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Journal of Ethnopharmacology Mar 2023Plants have been used in various parts of the world to treat various diseases. The genus Zanthoxylum L. (Rutaceae) is the second largest genus of this family and... (Review)
Review
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
Plants have been used in various parts of the world to treat various diseases. The genus Zanthoxylum L. (Rutaceae) is the second largest genus of this family and comprises approximately 225-549 species distributed in the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Plants of this genus are trees and shrubs with various applications in folklore medicine for food, medicine, construction, and other uses.
AIM OF THE REVIEW
The goal of this review is to give an updated data on the ethnobotanical applications, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the Zanthoxylum species to investigate their medicinal potential and identify research gaps for future research studies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Data was obtained through a systematic search of published literature and online databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Sci-Finder. The botanical names were confirmed using the World Flora Online and chemical structures were drawn using the ChemBio Draw Ultra Version 14.0 Software.
RESULTS
The Zanthoxylum species have a wide use in different parts of the continents as a remedy for various diseases such as digestive diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, venereal diseases, respiratory diseases, rheumatism, bacterial diseases, viral, and other diseases. Various parts of the plant comprising fruits, seeds, twigs, leaves, oils, and stems are administered singly or in the form of decoction, infusion, powder, paste, poultice, juice, or mixed with other medicinal plants to cure the disease. More than 400 secondary metabolites have been isolated and characterized in this genus with various biological activities, which comprise alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, alcohols, fatty acids, amides, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, and hydrocarbons. The crude extracts, fractions, and chemical compounds isolated from the genus have demonstrated a wide range of biological activities both in vivo and in vitro, including; anti-cancer, antimicrobial, anti-sickling, hepatoprotective, antipyretic, antitumor, and other pharmacological activities.
CONCLUSION
This genus has demonstrated an array of phytoconstituents with therapeutic potential. The ethnobotanical uses of this genus have been confirmed in modern pharmacological research. This genus is a potential source for modern drug discovery and health care products. Further and extensive research is therefore required on the safety approval and therapeutic application of the species of this genus as well as clinical trials and pharmacokinetic studies.
Topics: Ethnopharmacology; Phytotherapy; Zanthoxylum; Rutaceae; Phytochemicals; Ethnobotany; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 36513263
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115895 -
Medicine Oct 2022This study investigated the different complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) adopted by people in Japan, as well as the health problems treated with CAMs....
This study investigated the different complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) adopted by people in Japan, as well as the health problems treated with CAMs. Understanding more about this topic will facilitate the appropriate incorporation of CAMs into conventional medicine when treating health problems. Data were collected through an online survey based on the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q). The study examined CAM utilization among people aged 20 years or older; 164 valid responses were collected (18.9%). We adopted a cross-sectional design. We then compared the relationships between the specific health problems reported by participants, their self-help practices, and the kinds of healthcare specialists consulted. We also examined participants' reasons for using CAMs and their responses regarding the usefulness of the CAMs adopted. We found that self-help/CAM practices differed for specific health problems. Participants with musculoskeletal and heart problems were more likely to use poultices. Those with respiratory and digestive problems were more likely to practice yoga, tai chi, and qigong. Those with digestive and neurological problems were more likely to use aromatherapy. The I-CAM-Q questionnaire also revealed the purpose and usefulness of the CAMs utilized as well as the participants' attitudes regarding conventional medicine. The study showed that participants find physicians less helpful than other options for treating their health problems. Additionally, when asked whether it was helpful to consult with a specific professional for health problems, there was a higher percentage of participants who answered "Very helpful" for professionals, like massage, judo, acupuncture, and moxibustion therapists, than for physicians. The results of this study will help to inform medical providers of the most appropriate types of CAMs for dealing with various health problems.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Internet; Japan; Surveys and Questionnaires; Yoga
PubMed: 36254091
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000031098 -
ACS Omega Oct 2022Infections caused by the bacterium continue to pose threats to human health and put a financial burden on the healthcare system. The overuse of antibiotics has...
Infections caused by the bacterium continue to pose threats to human health and put a financial burden on the healthcare system. The overuse of antibiotics has contributed to mutations leading to the emergence of methicillin-resistant , and there is a critical need for the discovery and development of new antibiotics to evade drug-resistant bacteria. Medicinal plants have shown promise as sources of new small-molecule therapeutics with potential uses against pathogenic infections. The principal Rhode Island secondary metabolite (PRISM) library is a botanical extract library generated from specimens in the URI Youngken Medicinal Garden by upper-division undergraduate students. PRISM extracts were screened for activity against strains of methicillin-susceptible (MSSA). An extract generated from the tulip tree () demonstrated growth inhibition against MSSA, and a bioassay-guided approach identified a sesquiterpene lactone, laurenobiolide, as the active constituent. Intriguingly, its isomers, tulipinolide and -tulipinolide, lacked potent activity against MSSA. Laurenobiolide also proved to be more potent against MSSA than the structurally similar sesquiterpene lactones, costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone. Laurenobiolide was the most abundant in the twig bark of the tulip tree, supporting the twig bark's historical and cultural usage in poultices and teas.
PubMed: 36249352
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c03539 -
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic... 2022Chronic and acute skin wounds are an important health concern because they are very frequent during human life and affect millions of people worldwide. Shortening the...
BACKGROUND
Chronic and acute skin wounds are an important health concern because they are very frequent during human life and affect millions of people worldwide. Shortening the wound healing process reduces treatment costs and hospitalization. Therefore, researchers have been looking for new treatment approaches to shorten the wound healing process.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to evaluate the wound healing properties of poultice containing 0.5% fulvic acid.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this experimental study, a full-thickness skin wound was created on the dorsal side of 24 male rats. The animals were then randomly assigned to control, sham, and experiment groups. The skin defects were daily bandaged by using sterile gauze dipped in normal saline, carboxymethylcellulose, and 0.5% fulvic acid for 21 days, respectively. The wound healing rate was evaluated grossly and histologically at various time intervals post injury. Both descriptive and statistical analysis methods were applied ( < 0.05).
RESULTS
The wound healing percentage was significantly higher in the poultice treatment group at all time intervals ( < 0.001). The wound was completely closed in this group compared with other groups at the end of week 4 post treatment. The mean numbers of inflammatory cells were statistically lower, and fibroblasts and vessels were higher in the poultice group than in the other groups at various time intervals post injury ( < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Fulvic acid (0.5%) could be used as an effective therapeutic approach to improve the wound healing process because of its unique anti-inflammatory and neovascularization properties at the skin wound site.
PubMed: 35655645
DOI: 10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_215_20 -
Journal of Ethnobiology and... Sep 2021The utilization of plants and plant resources for various ethnobotanical purposes is a common practice in local towns and villages of developing countries, especially in...
BACKGROUND
The utilization of plants and plant resources for various ethnobotanical purposes is a common practice in local towns and villages of developing countries, especially in regard to human and veterinary healthcare. For this reason, it is important to unveil and document ethnomedicinal plants and their traditional/folk usage for human and livestock healthcare from unexplored areas. Here we advance our findings on ethnomedicinal plants from Haripur District, Pakistan, not only for conservation purposes, but also for further pharmacological screenings and applied research.
METHODOLOGY
Information of ethnomedicinal plants was obtained using a carefully planned questionnaire and interviews from 80 local people and traditional healers (Hakims) in Haripur District, Pakistan, from 2015 to 2017. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before conducting the interview process. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, such as relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV) and Jaccard index (JI), were calculated for each recorded species. Correlation analysis between the RFC and UV was tested by Pearson's correlation, SPSS (ver. 16).
RESULTS
A total of 80 plant species (33 herbs, 24 trees, 21 shrubs and 2 climbers) belonging to 50 families were being used in the study area to treat livestock and human diseases. Lamiaceae was the most dominant family with 7 species (8.7%), followed by Fabaceae with 6 species (7.5%), and Moraceae with 5 species (6.2%). Local people used different methods of preparation for different plant parts; among them, decoction/tea (22 species) was the popular method, followed by powder/grained (20 species) and paste/poultice (14 species). It was observed that most of the species (~ 12 to 16 species) were utilized to treat human and livestock digestive system-related problems, respectively. The Jaccard index found that plant usage in two studies (District Abbottabad and Sulaiman Range) was more comparable. Local people mainly relied on folk medicines due to their rich accessibility, low cost and higher efficacy against diseases. Unfortunately, this important traditional knowledge is vanishing fast, and many medicinal plants are under severe threat. The most threats associated to species observed in the study area include Dehri, Garmthun, Baghpur, Najafpur and Pharala.
CONCLUSION
The study has indicated that local people have higher confidence in the usage of ethnomedicinal plants and are still using them for the treatment of various ailments. Comparative analysis with other studies may strongly reflected the novel use of these plants, which may be due to the deep-rooted and unique socio-cultural setup of the study area. However, awareness campaigns, conservation efforts and pharmacological and applied research are required for further exploration and may be a step in the right direction to unveil prospective pharmaceuticals.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Ethnobotany; Female; Humans; Livestock; Male; Middle Aged; Pakistan; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Prospective Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 34496911
DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00480-x -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects people living in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. There are few therapeutic options for treating... (Review)
Review
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects people living in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. There are few therapeutic options for treating this infectious disease, and available drugs induce severe side effects in patients. Different communities have limited access to hospital facilities, as well as classical treatment of leishmaniasis; therefore, they use local natural products as alternative medicines to treat this infectious disease. The present work performed a bibliographic survey worldwide to record plants used by traditional communities to treat leishmaniasis, as well as the uses and peculiarities associated with each plant, which can guide future studies regarding the characterization of new drugs to treat leishmaniasis. A bibliographic survey performed in the and databases retrieved 294 articles related to traditional knowledge, medicinal plants and leishmaniasis; however, only 20 were selected based on the traditional use of plants to treat leishmaniasis. Considering such studies, 378 quotes referring to 292 plants (216 species and 76 genera) that have been used to treat leishmaniasis were recorded, which could be grouped into 89 different families. A broad discussion has been presented regarding the most frequent families, including Fabaceae (27 quotes), Araceae (23), Solanaceae and Asteraceae (22 each). Among the available data in the 378 quotes, it was observed that the parts of the plants most frequently used in local medicine were leaves (42.3% of recipes), applied topically (74.6%) and fresh poultices (17.2%). The contribution of Latin America to studies enrolling ethnopharmacological indications to treat leishmaniasis was evident. Of the 292 plants registered, 79 were tested against sp. Future studies on leishmanicidal activity could be guided by the 292 plants presented in this study, mainly the five species L. (Caricaceae), L. (Meliaceae), (Herzog) Dwyer (Fabaceae), L. (Musaceae), and L. (Solanaceae), since they are the most frequently cited in articles and by traditional communities.
PubMed: 34220515
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.690432 -
BioMed Research International 2021Wallflower () is employed as a popular herbal drug in traditional Persian medicine. Topical formulations including cerates, lotions, sitz baths, and poultices for...
Wallflower () is employed as a popular herbal drug in traditional Persian medicine. Topical formulations including cerates, lotions, sitz baths, and poultices for inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, anal fissure, endometriosis, and mastitis are known. However, there is no monograph in current pharmacopoeia for the wallflower drug. The present study is aimed to screen anti-inflammatory activity of wallflower and perform quality control and characterization tests for different organs of the herb. In this regard, albumin denaturation activity, macroscopic and microscopic, phytochemical, HPTLC, and FT-IR characteristics were investigated. Wallflower showed strong anti-inflammatory activity compared to diclofenac sodium. The root (1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/mL) and flower (10 mg/mL) extract exhibited higher anti-inflammatory activities than that of other plant organs at the same concentrations. Moreover, total ash was found higher in aerial parts (21.52 ± 0.06%) than flower (11.01 ± 0.03%), root (5.03 ± 0.03%), and seed (6.95 ± 0.06%), while water-soluble ash was higher in seed (34.89 ± 0.26%) than flower (5.00 ± 0.03%), aerial parts (7.16 ± 0.06%), and root (5.04 ± 0.01%). Acid-insoluble ash and sulphated ash were higher in root (9.50 ± 0.04%) and aerial part (28.37 ± 0.57%), respectively. In addition, loss on drying was ranged from 2.20 ± 0.20% in flowers to 6.00 ± 0.10% in aerial parts. On the other hand, HPTLC analysis verified cardenolide compounds in all organs of the herb, and quercetin was detected in the flavonoid fingerprint of acid hydrolysed flowers. According to FT-IR results, the observed spectral region at ~3500 cm attributed to -OH stretching vibration. Also, C-H (~2900-2950 cm), isothiocyanate (~2340 cm), -C=O (~1740 cm), conjugated C=C of the aromatic ring (~1650 cm), and structure of the aromatic group (~1200-1000 cm) were monitored. This work is the first study to the best of our knowledge, suggesting wallflower as a potential drug candidate with the basis for a monograph in addition to initial anti-inflammatory data.
Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Erysimum; Flavonoids; Flowers; Phytochemicals; Plant Extracts; Quality Control; Quercetin; Seeds; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 34212031
DOI: 10.1155/2021/5526644 -
Journal of Ethnobiology and... Apr 2021Traditional medicine is a major component in the primary healthcare system in the southeast of Iran, which has a rich floral diversity. However, there is no...
BACKGROUND
Traditional medicine is a major component in the primary healthcare system in the southeast of Iran, which has a rich floral diversity. However, there is no comprehensive report on the use of medicinal herbs in this specific region. This traditional usage of medicinal plants by local communities could serve as a source for pharmacological and phytochemical studies. The main objective of this study was to identify ethnopharmacological knowledge on medicinal plant species and their local healing applications by the folk communities of Kerman province in the southeast of Iran.
METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 217 herbal healers using semi-structured questionnaires, open interviews, and field surveys. Factors including use reports (UR) for each species, frequency of citation (FC), and informant consensus factor (ICF) were used to analyze the data. Plant species were identified by botanists through standard taxonomic methods.
RESULTS
A total of 402 medicinal plants were used in healing practices by the local communities of Kerman province. These species belong to 273 genera of 73 families, among which 367 species are dicotyledons, 27 are monocotyledons, 7 species are cryptogam, and one species is gymnosperm. An important implication from the current study is the identification of the traditional medicinal use of 292 plant species in this region for the first time. Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Fabaceae were the dominant medicinally utilized plant families, respectively. Leaf, flower, fruit, and seed were the most common plant parts used. Generally, crude drugs were used in the form of decoction, followed by poultice and infusion forms. Moreover, oral route is considered as the most common administration route followed by topical route. Endocrine (diabetes), dermatological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory problems were ranked as the most frequent ailment categories for which medicinal plants in this region were applied, respectively. Our findings suggested dominant use of Asteraceae and Apiaceae plants for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, Lamiaceae plants for respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, and Apocynaceae plants for dermatological problems.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggested that Asteraceae and Apiaceae plants were used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, Lamiaceae plants for respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, and Apocynaceae and Euphorbiaceae plants for dermatological problems. Among the medicinal plants with high UR and new ethnobotanical uses, Rhazya stricta was used for wound healing, Calotropis procera, Clematis ispahanica and Euphorbia spp. for eczema, Cionura erecta for the treatment of cough, Launaea acanthodes for the treatment of gastrointestinal parasites, Berberis integrrima as an antidiabetic medicinal herb, Dracocephalum polychaetum and Rydingia persica for various types of chronic diseases, Citrus limon and Citrus aurantium for the treatment of ocular diseases and making the traditional kohl, Calendula officinalis for the treatment of pterygium and Prosopis farcta for preventing nasal bleeding. The identified medicinal plants can be further evaluated for their pharmacological activity and underlying mechanisms of action.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethnicity; Ethnobotany; Humans; Iran; Knowledge; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33910616
DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00438-z -
Journal of Ethnobiology and... Feb 2021Krasiejów clay (in German: Krascheow) became famous following the discovery of numerous fossilised bones of Upper Triassic amphibians and reptiles, which have been...
BACKGROUND
Krasiejów clay (in German: Krascheow) became famous following the discovery of numerous fossilised bones of Upper Triassic amphibians and reptiles, which have been extracted from clay deposits since the 1980s. These organic remnants remained in Krasiejów clay due to the large amount of slime deposits and the optimal concentration of basal mineral salts. The main aims of the paper are to determine the historical evolution of the use of clay in Silesia for therapeutic purposes and to provide a summary of the historical uses of Krasiejów clay as a medical treatment, based on the knowledge of the local population.
METHODS
The mode of utilisation of Triassic variegated claystone treatment from Krasiejów was surveyed based on oral communication with local people. This information was collected over the last 35 years (1982-2017) by interviewing those who used clay as a traditional remedy, especially the eldest residents. Each resident was interviewed several times regarding the healing properties of Krasiejów clay, including the causes and symptoms of the ailments treated, mode of clay preparation, application methods, and dosage through semistructured interviews.
RESULTS
Clay from Krasiejów was used in medicine after proper preparation. The clay underwent a complicated preparation process before the use in wraps, compresses, poultices, and baths as a skin peeling agent and even as a potion to be drunk. All recorded applications, diseases, and ailments to which it were applied are described here in detail, divided into treatments with warm, and cold clay.
CONCLUSIONS
Krasiejów variegated claystone had different benefits depending on the form in which it was used; different diseases were treated with warm and cold clay. According to informants, many of these diseases have been successfully treated, in particular eczema of various origins, purulent ulcers on the skin, and following internal use, digestive ailments. According to informants, in cases where the disease could not be cured, for instance, psoriasis, a significant improvement in the condition of the skin was visible in a short period of time. Clay from Krasiejów should be subjected to more detailed physicochemical analyses to determine its exact chemical composition and healing properties.
Topics: Clay; Humans; Knowledge; Medicine, Traditional; Poland
PubMed: 33596953
DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00437-0