Annual advances of integrative pharmacology in 2021

This annual integrative pharmacology review encompasses researches focused on the pharmacological mechanisms of traditional medicines and active herbal-derived ingredients during 2021. Representative studies cover the significant developments in the fields of natural products pharmacology against cancers, inflammation, infection, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases over the previous 12 months. Traditional medicines or natural compounds present an ongoing and crucial role in various aspects of diseases prevention or management, especially in the regulating of programmed cell death such as pyroptosis and ferroptosis, thereby providing new insight into disease progression and management. In current study, we highlight chemical compounds from natural products that act as inducers or inhibitors of pyroptosis or ferroptosis in the prevention or treatment of various cancers. These pharmacological reports in 2021 collectively show several therapeutic targets and promising candidates from traditional medicines for human diseases.