Structure-based discovery of natural-product-like TNF-α inhibitors.

Small but effective: two natural-product-like inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α; represented in green in the picture) have been identified using structure-based virtual screening. These compounds represent only the third and fourth examples of direct targeting of TNF-α by a small molecule, and display potency comparable to that of the strongest TNF-α inhibitor reported to date.