Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Biomarkers and Treatments: A Comprehensive Quest

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a life-threatening lung disease which causes airway obstruction in humans. This inflammatory disease produces multiple inflammatory mediators at different stages of the disease and also plays a key role in COPD pathogenesis. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classifies COPD at four different stages. For each stage, prescriptions will vary and the treatment relies upon the patient's health condition. This review focuses on the targets and treatments available for COPD and investigates the antagonistic impacts of the medications utilized by COPD patients. Also, this review covers areas such as etiological agents available for COPD, therapeutic targets accessible for COPD, emerging biomarkers for COPD, presently accessible medications and its adverse effects. Ayurvedic treatment regimens and some of the phytocompounds produced from natural sources exhibiting anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were also summarized. Ayurvedic treatments and phytocompounds from natural sources might also act as promising medication contender for COPD in future.