Current Traditional Medicine - Volume 10, Issue 6, 2024

Nature’s never-ending gift, which counts as one of the most valuable medicines in the entire world, the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, also known as caterpillar fungus, is a traditional Chinese medicine found in Tibetan plateaus. During the season of spring, many shepherd search for this caterpillar fungus as its value in the market is very high. Moreover, due to the effects of climatic change on its population and increasing demand, O. sinensis is now an endangered species. It can treat almost many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, immune dysfunction etc. The chemical composition of this fungus includes amino acids, glutamic acid, polyamines, cordycepic acid, saccharides, sterols, nucleotides, sugar derivatives, fatty acids, vitamins, and oleic acid.

Leishmaniasis is one of the most devastating and fatal diseases in humans that has been known to mankind and is caused by the parasite Leishmania. It is destructive since no vaccination is available and existing medicines are proving ineffective because of resistance development. A need for the discovery of newer drugs has emerged. The use of natural products for the prevention, diagnosis, and cure of diseases has rapidly increased. Following the trend, research in the field of natural products for treating leishmaniasis has also picked up. In the present review, the focus is on terpenes as anti-leishmanial agents. Terpenes are the least studied natural products for the treatment of the disease. The other part of the review covers the use of chitosan as an anti-leishmanial agent and other formulations of chitosan as a carrier in nano-formulations. From the survey, it was found that the essential oils containing terpenes are very effective. Moreover, the chitosan-based nanocarriers showed potent anti-leishmanial activity. The combined use of natural products and newer technologies for the delivery of drugs can eradicate various diseases.

Asthma is a chronic heterogeneous airway obstruction disorder defined by a complex cascade of pathophysiological conditions that lead to recurring bronchial hyper-responsiveness and underlying inflammation, lowering the patient’s quality of life. Despite the availability of various synthetic medications for the management of asthma, it has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Furthermore, the present allopathic treatment possesses severe long-term negative effects, which make people more attracted to the safer and easily available indigenous traditional and Ayurvedic system of medicine. Ayurveda is regarded as the “Mother of all healing” and “Science of Life,” which treats all the ailments, including asthma, by restoring a balance between three main components of the body- Vata, Pitta, and Dosha. Various clinically effective and less toxic anti- asthmatic Ayurvedic herbal preparations are available for the management of asthma and related complications which act by causing mast cell deactivation, inhibition of Th1, Th2, Th7 response, Tcell suppression, etc., therefore, efforts have been made to compile all the relevant literature related to the ayurvedic anti-asthmatic formulations and scrutinize the efficacy of selected plants present in the majority in those formulations in asthma along with the structure and mode of action of phytoconstituent responsible for designing novel molecules with better efficacy. Research on these selected plants can also have economic significance as various constituents isolated from these plants for their anti-asthmatic effect can further be explored to discover their potential in medicinal, diagnostic and cosmetic field.

Pandemics are large-scale epidemics of infectious illness that may cause major economical, cultural, and political upheaval while also increasing illness and mortality across a huge geographic area. Evidence shows that pandemics have increased during the last century as a result of increasing international travel and connectivity, industrialization, agricultural expansion, and higher destruction of the natural environment. Over time, emerging pathogen strains cause pandemics that raise suffering, death, and instability in countries. Flu, plague, cholera, HIV, and the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus are just a few of the pathogen outbreaks. Unfortunately, given the lack of information and instruments to tackle the problem, managing new and developing infections is frequently challenging. Yet, the use of herbal remedies to treat new and developing infectious illnesses has received much interest. Until the invention of antibiotics, herbal plants, their preparations, and extracted phytoconstituents were reported to be efficient in reducing infectious diseases. Plants contain numerous complex metabolites, such as amino acids, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and glycosides, that show different therapeutic activities. This review provides vital and useful information regarding herbal drugs and their effectiveness against various pathogens that cause major pandemics.

Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi), a common medicinal fungus, has been utilized in China since ancient times for health promotion and longevity. It has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant, and antiallergic activities. The antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of this mushroom have shown promising impacts in the treatment of some viral diseases. COVID-19 is a life-threatening disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that has recently been pandemic. Modern medicines have not been very efficient in the direct treatment of these viral infections, and although vaccination is effective in preventing viral infections, the incidence of acute respiratory infection can be reduced only slightly. Thus, alternative therapies are required, and in this regard, stimulating the immune system can be an effective way to prevent these infections. This study reports the potential of natural fungus-derived compounds that can possibly be used to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Research Problem: Hypertension, either high blood pressure or pulmonary hypertension, both affect the life of patients in many ways. Research Questions: Does Pulmonary hypertension similar to high blood pressure? Does it affect old age people or the neonatal age groups also? What were the reasons for pulmonary hypertension? Does pulmonary hypertension manageable with modern and traditional drugs? Literature Review: The purpose of the literature review is to identify the targeted therapy for pulmonary hypertension and also include the plants that may be effective for the management of pulmonary hypertension. Conclusion: The author has reviewed many targeted drugs that are presently used, and many are in research that was found effective in making the life of patients as normal as possible. They also reviewed about 15 herbal plants which were found effective in the management of the disease. As pulmonary hypertension is not treatable, it can only be managed by changing lifestyle and food habits; therefore, the authors emphasized reviewing the traditional approach for the management of pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Nature is the best source of all raw materials that we need for growth, development, and better health. Flavonoids are an important class of phytochemicals found to be present in plants and their derived byproducts. Lonicera japonica and its active phytochemicals possess antiviral, anti-endotoxin, anti-pyretic, and blood fat-reducing properties in medicine. Moreover, Galuteolin is a natural flavonoid that has anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, anti-infective, and antiinflammatory potential. Methods: In the present review article, we have collected all scientific information on galuteolin from different scientific databases and analyzed it to know the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of galuteolin in medicine against human disorders. Scientific data on galuteolin were collected from numerous literature databases, such as Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct. Detailed pharmacological data on galuteolin were collected from these scientific sources and analyzed in the present work to know the health-beneficial aspects of galuteolin in medicine. In addition, scientific data on analytical techniques of galuteolin were also collected and analyzed in the present work to know their importance in the separation, isolation, and identification of galuteolin in different plant materials. Results: The present work signified the biological importance of galuteolin in medicine and other allied health sectors. Pharmacological data analysis revealed the health-beneficial aspects of galuteolin on rheumatoid arthritis, cerebral ischemia, carcinoma, COVID-19, Atherosclerosis, and melanin biosynthesis. Further, intestinal absorption and pharmacokinetic parameters of galuteolin were also discussed in the present work. Analytical data signified the importance of newer and modern analytical techniques in medicine for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of galuteolin in different biological samples. Conclusion: Scientific data analysis of galuteolin revealed its biological importance and therapeutic benefit in medicine.

Bacoside A is a triterpenoid saponin and nootropic herb that can be extracted from Bacopa monnieri Linn., Scrophulariaceae. It is a glabrous and succulent herb used traditionally for centuries in treating various illnesses, mainly as a cardiotonic and nerve tonic, and has been considered an eminent Ayurvedic medicine. Various studies reported that the herb consists of a wide range of potentially bioactive, phytochemical constituents with synergistic effects. Bacoside A is a major constituent of B. monnieri, with diverse biological functions and significant therapeutic potential, as given by various researchers and preclinical studies. It possesses various biological activities such as hepatoprotective, anti-osteoporotic, anti-ulcerogenic, antiinflammatory, anti-tumor, wound healing, and neuroprotective effects. This review compiled the preclinical evidence-based studies and present knowledge of bacoside A's potential benefits and fruitful impact on human health, and we provided a comprehensive perspective of bacoside A in various disease treatments.

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases rate has been increasing alarmingly, causing huge burden on the mortality and morbidity. Environmental pollution and occupational exposure, the major identified risk factors and endless adverse effects of conventional medicine put forward the need for better alternative options. Electuaries are the pharmaceutical formulation of poly herbal drugs that are employed as effective remedy for respiratory disorders in Unani system of medicine. Objective: The aim is to assess the effectiveness of Unani pharmaco-therapeutics in the management of various respiratory diseases and the computation of drug/water and drug/sugar ratio for the elaborated electuaries. Methods: A web-based review on certain selected Unani drugs and its molecular mechanism was carried out using the data bases such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus published until the end of June 2022. Results: It was observed that several single drugs such as Khayarshambar (Cassia fistula L.), Sapistan (Cordia dichotama Forst), Asl-us- Soos (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), Khatmi (Althea officianialis L.), Za’fran (Crocus sativus L.), BehīdĦ#129;na (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) etc. used in Unani formulations claimed to be effective in management of respiratory diseases like COVID 19. The herbs and its chemical constituents showed the preventive effect on respiratory diseases with inflammatory cell mediators, lung pathologies, airway response and immunomodulatory effects. The results of research studies (preclinical, clinical or in silico) and their molecular mechanisms on Electuaries have proved to be optimal for the respiratory system. Conclusion: Unani poly-pharmaceutics showed anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, antiallergic, anti- tussive, mucolytic actions arresting respiratory diseases.

Background: A wide variety of Garcinia species have been used over decades, as traditional home remedies starting from their use in flavored food to the treatment of various ailments. The presence of the essential primary and secondary metabolite with curative properties in Garcinia has enhanced its value in the therapeutic world. These have captivated the use of Garcinia in expanding nutritional values and adding extra health benefits. Hereby, observing the potential of different Garcinia species for their use as nutraceuticals. Objective: The present-day lifestyle and current health trends are the reasons why the public has accumulated a lot of interest in the nutraceutical food market. Traditionally the various remedies used from plants, fruits, and fruit extracts used in the cure of multiple ailments since antiquity have now made their way into pharmaceutical nutraceuticals. The fruits of Garcinia species have many culinary, nutritional, and pharmaceutical uses. Therefore, the paper aims to focus on the different Garcinia species having nutritional potential along with various therapeutic properties. Methods: Studies of different Garcinia species are reviewed, with a focus on their nutritional and medicinal actions on ailments that are the reason for today's lifestyles and current health trends. Results: Different varieties of Garcinia species are found to have various potential primary and secondary metabolites which have curative properties like anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, and anti-bacterial potential. Conclusion: The natural occurrences of the plant product with nutraceutical value have boosted the quality of life. The Garcinia species containing the essential primary and secondary constituents are accountable for numerous biological activities. Many of the Garcinia species are marketed these days for a better and healthy life. Thus, Garcinia could be used as a nutraceutical to alleviate several disease conditions.

Background: Vitamin E influences hormonal parameters in women, but the evidence concerning its effectiveness in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are constrained. Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to perceive the mechanism behind the hormonal effects of vitamin E in PCOS and explore the effectiveness of vitamin E by analyzing the clinical studies. Methods: Electronic bibliographic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, DOAJ, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library, were searched for clinical studies scrutinizing the effect of vitamin E supplementation on PCOS. The systematic review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021272963) and was performed as per the PRISMA guidelines. Records analyzing the hormonal parameters were included. For individual study, the risk of bias was ascertained with NHLBI protocol for controlled randomized studies. Results: There were 1438 records identified, of which seven records were retrieved which met the inclusion criteria. Bibliographic details, number of participants, the dose of vitamin E, duration of the treatment and trial, parameters analyzed, and outcome of each study were extracted comprehensively. In the review, the majority of the studies embraced high-quality studies, which included double-blinded controlled trials, open-label controlled studies, and cohort studies. Conclusion: Vitamin E implies having a progesterone-like impression with estrogenic and androgenic properties. Furthermore, the ability of vitamin E as an antioxidant is also advantageous in PCOS women. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on its mechanism, and the inadequacy of large-scale concerns about different age groups against PCOS is requisite.

Background: Dental caries is one of the Periodontal diseases that has been recognized as a major public health problem for decades throughout the world. It occurs in all groups, ethnicities, races, and genders at all socioeconomic levels. Natural remedies are more acceptable in the belief that they are safer with fewer side effects than synthetic ones. Clove and coriander oil are established herbal drugs for periodontal diseases. Objective: This research work was intended to formulate a dental gel containing clove and Coriander as the major constituents and evaluate it for dental caries treatment. Both of the herbal oils have a vast range of antimicrobial activity against a great number of periodontal pathogens; therefore, they are used for periodontitis treatment. Methods: The combination gel was prepared using carbopol 934 as a gelling agent, clove oil and coriander oil as therapeutic constituents, polyethylene glycol as a co-solvent, methyl paraben and propyl paraben as a preservative and a required quantity of distilled water as vehicle. Results: The gel was analyzed for various properties like antimicrobial activity, pH, spreadability, extrudability, drug content etc., and it was shown that the combination gel is a satisfactory dosage form that is used in periodontitis treatment. The combination gel revealed the ZI (zone of inhibition) of about 22.05±0.04 mm. Conclusion: The present study concluded that the combination gel preparations of clove oil and coriander oil reported satisfactory physicochemical properties along with good drug content compared to the single gel preparation.

Background: If a herbal pharmaceutical is intended to impact the function of the human organism, it is categorized as a medication or a nutritional supplement. According to the FDA, the medicine must be offered under a New Drug Application (NDA). The European Medicine Agency (EMA) has established two methods for registering herbal medicals: Under Directive 2001/83/EC, a full marketing authorization (MA) is obtained by submitting a dossier containing data about the quality, safeness, and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals, which include physical and chemical, biological, or microbiological tests, as well as pharmacological, toxicological, and clinical trial documentation; There is a simplest technique under Directive 2004/24/EC for classical herbals that do not needs professional monitoring and where the indication of long history use of pharmaceuticals exists and appropriate relevant journals to illustrate a very well medicinal usage is not provided. Aim: A study about the regulatory status of herbal drugs/products was conducted in America and Europe to understand the various classes under which the sale of herbal goods is authorized and their premarketing criteria. Materials and Methods: This study has been performed by gathering information from the official websites of the USFDA and EMA. Results: A thorough evaluation was carried out in order to identify the impediments to the harmonization of herbal goods. Conclusion: Aside from the challenges of herb supply and conservation, it has been shown that there is a lack of uniformity in the regulatory standards of herbal supplements globally. These are impeding international commerce and the expansion of the herbal goods market. USFDA classifies botanical items as pharmaceutical, nutrition, or dietary supplement based on the indications or ultimate use.

Ayurvedic cosmeceuticals are alluded to as products of various passable magnificence substances to shape the base in which one or more ayurvedic parts are utilized to give benefits and various ailments. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 controls the approaches concerning the making, dealing, amassing, allotment, and importing of drugs in essentially a comparable manner to radiance care things in India. Quality control and assessment of Ayurvedic drugs must ensure the effectiveness of the drug. Given their crucial role, it involves evaluating their physical, chemical, and physiochemical qualities, as well as conducting in-vitro and in-vivo tests. Natural ingredients have consistently been our primary source of medicines, and dosage forms determine how drug molecules or plant components are delivered to the site of action within the body. Good agricultural and collection practices (GACP) rules have been given by the WHO (World Health Organization) for the differentiation and planning of regular items. There are primarily two legal regulatory bodies within the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) sector i.e., Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and the Central Council of Homeopathy.

Introduction: Traditional medicine is based on knowledge, skills, and practices relying on the theories, beliefs, and indigenous experiences of different cultures that has a healthoriented and holistic view. With a holistic and health-oriented approach, quaternary prevention also seeks to prevent harm to the patient.Patient harm can be prevented by using efficient methods of traditional medicine and limiting the use of ineffective and harmful methods. Methods: The quantitative design of the study was conducted using a phenomenological approach among the faculty members of the Faculty of Traditional Medicine of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participation of 12 individuals selected using purposeful sampling. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. The codes were categorized based on their differences or similarities. Results: Six main themes were identified: prevention, patient benefit, quality of service, patient harm, rules and regulations, and financial burden. 18 sub-themes were extracted. Conclusion: Healthcare providers must protect their patients from the harms and costs of unnecessary diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative measures. It is likely that adopting effective executive mechanisms, rules, and regulations focusing on the principle of patient benefit can lead to the implementation of a combination of traditional medicine and modern medicine on an extensive scale, aiming to reduce patient harm.

Introduction: Species from the Cuphea genus (Lythraceae) have wide usage in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Cuphea comprises about 260 species distributed worldwide among five continents. Methods: This systematic review aimed to synthesize the information available about the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Cuphea spp. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, with a search in the scientific databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, using keywords, such as “Cuphea”, “sete-sangrias”, “Cuphea” and “polyphenols”, “Cuphea” and “flavonoid”, “Cuphea” and “pharmacology”, “Cuphea” and “traditional uses”, “Cuphea” and “toxicology”, and all references found were analyzed. Among 1438 publications identified in the initial screening, 86 studies were included based on eligibility criteria. The chemical composition of Cuphea spp. is mainly polyphenols related to therapeutic use, especially as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumoral, anti-inflammation, and antihypertensive. Results: In summary, this systematic review provides an overview of the active compounds responsible for the pharmacological actions of the genus, often linked to traditional use. Conclusion: However, its safety and potential toxicology need to be further studied, along with the bioactive mechanisms and discussion of the structure-activity relationship, besides future clinical studies for novel drug development.

Carrageenan (CG) a sulfated polysaccharide (SP) is produced using a variety of seaweeds from the Rhodophyceae family. This type of seaweed is available in areas, like the Atlantic Ocean close to Great Britain, Europe, and North America. Carrageenan has been permitted for the use as food items with the European additive E-number E407. Carrageenan is a widely used polysaccharide derived from red seaweed and is known for its various applications in the chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical fields. It delves into its versatile applications across various sub areas, spanning from the food to the pharmaceutical industry. A significant emphasis is placed on the intricate roles of carrageenan in pharmaceutical science, where it serves as both a drug carrier agent and an active ingredient, owing to its noteworthy biological activity. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of carrageenan's versatile applications, with a focus on its chemical properties, biological activities, and pharmaceutical uses. The pharmaceutical applications of carrageenan are further categorized into various subparts, including its role in treating diseases and its use in drug delivery systems, such as topical, oral, nasal, and unconventional routes. The review also incorporates the most recent developments in clinical trials involving carrageenan and its updated applications, drawing from authoritative sources. This comprehensive analysis aims to offer readers a clear understanding of carrageenan's multifaceted nature and its evolving significance in diverse industries.