15-LO Inhibitors

15-LO inhibitors represent a diverse group of chemical compounds that primarily target the 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) enzyme, interfering with its biochemical functions. The primary role of 15-LO is to oxidize polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid, to produce various bioactive lipid mediators. These lipid mediators are often implicated in a range of physiological and pathophysiological processes like inflammation, immune responses, and cell differentiation. Compounds that serve as 15-LO inhibitors may act through various mechanisms, such as by directly binding to the enzyme's active site, competing with the substrate, or downregulating the expression of the enzyme at the mRNA level. These compounds often exhibit their inhibitory effects by diminishing the enzymes ability to form its typical end products, such as 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE).The chemical diversity among 15-LO inhibitors is substantial, encompassing flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol, polyphenols like resveratrol and curcumin, and synthetic compounds like zileuton. These molecules may be found in various sources, including plants, fungi, and synthetic pathways. Despite their varied origins, they generally share the common feature of mitigating 15-LO's enzymatic activity to some extent. Factors like chemical structure, functional groups, and other physicochemical properties can influence the affinity and effectiveness of these inhibitors towards 15-LO. Studies often use techniques like enzymatic assays, molecular docking, and gene expression analysis to understand the mechanisms through which these compounds exert their inhibitory effects on 15-LO.