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ACS Omega Feb 2024: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is among the major causes of dementia in the elderly and exerts tremendous clinical, psychological and socio-economic constraints. Currently,... (Review)
Review
: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is among the major causes of dementia in the elderly and exerts tremendous clinical, psychological and socio-economic constraints. Currently, there are no effective disease-modifying/retarding anti-AD agents. Emodin is a bioactive phytochemical with potent multimodal anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifibrillogenic properties. In particular, emodin may result in significant repression of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD. The purpose of this review is to accumulate and summarize all the primary research data evaluating the therapeutic actions of emodin in AD pathogenesis. : The search, selection, and retrieval of pertinent primary research articles were systematically performed using a methodically designed approach. A variety of keyword combinations were employed on online scholarly web-databases. Strict preset inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to select the retrieved studies. Data from the individual studies were summarized and compiled into different sections, based upon their findings. : Cellular and animal research indicates that emodin exerts robust multimodal neuroprotection in AD. While emodin effectively prevents tau and amyloid-beta (Aβ) oligomerization, it also mitigates their neurotoxicity by attenuating neuroinflammatory, oxidative, and bioenergetic defects. Evidences for emodin-mediated enhancements in memory, learning, and cognition were also found in the literature. : Emodin is a potential anti-AD dietary supplement; however, further studies are warrantied to thoroughly understand its target players and mechanisms. Moreover, human clinical data on emodin-mediated amelioration of AD phenotype is largely lacking, and must be addressed in the future. Lastly, the safety of exogenously supplemented emodin must be thoroughly evaluated.
PubMed: 38405501
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07178 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... 2024The most commonly used vesicular systems in the food industry include liposomes, niosomes, phytosomes, or transfersomes. This review focuses on showing how... (Review)
Review
The most commonly used vesicular systems in the food industry include liposomes, niosomes, phytosomes, or transfersomes. This review focuses on showing how nano-vesicular carriers (NVCs) amend the properties of bioactive compounds (bioactives), making them suitable for food applications, especially functional foods. In this research, we elaborate on the question of whether bioactive-loaded NVCs affect various food aspects such as their antioxidant capacity, or sensory properties. This review also shows how NVCs improve the long-term release profile of bioactives during storage and at different pH values. Besides, the refinement of digestibility and bioaccessibility of diverse bioactives through NVCs in the gastrointestinal tract is elucidated. NVCs allow for stable vesicle formation (e.g. from anthocyanins) which reduces their cytotoxicity and proliferation of cancer cells, prolongs the release bioactives (e.g. -limonene) with no critical burst, reduces the biofilm formation capacity of both Gram-positive/negative strains and their biofilm gene expression is down-regulated (in the case of tannic acid), low oxidation (e.g. iron) is endured when exposed to simulated gastric fluid, and unpleasant smell and taste are masked (in case of omega-3 fatty acids). After the incorporation of bioactive-loaded NVCs into food products, their antioxidant capacity is enhanced, maintaining high encapsulation efficiency and enduring pasteurization conditions, and they are not distinguished from control samples in sensory evaluation despite the reverse situation about free bioactives.
Topics: Humans; Antioxidants; Phytochemicals; Functional Food; Nanoparticles; Liposomes; Drug Carriers; Anthocyanins; Biological Availability
PubMed: 36519525
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2156474 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024A robust, well-functioning immune system is the cornerstone of good health. Various factors may influence the immune system's effectiveness, potentially leading to... (Review)
Review
A robust, well-functioning immune system is the cornerstone of good health. Various factors may influence the immune system's effectiveness, potentially leading to immune system failure. This review aims to provide an overview of the structure and action of immunomodulators isolated from African medicinal plants. The research was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Full-text access research articles published in English up to December 2023, including plant characteristics, isolated phytochemicals, and immuno-modulatory activities, were screened. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were generated using ChemDraw (version 12.0.1076), and convergent and distinctive signaling pathways were highlighted. These phytochemicals with demonstrated immunostimulatory activity include alkaloids (berberine, piperine, magnoflorine), polysaccharides (pectin, glucan, acemannan, CALB-4, GMP90-1), glycosides (syringin, cordifolioside, tinocordiside, aucubin), phenolic compounds (ferulic acid, vanillic acid, eupalitin), flavonoids (curcumin, centaurein, kaempferin, luteolin, guajaverin, etc.), terpenoids (oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, boswellic acids, corosolic acid, nimbidin, andrographolides). These discussed compounds exert their effects through various mechanisms, targeting the modulation of MAPKs, PI3K-Akt, and NF-kB. These mechanisms can support the traditional use of medicinal plants to treat immune-related diseases. The outcomes of this overview are to provoke structural action optimization, to orient research on particular natural chemicals for managing inflammatory, infectious diseases and cancers, or to boost vaccine immunogenicity.
Topics: Plants, Medicinal; Phytochemicals; Humans; Plant Extracts; Immunomodulating Agents; Immunologic Factors; Africa; Animals
PubMed: 38731500
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092010 -
Journal of Integrative Medicine Mar 2024The field of personalized medicine has gained increasing attention in cancer care, with the aim of tailoring treatment strategies to individual patients for improved... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The field of personalized medicine has gained increasing attention in cancer care, with the aim of tailoring treatment strategies to individual patients for improved outcomes. Herbal medicine, with its long-standing historical use and extensive bioactive compounds, offers a rich source of potential treatments for various diseases, including cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the current knowledge and evidence associated with incorporating herbal compounds into precision medicine strategies for cancer diseases. Additionally, to explore the general characteristics of the studies included in the analysis, focusing on their key features and trends.
SEARCH STRATEGY
A comprehensive literature search was conducted from multiple online databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL-EBSCO. The search strategy was designed to identify studies related to personalized cancer medicine and herbal interventions.
INCLUSION CRITERIA
Publications pertaining to cancer research conducted through in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, employing natural products were included in this review.
DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently applied inclusion and inclusion criteria, data extraction, and assessments of methodological quality. The quality assessment and biases of the studies were evaluated based on modified Jadad scales. A detailed quantitative summary of the included studies is presented, providing a comprehensive description of their key features and findings.
RESULTS
A total of 121 studies were included in this review for analysis. Some of them were considered as comprehensive experimental investigations both in vitro and in vivo. The majority (n = 85) of the studies included in this review were conducted in vitro, with 44 of them specifically investigating the effects of herbal medicine on animal models. Additionally, 7 articles with a combined sample size of 31,271 patients, examined the impact of herbal medicine in clinical settings.
CONCLUSION
Personalized medication can optimize the use of herbal medicine in cancer treatment by considering individual patient factors such as genetics, medical history, and other treatments. Additionally, active phytochemicals found in herbs have shown potential for inhibiting cancer cell growth and inducing apoptosis, making them a promising area of research in preclinical and clinical investigations. Please cite this article as: Tayeb BA, Kusuma IY, Osman AAM, Minorics R. Herbal compounds as promising therapeutic agents in precision medicine strategies for cancer: A systematic review. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(2): 137-162.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Precision Medicine; Neoplasms; Plants, Medicinal; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 38462407
DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2024.02.001 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... 2024Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of adopting a healthy lifestyle and demanding food with high nutritional values. Quinoa ( Willd.) has attracted... (Review)
Review
Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of adopting a healthy lifestyle and demanding food with high nutritional values. Quinoa ( Willd.) has attracted considerable attention and is consumed worldwide in the form of a variety of whole and processed products owing to its excellent nutritional features, including richness in micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals, well-balanced amino acids composition, and gluten-free properties. Recent studies have indicated that the diverse utilization and final product quality of this pseudo-grain are closely related to the processing technologies used, which can result in variations in nutritional profiles and health benefits. This review comprehensively summarizes the nutritional properties, processing technologies, and potential health benefits of quinoa, suggesting that quinoa plays a promising role in enhancing the nutrition of processed food. In particular, the effects of different processing technologies on the nutritional profile and health benefits of quinoa are highlighted, which can provide a foundation for the updating and upgrading of the quinoa processing industry. It further discusses the present quinoa-based food products containing quinoa as partial or whole substitute for traditional grains.
Topics: Chenopodium quinoa; Nutritive Value; Food Handling; Humans; Phytochemicals; Micronutrients; Amino Acids
PubMed: 36510748
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2155796 -
Phytochemistry Jun 2024Forsythiae Fructus (FF), the dried fruit of F. suspensa, is commonly used to treat fever, inflammation, etc in China or other Asian countries. FF is usually used as the... (Review)
Review
Forsythiae Fructus (FF), the dried fruit of F. suspensa, is commonly used to treat fever, inflammation, etc in China or other Asian countries. FF is usually used as the core herb in traditional Chinese medicine preparations for the treatment of influenza, such as Shuang-huang-lian oral liquid and Yin-qiao powder, etc. Since the wide application and core role of FF, its research progress was summarized in terms of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, quality control, and toxicity. Meanwhile, the anti-influenza substances and mechanism of FF were emphasized. Till now, a total of 290 chemical components are identified in F. suspensa, and among them, 248 components were isolated and identified from FF, including 42 phenylethanoid glycosides, 48 lignans, 59 terpenoids, 14 flavonoids, 3 steroids, 24 cyclohexyl ethanol derivatives, 14 alkaloids, 26 organic acids, and 18 other types. FF and their pure compounds have the pharmacological activities of anti-virus, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, anti-bacteria, anti-tumor, neuroprotection, hepatoprotection, etc. Inhibition of TLR7, RIG-I, MAVS, NF-κB, MyD88 signaling pathway were the reported anti-influenza mechanisms of FF and phenylethanoid glycosides and lignans are the main active groups. However, the bioavailability of phenylethanoid glycosides and lignans of FF in vivo was low, which needed to be improved. Simultaneously, the un-elucidated compounds and anti-influenza substances of FF strongly needed to be explored. The current quality control of FF was only about forsythoside A and phillyrin, more active components should be taken into consideration. Moreover, there are no reports of toxicity of FF yet, but the toxicity of FF should be not neglected in clinical applications.
Topics: Forsythia; Quality Control; Humans; Fruit; Phytochemicals; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Animals; Molecular Structure
PubMed: 38641141
DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2024.114096 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Jun 2024H. pectinata (L.) Poit, popularly known as "sambacaitá" or "canudinho", is a plant endemic to north-eastern Brazil. Its aerial parts, leaves and flowers have... (Review)
Review
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
H. pectinata (L.) Poit, popularly known as "sambacaitá" or "canudinho", is a plant endemic to north-eastern Brazil. Its aerial parts, leaves and flowers have traditionally been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, rhinopharyngitis, nasal congestion, bacterial and fungal infections, fever, colic, inflammation, and pain.
AIM OF THE STUDY
The aim of this review was to provide information on the botanical characteristics, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and biological-pharmacological activities of H. pectinata.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This systematic review followed the Cochrane Handbook Collaboration and the PRISMA guidelines. The review question was what are the biological-pharmacological activities of H. pectinata presented in non-clinical studies. The search for articles was conducted in the Medline (via PubMed), Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Virtual Health Library, SciELO, Google Scholar and the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations databases. Two reviewers independently selected the studies that met the inclusion criteria, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies.
RESULTS
39 articles were included in this review, of which 19 reported in vitro experiments, 16 in vivo studies and 4 in vivo and in vitro experiments. H. pectinata is a plant widely used in folk medicine in north-eastern Brazil for the treatment of various ailments, such as respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, bacterial and fungal infections, and general inflammation. Supporting its popular use, several in vitro and in vivo pharmacological investigations of the essential oil and extract of H. pectinata have demonstrated their anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antidepressant, anticancer, hepatoregenerative, healing, and antimicrobial activities. H. pectinata has been reported to contain 75 bioactive constituents, comprising 9 flavonoids, 54 terpenes, and 12 other compounds.
CONCLUSION
H. pectinata is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine. Phytochemically, it contains several bioactive constituents, including terpenes and flavonoids, and has been shown to have antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antitumour activity, as well as hepatorregenerative and healing effects, and low toxicity.
PubMed: 38909822
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118478 -
Cinnamaldehyde as a Promising Dietary Phytochemical Against Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review.Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry 2024Metabolic syndrome (METS) is a set of unhealthy medical conditions considered essential health problems today. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is the major phytochemical present in...
BACKGROUND
Metabolic syndrome (METS) is a set of unhealthy medical conditions considered essential health problems today. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is the major phytochemical present in the essential oil of cinnamon and possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and antihyperlipidemic activities.
AIM
We aim to systematically review the effects of CA in preventing and attenuating METS components. Moreover, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of actions of CA, its pharmacokinetics features, and potential structure-activity relationship (SAR) were also surveyed.
METHODS
PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched to retrieve the relevant papers.
RESULTS
CA possesses various anti-METS activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antidyslipidemia, antiobesity, and antihypertensive properties. Various molecular mechanisms such as stimulating pancreatic insulin release, exerting an insulinotropic effect, lowering lipid peroxidation as well as pancreatic islet oxidant and inflammatory toxicity, increasing the activities of pancreatic antioxidant enzymes, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines production, regulating the molecular signaling pathways of the PPAR-γ and AMPK in preadipocytes and preventing adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis are involved in these activities.
CONCLUSIONS
CA would effectively hinder METS; however, no robust clinical data supporting these effects in humans is currently available. Accordingly, conducting clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy, safe dosage, pharmacokinetics characteristics, and possible unwanted effects of CA in humans would be of great importance.
Topics: Humans; Metabolic Syndrome; Antioxidants; Hypoglycemic Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Phytochemicals; Acrolein
PubMed: 37489782
DOI: 10.2174/1389557523666230725113446 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Feb 2024India has an extensive reservoir of traditional wisdom and a diverse range of medicinal plants that enrich its heritage. Plants have actively been used for healthcare... (Review)
Review
Ethnopharmacologically important highly subsidized Indian medicinal plants: Systematic review on their traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, conservation status and future prospective.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
India has an extensive reservoir of traditional wisdom and a diverse range of medicinal plants that enrich its heritage. Plants have actively been used for healthcare practices globally since the time immemorial. Medicinal uses of plants have been well recognized in India, evident from plant species documented in different traditional medicinal systems such as Ayurveda (1400-1800 species), Siddha (500-900 species), Unani (400-700 species), Homeopathy (about 372 species), and Sowa-Rigpa (about 250 species), etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: The primary purpose of this review is to provide systematic updated information on thirteen medicinal plants prioritized by the Indian government (providing75 % subsidy on cultivation cost) based on the availability and market demand of these plants. Updated information regarding the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, and conservation status of these plants will help in understanding their pharmacological and commercial importance. This will also help in developing new strategies for their conservation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Online databases such as SciFinder, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Google Scholar were used to collect the electronically available literature on targeted thirteen plants. Also, different Indian government official websites such as AYUSH (https://www.ayush.gov.in); NMPB (National Medicinal Plants Board) (https://nmpb.nic.in); e.charak (https://echarak.in) were used for collecting information related to the amount of subsidy, trade and price related information of these plants.
RESULTS
To promote medicinal plant cultivation, the Indian government provides subsidies for cultivating some traditionally important medicinal plants. These plants are divided into three categories according to the subsidy provided to farmers, i.e., 30%, 50%, and 75% of the cost of cultivation. Thirteen medicinal plants which are provided 75% subsidy are Aconitum ferox Wall., Aconitum heterophyllum Wall., Aquilaria agallocha Roxb., Berberis aristata DC., Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC., Oroxylum indicum (L.) Benth. ex Kurz, Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth., Podophyllum hexandrum Royle, Pterocarpus santalinus L.f., Santalum Album L., Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch., and Swertia chirayita (Roxb.) H.Karst. The literature survey reveals the enormous traditional medicinal importance, wide geographical distribution, diverse range of natural products, and broad spectrum of pharmacological activities of these plants.
CONCLUSION
A comprehensive literature survey revealed that although remarkable progress has been made in isolation, bioactivity evaluation, quality assessment, and conservation, there is still a lot of scope for further scientific interventions. Scientific validation of traditionally claimed medicinal potential is lacking for various bioactivities. Some of the bioactivities are performed just on extracts/fractions, so there is a need for proper phytochemical studies to identify active constituents responsible for the specific bioactivity. Further, quality assessment methods using both targeted and non-targeted tools are required to evaluate the quality of these highly-priced medicinal plants and their adulterants. Ultimately, to encourage the cultivation of these endangered medicinal plant species, it is imperative to implement proper legislation and employ in-situ and ex-situ conservation tools.
Topics: Plants, Medicinal; Ethnopharmacology; Medicine, Traditional; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Phytochemicals; Quality Control
PubMed: 37951375
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117385 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series A,... Apr 2024Red blood cells (RBCs) have emerged as biomarkers of the aging process as they undergo several changes in human aging and age-related diseases. The objectives of our...
Red blood cells (RBCs) have emerged as biomarkers of the aging process as they undergo several changes in human aging and age-related diseases. The objectives of our study are to explore the effect of human aging on RBC indices, the strengths, therapeutic interventions, challenges, and future directions for using RBCs as a biomarker. Two online databases, PubMed and ScienceDirect, were used to search relevant studies using "RBCs as biomarkers of human aging," "red blood cells [MeSH Terms] AND biomarkers [MeSH Terms] AND human aging [MeSH Terms]," and "erythrocytes and human aging" as keywords. A total of 474 studies were identified, and after the removal of duplicates, excluding studies based on title, abstract, or full text, 74 studies and 48 additional studies found through cross-referencing were included in this systematic review. Based on the evidence, we concluded that RBC indices such as hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, RBC distribution width, RBC membrane, oxidative stress, and metabolism change with human aging. Several studies have applied therapeutic interventions to RBCs, including dietary supplementation, phytochemicals, nanoparticles, and physical activity, to mitigate aging and related outcomes. Hence, the quality of life for older people and healthy aging can be improved by further investigating the RBC parameters, molecular mechanisms, and their implications for age-related health consequences.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Quality of Life; Erythrocytes; Aging; Erythrocyte Indices; Biomarkers
PubMed: 38190437
DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae004