Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway: An insight into Inflammatory
Diseases Treatment with Chinese Herbal Medicine
Abstract
Given the significant role of inflammation during various diseases, the
anti-inflammatory mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine through the
cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) is being developed from
basic research to clinical application in inflammatory diseases. CAP is
a neuro-immunomodulatory pathway that exerts a more rapid and efficient
response to systemic inflammatory responses, providing new directions
for the research and treatment of inflammatory diseases. Chinese herbal
medicine prescriptions, single herb, extracts, and components exhibited
significant anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects through CAP
for the treatment of sepsis, acute lung injury, COVID-19, Alzheimer’s
disease, etc. The present article comprehensively and systematically
reviewed the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of CAP. Simultaneously, its
related pathways such as JAK2/STAT3 and NF-κB were listed. The role of
CAP in various inflammatory diseases and Chinese herbal medicine
mechanism through CAP was also summarized. The purpose of this article
looks forward to providing new targets and perspective for treatment of
inflammatory diseases.