Bioactive Compounds for Neuroinflammation and Neuropathic Pain Management: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms

The field of neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of central nervous system disorders and is crucial in the development and progression of various neurological diseases, including neuropathic pain. Unchecked neuroinflammation can cause neuronal damage and disturb the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, resulting in the chronic activation of microglia and astrocytes, synaptic dysfunction, and other adverse effects. These detrimental impacts contribute to conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and neuropathic pain syndromes, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutic interventions.

Recent research demonstrates that bioactive compounds can modulate neuroinflammatory responses and alleviate neuropathic pain, yet significant gaps remain in fully understanding their broader impacts, efficacy, and especially their molecular and cellular mechanisms of action.

This Research Topic aims to explore innovative therapeutic approaches for managing neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain beyond conventional pharmacological treatments. An emphasis will be placed on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which bioactive compounds and phytochemicals modulate neuroinflammatory processes and neuropathic pain pathways, identifying both their limitations and potential. The goal is to uncover novel mechanisms, pathways, and strategies—including those targeting microglial cells, inflammatory cytokines, and neural circuitry—that can improve outcomes in neuroinflammatory and neuropathic pain conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

To gather further insights into the efficacy and mechanistic underpinnings of bioactive phytochemicals for both neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain, we welcome original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective papers addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

· Molecular and cellular mechanisms of plant-derived or bioactive compounds on brain metabolism, neuroinflammation-associated markers and pathways, and neuropathic pain signaling

· Dietary interventions in the management of neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain

· Challenges of phytochemical bioavailability and mechanistic action in neuroinflammatory and pain therapy

This collection seeks to identify the current challenges and future opportunities in utilizing bioactive compounds providing a mechanistic framework for innovative strategies to manage neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: neuropathic pain, microglia activation, neuroinflammation, bioactive compounds, lifestyle interventions

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.