Abstract

Inflammation is associated with the development and progression of various disorders including atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and cancer. Sesamin, a fat-soluble lignan derived from Sesamum indicum seeds and oil, has received increased attention due to its wide array of pharmacological properties including its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory potential. To date, no review has been conducted to summarize or analyze the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory roles of sesamin. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of experimental findings that were reported with regards to the ability of sesamin to modulate inflammation, cellular and humoral adaptive immune responses and Th1/Th2 paradigm. The potential influence of sesamin on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells against cancer cells is also highlighted. The molecular mechanisms and the signal transduction pathways underlying such effects are underscored. The metabolism, pharmacokinetics, absorption, tissue distribution and bioavailability of sesamin in different species, including humans, are reviewed. Moreover, we propose future preclinical and clinical investigations to further validate the potential preventive and/or therapeutic efficacy of sesamin against various immune-related and inflammatory conditions. We anticipate that sesamin may be employed in future therapeutic regimens to enhance the efficacy of treatment and dampen the adverse effects of synthetic chemical drugs currently used to alleviate immune-related and inflammatory conditions.

摘要

炎症与包括动脉粥样硬化，糖尿病和癌症在内的各种疾病的发生和发展有关。芝麻素，衍生自一种脂溶性木脂素芝麻种子和油脂由于其广泛的药理特性（包括其免疫调节和抗炎潜力）而受到越来越多的关注。迄今为止，尚未进行综述或分析芝麻素的免疫调节和抗炎作用。本文中，我们提供了有关芝麻素调节炎症，细胞和体液适应性免疫应答以及Th1 / Th2范式的能力的实验发现的全面综述。还强调了芝麻素对NK细胞对癌细胞的细胞毒活性的潜在影响。强调了这种作用的分子机制和信号转导途径。芝麻素在不同物种中的代谢，药代动力学，吸收，组织分布和生物利用度，包括人类在内。此外，我们提出了未来的临床前和临床研究，以进一步验证芝麻素对各种免疫相关和炎性疾病的潜在预防和/或治疗功效。我们预计芝麻素可能会在未来的治疗方案中使用，以增强治疗效果并减轻目前用于缓解免疫相关性和炎症性疾病的合成化学药物的不良影响。