Adriana Coricello, James D. Adams*, Eric J. Lien, Christopher Nguyen, Filomena Perri, Travis J. Williams and Francesca Aiello Pages 1501 - 1514 ( 14 )
Inflammatory states are among the most common and most treated medical conditions. Inflammation comes along with swelling, pain and uneasiness in using the affected area. Inflammation is not always a simple symptom; more often is part of a defensive response of the body to an external threat or is a sign that the damaged tissue has not healed yet and needs to rest. The management of the pain associated with an inflammatory state could be a tricky task. In fact, most remedies simply quench the pain, leaving the inflammatory state unaltered. This review focuses on sesquiterpene lactones, a class of natural compounds, that represents a future promise in the treatment of inflammation. Sesquiterpene lactones are efficient inhibitors of multiple targets of the inflammatory process. Their natural sources are often ancient remedies with relevant traditional uses in folk medicines. This work also aims to elucidate how these compounds may represent the starting material for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.
Sesquiterpene lactones, inflammation, NF-κB, MAPK, COX-2, anti-inflammatory drugs, natural compounds.
Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Science, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Science, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Department of Chemistry, Dana and David Dornisfe College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Science, University of Calabria, Rende (CS)