Anti-inflammatory activity of sesquiterpene lactones

ALONSO MARÍA ROSARIO; ANESINI CLAUDIA; MARTINO RENZO

Sesquiterpene lactones. Advances in their Chemistry and Biological Aspects

Springer International Publishing AGcham

Lugar: Cham; Año: 2018;

Abstract: It is known that Inflammation involves a complex series of protective and reparative responses to tissue injury, caused by mechanical injury, autoimmune stimuli or infection. It can be classified as either acute or chronic. In the acute phase, in the early stages of inflammation, neutrophils, macrophages and dendritic cells contribute to cytokines production, which spread inflammatory events. Although inflammation has a protective role, many diseases have etiological origins in inflammatory processes such as atherosclerosis, arthritis, cancer and ischemic heart disease. There are many pathways that involve synthesis and secretions of pro-inflammatory mediators; in this chapter we analyze different intracellular signaling routes. There are two principal types of anti-inflammatory drugs: Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which reduce inflammation by binding to cortisol receptors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which decrease damage by inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzyme. These anti-inflammatory drugs possess many risks in particular gastrointestinal ulceration, bleeding and hepatic toxicity. During the last decades, the potential of sesquiterpene lactones as anti-inflammatory agents has been pointed out by different researchers.