Traditional Chinese Medicines With Anti-inflammatory Functions and Their Inhibitory Effects on Fatty Acid Synthase

As the prevalence of obesity and related diseases continues to rise, obesity accompanied chronic inflammation becomes a non-neglect public health problem. Innovative treatment options and strategies for obesity-related chronic inflammation are urgently needed. Fatty acid synthase(FAS) is a multiple enzyme complex which has been recognized as a potential therapeutic target for obesity, inflammation, diabetes, non-alcohol fatty liver disease(NAFLD), and cancer. Research on FAS inhibitors has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Several key inflammatory markers have been consistently associated with obesity, which suggests that a persistent inflammatory response is a potentially modifiable risk factor. In China, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been applied clinically to treat inflammation. Among them there are several TCMs with strong inhibitory effect on FAS. This brief review aims at summarizing literatures concerning the recognized role of FAS as a biomarker and therapeutic target in obesity and related inflammation as well as providing evidence to support the anti-inflammation potential of TCMs with FAS inhibitory activities. FAS has emerged as a crucial target in anti-obesity therapies, and FAS inhibition might contribute to the treatment of inflammation.