Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Protocol for the Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Mixed Cultures of Neurons and Glia for Neurotoxicity Testing
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Protocol for the Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Mixed Cultures of Neurons and Glia for Neurotoxicity Testing

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Naturally-derived modulators of the Nrf2 pathway and their roles in the intervention of diseases

Tian Wang1, Mingjie Liu1, Xinyu Li1

  • 1Key Lab of Chemical Biology (MOE), Shandong Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Standard, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China.

Free Radical Biology & Medicine
|October 5, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Persistent oxidative stress drives chronic diseases. This review details the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, its activators, and natural compounds modulating Nrf2 for disease prevention and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Persistent oxidative stress is a key factor in numerous chronic diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, and pulmonary conditions.
  • Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a critical regulator of cellular responses to oxidative stress and inflammation.
  • Natural products represent a valuable source for identifying novel therapeutic agents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of the Nrf2 pathway.
  • To examine Nrf2 activators that have progressed to clinical trials.
  • To highlight naturally-derived Nrf2 modulators discovered since 2014 and their therapeutic potential in chronic diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of scientific databases.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data for Nrf2 activators.
  • Systematic evaluation of naturally-derived Nrf2 modulators and their reported effects.

Main Results:

  • The Nrf2 pathway is a significant target for mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation.
  • Several Nrf2 activators are under investigation in clinical trials for various diseases.
  • Numerous natural compounds have demonstrated Nrf2-modulating activity, offering potential therapeutic benefits.

Conclusions:

  • The Nrf2 pathway is a promising therapeutic target for a wide range of chronic diseases.
  • Natural products offer a rich resource for developing novel Nrf2-targeting drugs.
  • Further research into naturally-derived Nrf2 modulators could lead to new preventative and treatment strategies.
Keywords:
Anti-inflammatoryAntioxidantChronic diseaseNrf2Nrf2 modulators

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