Natural Products Journal, The - Volume 12, Issue 7, 2022

Background: Urolithiasis as the third most common disorder is defined as stones within the urinary tract. Calcium oxalate is the most common type of stone with a prevalence of 80-85% of cases. There is no drug treatment for urolithiasis, but the use of some stone blockers and inhibitors relaxes the ureter smooth muscles and helps the stone excretion. Objective: High prevalence and recurrence rates of urolithiasis has encouraged scientists to find new drugs, especially from medicinal plants. Tribulus terrestris is used for the management of urinary calculi in different traditional systems. Therefore, the potential use of T. terrestris in the management of urinary stones has been the subject of this review for the first time. Methods: The manuscript was prepared by searching the keywords “Tribulus terrestris”, “urolithiasis”, “urinary stone”, and “calcium oxalate” in scientific resources, traditional and modern books, dissertations, and documents. Results: The results exhibited that T. terrestris fruit aqueous extract had some efficacy in the treatment of urinary calculi by demineralizing the stone, inhibiting the stone formation, increasing urine volume in 24 hrs in animal and human studies, along with protective effects against renal injury due to inhibition of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Conclusion: All these mechanisms make T. terrestris as an effective treatment for urolithiasis that needs to be evaluated in further clinical studies.

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common condition that affects menstruating women, especially young women. Painful cramping in the lower abdominal area, nausea, vomiting, headache, and fatigue is associated with primary dysmenorrhea, which restricts women from normal living life. The productivity and work performance of women are heavily affected by the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Low Dose Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs) are commonly prescribed for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. However, variability in individual response to the drugs and their side effects hinder their long-term use among women. Complementary medicine such as herbs is a promising alternative for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, but it lacks scientific evidence. The pharmacological and clinical studies of 9 herbs were included in this review. Although excellent analgesic effects of herbs were reported by clinical studies, the detailed mechanism of action of most herbs remains unelucidated. Several studies discovered that herbs exert analgesic effects through direct uterine muscle relaxation effect, inhibition of Cyclooxygenase- 2 (COX-2), inhibition of intracellular calcium level, and reduction of prostaglandin synthesis. Further investigation of pharmacological action and the recommended dosages of the herbs for the optimal analgesic effect is needed.

Background: There has been increasing interest in the research of flavonoids from plant sources because of their versatile effects reported in various biological studies. The bioavailability, metabolism, and biological activity of flavonoids depend on the configuration, the total number of hydroxyl groups, and the substitution of functional groups about their nuclear structure. Plant organs are the main dietary source of flavonoids for humans and have been used as a remedy in traditional medicine. Some examples include Millettia plants which have been reported to contain several flavonoids with pharmacological activity against multifactorial diseases. Aim of the Study: The present study summarizes up-to-date and comprehensive information on the pharmacological activity of flavonoids from plants of the genus Millettia. Methods: The literature information was obtained from published and unpublished materials (theses, dissertations, and textbooks), retrieved from databases, such as Science Direct, SciFinder, PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Scopus, Wiley, American Chemical Society, Springer, and Web of Science. Results: Plants from the genus Millettia contain more than 400 different flavonoids, among which approximately 100 flavonoids were pharmacologically active in in vitro or in vivo studies. These flavonoids exhibited antioxidant, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, among others. Conclusion: Flavonoids from Millettia plants were reported to exhibit in vitro antioxidant, antiprotozoal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activities, etc. These compounds can be used as a starting point for the development of new agents against multifactorial diseases. However, more in vivo experiments, cytotoxicity tests, and detailed mechanism of action of Millettia bioactive flavonoids should be investigated.

Boehmeria nivea, commonly known as ramie, is a functional food ingredient used by Asians. It is also cultivated for its leaf fibres with excellent tensile strength, resistance to shrinkage, and antimildew, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Ramie leaves and roots are also consumed as food, beverages, and medicinal herbs. This plant has been used as ethnomedicine for various health complications, including hepatoprotective, antiviral, antipyretic, detoxification, reduced swelling, etc. The ethnomedicinal uses of ramie in multiple countries, including China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Malaysia, have been reviewed. The phytochemicals or secondary metabolites reported in ramie have also been listed. Ramie has been found to exhibit numerous promising pharmacological activities. Four pharmacological activities of ramie that are closely related to treating and preventing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have been thoroughly reviewed: anti-inflammatory, anti-colitis, anti-oxidative, and laxative.

Introduction: One of the most frequent sports-relatedinjuries, skeletal muscle injury requires special concern considering its great implication for athletes. Inflammation is a key component of muscle repair once it has been damaged. However, failure to relieve an increased inflammatory response disrupts the healing process and results in muscle atrophy. Current treatment for muscle injury has not given promising outcomes for muscle regeneration. Moreover, the administration of NSAIDs has many negative effects on muscle healing. Various approaches have been attempted in the search for the best treatment for muscle injuries, including the use of herbs. Objective: This paper aims to review some advantages of herbal supplementation to optimize muscle healing through various mechanisms related to inflammation. Methods: This study was conducted based on some references from PubMed and Google Scholar analyzed by applying PRISMA protocol to conclude. Results and Discussion: We surveyed several herbs that have been previously studied for their constituents and bioactivity in modulating inflammatory response. Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) has been proven to reduce ROS production and inhibit COX activity equal to diclofenac. Curcuma longa and nutmeg also provide anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α. Curcuma longa and Radix astragali have been demonstrated to inhibit NF-ΚB, resulting in a reduction in inflammatory response. In addition, nutmeg, tea polyphenol, and astaxanthin are also beneficial in supporting muscle regeneration and preventing muscle atrophy. Conclusion: Some herbs are potentially beneficial to optimize the healing process of muscle injury by modulating inflammatory mediators’ expression and promoting muscle regeneration.

Background: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a phytopathogenic fungus from Sclerotinaceae family. This fungus parasitizes approximately 400 species of plants of great economic importance, such as soybean and beans. In this study, the anti-inflammatory properties of extracts, fractions, and isolated compound ergosterol peroxide were investigated. The hexane fraction and 1 inhibited croton oil-induced ear edema. In addition, ergosterol peroxide also inhibited neutrophil recruitment in the myeloperoxidase assay, demonstrating that ergosterol peroxide exerts anti-inflammatory activity, inhibiting the activity of both COX and LOX pathways. Moreover, these results provide new knowledge regarding S. sclerotiorum as a source of extracts and bioactive compounds. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and its in vivo anti-inflammatory activity. Methods: The crude extract, fractions, and ergosterol peroxide of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were evaluated by croton oil-induced ear edema quantification of MPO (myeloperoxidase enzyme). Results: The crude extract and hexane fraction exhibited edema inhibition of 50.5 and 70.6%, respectively. The ergosterol peroxide isolated from the hexane bioactive fractions exhibited significant inhibition of ear edema, indicating inhibition of the COX pathway. In addition, ergosterol peroxide inhibited neutrophil recruitment. Conclusion: The extract and fractions, as well as the isolated compound of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, exhibited anti-inflammatory potential.

Background: Natural products are rapidly gaining popularity in the medical sector for curing several diseases. The biomedical application of natural products in treating a wide range of systemic diseases, including oral diseases, has been reported. Previous studies delineated the importance of propolis of foreign origin as a significant pharmacological agent as antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory. For instance, prominent clinical reports concluded an enhanced quality of life with the use of propolis in cancer patients with mucositis, whereas an adverse effect was invoked after radiotherapy or chemotherapy. These reports delineated its efficacy as a safe and therapeutic natural product modality in cancer patients to prevent mucositis. However, there are no reports to delineate whether the isolated chemical extracts or constitutions of Indian propolis can exhibit disease curing efficacy against several systemic and oral microbial diseases. Objective: The current review emphasized the origin, and properties of Indian propolis and the diverse bio-pharmacological applications of its different solvent extracts. Material and Methods: Studies on Indian propolis, its “phyto-constituents,” “pharmacology,” in vitro activity on “oral pathogens”, and its application in dentistry searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases up to December 2020. Results: The search identified 72 records; 21 full-text articles which met the eligibility criteria were assessed and studied. Conclusion: The antimicrobial efficacy of this “nontoxic” resinous material in various bio dental pharmacologies with recent clinical and preclinical reports was delineated, which benefits medical doctors, dentists, and researchers to execute further research.