Since the dawn of man, inflammation has been known to humanity, as it is marked by pain. Inflammation processes are related to serious chronic diseases with irreversible damage to the organism, being crucial for the development of anti-inflammatory agents. Among the existing anti-inflammatory drugs, non-steroidal and glucocorticoids are commonly used; however, these compounds have been described as responsible for the increased risk of upper gastrointestinal complications and many other side effects. Therefore, it is not shocking that ethnobotany leads most modern studies on the discovery of anti-inflammatory agents obtained from natural matrices. Extracts from plants and isolated substances have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in a set of in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory models. This review describes inflammation processes with an emphasis on the most common related diseases, while also describing the most promising natural anti-inflammatory agents, by reporting on their obtention processes, mechanisms of action, and applications.
