Chemistry and biology of anti-inflammatory marine natural products. Phospholipase A(2) inhibitors

The chemical and biological properties of anti-inflammatory marine natural products whose mechanism of action involves inhibition of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) an enzyme of key importance in the biosynthesis of proinflammatory chemical signals and mediators, has been reviewed. Remarkably, most marine natural products display a selective inhibition profile against secretory PLA(2) enzymes, with little or null ability to interfere with cytosolic PLA(2)-Variabilin, a marine furano-terpene, appears to be a notable exception, endowed with a distinctive dual inhibitor profile towards both secretory and cytosolic PLA(2) proteins.