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Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical... 2017Conventionally, the juice and extract of leaves have been used for the treatment of diabetes, wound healing, dog bite, and as a poultice in rheumatism. To carry out the...
Conventionally, the juice and extract of leaves have been used for the treatment of diabetes, wound healing, dog bite, and as a poultice in rheumatism. To carry out the sub-chronic toxicity and thereafter safety evaluation of leaves. The aqueous extract of leaves was administered orally at the doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day for 90 days. All the animals were observed daily for general behavior, changes in body weight, food, and water consumption. At the end of the treatment period, biochemical and hematological parameters were analyzed; and the animals were sacrificed for histopathological examination of heart, lungs, liver, and kidney. The general behavior and water intake were normal in all the rats. The increase in body weight was observed in female rats of all the groups while body weight was decreased in high dose group animals of both sexes. Hematological parameters were not disturbed by the continuous use of extract. A significant decrease in glucose level was observed in intermediate- and high-dose group animals while urea and creatinine level were significantly high in animals of high-dose group. Although histopathological examination of most of the organs exhibited no structural changes, some tubal damage in kidneys was observed in high-dose group animals. The high dose of extract has shown mild signs of toxicity on kidney function test, but no toxic response was observed on hematological and liver biochemical parameters. The extract also exhibited hypoglycemic potential.
PubMed: 28795025
DOI: 10.4103/japtr.JAPTR_69_17 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Jul 2017The leaves of Sambucus ebulus L. (Adoxaceae) are widely used in Turkish folk medicine particularly against inflammatory disorders. The fresh leaves after wilted over...
Sambulin A and B, non-glycosidic iridoids from Sambucus ebulus, exert significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages via inhibition of MAPKs's phosphorylation.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
The leaves of Sambucus ebulus L. (Adoxaceae) are widely used in Turkish folk medicine particularly against inflammatory disorders. The fresh leaves after wilted over fire or the poultices prepared are directly applied externally to heal burns, edema, eczema, urticarial and abscess. Two iridoids were recently isolated (sambulin A, sambulin B) from the leaves of S. ebulus.
AIM OF THE STUDY
This study aims to investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of these iridoids on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Raw 264.7 macrophages were treated with 12.5, 25 and 50µg/ml Sambulin A and 6.25, 12.5 and 25µg/ml Sambulin B and induced with 1µg/ml lipopolysaccaharides (LPS). Effect of the compounds on nitric oxide (NO) production and cytokines (TNFα, IL-6) were determined by Griess and ELISA assays respectively. iNOS and the phosphorylation levels of MAPKs (ERK, JNK) were examined by Western Blot.
RESULTS
Sambulin A and sambulin B inhibited 52.82% and 72.88% of NO production at 50 and 25µg/ml concentrations respectively. The levels of iNOS were significantly decreased by both molecules, sambulin B at 25µg/ml almost completely decreased iNOS levels (97.53%). Both molecules significantly inhibited TNFα productions. However, only sambulin B inhibited IL-6 production. Consequently, it was shown that sambulin B exerted its effect through the inhibition of ERK and JNK phosphorylations.
CONCLUSION
The prominent bioactivities exerted by two iridoids will contribute to explanation of the usage of S. ebulus in traditional medicine against rheumatoid diseases.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Cell Line; Cytokines; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Inflammation Mediators; Iridoids; Lipopolysaccharides; Macrophages; Mice; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Phosphorylation; Plant Leaves; Sambucus
PubMed: 28606808
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.06.002 -
Infectious Diseases of Poverty May 2017A 29-year-old farmer from central China was sent into the Emergency Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. He had a 15-day history of persistent...
A 29-year-old farmer from central China was sent into the Emergency Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. He had a 15-day history of persistent high fever, abdominal distention and pain. The patient was clinically diagnosed as appendicitis and peritonitis, and treated with antibiotics in a local hospital, did not improve. On exploratory laparotomy, the appendicular perforation and peritonitis were seen; appendicectomy were performed, and antibiotics were given. However, high fever and abdominal pain still persisted; intestinal adhesion and obstruction, ascites appeared. He was given the "critically ill notice". He had eosinophilia (12.95%) and the history of eating live frog tadpoles for treating his cutaneous pruritus 3 days before onset of the disease. Serum anti-sparganum antibodies assayed by ELISA were positive. This patient has hospitalized for one and half months and spend more than US$ 12 000. This patient was primarily diagnosed as visceral sparganosis, and cured with praziquantel.Sparganosis is one neglected but important parasitic zoonosis of poverty. Human infections were mainly acquired by eating raw or uncooked meat of frogs and snakes infected with plerocercoids, using frog or snake flesh as poultices, or drinking raw water contaminated with infected copepods. However, sparganosis caused by ingestion of live tadpoles are emerging in central China. Our surveys showed that 11.93% of tadpoles in Henan province are infected with plerocercoids. Eating live tadpoles is a high risk for sparganum infection. The comprehensive public health education should be carried out for people in endemic areas and the bad habit of eating live tadpoles must be discouraged.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Anticestodal Agents; Diagnosis, Differential; Eosinophilia; Humans; Larva; Male; Praziquantel; Sparganosis
PubMed: 28468685
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-017-0265-7 -
Medical Anthropology 2017Images function as sources of data and influence our thinking about fieldwork, representation, and intersubjectivity. In this article, I show how both the ethnographic...
Images function as sources of data and influence our thinking about fieldwork, representation, and intersubjectivity. In this article, I show how both the ethnographic relationships and the working method of photography lead to a more nuanced understanding of a healing event. I systematically analyze 33 photographs made over a 15-minute period during the preparation and application of a poultice (topical cure) in a rural Andean home. The images chronicle the event, revealing my initial reaction and the decisions I made when tripping the shutter. By unpacking the relationship between ethnographer and subject, I reveal the constant negotiation of positions, assumptions, and expectations that make up intersubjectivity. For transparency, I provide thumbnails of all images, including metadata, so that readers may consider alternative interpretations of the images and event.
Topics: Anthropology, Medical; Bolivia; Humans; Medicine, Traditional; Photography; Rural Population
PubMed: 28426245
DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2017.1315572 -
PloS One 2017This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in Toli Peer National Park of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Being a remote area, there...
Descriptive study of plant resources in the context of the ethnomedicinal relevance of indigenous flora: A case study from Toli Peer National Park, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
BACKGROUND
This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in Toli Peer National Park of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Being a remote area, there is a strong dependence by local people on ethnobotanical practices. Thus, we attempted to record the folk uses of the native plants of the area with a view to acknowledging and documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge. The aims of the study were to compile an inventory of the medicinal plants in the study area and to record the methods by which herbal drugs were prepared and administered.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Information on the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants was collected from 64 local inhabitants and herbalists using open ended and semi-structured questionnaires over the period Aug 2013-Jul 2014. The data were recorded into a synoptic table comprising an ethnobotanical inventory of plants, the parts used, therapeutic indications and modes of application or administration. Different ethnobotanical indices i.e. relative frequencies of citation (RFC), relative importance (RI), use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (Fic), were calculated for each of the recorded medicinal plants. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 16 to check the level of association between use value and relative frequency of citation.
RESULTS
A total of 121 species of medicinal plants belonging to 57 families and 98 genera were recorded. The study area was dominated by herbaceous species (48%) with leaves (41%) as the most exploited plant part. The Lamiaceae and Rosaceae (9% each) were the dominant families in the study area. Among different methods of preparation, the most frequently used method was decoction (26 species) of different plant parts followed by use as juice and powder (24 species each), paste (22 species), chewing (16 species), extract (11 species), infusion (10 species) and poultice (8 species). The maximum Informant consensus factor (Fic) value was for gastro-intestinal, parasitic and hepatobiliary complaints (0.90). Berberis lycium Ajuga bracteosa, Prunella vulgaris, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Desmodium polycarpum, Pinus roxburgii, Albizia lebbeck, Cedrella serrata, Rosa brunonii, Punica granatum, Jasminum mesnyi and Zanthoxylum armatum were the most valuable plants with the highest UV, RFC and relative importance values. The Pearson correlation coefficient between UV and RFC (0.881) reflects a significant positive correlation between the use value and relative frequency of citation. The coefficient of determination indicated that 77% of the variability in UV could be explained in terms of RFC.
CONCLUSION
Systematic documentation of the medicinal plants in the Toli Peer National Park shows that the area is rich in plants with ethnomedicinal value and that the inhabitants of the area have significant knowledge about the use of such plants with herbal drugs commonly used to cure infirmities. The results of this study indicate that carrying out subsequent pharmacological and phytochemical investigations in this part of Pakistan could lead to new drug discoveries.
Topics: Ecosystem; Ethnobotany; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Lamiaceae; Medicine, Traditional; Pakistan; Parks, Recreational; Phytotherapy; Plant Leaves; Plant Preparations; Plants, Medicinal; Rosaceae; Species Specificity; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 28192466
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171896 -
Forensic Sciences Research 2017Intramedullary schwannoma of the upper cervical spinal cord is rarely reported in forensic medicine. We herein report a case involving a patient who died of compression...
Intramedullary schwannoma of the upper cervical spinal cord is rarely reported in forensic medicine. We herein report a case involving a patient who died of compression from an intramedullary schwannoma in the upper cervical spinal cord. A 30-year-old man initially presented with a five-day history of pain in the left chest that progressed to weakening in the left arm. Although the patient was treated with analgesic poultices, he developed inspiratory dyspnoea and died while working the next day without having undergone any medical imaging examination or surgical treatment. Anatomical and histopathological examinations revealed an intramedullary schwannoma in the left cervical spinal cord (C-C) underneath the spinal nerve root. The cause of death might have been asphyxia secondary to the tumour, which interfered with the nerve function in the respiratory muscles. This finding suggests that an autopsy is essential for pathologists and medicolegists to comprehensively undertake their due obligation to obtain "the first evidence", especially when there is a lack of directly related evidence. As part of the central nervous system, the spinal cord could be systematically included in a routine pathological autopsy in some cases.
PubMed: 30483619
DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2016.1265236 -
Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine 2016Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family is one of the biggest plant families on the earth. Iran has a huge diversity of Apiaceae members. This family possesses a range of... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family is one of the biggest plant families on the earth. Iran has a huge diversity of Apiaceae members. This family possesses a range of compounds that have many biological activities. The members of this family are well known as vegetables, culinary and medicinal plants. Here, we present a review of ethnobotanical uses of Apiaceae plants by the Iranian people in order to provide a comprehensive documentation for future investigations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We checked scientific studies published in books and journals in various electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar websites) from 1937 to 2015 and reviewed a total of 52 publications that provided information about different applications of these plant species in human and livestock.
RESULTS
As a result of this review, several ethnobotanical usages of 70 taxa, 17 of which were endemic, have been determined. These plants were used for medicinal and non-medicinal purposes. The most commonly used parts were fruits, leaves, aerial parts and gums. The most common methods of preparation were decoction, infusion and poultice.
CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, this paper represents a comprehensive literature search of ethnobotanical uses of Apiaceae reported from Iran. This study highlights the rich traditional knowledge of this family that has remained in Iran. However, most of this knowledge survive only as memories from the past in the minds of the elderly, and will probably vanish in a few decades. Thus, we compiled these scattered data together in a single document for the next scientific works with ethnobotanical interests.
PubMed: 28078243
DOI: No ID Found -
International Journal of... Dec 2016Buruli ulcer (BU) is a neglected tropical disease caused by a mycobacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans. The WHO recommended Rifampicin-Streptomycin combination side effects...
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
Buruli ulcer (BU) is a neglected tropical disease caused by a mycobacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans. The WHO recommended Rifampicin-Streptomycin combination side effects and poor compliance, leaves rural populations with no choice than to patronise indigenous remedies. This study is aimed at validating medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to treat BU by investigating the in vitro efficacy and safety as well as their composition in active molecules.
METHODS
A short report-based survey was used to identify medicinal plants used traditionally for BU treatment. Maceration of collected plant samples in methanol, hydroethanolic, ethanol, dichloromethane, and hexane, resulted in a total of 67 extracts assessed for antimycobacteria activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium ulcerans using the Resazurin Microtiter Assay. The cytotoxicity effect of promising extracts was assessed on normal human liver cells using the MTT assay. The bio-guided fractionation of the promising extracts led to the isolation of active compounds.
RESULTS
Majority of plants prepared as infusion, decoction, poultice, and macerate were administered topically. Significant antimycobacterial activity with MIC values ranging from 16 to 250μg/mL was recorded against M. smegmatis (25 extracts) and M. ulcerans (17 extracts). Most of antimycobacterial extracts showed no significant cytotoxicity against normal human hepatocytes. The isolation guided by the biological activity revealed nine compounds with significant in vitro anti-M. ulcerans activity (MIC=16-128μg/mL).
CONCLUSIONS
The results completed support the use these plants in the indigenous knowledge against BU. Further analyses of active principles might lead to new drug toe fight against BU.
PubMed: 28043556
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.11.025 -
BioMed Research International 2016Houttuynia cordata (HC) (Saururaceae) has been used internally and externally as a traditional medicine and as an herbal tea for healthcare in Japan. Our recent survey...
Houttuynia cordata (HC) (Saururaceae) has been used internally and externally as a traditional medicine and as an herbal tea for healthcare in Japan. Our recent survey showed that HC poultice (HCP) prepared from smothering fresh leaves of HC had been frequently used for the treatment of purulent skin diseases with high effectiveness. Our experimental study also demonstrated that ethanol extract of HCP (eHCP) has antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammatory effects against S. aureus which caused purulent skin diseases. In this study, we focused on novel effects of HCP against oral infectious diseases, such as periodontal disease and dental caries. We determined the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of water solution of HCP ethanol extract (wHCP) against important oral pathogens and investigated its cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory effects on human oral epithelial cells. wHCP had moderate antimicrobial effects against some oral microorganisms and profound antibiofilm effects against Fusobacterium nucleatum, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans. In addition, wHCP had no cytotoxic effects and could inhibit interleukin-8 and CCL20 productions by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human oral keratinocytes. Our findings suggested that wHCP may be clinically useful for preventing oral infectious diseases as a mouthwash for oral care.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Biofilms; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Dental Caries; Houttuynia; Humans; Periodontal Diseases; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 27413739
DOI: 10.1155/2016/2581876 -
Oman Medical Journal Jul 2016Studies related to ethnomedicines investigate the way people manage illness and diseases because of their cultural perspective. Fields like ecology, epidemiology, and... (Review)
Review
Studies related to ethnomedicines investigate the way people manage illness and diseases because of their cultural perspective. Fields like ecology, epidemiology, and medical history jointly contribute to the broad field of ethnomedical study. The knowledge gathered by traditional healers in the villages and tribal communities on natural medicines remains unfamiliar to the majority of scientists and the general population. The study of ethnomedicine principally involves the compilation of empirical data, particularly the patterns of illness and treatments from folklore. Due to deforestation, and urbanization of the desert jungles, many valuable medicinal plants present in the study areas appear to be facing extinction in the near future if no proper conservation plans are carried out. This survey documented 33 different herbs used by the natives of Oman for various ailments. Parts of a particular plant, fresh or dried, might be crushed and drunk as an infusion or used externally as a poultice, ground into a paste, or inhaled as smoke. The survey identified 22 plant families, and 18 traditional treatment groups.
PubMed: 27403235
DOI: 10.5001/omj.2016.49