacy, toxicity, and relevant molecular or metabolic networks. Research using advanced methods to characterize active metabolites, systemic responses, and therapeutic pathways is encouraged.We welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Historical records, traditional indications, formulation principles, compatibility theories, and contemporary applications of herbal and fungal metabolites and extracts for AD and cognitive impairment;• Pharmacodynamic evaluations using relevant cellular, animal, organoid, or validated models;• Regulation of amyloid and tau pathology, synaptic function, neuronal metabolism, oxidative stress, mitochondrial homeostasis, neuroimmune responses, autophagy, apoptosis, and additional AD mechanisms;• Chemical characterization, quality control, and identification of bioactive or bioavailable metabolites using chromatographic, spectrometric, pharmacokinetic, and related analytical approaches;• Metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, spatial omics, and other systems biology strategies for characterizing responses to Traditional Medicine interventions;• Experimental investigations of polyherbal preparations including combination effects, interactions between herbs, synergistic or antagonistic effects, and effects of different doses;• Pharmacokinetic, toxicological, and safety evaluations of herbal and fungal metabolites and extracts, including interactions among their major metabolites.Please note:Contributions involving extracts derived from plants, fungi or any other organism must adhere to the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology and the ConPhyMP statement (Front. Pharmacol., 13:953205). Manuscripts must include detailed descriptions of biological material, extraction methods, and processing procedures; submissions lacking these details will be desk-rejected. Authors need to self-assess their manuscripts using the ConPhyMP tool [available at: https://ga-online.org/best-practice] before submission.Studies involving animal experiments must comply with relevant institutional and national ethical guidelines and report adherence to the 4Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement, Responsibility). Clinical Studies must include a statement of institutional ethics committee approval.The following types of submissions fall outside [!] the scope of this Research Topic/the section:Purely in silico studies (e.g., network analysis, molecular docking, virtual screening) without experimental assessmentBibliometric or scientometric analyses Topic editors: Kun Li, Safikur Rahman, Arulmozhi Sathiyanarayanan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86160/alzheimers-disease-ethnopharmacological-perspectives-on-herbal-and-fungal-metabolites-and-extracts