Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 11581

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Monika Czerwinska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: bioactive plant natural products (iridoids, phenylpropanoids, and other phenolic compounds); phytochemical (Oleaceae, Cornaceae, and Lamiaceae); chromatographic analysis of plant preparations; epithelial inflammation; phytochemistry and traditional phytotherapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products are known for their therapeutic activity against chronic diseases associated with inflammation. Low-grade systemic inflammation is considered to etiologically contribute to risks of obesity, obesity-induced cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type II, or metabolic syndrome in general. In this field plant-derived products or related natural products are believed to affect the inflammatory processes. More and more often, the ability of natural compounds to trigger the innate immune system via affecting the molecular pathways of immune cells is investigated. The antioxidant activity of a wide range of natural products is particularly emphasized. However, others therapeutic indications for natural products supported by biochemical investigations have yet to be defined.

New insights into molecular mechanisms of products derived from nature, in particular alleviating the development of chronic inflammation, are welcome for this Special Issue.

Dr. Monika Czerwinska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bio-Guided Isolation of Compounds from Fraxinus excelsior Leaves with Anti-Inflammatory Activity

by Małgorzata Kołtun-Jasion, Paulina Sawulska, Andrzej Patyra, Marta Woźniak, Marta Katarzyna Dudek, Agnieszka Filipek and Anna Karolina Kiss

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3750; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043750 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1769

Abstract

Inflammation is the first physiological defence mechanism against external and internal stimuli. The prolonged or inappropriate response of the immune system may lead to the persistent inflammatory response that can potentially become a basis for chronic diseases e.g., asthma, type II diabetes or cancer. An important role in the alleviation of inflammatory processes, as an adjunct to traditional pharmacological therapy, is attributed to phytotherapy, especially to raw materials with a long tradition of use, e.g., ash leaves. Despite their long-term use in phytotherapy, the specific mechanisms of action have not been confirmed in a sufficient number of biological or clinical studies. The aim of the study is a detailed phytochemical analysis of infusion and its fractions, isolation of pure compounds from the leaves of Fraxinus excelsior and evaluation of their effect on the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and IL-10 receptor expression in an in vitro model of monocyte/macrophage cells isolated from peripheral blood. Methods: Phytochemical analysis was carried out by the UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS method. Monocytes/macrophages were isolated from human peripheral blood using density gradient centrifugation on Pancoll. After 24 h incubation with tested fractions/subfractions and pure compounds, cells or their supernatants were studied, respectively, on IL-10 receptor expression by flow cytometry and IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β secretion by the ELISA test. Results were presented with respect to Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) control and positive control with dexamethasone. Results: The infusion, 20% and 50% methanolic fractions and their subfractions, as well as their dominating compounds, e.g., ligstroside, formoside and oleoacteoside isolated from the leaves, show the ability to increase the IL-10 receptor expression on the surface of monocyte/macrophage cells, stimulated by LPS, and to decrease the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g., TNF-α, IL-6. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 4895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

β-Caryophyllene Ameliorates 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis through the Downregulation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase/EGR1/TSLP Signaling Axis

by Sung Shin Ahn, Hyunjin Yeo, Euitaek Jung, Sukjin Ou, Young Han Lee, Yoongho Lim and Soon Young Shin

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14861; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232314861 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1639

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases accompanied by severe itching. β-caryophyllene (BCP), which displays anti-inflammatory activity, is a natural agonist of cannabinoid receptor 2. However, the therapeutic effects of BCP on atopic dermatitis (AD) remain poorly understood. The current study aimed to evaluate the topical therapeutic efficacy of BCP in an AD-like mouse model. Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a keratinocyte-derived cytokine that drives AD pathogenesis. This study also investigated the effect of BCP on the interleukin 4 (IL-4)-induced expression of TSLP in HaCaT keratinocytes. We found that the topical application of BCP alleviated AD-like skin inflammation and inhibited the infiltration of proinflammatory cells into skin lesions. Moreover, the topical application of BCP reduced EGR1 (Early Growth Response 1) and TSLP expression in AD-like skin lesions. We also found that BCP inhibited IL-4-induced TSLP expression by downregulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated EGR1 expression in HaCaT keratinocytes. These findings demonstrate that BCP ameliorates DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions through the downregulation of the MAPK/EGR1/TSLP signaling axis. BCP may be applicable for developing topical therapeutic agents for chronic skin inflammatory diseases, such as AD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1978 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory and Protective Potential of an Extract from Cornus mas L. Fruit against H₂O₂-Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Skin Keratinocytes and Fibroblasts

by Magdalena Wójciak, Martyna Zagórska-Dziok, Zofia Nizioł-Łukaszewska, Aleksandra Ziemlewska, Dominika Furman-Toczek, Dariusz Szczepanek and Ireneusz Sowa

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 13755; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232213755 - 09 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1945

Abstract

Cornus mas L. is a rich source of valuable compounds with pro-health properties and, therefore, may be attractive for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. This paper attempts to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and protective effect of an extract from C. mas fruit on skin cells in vitro. The phytochemical analysis of the extract was carried out using UPLC-MS and the content of the main components was determined. The biological activity of the extract was assessed by in vitro analysis using two human cell lines: keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (BJ). Additionally, the ability of this extract to regulate gene expression (SOD-1, Nox-4) in skin cells was evaluated. Moreover, the impact of the extract and its main components, including loganic acid and cornuside, on the level of inflammatory cytokines in H₂O₂-treated cells was assessed. The tests showed that the extract has strong antioxidant properties and stimulates the proliferation of both types of cells. The results evidence that the Cornus mas L. fruit extract significantly reduces the level of reactive oxygen species in the cells tested and can modulate the expression of genes closely related to oxidative stress. Moreover, it suppresses the production of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, and the effect was related to loganic acid and cornuside. The present research indicates that the analyzed dogwood extract can be an effective means of prevention of cell damage caused by free radicals and have a positive effect on the condition of skin cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

47 pages, 3735 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of Plant-Derived Compounds in the Molecular Pathways Related to Inflammation

by Agata J. Olędzka and Monika E. Czerwińska

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4666; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054666 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3166

Abstract

Inflammation is the primary response to infection and injury. Its beneficial effect is an immediate resolution of the pathophysiological event. However, sustained production of inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen species and cytokines may cause alterations in DNA integrity and lead to malignant cell transformation and cancer. More attention has recently been paid to pyroptosis, which is an inflammatory necrosis that activates inflammasomes and the secretion of cytokines. Taking into consideration that phenolic compounds are widely available in diet and medicinal plants, their role in the prevention and support of the treatment of chronic diseases is apparent. Recently, much attention has been paid to explaining the significance of isolated compounds in the molecular pathways related to inflammation. Therefore, this review aimed to screen reports concerning the molecular mode of action assigned to phenolic compounds. The most representative compounds from the classes of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, and phenolic glycosides were selected for this review. Our attention was focused mainly on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Literature searching was performed using Scopus, PubMed, and Medline databases. In conclusion, based on the available literature, phenolic compounds regulate NF-κB, Nrf2, and MAPK signaling, which supports their potential role in chronic inflammatory disorders, including osteoarthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular, and pulmonary disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 12504 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Characteristics of Cell Pyroptosis and Its Inhibitors: A Review of Activation, Regulation, and Inhibitors

by Shaoqiang Wei, Min Feng and Shidong Zhang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 16115; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232416115 - 17 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2293

Abstract

Pyroptosis is an active and ordered form of programmed cell death. The signaling pathways of pyroptosis are mainly divided into canonical pathways mediated by caspase-1 and noncanonical pathways mediated by caspase-11. Cell pyroptosis is characterized by the activation of inflammatory caspases (mainly caspase-1, 4, 5, 11) and cleavage of various members of the Gasdermin family to form membrane perforation components, leading to cell membrane rupture, inflammatory mediators release, and cell death. Moderate pyroptosis is an innate immune response that fights against infection and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of the normal function of the immune system. However, excessive pyroptosis occurs and leads to immune disorders in many pathological conditions. Based on canonical pathways, research on pyroptosis regulation has demonstrated several pyroptotic inhibitors, including small-molecule drugs, natural products, and formulations of traditional Chinese medicines. In this paper, we review the characteristics and molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis, summarize inhibitors of pyroptosis, and propound that herbal medicines should be a focus on the research and development for pyroptosis blockers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

The Emerging Role of Natural Products in Chronic Inflammation

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI