Natural immunomodulators – A Drug Discovery Perspective

The immune system is an adaptive complex sytem which poses a challenge to therapeutic intervention. Inflammation is known to be involved in numerous disease processes like autoimmune attack and carcinogenesis and can be targeted by immunopharmacological agents. However, it is far less clear how the immune system may be stimulated [1]. In this talk a new view on how the immune system recognizes and senses plant food shall be provided. During the evolution of the immune system different endogenous systems have evolved that modulate inflammatory processes, such as the pattern recognition receptors (TLRs) and the arachidonic acid lipidome. Studying the molecular interactions in these biochemical units by small organic molecules provides insight into how inflammation may be regulated and ultimately manipulated. The endocannabinoid system is a stress signal-integrating lipid signaling network and provides great opportunities to treat inflammatory diseases and bone degeneration with the potential to link nutrition and inflammation [2–4].

Keywords: Inflammation, immune system, immunomodulation, drug discovery, endocannabinoid system

References: [1] Gertsch J, Viveros-Paredes JM, Taylor P (2010) Plant immunostimulants-Scientific paradigm or myth? J Ethnopharmacol PMID: 20620205

[2] Gertsch J, Leonti M, Raduner S, Racz I, Chen JZ, Xie XQ, Altmann KH, Karsak M, Zimmer A (2008) Beta-caryophyllene is a dietary cannabinoid. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105(26):9099–104

[3] Gertsch J (2008) Anti-inflammatory cannabinoids in diet: Towards a better understanding of CB(2) receptor action? Commun Integr Biol 1(1):26–8.

[4] Schuhly W., Viveros Paredes J M, Kleyer J, Huefner A, Anavi-Goffer S, Raduner S, Altmann KH, Gertsch, J. (2011) Mechanisms of Osteoclastogenesis Inhibition by a Novel Class of Biphenyl-type Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Inverse Agonists. Chem Biol in press