Phytochemicals to prevent inflammation and allergy

Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2012 May;6(2):147-58. doi: 10.2174/187221312800166886.

Abstract

Recently, much interest has been generated for a wide range of phyto-constituents with reports demonstrating their role in the modulation of inflammatory responses, including phenolics, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Natural products have long been, over the years, contributed to the development of modern therapeutic drugs. At present, steroids, antihistaminic drugs, suppressants or inhibitors of the release of mediators and the like have been used as anti-allergic agents. However, some of them lack immediate effectiveness or have central side effects. Drug discovery from plants involves a multidisciplinary approach combining botanical, ethno-botanical, phytochemical and biological techniques. Several natural product drugs of plant origin are in clinical use and some are undergoing Phase II and Phase III clinical trials. A major effort was directed toward discovery of novel anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents, which resulted in the invention of several patented formulations. These formulations concern a variety of pharmaceutical preparations which can be used as solid or liquid dosage forms or encapsulated as a soft or hard gelatin capsule. The present article is a short review of recent patents on the role of phytochemicals in preventing inflammation and allergy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Allergic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biological Products / administration & dosage
  • Biological Products / pharmacology
  • Biological Products / therapeutic use
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Discovery / methods
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / prevention & control*
  • Inflammation / prevention & control*
  • Patents as Topic
  • Phytotherapy / methods*
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-Allergic Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Biological Products
  • Plant Extracts