Terpenoids: natural inhibitors of NF-κB signaling with anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential

Abstract

Traditional medicine has been a fertile source for revealing novel lead molecules for modern drug discovery. In plants, terpenoids represent a chemical defense against environmental stress and provide a repair mechanism for wounds and injuries. Interestingly, effective ingredients in several plant-derived medicinal extracts are also terpenoid compounds of monoterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, diterpenoid, triterpenoid and carotenoid groups. Inflammatory diseases and cancer are typical therapeutic indications of traditional medicines. Thus folk medicine supports the studies which have demonstrated that plant-derived terpenoid ingredients can suppress nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling, the major regulator in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and cancer.We review the extensive literature on the different types of terpenoid molecules, totalling 43, which have been verified both inhibiting the NF-kappaB signaling and suppressing the process of inflammation and cancer. It seems that during evolution, plants have established a terpene-based host defense which also represents a cornucopia of effective therapeutic compounds for common human diseases.

NF-κB Signaling Pathway, Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer

“…The molecular mechanisms underling this process have only recently started to be clarified with biochemical and genetic studies (95). The results of Pikarsky et al (8) , Greten et al (72) , and Luo et al (78) identified the NF-B signaling pathway could be regarded as a rational target for cancer therapy, and there is significant enthusiasm from cell culture experiments and animal models for the use of NF-B inhibitors as a new anti-cancer therapy in recent years (14,96,97). However, several questions remain.…”

Anticlastogenic Effect of Eryngium foetidum L. Assessed by Erythrocyte Micronucleus Assay

“…A lot of terpenic compounds and a variety of phytosterol compounds: α-cholesterol, brassicasterol, campesterol, clerosterol, β-sitosterol, Δ 5 -avemasterol, Δ 5 24-stigmastadienol, Δ 7 -avenasterol, and stigmasterol were reported as the main components (95%) in EF (Saenz et al, 1997). These compounds can act as antioxidants which interact with free radicals caused by toxic chemicals or oxidation reactions and they can suppress NF-κB signaling, the major regulator in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and cancer (Salminen et al, 2008). In addition, phytosterols such as β-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, were proposed as anticancer dietary components because the structures of plant sterols and cholesterol are similar.…”

Key cell signaling pathways modulated by zerumbone: Role in the prevention and treatment of cancer

“…According to the number of isoprene units in their backbone, the terpenoids are classified into hemiterpinoids (one isoprene unit, 5C), monoterpinoids (two isoprene units, 10C), sesquiterpinoids (three isoprene units, 15C), diterpinoids (four isoprene units, 20C), sesterterpinoid (five isoprene unit, 25C) and so on [36]. Many terpenoids show therapeutic potential as antibacterial [37], anti-viral [38], anti-malarial [39], anti-parasitic [40], anti-hyperglycemic [41], anti-inflammatory [42] and anti-cancer agents [36]. One such terpenoid compound that holds tremendous potential for the prevention/treatment of cancer is zerumbone (2,6,9,9-tetramethyl-[2E,6E,10E]-cycloundeca-2,6,10-trien-1-one), a cyclic eleven-membered sesquiterpene, isolated from the rhizomes of the tropical plant Zingiber zerumbet Smith.…”