From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design
Pain is associated with many health problems and a reduced quality of life and has been a common reason for seeking medical attention. Several therapeutics are available on the market, although side effects, physical dependence, and abuse limit their use. As the process of pain transmission and modu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/4/815 |
| _version_ | 1827343062759636992 |
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| author | Rita Turnaturi Silvia Piana Salvatore Spoto Giuliana Costanzo Lorena Reina Lorella Pasquinucci Carmela Parenti |
| author_facet | Rita Turnaturi Silvia Piana Salvatore Spoto Giuliana Costanzo Lorena Reina Lorella Pasquinucci Carmela Parenti |
| author_sort | Rita Turnaturi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pain is associated with many health problems and a reduced quality of life and has been a common reason for seeking medical attention. Several therapeutics are available on the market, although side effects, physical dependence, and abuse limit their use. As the process of pain transmission and modulation is regulated by different peripheral and central mechanisms and neurotransmitters, medicinal chemistry continues to study novel ligands and innovative approaches. Among them, natural products are known to be a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery due to their chemical structural variety and different analgesic mechanisms. Numerous studies suggested that some chemicals from medicinal plants could be alternative options for pain relief and management. Previously, we conducted a literature search aimed at identifying natural products interacting either directly or indirectly with opioid receptors. In this review, instead, we have made an excursus including active ingredients derived from plants whose mechanism of action appears from the literature to be other than the modulation of the opioid system. These substances could, either by themselves or through synthetic and/or semi-synthetic derivatives, be investigated in order to improve their pharmacokinetic characteristics and could represent a valid alternative to the opioid approach to pain therapy. They could also be the basis for the study of new mechanisms of action in the approach to this complex and disabling pathology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:19:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46796e8e82824b50b7abd1c1cb368e3b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:19:41Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-46796e8e82824b50b7abd1c1cb368e3b2024-02-23T15:28:57ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-02-0129481510.3390/molecules29040815From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug DesignRita Turnaturi0Silvia Piana1Salvatore Spoto2Giuliana Costanzo3Lorena Reina4Lorella Pasquinucci5Carmela Parenti6Department of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, ItalyPostgraduate School of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyDepartment of Drug and Health Sciences, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, ItalyPain is associated with many health problems and a reduced quality of life and has been a common reason for seeking medical attention. Several therapeutics are available on the market, although side effects, physical dependence, and abuse limit their use. As the process of pain transmission and modulation is regulated by different peripheral and central mechanisms and neurotransmitters, medicinal chemistry continues to study novel ligands and innovative approaches. Among them, natural products are known to be a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery due to their chemical structural variety and different analgesic mechanisms. Numerous studies suggested that some chemicals from medicinal plants could be alternative options for pain relief and management. Previously, we conducted a literature search aimed at identifying natural products interacting either directly or indirectly with opioid receptors. In this review, instead, we have made an excursus including active ingredients derived from plants whose mechanism of action appears from the literature to be other than the modulation of the opioid system. These substances could, either by themselves or through synthetic and/or semi-synthetic derivatives, be investigated in order to improve their pharmacokinetic characteristics and could represent a valid alternative to the opioid approach to pain therapy. They could also be the basis for the study of new mechanisms of action in the approach to this complex and disabling pathology.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/4/815natural compoundspainanalgesicdrug discovery |
| spellingShingle | Rita Turnaturi Silvia Piana Salvatore Spoto Giuliana Costanzo Lorena Reina Lorella Pasquinucci Carmela Parenti From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Molecules natural compounds pain analgesic drug discovery |
| title | From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design |
| title_full | From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design |
| title_fullStr | From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design |
| title_short | From Plant to Chemistry: Sources of Antinociceptive Non-Opioid Active Principles for Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design |
| title_sort | from plant to chemistry sources of antinociceptive non opioid active principles for medicinal chemistry and drug design |
| topic | natural compounds pain analgesic drug discovery |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/4/815 |
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