Systematic review of herbals as potential anti-inflammatory agents: Recent advances, current clinical status and future perspectives

Abstract

Many synthetic drugs reported to be used for the treatment of inflammatory disorders are of least interest now a days due to their potential side effects and serious adverse effects and as they are found to be highly unsafe for human assistance. Since the last few decades, herbal drugs have regained their popularity in treatment against several human ailments. Herbals containing anti-inflammatory activity (AIA) are topics of immense interest due to the absence of several problems in them, which are associated with synthetic preparations. The primary objective of this review is to provide a deep overview of the recently explored anti-inflammatory agents belonging to various classes of phytoconstituents like alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, polyphenolic compounds, and also the compounds isolated from plants of marine origin, algae and fungi. Also, it enlists a distended view on potential interactions between herbals and synthetic preparations, related adverse effects and clinical trials done on herbals for exploring their AIA. The basic aim of this review is to give updated knowledge regarding plants which will be valuable for the scientists working in the field of anti-inflammatory natural chemistry.

Keywords: Alkaloids; anti-inflammatory agents; cannabinoids; clinical trials; glycosides; herbals; inflammation.

Figure 1

Overview of inflammation process and synthesis of mediators of inflammation like prostaglandins, prostacyclins and leukotrienes

Figure 2

Bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derivatives with antiinflammatory activity

Figure 3

Sesquiterpeniods isolated from Artemisiaspecies

Figure 4

Styraxoside from Styrax japonica

Figure 5

Anti-inflammatory principle isolated from extract of Gaultheria yunnanensis

Figure 6

Compounds isolated from the volatile oil extract of Casearia sylvestris

Figure 7

Flavonoids from leaf extracts of Ginkgo biloba

Figure 8

Flavonoids from leaf extracts of Sideretis tragoriganum

Figure 9

A phenolic compound isolated from plants of Bignoniaceae family

Figure 10

Newer flavonoid from Eleutherine Americana: Phyllanthin, Niranthin, Pinobatol, Luteolin

Figure 11

Carotenoid with AIA from Tagetes erecta

Figure 12

Stilbene containing compounds isolated from Polyozellus multiplex

Figure 13

Chemical constituent isolated from Cymbidium goeringii

Figure 14

Overview of adverse events seen with herbal preparations and their cause