A Walk in Nature: Sesquiterpene Lactones as Multi-Target Agents Involved in Inflammatory Pathways

摘要

Inflammatory states are among the most common and most treated medical conditions.Inflammation comes along with swelling, pain and uneasiness in using the affectedarea. Inflammation is not always a simple symptom; more often is part of a defensive responseof the body to an external threat or is a sign that the damaged tissue has not healed yetand needs to rest. The management of the pain associated with an inflammatory state could bea tricky task. In fact, most remedies simply quench the pain, leaving the inflammatory stateunaltered. This review focuses on sesquiterpene lactones, a class of natural compounds, thatrepresents a future promise in the treatment of inflammation. Sesquiterpene lactones are efficientinhibitors of multiple targets of the inflammatory process. Their natural sources are oftenancient remedies with relevant traditional uses in folk medicines. This work also aims toelucidate how these compounds may represent the starting material for the development ofnew anti-inflammatory drugs.