Actions and mechanisms of natural products
Chronic inflammation is at the heart of many diseases, including metabolic disorders, liver pathologies, and cancer. In this context, we investigate the molecular mechanism and targets of natural products and phytopharmaceuticals, with particular focus on lipid metabolism and lipid signaling. Promising candidates are pharmacologically characterized, further developed and forwarded to pre-clinical studies in collaboration with laboratories experienced in phytoextraction, organic chemistry, bioinformatics, pharmaceutical technology, and animal physiology. We are particularly interested in polypharmacological agents that favorably modulate lipid (mediator) profiles.
Team: Felix Benscheidt, Julia Grander, Ehsan Bonyadirad, Konstantin Neukirch, Zhigang Rao, Lorenz Waltl
Subprojects
- Molecular pharmacological characterization of natural products, plant extracts and phytopharmaceuticals to target inflammation, protect against xenobiotic-induced tissue injury and counteract drug resistance
- Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of natural products at the interface of inflammation, cancer and lipid signaling
- Identification and development of small molecules targeting lipid mediator biosynthesis, with focus on microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase, as safe alternative to NSAIDs
