The double-edged neuropharmacology of neuroactive compounds: Therapeutic mechanisms, toxicological profiles, and behavioral sequelae
📅 Deadline: December 31, 2026
📚 Journal URL: Majestic Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Thematic Issue Guest Editor
Dr. Irfan Sajid
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Pakistan
Dr. Irfan Sajid holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Neuropharmacology and has over 19 years of teaching and research experience. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate Biochemistry courses and has supervised numerous Ph.D. and M.Phil. scholars. His teaching emphasizes critical thinking, student-centered learning, and academic mentorship. His research interests focus on biochemical neuropharmacology, multidisciplinary research, and the integration of laboratory experimentation, data analysis, and innovative research methodologies to address contemporary scientific challenges.
Dr. Ju Guo
Associate Professor, School of Management, Chengdu University of Information Technology, China
Dr. Ju Guo is an Associate Professor at the School of Management, Chengdu University of Information Technology, China. Her research focuses on organizational behavior, human resource management, management psychology and behavior, organizational digitization, and innovation and entrepreneurship. She has published nearly 10 SSCI articles as first author in journals such as Managerial and Decision Economics, Current Psychology, Journal of Child and Family Studies. She also serves as an anonymous reviewer for several SSCI journals.
Aim and Scope of the Thematic Issue
Every compound that acts on the brain carries two stories one of therapeutic possibility, one of potential harm. Often, both stories unfold through the same receptor, the same signaling cascade, the same synapse. What separates medicine from toxin is frequently nothing more than dose, duration, and the biology of the subject receiving it.
We are not interested in pharmacology and toxicology as separate disciplines that occasionally intersect. This issue begins from that premise. We are interested in the unified biology of neuroactive compound action in how a molecule binds, what it sets in motion, how the brain adapts or fails to adapt, and what the person ultimately experiences and expresses in their behavior. That full arc, from molecular events to lived consequence, is what this issue is designed to illuminate.
We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and perspective papers that operates at any point along that arc molecular, neurochemical, biochemical, cellular, systems, or behavioral, provided it is honest about mechanism, from mainstream prescription medications and drugs used off label, to natural substances and novel drug developments. However, demonstrating the occurrence is the beginning. The possibility to explain why and how this occurs is by means of science only. This Issue aims to advance some of the growing literature on the dynamic relationship between therapeutic efficacy and neurological risk, by clarifying the mechanisms underlying the effects of compounds that interact with the nervous system on brain function and behavior. High quality contributions on all facets of molecular, cellular, biochemical, behavioral and translational neuroscience, particularly on the pharmacological activity and toxicological effects are welcome.
KEY OBJECTIVES:
To better understand the molecular and neurochemical based therapeutic properties of the neuroactive compounds.
- To study the neurotoxic liabilities of acute and chronic exposure to neuroactive compounds.
- To explore the behavioral consequences of drugs and brain damage.
- To find biomarkers that are predictive of therapeutic response and neurotoxicity.
- To encourage more strategies for translation that maximize therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing toxicity and preserve neural safety.
Suggested Research Areas
- Neuropharmacology and behavioral pharmacology
- Neurotransmitter modulation and synaptic plasticity
- Mechanisms of neurotoxicity and neuroprotection
- Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction
- Natural products and phytochemicals targeting the central nervous system
- Safety and efficacy evaluation of neuroactive agents
- Drug-induced cognitive, emotional, and behavioral alterations
- Biomarkers of neurotoxicity and therapeutic response
- Experimental models of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders
Translational and integrative approaches in brain-targeted therapeutics
A professor’s note:
Instead of viewing neuroactive compounds solely as therapeutic tools or toxic agents, it will encourage a more nuanced understanding of their multifaceted effects on the brain. It is the strength of this issue that is bridge between benefit and risk. Such integrative perspective is becoming more relevant in modern neuroscience and precision therapeutics.
Submission Process and Guidelines
Authors are invited to submit original research and review articles that align with the theme of this special issue and must comply with MJPT author guidelines. Authors should submit their manuscripts via the journal’s Online Journal System (OJS) at https://ma-pharmacology.cmpublisher.com/index.php/ojs/login
Note: All submissions must include a cover letter stating the name of the thematic issue and Author details. All papers will undergo a double-blind peer review process according to MJPT editorial standards to ensure high-quality contributions.
Publication Fee: No submission fees or article processing charges (APCs) apply to this thematic issue.
Important Dates
- Open call for submissions: July 2026
- Manuscript submission deadline: 31 December 2026
- Peer review and revisions: 45 days
- Final publication: After review process
Contact Information
For editorial or any inquiries regarding this special issue, please contact:
Ms. Grace Mitchell
Editorial Manager
Majestic Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology (MJPT)
Email: gracemitchell.pharma@cmpublisher.com, ma-pharmacology@cmpublisher.com
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