Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Current Issue

Due to the high prevalence of cancer, researchers for the past decades have made considerable efforts for its management and treatment. Medicinal plants have always been exploited to discover novel anticancer agents. Oman’s huge biodiversity has created a rich source of traditional medicine.

The current survey has aimed to document the traditionally used medicinal plants of Oman and their therapeutic role in the treatment of cancer.

This study comprises of literature-based survey through different databases, including Google, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer Link, BioMed Central and PubMed.

The current review revealed a total of 57 plant species that belong to 35 families that are used in the treatment of cancer in Oman. Most documented plants belong to Solanaceae (6 sp.), Apocyanaceae (5 sp.) and Lamiaceae (4 sp.). The literature reveals that the residents of the area mostly use leaves (38.5%) and prepare their recipes in the form of decoction (40.3%). Moreover, herbs are the most dominant life form (43.85%). Among all forms of cancer in Oman, breast (47%), wound (26), and lung cancer (0.5%) were found dominantly. A literature study confirmed that the medicinal plants used for cancer in Oman are rich in phytochemicals such as quercetin, allicin, coumarin, alliin, kaempferol, solamargine, rutin, lupeol, ursolic acid and luteolin that have shown significant biological activities including anti-cancer potential. It reflects the efficacy of these plants to be used as a medicine in clinical trials. Among all, Boswellia sacra Flueck. is of key importance due to the presence Boswellic acid being used for the treatment of different types of cancer.

The residents of Oman have great knowledge about the traditional use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases like cancer. The therapeutic potential and physiological efficacy of Omani medicinal plants should be further explored at a molecular level via in vivo and in vitro experiments.

In continuation of our chemical and biological work on Tithonia tubaeformis, we evaluated the antipyretic activity of its extract which on fractionation gives a pure alkaloid galegine. Galegine a bioprivileged compound, is a hemiterpene bearing a guanidine group, which holds significant importance in medicinal chemistry. Biological activities such as antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, anticancer, and antihypertensive, are often associated with guanidine-containing molecules.

Given the biological importance of guanidine and in search of safe antipyretic agents from natural resources, an in vivo antipyretic activity of methanolic extract of T. tubaeformis and galegine was conducted to discover a potential hypothermic drug candidate from the plant.

In vivo, the antipyretic activity of galegine (5, 25, and 50 mg/kg doses) and methanolic extract of T. tubaeformis (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg doses) was investigated by employing yeast-induced pyrexia in mice model. In silico molecular docking analysis involving target enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) was conducted. Additionally, galegine underwent ADME/T profiling using SwissADME and Protox-II tools to evaluate its bioavailability and safety profiles.

Both the extract and galegine showed a progressive dose-dependent reduction in body temperatures of the hyperthermic test animals. Moreover, in silico molecular docking analysis revealed significant binding affinities ranging from -3.58 to -5.41 kcal/mol. ADME/T analyses of galegine predicted its high drug-likeness and good safety profile.

These biological and computational approaches supported T. tubaeformis in addressing pyrexia, with the isolated compound galegine emerging as a promising antipyretic agent.

The medicinal plants of Izki hold significant ethnopharmacological relevance, serving as primary healthcare resources for generations. These plants exhibit known pharmacological properties, making them crucial for traditional and modern therapeutic applications.

The primary goal of this study was to record, conserve, and analyze the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in Izki. It also aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of these plants for treating various ailments while identifying their pharmacological relevance for modern applications.

The study involved interviews with 300 local residents to record their traditional knowledge of therapeutic herbs. Quantitative methods were employed. Plant specimens were collected, identified, and submitted to the herbarium.

The study recorded 65 medicinal plants (22 cultivated, 43 wild) used for 62 disease categories. Eye diseases (0.721; 13 taxa) and bone fractures (0.700; 13 taxa) showed higher consensus among respondents. FL% analysis highlighted Tephrosia apollinea (69.2%), Trachyspermum ammi (62.5%), and Azadirachta indica (53.3%) as culturally significant. Rhazya stricta emerged as an antirheumatic agent, reflecting shared ethnobotanical practices between India and Oman. Plants like Rhazya stricta, Fagonia indica, Trachyspermum ammi, and Ziziphus spina-christi demonstrated consistent regional applications, underscoring their potential for pharmacological investigation.

This study underscores Izki's rich ethnobotanical knowledge, with extensive use of leaves, fruits, and whole plants for medicinal, dietary, and hygienic purposes. Conservation efforts, sustainable harvesting, and collaborations with pharmaceutical sciences are essential to validate the pharmacological potential of Rhazya stricta, Fagonia indica, Trachyspermum ammi, and Ziziphus spina-christi and bridge traditional knowledge with modern medicine.