Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Natural Products in Alleviating Allergic Disease Symptoms

Dear Colleagues,

Atopic diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD), food and environmental allergies, and asthma, constitute a major public health problem worldwide. Allergic inflammation is one of the immune system’s protective responses against pathogens and endogenous noninfectious molecules. The recognition of foreign substances by immune cells leads to the synthesis of various pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in inflammation. The release of pro-inflammatory mediators leads to further engagement of circulating immune cells at the site of infection, resulting in the synthesis of prostaglandins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX -2), thereby exacerbating inflammation. According to the WHO, chronic inflammation and its associated diseases pose serious challenges to the health of the world in the near future. This realization has led to increased efforts to explore new therapeutic approaches against inflammatory diseases. Various synthetic drugs have been used to control and treat inflammatory diseases, with varying results. However, there certain health concerns can arise when these synthetic drugs are taken for a long period of time. Therefore, safe and cost-effective therapeutic alternatives need to be developed to combat this threat in a sustainable manner. Natural ingredients have been used for many millennia to treat various human ailments. Nearly 35% of the drugs and their derivatives approved by the FDA between 1981 and 2010 were derived from natural sources.

The aim of this Special Issue is to investigate the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic potential of new natural products in alleviating symptoms of allergic diseases or combating their mechanisms of action.

Dr. Natalia Karolina Kordulewska
Guest Editor

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• anti-inflammatory
• anti-allergic
• natural products
• allergic diseases
• allergic inflammation