JiuLing Deng,1,* Jing Liu,1,* WanSheng Chen,2,3,* Qing Liang,1 YuQiong He,2,3 GuangChun Sun1 

1Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: GuangChun Sun, Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21 24289464, Email sunguangchun@5thhospital.com YuQiong He, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21 81886182, Email yuqionghe1993@163.com

Abstract: With ever-increasing intensive studies of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), significant progresses have been made. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)/unfolded protein reaction (UPR) is associated with the development and progression of IPF, and targeting ERS/UPR may be beneficial in the treatment of IPF. Natural product is a tremendous source of new drug discovery, and accumulating studies have reported that many natural products show potential therapeutic effects for IPF via modulating one or more branches of the ERS signaling pathway. Therefore, this review focuses on critical roles of ERS in IPF development, and summarizes herbal preparations and bioactive compounds which protect against IPF through regulating ERS.

Keywords: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, natural products, mechanisms