RESUMO
Obesity has emerged among the major worldwide health threats. This pathology is characterized by the presence of a chronic inflammatory state in the overgrowing adipose tissue. This state has been related with an increased monocyte infiltration, and consequently with an establishment of an adipocyte-macrophage interaction, which in turn has been linked with the onset of obesity-related insulin resistance. Consequently, reducing this pathogenic crosstalk could comprise an interesting approach to counteract this inflammation. In this context, the screening of natural compounds with known anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties over this crosstalk could be of highly significance. Popular culture and some investigations have point out that foods richs in polyphenols and essential fatty acids are known to possess these characteristics. It has been described that isolated bioactive compounds presents promising beneficial properties against the expression or secretion of inflammatory markers that are induced by the adipocyte-macrophage communication. Therefore, the proper evaluation of these compounds or the identification of new ones with potential characteristics is actually needed in aiming to reduce the increasing tendency of obesity-related pathologies, such as type 2 diabetes...