Background/Significance:

Fibrotic disorders such as uterine fibroids, keloids, and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) disproportionately affect Black women and lack effective, non-invasive treatments. Current therapies often have high recurrence rates, creating an urgent need for novel interventions. Agri-derived bioactives offer a rich source of therapeutic potential, yet a systematic strategy to translate these compounds into clinical solutions is critically lacking. This nurse-led research addresses the need for an interdisciplinary approach to develop accessible, evidence-based natural health products (NHPs) for these conditions.

Methods:

This work outlines a translational framework integrating computational drug discovery with deep dermatology nursing science. The core research question is: What are the shared inflammatory and fibrotic molecular pathways (e.g., TGF-β, Smad signaling) dysregulated in uterine fibroids, keloids, and CCCA, and how can they be targeted by agri-derived bioactive compounds? An AI-driven molecular modeling platform will be utilized to screen and prioritize candidate compounds based on their predicted ability to modulate these key fibrotic pathways.

Results:

The primary anticipated result is the identification of at least three novel, non-steroidal, agri-derived bioactive compounds with high predicted anti-fibrotic activity. A secondary result will be the creation of a conceptual model outlining the shared molecular pathogenesis of these clinical presentations, which will serve as the foundation for future preclinical studies.

Conclusion:

By integrating natural product chemistry, AI-driven discovery, and expert nursing insights, this framework represents a powerful new paradigm for nurse-led therapeutic development. This collaborative approach champions an innovative solution to the complex health challenges disproportionately affecting Black women.

Therese Wilson-Rawlins

Jax Lab Naturals

Appearances