Ibrahim M. S. Eldeen
Institute of Marine Biotechnology, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Mangroves are highly productive ecosystem with various important economic and environmental functions. Mangroves are the key elements in marine environment, they diverse metabolites to adapt with the requirement of their challenging ecosystem. This make them an interesting source for natural bioactive metabolites.
Inflammation is a complex disorder which involve biosynthesis of certain type of prostaglandins that are responsible for the sensation of pain.
The primary enzyme responsible for prostaglandin synthesis is cylooxygenase (COX) which occurs in two isoform cyclooxygenase-1, 2. Inhibition of prostaglandin produced by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a target. However, some of the developed selective COX-2 drugs showed serious side effects on clinial trials.
Recent evidence support the search for antiinflammatory agents from natural origin based on dual inhibitors of COX and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX), an enzyme in leukotriene biosynthesis. leukotrienes was suspected to play a role in Gastrointestinal toxicity observed with some of the previously approved drugs.
In this study, we investigated COX and LOX, and AchE inhibitory effects of some Malaysian mangrove plants based on their ethnobotanical uses for the traditional treatment of inflammatory related ailments. Plant metabolites appeared to possess dual activities are currently unders investigation in our laboratory for their possible role in suppression of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rhumatoid arthritis.