Biomolecules & Therapeutics

The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology (한국응용약물학회)
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Searching for Novel Candidate Small Molecules for Ameliorating Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: a Narrative Review

  • Kyung-il Kim (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Rajib Hossain (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Xin Li (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Hyun Jae Lee (Smith Liberal Arts College and Department of Addiction Science,Graduate School, Sahmyook University) ;
  • Choong Jae Lee (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University)
  • Received : 2023.03.14
  • Accepted : 2023.05.10
  • Published : 2023.09.01
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Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can be defined as a progressive chronic pulmonary disease showing scarring in the lung parenchyma, thereby resulting in increase in mortality and decrease in the quality of life. The pathophysiologic mechanism of fibrosis in IPF is still unclear. Repetitive microinjuries to alveolar epithelium with genetical predisposition and an abnormal restorative reaction accompanied by excessive deposition of collagens are involved in the pathogenesis. Although the two FDA-approved drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are under use for retarding the decline in lung function of patients suffered from IPF, they are not able to improve the survival rate or quality of life. Therefore, a novel therapeutic agent acting on the major steps of the pathogenesis of disease and/or, at least, managing the clinical symptoms of IPF should be developed for the effective regulation of this incurable disease. In the present review, we tried to find a potential of managing the clinical symptoms of IPF by natural products derived from medicinal plants used for controlling the pulmonary inflammatory diseases in traditional Asian medicine. A multitude of natural products have been reported to exert an antifibrotic effect in vitro and in vivo through acting on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathway, transforming growth factor (TGF)- β-induced intracellular signaling, and the deposition of extracellular matrix. However, clinical antifibrotic efficacy of these natural products on IPF have not been elucidated yet. Thus, those effects should be proven by further examinations including the randomized clinical trials, in order to develop the ideal and optimal candidate for the therapeutics of IPF.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the NRF-2014R1A6A 1029617, Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education.

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