Phenolic compounds: Natural alternative in inflammation treatment. A Review

Inflammation is a biological defense mechanism caused by the interruption of the tissue homeostasis caused by the presence of a biological, chemical, or physical agents in the body; immune system produces a series of pro-inflammatory mediators, however their overproduction, as occurs in chronic inflammation, might lead to the occurrence of several chronic diseases. For this reason, slowing down the inflammation process becomes very important, and with this purpose non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are generally used with the subsequent occurrence of adverse side effects. As an alternative in inflammation treatment, folklore medicine has used several plants and herbs with minimal or null side effects, with the phenolic compounds being one of their principal components. Phenolic compounds are able to inhibit either the production or the action of pro-inflammatory mediators, resulting in anti-inflammatory capacity.