Current Traditional Medicine - Volume 8, Issue 6, 2022

Introduction: This study is an effort to document extensively and systematically the ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal knowledge in the four districts (Puri, Cuttack, Bhadrak, and Mayurbhanj) of Odisha in Eastern India. It provides new insights into the rich ethnomedicinal knowledge and plants biodiversity in these four districts. Methods: The method of convenience sampling was conducted to get the ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal knowledge of the healers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the information got was quantified and documented with the aid of various databases. Eleven traditional healers endowed information on their traditional medicinal knowledge. 74 plant species belonging to 44 botanical families are documented and among these 44 botanical families, five (Rutaceae, Malvaceae, Astaraceae, Annonaceae, and Euphorbiaceae) are mostly used by the healers. The healers mainly use leaves and roots in the medicine's preparation. Results: Twenty-five ailments are treated by these traditional healers, which are majorly dominated by dermatological treatments. The pharmacological mining of these 74 plants revealed that a few pharmacological and biological activities of each medicinal plant had been studied. Our study revealed that these four districts of Odisha have a rich biodiversity of medicinal plants. Conclusion: Promoting the plantation of some of these species can enhance the income of the traditional healers of these districts and simultaneously make the exploitation of these plant species sustainable. We also found that the pharmacological and biological activities of many plant species are yet to be explored.

Background: Homeopathy is an alternative therapy that uses substance dilution. The homeopathic preparation of Syzygium jambolanum (SJ) has a potential use in the treatment of glycemic disorders. Objective: In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of the SJ homeopathic preparation on treating obesity and glycemic/metabolic disorders compared with metformin treatment (diabetes gold-treatment) in a mice model fed a high-fat diet. Methods: A total of 48 Swiss male mice were divided into six groups with eight animals each, randomly distributed as follows: obese and non-obese groups, treated and non treated with SJ or metformin. Obesity was induced by high-lard/high-sugar diet, while the control mice (ST) received a standard diet for 12 weeks, after which, for 30 days, the animals received a preparation of 20 μl/100g/body-weight of SJ or a dose of 250 mg/kg metformin (by gavage). The control groups ST and HLHS received water gavage. Body composition and biochemical parameters were evaluated. The adipose genes for lipogenesis and thermogenesis were tested. Results: The mice treated with Syzygium jambolanum presented reduced weight gain (p< 0.02) and smaller adipose tissue weight, average difference compared to the mice treated with metformin, and both groups showed improved insulin sensitivity (p<0.04). The main results were associated with the modulation of the adipogenesis pathway (C/EPBα and PPARγ) and the thermogenic gene Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1). Conclusion: Syzygium jambolanum homeopathic preparation leads to lower body weight, blood glucose and total cholesterol with higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL), pointing to its efficiency in treating diabetes and obesity.

The use of herbal drugs may offer great potential opportunities in preventing and controlling neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Herbal drugs contain multiple pharmacologically active constituents. The relative amounts and nature of these constituents vary due to diverse factors, such as plant source and plant parts, extraction methods, local environmental conditions, storage conditions, adulterations, and accidental or intentional contamination. After administration, they are put through the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of the same as modern medicines. When handled by the body, they can show a combined effect and interact with modern drugs due to various factors, including similar transport protein interaction, metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzyme, and different transporter mechanisms. Herbal medicine can either induce or inhibit CYP450 enzymes. When herbs are combined with the drugs, either they mimic or oppose the effect of drugs. Many studies worldwide indicate the favorable properties of plant extracts or their bioactive compounds against neurodegenerative disorders, but several clinical concerns have appeared regarding the use of these combinations, which could be due to lack of evidence and scientific support for their effectiveness and safety of the patient.

Background: Salvia chloroleuca Rech. f. & Allen is an endemic or native perennial medicinal plant growing wildly in central, north, and northeast Iran. Objective: The aim of this research was to provide an overview of the chemical profile of Salvia chloroleuca, the principal chemical compounds, and their various biological activities and uses in traditional pharmacopoeia. Methods: The literature search was done via specialized search databases (SciFinder, Scopus, Pub- Med, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). Results: From the past to the present, people have consumed Salvia chloroleuca for carminative, antibacterial, antitumoral, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, antirheumatic, tonic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, immunoprotective, anticancer and neuroprotective properties. The principal ingredients of Salvia chloroleuca are salvigenin, luteolin, cirsiliol, daucosterol, and β-sitosterol, and these substances may be responsible for the herb's remedial properties. The bioactive components extracted from Salvia chloroleuca have promising prospects and make it possible to propose diverse solutions due to their excellent dissimilarity and bioactivity for such various usages. Conclusion: This study is a valuable resource for further research and improvement of the varied features of Salvia chloroleuca secondary metabolites. This study is a valuable source of information regarding an important native medicinal plant. It can be extended for new investigations in the fields of phytochemistry and pharmacology, with the purpose of searching for novel natural bioactive structures with therapeutic properties.

Objectives: Premna barbata Wall. ex Schauer; (Lamiaceae) is a deciduous shrub or tree known as Aganyo in folk language. The plant is widely used in treating various diseases traditionally, such as arthritic pain, dropsy, diarrhoea, fever, and herpes complex disease. However, comprehensive data on this medicinally important plant is not available in the literature. Therefore, this review aims to provide a detailed overview of the botanical description, ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological investigations of Premna barbata to provide a scientific consensus for future research investigations and to link its traditionally claimed use to scientifically proven results. Methods: Information regarding the plant was gathered from electronic databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, ACS, Springer, SciFinder, Taylor and Francis, Google Scholar, Scopus and Journal websites. The scientific name of the plant was validated using The Plant List and The International Plant Names Index. Results: An exhaustive study of the accessible sources of Premna barbata confirmed its origin, distribution, and ethnomedicinal use. It has been used in the form of powders, juice, paste, and decoctions against various ailments. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of different phytoconstituents. Only antibacterial potential of the plant has been reported yet. Conclusion: By performing the literature search, Premna barbata showcased its importance in folkloric medicine as well as in ayurvedic medicine. Moreover, the collected information from various trustworthy sources shows that the plant holds many hidden potentials and can, therefore, be studied extensively for its quality control, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and pharmacological activity. Furthermore, in-depth studies are required to discover key features which can help in future research work. An effort is required to investigate this plant species, which is found distributed in most unexplored regions as well as it needs to be preserved as it’s on the verge of extinction.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) that has rapidly spread all over the world, causing an international health crisis. Earlier, various synthetic antiviral drugs and clinical therapies have been used to control viral infections, but at present, there is no specific treatment available for COVID-19 infection. Several drugs, like ritonavir, lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine, and chloroquine, have been proposed. India is a hub of medicinal plants, so there is a chance to find effective means to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The medicinal herbal formulations may enhance immunity and help develop a powerful antiviral drug, which is urgently needed to control the outbreak of coronavirus. In this review article, we have discussed the epidemiology, clinical outcomes, treatment, and prevention of this novel epidemic coronavirus from the medicinal herbal formulation perspective. We have also emphasized the reported antiviral activity and immunity-boosting properties of the Indian medicinal plants. This article also suggests that the drug or formulation obtained from plant sources would have low fatal outcomes, exhibit quick response, and be safe in the management and prevention of this pandemic outbreak.