Natural Products Targeting Inflammation Processes and Multiple Mediators

In this chapter, common inflammation processes and mediators are presented briefly before a detailed study of potential natural product lead compounds on targeting the inflammation processes and mediators for the discovery and development of antiinflammatory agents with two approaches: traditional “one molecule one target one disease” and currently emerging “one molecule multiple targets several diseases.” The inflammatory processes outline the cellular and molecular changes of inflammatory responses, whereas the inflammatory mediators include those involved in arachidonic acid pathways, nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) pathways, inducible nitric oxide, and proinflammatory cytokines. Natural products targeting the inflammation processes and mediators are surveyed in groups of phenolics, terpenes, and alkaloids. Finally, antiinflammatory natural products with multiple targets are highlighted by citing examples of curcumin, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, trans-resveratrol, quercetin, and racemosic acid. Mother nature has created these unique molecules, each possessing bioactivities against multiple molecular targets, including cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, microsomal PGE2 synthase-1, NF-κB signaling, and inducible nitric oxide.