Natural products and their role as inhibitors of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a transcription factor involved at the downstream stage of many signalling cascades and plays a crucial role in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, induced and adaptive immunity, apoptosis and induced cell proliferation. For the last decade it has attracted intense research interest throughout the world. This review briefly expands on information on biogenic modulators of this transcription factor published since an earlier review in 2002 and goes into much more detail on parthenolide and curcumin - two natural products that have been at the centre of molecular and biochemical interest in identifying modulators of the NF-κB pathway. Both compounds have attracted considerable attention in regard to the mechanistic aspects of the compounds' action. An attempt to further develop some compounds into leads for new medicines are also discussed, focusing on an EU-funded project on anti-inflammatory natural products, mostly from medicinal plants used locally in selected Mediterranean regions.