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like glucocorticoids are powerful steroid-based anti-inflammatory molecules with a
prominent role as immunosuppressants. The corticosteroids have been shown to
induce increased transcription of the NFκB inhibitor, which reduces NFκB activation, further inhibiting cytokine processing and release by T lymphocytes through
inhibition of transactivation of p38 kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase MAP kinase,
NFkB, and matrix metalloproteinases. Cortcosteriods reduce phagocytic and killing
ability of macrophages and neutrophils and thereby bring about anti-inflammatory
activity. Antisense- and soluble-protein approaches are under consideration to be
developed as anti-inflammatory agents. Interestingly, many dietary components
from fruits, vegetables, grain, and fishes are found to exhibit potential antiinflammatory property and serve as natural anti-inflammatory agents.
10.6 Natural Anti-inflammatory Molecules
Several naturally derived potent anti-inflammatory molecules have been identified
with direct implications in regulating immune response. Dietary pattern has been
shown to influence the likely chance of development of inflammatory pathologies.
Fats from fish, nuts, and grains, and flavonoids and antioxidants from fruit and vegetables have proved to play a profound role in inhibiting inflammation. Both polyunsaturated fatty acid such as omega-3 fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acids
possess anti-inflammatory activities. Many flavonoids like quercetin have long been
demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties by disrupting signaling events
leading to the biosynthesis of many proinflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids,
leukotrienes, and cytokines. Curcumin from Curcuma longa is an active antiinflammatory agent with powerful inhibitory potential against 5-lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase enzymes (Furst and Zundorf 2014). Similarly, boswellia, the gum
resin of the boswellia tree, and bromelain have been shown to inhibit the
5- lipoxygenase enzyme in white blood cells. Flavonoids are a large class of naturally occurring compounds widely present in fruits, vegetables, and beverages.
Many flavonoids inhibit the biosynthesis of proinflammatory mediators, adhesion
molecules, and C-reactive proteins. Certain flavonoids inhibit transcription factors
such as NFκB and activating protein-1 (AP-1), as well as activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2), both of which play active proinflammatory actions.
10.7 Eicosanoids as Agents for Anti-inflammatory Therapy
10.7.1 COX Inhibitors
Cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors constitute the most relevant nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They are one of the most widely used drugs for a
range of diseases with inflammatory background, which include acute and chronic
B.C. Bhavya and M. Haridas
like glucocorticoids are powerful steroid-based anti-inflammatory molecules with a
prominent role as immunosuppressants. The corticosteroids have been shown to
induce increased transcription of the NFκB inhibitor, which reduces NFκB activation, further inhibiting cytokine processing and release by T lymphocytes through
inhibition of transactivation of p38 kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase MAP kinase,
NFkB, and matrix metalloproteinases. Cortcosteriods reduce phagocytic and killing
ability of macrophages and neutrophils and thereby bring about anti-inflammatory
activity. Antisense- and soluble-protein approaches are under consideration to be
developed as anti-inflammatory agents. Interestingly, many dietary components
from fruits, vegetables, grain, and fishes are found to exhibit potential antiinflammatory property and serve as natural anti-inflammatory agents.
10.6 Natural Anti-inflammatory Molecules
Several naturally derived potent anti-inflammatory molecules have been identified
with direct implications in regulating immune response. Dietary pattern has been
shown to influence the likely chance of development of inflammatory pathologies.
Fats from fish, nuts, and grains, and flavonoids and antioxidants from fruit and vegetables have proved to play a profound role in inhibiting inflammation. Both polyunsaturated fatty acid such as omega-3 fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acids
possess anti-inflammatory activities. Many flavonoids like quercetin have long been
demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties by disrupting signaling events
leading to the biosynthesis of many proinflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids,
leukotrienes, and cytokines. Curcumin from Curcuma longa is an active antiinflammatory agent with powerful inhibitory potential against 5-lipoxygenase and
cyclooxygenase enzymes (Furst and Zundorf 2014). Similarly, boswellia, the gum
resin of the boswellia tree, and bromelain have been shown to inhibit the
5- lipoxygenase enzyme in white blood cells. Flavonoids are a large class of naturally occurring compounds widely present in fruits, vegetables, and beverages.
Many flavonoids inhibit the biosynthesis of proinflammatory mediators, adhesion
molecules, and C-reactive proteins. Certain flavonoids inhibit transcription factors
such as NFκB and activating protein-1 (AP-1), as well as activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2), both of which play active proinflammatory actions.
10.7 Eicosanoids as Agents for Anti-inflammatory Therapy
10.7.1 COX Inhibitors
Cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors constitute the most relevant nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They are one of the most widely used drugs for a
range of diseases with inflammatory background, which include acute and chronic
B.C. Bhavya and M. Haridas