Current Traditional Medicine - Volume 5, Issue 2, 2019

Pistacia integerrima J.L. Stew. Ex Brandis belonging to the family Anacardiaceae and subfamily Anacardioideae is one of the widely accepted plants used to cure a vast array of diseases. Various ethnomedicinal and traditional database of different medicinal systems revealed a diverse array of curative and protective therapeutic potential of this plant. Since ancient times different parts of the plants are still in prevalence in the formulation of herbal medicines. This plant is being used in treating various ailments like Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and respiratory tract disorders. The aim of the present review is to explore the traditional and modern knowledge including the botanical description, ethnomedicinal claims, pharmacognostic parameters, phytochemicals and pharmacological potential of P. integgerima. The comprehensive literature and relevant information regarding the plant were gathered through electronic databases including Google Scholar, Pub Med, Science direct, online open access databases and books from the college library. The review represents consolidated summary in all aspects of plant with a special emphasis on reported phytochemicals isolated from plant and their therapeutic potential. The rearranged data in the form of a single review will be essential in providing updated knowledge to the readers regarding the plant and it will act as a baseline for future exploration of P.integerrima in terms of its phytochemistry and pharmacology.

Introduction: Probiotic based food products have become very popular nowadays throughout the world. Due to the steep rise in scientific evidences pointing towards the positive health benefits to humans and animals; probiotic microorganisms are being manufactured by the food manufactures in a range of market products. As per today’s era, traditional foods are being anticipated as a delivery vehicle for probiotics and nutraceuticals. These traditional food products are supposed to alter the gut microbial composition, thus leading to improved gut health. Worldwide market of probiotics based food products is increasing exponentially due to the increased interest of consumers towards traditional home remedies. Materials: The traditional products with therapeutic value and having probiotic characteristics have been searched from various research and reviews article from Ayurveda texts (like Charak Samhita, Sushuruta Samhita, Bhavparkasha Nighantu etc.) and Internet sources such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus etc. Results: Though key research developments are going on in the field of probiotic microbes, the use of these in food and pharmaceuticals is a major challenge for both the industry and science sectors. This article summarizes traditionally used probiotics product along with market value, current status, associated health/nutritional claims and potential applications of probiotics for health care professionals and common man. Moreover, this manuscript has highlighted the use of traditional probiotics strain as today’s medicines. Conclusion: In light of ongoing market trends strengthened with presence of the strong scientific evidences for associating health benefits of these probiotic products, there is a need to conduct studies to designate their quality, safety and efficacy. Furthermore, scientific substantiation with supportive evidences of clinical trials is required to be carried out to use probiotics based traditional medical therapy in a safe and judicious manner.

Introduction: People have been using herbs for health care since Vedic times. Due to resurgence of ayurveda, utilization and consumption of herbal medicines is tremendously increasing leading to a significant percentage of the pharmaceutical market. The huge commercial benefits of herbal products are capturing the interest of pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Hence the safety and quality of medicinal plant materials and finished herbal medicinal products have become a major concern for health authorities, pharmaceutical industries as well as to the public. Presently, plenty of clinical trials are being conducted on herbal medicines; however, absence of harmonized classification has led to various confusions. The most important concern is the disputed identity of ayurvedic formulations sold under different brand names in different regions of the country and world. Recently, allopathic medicines have been classified by WHO on the basis of ATC/DDD (Anatomical- Therapeutic-Chemical/Daily Defined Dose) pattern of classification. The absence of such type of classification for ayurvedic products creates a situation of non recognition of these products in the international market. Hence there is a need to develop a classification system that is on the lines of ATC/DDD so that particular herb may qualify a product to be recognised under one name all over the world. Materials and Methods: Keeping in view the above scenario, a classification system is being proposed for ayurvedic products. The ayurvedic formulations and their site of action have been searched from various Ayurvedic texts. Internet sources such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, JSTOR etc. Results: The major reason for adopting similar classification for herbal medicines is that ayurvedic texts given by various scholars are published in Sanskrit or in the local/regional languages which make it difficult for the researchers to access, understand and interpret the knowledge shared. Conclusion: It is utmost important to generate such classification for herbal medicines as it will generate a classification data which can further be exploited for safety, efficacy as well as quality control purposes. Moreover, innovative classification will be helpful to provide standardized as well as a uniform way to classify the various herbal drugs and to generate new avenues for further ayurvedic research with more degree of precision. The classification will enable a product to be known under one banner/name at international level. Since the market is flooded with formulations related with neural disorders, hence herbal products used in neural disorders have been taken in the first phase.

Objective and Background: In hyperglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats, the effect of Thuja occidentalis methanolic residue extract on blood glucose levels and some biochemical parameters were investigated. Methods: Significantly decreased blood glucose level by 22.85% and 27.66%, in hyperglycemic rats, respectively after 3 h, were seen in a single oral administration of the extract at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg. Blood glucose level was decreased by 50% in alloxan-induced diabetic rats within three weeks of daily treatment of Thuja occidentalis methanolic residue extract (200 and 400 mg/kg p.o). Alloxan-induced diabetic rats showed significant hypercholesterolemia in comparison with the control in alloxan induced rats. Results: In both normal and diabetic rats, there was also a significant decrease of elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides. Hypertriglyceridemia was also shown to be prevented by treatment with plant extract (200 and 400mg/kg p.o) (p<0. 05). As compared with the control animals, diabetic control rats did not show any change in a level of creatinine and urea. Conclusion: Thuja occidentalis treatment may improve glucose homeostasis in alloxaninduced diabetes and alleviate kidney and liver function. Thuja occidentalis twigs could be a potential source of the new oral antidiabetic drug.

Background: Due to lack of stringent regulations and standards from regulatory authorities, Ayurvedic formulations available in the market are not properly standardized and assessed for their quality. Asava and arishta are very important fermented and commonly used dosage forms of Ayurveda. Information on the quantitative parameters of the ayurvedic fermented preparations is very poor. These formulations contain naturally selfgenerated alcohol that acts as the medium for extraction of active ingredients of the herbs. Hence alcohol content becomes a point of concern as well as an important parameter for standardization of the asava and arishta and it becomes important for manufacturers to mention alcohol content on the label. In addition, as per ASU GMP guidelines, it is mandatory to assess the accurate ethanol content to ensure the quality of the product. However manufacturers used to escape to comply with the guidelines because of complexity, cost and time consuming available methods. Hence there was a need to develop a novel method. Objective: This study is intended to develop a simple, efficient, less time consuming, economic and accurate gas chromatography method and estimate the ethanol content in marketed ayurvedic formulations of asava and arishta. Methods: The GC system (Nucon 5700 Gas Chromatograph) fitted with flame ionization detector was used in the present study. A capillary packed column (2m length and 3.170mm diameter) with stationary phase made up of WHP having 0.14mm in mesh size with nitrogen carrier gas was, used and the data were acquired through Winchrom software. Results and Discussion: The retention time for ethanol was found to be 1.53min. The correlation coefficient (r2) of ethanol was found to be 0.9990. The ethanol content obtained by the proposed method was found to be between 3.05% and 11.53%. Conclusion: The study presents a simple and validated gas chromatographic method for estimation of ethanol content in herbal formulations. The developed method was found to be specific, accurate, precise and rugged. The method has been successfully applied for the analysis of marketed ayurvedic formulations.

Background: Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz.) Willd. (Rhamnaceae) is a straggling shrub or a small tree, armed with spines, found throughout north-western India, Pakistan and China. Methods: The aerial and root barks, leaves and fruits of Zizyphus species are used in medicine for the treatment of various diseases such as weakness, liver complaints, obesity, diabetes, skin infections, fever, diarrhea, insomnia and digestive disorders. Ethanolic extract of leaves of Zizyphus xylopyrus (Retz) Willd was prepared by solvent extraction and subjected to study the protective effect against Indomethacin and HCl-EtOH induced ulcer using Ranitidine (100 mg/kg) and Omeprazole (8 mg/kg) as standard respectively. Results: Histopathological lesions with marked disorientation of the gastric epithelium was observed in negative control, while extract treated rats showed a better protected mucosa with intact epithelium in comparison to standard treated rats. Ulcer index and percentage ulcer protection also represent protecting effects of the extract. Conclusion: Ethanolic extract of Z. xylopyrus (Retz) Willd leaves extract was found to be significantly protective against gastric ulcers.

Background: Environmental conditions affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites as a result of biotic and abiotic factors. In the present study, the effect of different geographical locations and season was studied on total phenolic and flavonoid contents extracted from Urtica dioica Linn. Methodology: The aerial parts of U. dioica collected from Palampur, Shimla and Dharamshala in different seasons were subjected to hydro-alcoholic extraction. Quantitative estimation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents in various extracts was carried out spectrophotometrically. Results: The highest amount of total phenolic (3.987± 0.130) and flavonoid contents (2.847± 0.341) was found in Palampur sample collected in summer season whereas sample collected from Dharamshala in spring season showed the least phenolic contents. In vitro antioxidant activity of all the samples was evaluated by DPPH, NO scavenging and FRPA method. The antioxidant potential was found maximum in the sample collected from Palampur in the summer season, however, the sample collected from Dharamshala in spring season showed the least antioxidant potential. Conclusion: The present study confirms that altitude and seasonal variations significantly affect the levels of secondary metabolites in plant parts.