Holy Mary Institute Of Technology & Science (College Of Pharmacy) Bogaram(v), Keesara (m), Medchal (Dist) 501 301, Telangana, India
Medicinal plants are safe and more affordable to treat various diseases, many people depend on medicinal plants to treat inflammation. Inflammation is acute or chronic, which can damange healthy cells lead to diseases.Inflammation is a biological response of the immune system that can be triggered by a variety of factors, including pathogens, damaged cells and toxic compounds.Both infectious and non-infectious agents and cell damage activate inflammatory cells and trigger inflammatory signaling pathways, most commonly the NF-?B, MAPK, and JAK-STAT pathways. Here. The aim of review is to provide active constituents such as warifterine, berberine, eugenol, andrographolide etc obtained from medicinal plants are used to treat inflammatio
Medicinal plants are generally considered more affordable, safer, and more accessible than synthetic medicine, they have historically served as useful therapeutic agents in ethnomedicine. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80% of the world’s population still relies on traditional medicines obtained from plants to meet their basic medical needs. plant extracts contain various phytoconstituents (e.g., alkaloids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpinoids).they have been demonstrated to exert their activities by interacting simultaneously with numerous biological targets, there by increasing their therapeutic potential.(1)1 Medicinal plants are regarded as rich resources of traditional medicines and many of modern medicine are produced from these plants. Medicinal plants have been used to treat various disorders for thousands of years, to add flavor and conserve food and to prevent diseases epidemics. Medicinal plants have been playing an essential role in the development of human culture.(2)Inflammation is a biological response of the immune system, can be triggered by various factors such as pathogens , damaged cells and toxic compounds.(3)
The inflammation process is characterized by five cardinal signs: (i) rubor (redness, attributed to hyperemia); (ii) tumor (swelling due to the increase in the permeability of the microvasculature and leakage of protein into the interstitial space); (iii) color (heat related to an increase in blood flow caused by the metabolic activity of the cellular inflammation mediators); (iv) dolor (pain, attributed to changes in the per vasculature and nerve endings); and (v) function lease (dysfunction of the involved organs).(4)Inflammation is two types such as Acute Inflammation and Chronic Inflammation. Acute inflammation is of short duration and its duration is from minutes to few days. The main characteristics are: a) Exudation of fluids b) Plasma protein (edema) c) Emigration of leukocytes specially neutrophils. Chronic inflammation is having longer duration than acute inflammation. It is associated histologically with the presence of lymphocytes, macrophages, proliferation of blood vessels, fibrosis, and tissue necrosis. It is followed by acute inflammation and it starts from the low grade, smoldering asymptomatic response. It may also arise due to the persistent infection by certain organisms such as tubercle bacilli or Treponema pallidum, prolonged exposure to highly toxic agents, either exogenous like silica or endogenous like plasma lipid component resulting into atherosclerosis, autoimmune like rheumatoid arthritis. Acute inflammation response is the initial response after the infection or trauma. It is non- specific in nature and is the first line of defense of body after the danger In acute inflammation, there is increased level of copper, decreased level of zinc. There is occurrence of leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, negative nitrogen balance, increased BMR, increased lipogenesis and lipolysis. There is decrease in plasma protein level, increased C reactive protein level.(5)
Mediators and Biomarkers of InflammationThe discovery of cellular and molecular inflammatory mediators and the development of sensitive biomarkers have rapidly advanced our understanding of inflammation and its role in pathology. Key biomarkers include: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen oxide species (RNOS),Formation of DNA adducts, Cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), and chemokines, Acute-phase proteins, such as C-reactive protein or CRP, Prostaglandins, Cyclooxygenase (COX)-related metabolites, Inflammation-related growth factors and transcription factors, such as NF-kappaB, Major immune cell types.(6)The inflammation can be triggered by various pathogens (viruses, bacteria) toxins, toxic compounds, tissue injury. These harmful stimuli initiate a chemical signaling cascade, activating leukocytes, that then produce and release inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). These cytokines interact with and activate receptors (IL-6R, TNFR-1, TNFR-2, TLR4, GM-CSFR etc.). Receptor activation triggers the phosphorylation of various signaling molecules such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB), Janus kinase (Jak), resulting in the activation of various transcription factors.(7)
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to treat various diseases, particularly inflammation. This review provides information on active constituents obtained from medicinal plants, Active constituents includes alkaloids (Berberine, Warifteine,aviceninesA-F), glycosides(Dardanols), terpinoids (βMyrcene, Limonene, Andrographolide),polyphenols(Curcumin),phenylpropanoid(eugenol).complexflavonoid glycoside(Quercetin3methoxy4′glucosyl7glucoside),phytosteroids(guggulosterone),Other constituents includes 2-hydroxy-4 methoxybenzaldehyde,Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate. \These active constituents are effective in the treatment of inflammation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Active constituent: Berberine (8,9)
Plant name: Coptis chinensis and Hydrastis canadensis
Family : Berberidaceae
It is an isoquinoline alkaloid
Berberine
Berberine has been found to modulate and/or suppress inflammation through suppressing the production of TNF?α, IL?6 and MCP?1, down?regulating the expression of cyclooxygenase?2 (COX?2), reducing generation of PGE2 and formation of exudates, and inhibiting the expression of MMP?2 and MMP?9 through nuclear factor?kB (NF?kB) and mitogen?activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascades.
Active constituent: Warifteine(10,11)
Plant name: Cissampelos sympodialis
Family: Menispermaceae
It is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid
Warifteine
Warifteine reduces inflammation by blocking key immune pathways: it inhibits leukocyte migration (like eosinophils & neutrophils), cuts down on pro-inflammatory mediators (like eotaxin, leukotrienes, nitric oxide), reduces allergic responses by lowering IgE and mast cell activation, and modulates cytokines (boosting anti-inflammatory IL-10, reducing pro-inflammatory IL-4/5/13).
Active constituent: β-Myrcene (12,13) (7-methyl-3-methylene-1,6-octadiene)
plant name: cannabis sativa, Humulus lupulus
family: cannabaceae
It is a monoterpene
β-Myrcene
Myrcene EOs can inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, NO, IL-4, and IFN-γ in LPS induced inflammation in the rat Subsequently, myrcene also showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase activity and inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Active constituent:Dardanols A–E(14,15,16)
Plant name: Mandevilla dardanoi
Family:Apocynaceae
It is a new pregnane steroidal glycosides (dardanols A–E)
New pregnane glycosids
Dardanols A, B, C and E showed anti-inflammatory potential by inhibiting the production of nitric oxide and reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in stimulated macrophages.
Active constituent: Limonene (17,18)
Plant name: Citrus aurantium, citrus sinensis
Family : Rutaceae It is a monoterpene
Limonene
It act by reduction of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL1, and IL-6, regulation of iNOS, COX-2, PGE2.
Active constituent: Guggulsterone(19,20)
Plant name : Commiphora wightii
Family : Burseraceae
It contains Guggulsterone(phytosteroid)
Guggulsterone
This sterol can inhibit NF-κB activation and downregulate the expression of inflammatory gene products such as COX-2 and MMP-9, which are major players in the development of arthritis. We also showed recently that guggulsterone can suppress osteoclastogenesis induced by RANKL (receptor activator of NF-κB ligand), a bone-resorbing cytokine.
Active constituent:Eugenol(21,22) (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol)
Plant name : Eugenia caryophyllata (clove)
Family : Myrtaceous
It is a phenylpropanoid
Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol
It is also known to be an inhibitor of pro-inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), expression of inducible oxide nitrate synthase (iNOS) and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and leukotriene C4 and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) [31]. Its anti-inflammatory activity is associated with preventing neutrophil/macrophage chemotaxis and inhibiting the synthesis of inflammatory neurotransmitters, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes; in addition, eugenol dimers have shown chemopreventive properties by inhibiting cytokine expression in macrophages.
Active constituent :2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde(23,24)
Plant name : Hemidesmus indicus
Family: Apocynaceae
coumarinolignoids such as hemidesmine
2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde
remarkable suppression of pro-inflammatory markers interleukin-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (IL-6, MIP-1, TNF-α).
Active constituent: quarcetin-3 methoxy-4-glucosyl-7-glucoside(25)
Plant name : Melothria heterophylla
family: Cucurbitaceae
It is a complex flavonoid glycoside
quercetin-3-methoxy-4′-glucosyl-7-glucoside
Inhibits prostaglandin production,. It reduced the amount of arachidonic acid transformed to PGs by suppressing COX-1and cox-2 but suppressing COX-2 level more effectively in comparison to COX1.
Active constituent :Curcumin(26,27)
plant name: Curcuma longa
Family: Zingiberaceae
Curcumin is a polyphenol, is known chemically as1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) −1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione
Curcumin
Anti-inflammatory effects mainly by inhibiting the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation cascade, and regulating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway. and the NLRP3 inflammasome.
Active constituent: Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate(28,29)
Plant name :Vitex negundo
Family: Verbenaceae
Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate
It inhibits secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) enzymes
Active constituent: Andrographolide (30)
Plant name: Andrographis paniculata
Family:Acanthaceae
Andrographolide is a complex diterpenoid lactone
Andrographolide
Multy -target anti inflammatory agent by inhibiting key pathways like nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/confluent serine/threonine kinase (PI3K/Akt), mitogen-activated-protein kinase (MAPK), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transduction and activation of transcription factor (STAT) pathways, as well as other signaling cascades.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Medicinal plants have huge demand since olden days to treat diseases, active constituensts present in the plants are essential to cure many diseases, every active constituent in the medicinal plants have particular activity, active phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids,phytosteroids. These compounds inhibits key inflammatory pathways—NF?κB, COX enzymes, and cytokines (TNF?α, IL?6)—thereby suppressing chronic inflammation activie constituents have anti inflammatory activity such as beriberine obtained from plant coptis chinenesis and hydrastis canadensis, warifterine from cissampelos sympodialis, β-Myrcene obtained from cannabis sativa,Dardanols A–E from Mandevilla dardanoi, Limonene isolated from Citrus aurantium and citrus sinensis, Guggulu obtained from Commiphora wightii, Eugenol isolated from Eugenia caryophyllata(clove), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde from Hemidesmus indicus, Quarcetin-3 methoxy-4-glucosyl-7-glucoside isolated from Melothria heterophylla, Curcumin from Curcuma longa, Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate from Vitex negundo, Andrographolide fromAndrographis paniculata. These active constiruents are plays important role to treat inflmmation. Further research and clinical validation of these plant?derived agents could lead to novel, natural drug development strategies for inflammation?related diseases.
REFERENCES
Lattupally Varalakshm, Gandhi Archana, Gali Havissu, Gandikota Tarun, Gogada Abhilash, Chinnawar Vaishnavi, “Active Constituents from Medicinal Plants Used in Inflammation, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2026, Vol 4, Issue 1, 3375-3383. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18409451
10.5281/zenodo.18409451
