Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITIES OF HALOGENATED CHALCONES

Anila Kumar, T. P. Rajmohan and K. Ragavan

ABSTRACT

Inflammation is one of the most important mechanisms of host defense as it marshals the attack on the injurious agent and leads to repair of the affected tissue. The four cardinal signs of inflammation are rubor (Redness) tumor (swelling), calor (heat) and dolor (pain). Inflammatory reactions underlie common chronic diseases, such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Lung fibrosis, many other autoimmune diseases like Ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, Grave’s disease, Fibromyalgia. The Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as reactive nitrogen species (RNS) that result from the cellular redox process, at high concentrations they generate oxidative stress, deleterious process that can damage all cell structure. Antioxidants are the first line of defense against free radical damage, and are critical for maintaining optimum health. In both extrinsic pathway, and intrinsic pathway inflammatory conditions facilitate cancer development. Thus, Cancer Related Inflammation (CRI) is a key component of tumors and may represent the seventh hallmark of cancer. Chalcones (trans-1, 3-diaryl-2-propen-1-ones), a biosynthetic product of the shikimate pathway, and their derivatives are polyphenolic compounds of the flavonoid family. Chemically they consist of open-chain flavonoids in which two aromatic rings are joined by a three carbon alpha and beta unsaturated carbonyl system. Many naturally occurring chalcones are poly hydroxylated in the aryl rings. Changes in their structure have offered a high degree of diversity that has proven useful for the development of new medicinal agents having improved potency and lesser toxicity and good pharmacological actions.

Keywords: Antioxidants, Chalcones, Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, Brine shrimp lethality.