Uncovering the Therapeutic Promise of South-east Asia’s Medicinal Plants: Phytochemical Diversity and Pharmacological Potential

  • 130

    Total views and downloads

About this Research Topic

Submission deadlines

  1. Manuscript Summary Submission Deadline 12 November 2025 | Manuscript Submission Deadline 2 March 2026

  2. This Research Topic is currently accepting articles.

Background

Southeast Asia is globally recognized for its extraordinary biodiversity and profound wealth of traditional medicinal knowledge. Generations have relied on an immense variety of local plants to manage ailments ranging from infections and inflammation to metabolic and neurological disorders. However, despite this rich ethnomedicinal backdrop, many plant species and their bioactive compounds from this region remain insufficiently characterised by modern scientific standards. In the context of this Research Topic, it is also essential to consider the broader biocultural and geopolitical landscape of South and South-east Asia as an interconnected region connecting countries such as, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This overlap reflects not only academic representation but also the shared ethnopharmacological knowledge systems, biodiversity, and public health challenges across these regions. Moreover, both subregions have established or emerging national frameworks and policies for traditional medicine. Recognising these similarities and complementarities enables a more holistic and inclusive approach to drug discovery from plant-based resources.

This Research Topic aims to integrate ethnopharmacological knowledge with comprehensive scientific assessment, focusing on the phytochemical and pharmacological exploration of medicinal plants from Southeast Asia and the broader South and Southeast Asian regions. We welcome studies that rigorously investigate both plant extracts and isolated metabolites, employing a spectrum of experimental and computational methodologies. We particularly encourage research that couples advanced phytochemical analysis including extraction, fractionation, and characterisation with robust in vitro assays. In addition, in silico studies such as molecular docking, ADMET prediction, and network pharmacology are highly valued for providing mechanistic insights and supporting the translational potential of these findings.
The primary goal of this Research Topic is to advance the discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents from Southeast Asia’s medicinal plants, while also embracing relevant contributions from South Asian countries that share similar ethnomedical traditions and botanical diversity, by integrating traditional knowledge with modern scientific approaches. To achieve this, we aim to:
• Advance our knowledge of the chemical diversity and pharmacological potential inherent in Southeast Asia’s and South Asia’s medicinal plants.
• Rigorously validate and build upon traditional medicinal knowledge using modern scientific methods, highlighting the vital contribution of ethnomedicine to drug discovery.
• Facilitate the discovery and characterization of novel phytochemicals with promising therapeutic properties, which may serve as lead compounds for future pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals.
• Support context-specific research that addresses the healthcare needs, scientific capacities, and regulatory environments of both Southeast and South Asian countries.

We encourage submissions that cover, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Comprehensive phytochemical profiling and bioassay-guided isolation of novel or known compounds from medicinal plants, with ethnobotanical context where relevant.
• Evaluation of biological activities of crude extracts, fractions, and isolated constituents using robust experimental models.
• Studies that integrate traditional knowledge systems with modern pharmacological research, supporting the discovery of new therapeutic agents while honouring cultural knowledge and biodiversity.
We particularly welcome research that contributes to filling critical knowledge gaps, enhances the scientific assessment of traditional remedies, and explores the translational potential of natural products in addressing global health challenges.
All submissions must comply with best practice guidelines for pharmacological studies on natural products, including the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology and the ConPhyMP (Consensus on Standards for Phytomedicine) guidelines as published in Frontiers in Pharmacology (13:953205). A detailed and transparent description of the botanical material, its authentication, extraction, and processing methods is essential. Manuscripts that do not meet these standards will not be considered. Authors are encouraged to use the ConPhyMP self-assessment tool before submission: https://ga-online.org/best-practice/.

This topic supports progress toward evidence-based integration of traditional and modern medicine, contributing to global efforts in sustainable drug discovery, health innovation, and the preservation of medicinal plant knowledge.

Article types and fees

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

  • Clinical Trial
  • Data Report
  • Editorial
  • General Commentary
  • Hypothesis and Theory
  • Methods
  • Mini Review
  • Opinion
  • Original Research

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

Keywords: ethnopharmacology; phytochemical profiling; bioassay-guided isolation; pharmacological evaluation; computational pharmacology; Southeast Asian flora

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.

Topic editors

Topic coordinators

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via the main journal or any other participating journal.

Impact

  • 130Topic views
View impact