Background: A cytokine storm (CS) is a rapidly occurring, complex, and highly lethal systemic acute inflammatory response induced by pathogens and other factors. Currently, no clinical therapeutic drugs are available with a significant effect and minimal side effects. Given the pathogenesis of CS, natural products have become important resources for bioactive agents in the discovery of anti-CS drugs.
Purpose: This study aimed to provide guidance for preventing and treating CS-related diseases by reviewing the natural products identified to inhibit CS in recent years.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted on CS and natural products, utilizing databases such as PubMed and Web of Science. The quality of the studies was evaluated and summarized for further analysis.
Results: This study summarized more than 30 types of natural products, including 9 classes of flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids, among others. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that these natural products could effectively inhibit CS via nuclear factor kappa-B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. Moreover, the enzyme inhibition assays revealed that more than 20 chemical components had the potential to inhibit ACE2, 3CL-protease, and papain-like protease activity. The experimental results were obtained using advanced technologies such as biochips and omics.
Conclusions: Various natural compounds in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts could directly or indirectly inhibit CS occurrence, potentially serving as effective drugs for treating CS-related diseases. This study may guide further exploration of the therapeutic effects and biochemical mechanisms of natural products on CS.
Keywords: Anti-cytokine storm; Enzyme inhibition; Mechanism; Natural products; Technical methods.
Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.