title: Natural compounds as inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase.
abstract: The imbalance between human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and endogenous serine proteinase inhibitors is considered to cause a variety of HNE-mediated inflammatory disorders. Thus, HNE has been the object of intensive research to find potent inhibitors that target its destructive and pro-inflammatory action. This review focuses on natural compounds which have been demonstrated to inhibit the enzyme itself or its release from neutrophils. Some of the natural compounds discussed here may serve as lead structures suitable to be used for the development of semi-synthetic inhibitors, but up to now none has been found active enough to be directly used in therapy.
authors: Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Siedle
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Hrenn
authors: Irmgard
authors: I
authors: Merfort
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D013729:Terpenes; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase