Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease with high morbidity and mortality. The conventional therapies remain palliative and have various undesired effects. Flavonoids from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been proved to exert protective effects on COPD. This review aims to illuminate the poly-pharmacological properties of flavonoids in treating COPD based on laboratory evidences and clinical data and points out possible molecular mechanisms. Animal/laboratory studies and randomised clinical trials about administration of flavonoids from TCM for treating COPD from January 2010 to October 2020 were identified and collected, with the following terms: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic respiratory disease or inflammatory lung disease, and flavonoid or nature product or traditional Chinese medicine. Pharmacokinetic studies and external application treatment were excluded. A total of 15 flavonoid compounds were listed. Flavonoids could inhibit inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular senescence, restore corticosteroid sensitivity, improve pulmonary histology, and boost pulmonary function through regulating multiple targets and signaling pathways, which manifest that flavonoids are a group of promising natural products for COPD. Nevertheless, most studies remain in the research phase of animal testing, and further clinical applications should be carried out.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating lung disease characterized by incomplete reversible air flow limitations that often develop progressively [1]
It was clearly showed that biochanin A could inhibit the number of total inflammatory cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and levels of cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of the mice [36]
Flavonoids are the most diverse phenolic compounds and are broadly available in Chinese herb medicines, and COPD treatments with such natural compounds can be considered as a kind of promising alternatives
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating lung disease characterized by incomplete reversible air flow limitations that often develop progressively [1]. Smoking is the major identified risk factor for COPD, onethird of worldwide patients are nonsmokers [2]. Exposure to smoke from burning of biomass fuel and high levels of air pollution are major environmental risk factors for COPD in many places around the globe [3]. An increasing number of studies have shown that flavonoids from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have certain protective effect on COPD [11,12,13]. This review aims to illuminate the pharmacologic actions and underlying mechanisms of TCM-derived flavonoids on COPD, based on experimental evidences as well as clinical data to lay the basis for subsequent research studies and developments of anti-COPD medications
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