Potential of natural products in inflammation: biological activities, structure–activity relationships, and mechanistic targets

• Published in: Archives of pharmacal research Vol. 47; no. 5; pp. 377 - 409
• Main Authors: Guo, Yajing, Peng, Xuling, Liu, Fanfei, Zhang, Qi, Ding, Liqin, Li, Gen, Qiu, Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul Pharmaceutical Society of Korea 01-05-2024; 대한약학회
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - chemistry; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Biological Products - chemistry; Biological Products - pharmacology; Humans; Inflammation - drug therapy; Medicine; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Review; Structure-Activity Relationship; 약학; Network pharmacology; Derivatization; Natural products; Anti-inflammatory; Structure–activity relationship
• ISSN: 0253-6269; 1976-3786; 1976-3786
• DOI: 10.1007/s12272-024-01496-z

A balance between the development and suppression of inflammation can always be found in the body. When this balance is disturbed, a strong inflammatory response can damage the body. It sometimes is necessary to use drugs with a significant anti-inflammatory effect, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid hormones, to control inflammation in the body. However, the existing anti-inflammatory drugs have many adverse effects, which can be deadly in severe cases, making research into new safer and more effective anti-inflammatory drugs necessary. Currently, numerous types of natural products with anti-inflammatory activity and distinct structural features are available, and these natural products have great potential for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. This review summarizes 260 natural products and their derivatives with anti-inflammatory activities in the last two decades, classified by their active ingredients, and focuses on their structure–activity relationships in anti-inflammation to lay the foundation for subsequent new drug development. We also elucidate the mechanisms and pathways of natural products that exert anti-inflammatory effects via network pharmacology predictions, providing direction for identifying subsequent targets of anti-inflammatory natural products.