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1.
Association Between Cinnamon Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Krittanawong, C, Isath, A, Scott, CZ, Wang, Z, Kaplin, S, Jneid, H, Lavie, CJ, Virani, SS
The American journal of medicine. 2022;(1):110-117
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cinnamon has been used as a traditional herbal medication for decades. Several studies have investigated cinnamon consumption and cardiovascular risk. So far, the evidence remains inconclusive. Thus, we aim to systematically review the currently available literature and quantify the evidence, if possible. METHODS We systematically searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception in 1966 through December 2020. The exposure of interest was cinnamon consumption, the outcome was cardiovascular risk defined as hemoglobin A1C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Two investigators independently reviewed the data. Conflicts were resolved through consensus. Random-effects meta-analyses were used. RESULTS Of 23 studies (1070 subjects), the included studies were heterogeneous, generally of very poor quality. We found no difference in LDL-c levels in patients who consumed cinnamon vs those who did not, with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of 0.38 (confidence interval [CI], -6.07-6.83). We also found no difference in HDL-c between the 2 groups with WMD 0.40 (CI, -1.14-1.94). In addition, we found no statistical differences in hemoglobin A1C between the 2 groups with WMD of 0.0 (CI, -0.44-0.45). CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis suggests that there is no association between cinnamon consumption and differences in LDL-c, HDL-c, and hemoglobin A1C levels. Further randomized control trials studies using a robust design with long-term cinnamon consumption are needed to further investigate any potential effect.
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Herbal Medications Used to Ameliorate Cardiac Conditions.
Revell, MA, Pugh, MA
The Nursing clinics of North America. 2021;(1):123-136
Abstract
Herbs have been used for centuries to treat various diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Herbs may be used by clients exclusively for disease management or in combination with conventional medications. This article increases provider awareness of certain herbs and their potential use by clients, as well as their impact on the cardiovascular system. It is important for the advanced practice nurse to collect information related to herb use during history retrieval. This information should prompt the nurse to discuss possible benefits and side effects that may occur taking herbs in isolation or in combination with cardiovascular prescription medications.
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Herbal immune-boosters: Substantial warriors of pandemic Covid-19 battle.
Khanna, K, Kohli, SK, Kaur, R, Bhardwaj, A, Bhardwaj, V, Ohri, P, Sharma, A, Ahmad, A, Bhardwaj, R, Ahmad, P
Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. 2021;:153361
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Abstract
Current scenario depicts that world has been clenched by COVID-19 pandemic. Inevitably, public health and safety measures could be undertaken in order to dwindle the infection threat and mortality. Moreover, to overcome the global menace and drawing out world from moribund stage, there is an exigency for social distancing and quarantines. Since December, 2019, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) have came into existence and up till now world is still in the state of shock.At this point of time, COVID-19 has entered perilous phase, creating havoc among individuals, and this has been directly implied due to enhanced globalisation and ability of the virus to acclimatize at all conditions. The unabated transmission is due to lack of drugs, vaccines and therapeutics against this viral outbreak. But research is still underway to formulate the vaccines or drugs by this means, as scientific communities are continuously working to unravel the pharmacologically active compounds that might offer a new insight for curbing infections and pandemics. Therefore, the topical COVID-19 situation highlights an immediate need for effective therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. Towards this effort, the present review discusses the vital concepts related to COVID-19, in terms of its origin, transmission, clinical aspects and diagnosis. However, here, we have formulated the novel concept hitherto, ancient means of traditional medicines or herbal plants to beat this pandemic.
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A Comparative Study to Evaluate Efficacy of Curcumin and Aloe Vera Gel along with Oral Physiotherapy in the Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Nerkar Rajbhoj, A, Kulkarni, TM, Shete, A, Shete, M, Gore, R, Sapkal, R
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. 2021;(S1):107-112
Abstract
UNLABELLED Rationale (Hypothesis): The antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,immunomodulatory and anti-tumorigenic properties of natural plant's extracts like aloe Vera and curcumin may produce beneficial therapeutic effects on OSMF patients and may lead to their symptomatic relief. Also, increase in the tissue elasticity with the help of oral physiotherapy excercises , would help in reinforcing increment in mouth opening. AIM: The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of Curcumin gel with Aloe Vera gel when both the gel are supplemented along with oral physiotherapy in the management of OSMF. MATERIALS AND METHODS A study of parallel group trial design, using simple randomization technique, was conducted on confirmed cases of OSMF. Patients were divided into two groups, one group(30 patients) was given curcumin gel(Curenext) and other group (30 patients) aloe Vera gel (Aloe Vera 100% relief) and each group was asked to do same oral physiotherapy excercises supplementally. Follow-up was done for 6 weeks and patients were assessed on the basis of improvement in mouth opening and burning sensation at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. RESULTS There was an improvement in both the parameters at subsequent visits, but the Aloe Vera gel showed better improvement than curcumin gel in burning sensation after 6 weeks of treatment which was highly statistically significant p < 0.01. CONCLUSION Curcumin gel and Aloe Vera gel are effective in improving OSMF symptoms, but aloe Vera gel is more efficacious in burning sensation improvement without any side effects. Hence, we can advocate these drugs as adjuvant treatment in addition to the recommended treatment.
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Efficacy of Pomegranate Seed Powder on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.
Seyed Hashemi, M, Namiranian, N, Tavahen, H, Dehghanpour, A, Rad, MH, Jam-Ashkezari, S, Emtiazy, M, Hashempur, MH
Complementary medicine research. 2021;(3):226-233
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pomegranate is known as a functional food which has multiple health-promoting activities. It has been assessed for patients with metabolic syndrome. Specifically, an antidiabetic activity of its juice and plausible mechanisms for its action have been shown in multitudinous studies. The aim of this study was assessing the effects of complementary treatment with pomegranate seed powder (PSP) oral supplementation on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS Sixty patients were treated for 8 weeks by 5 g PSP or placebo, twice daily. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) were recorded as the outcome measures at the beginning and after the intervention. The findings were analyzed using the independent t test and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS After 8 weeks, the mean differences of FBG, HbA1c, cholesterol, and TG were significantly decreased in the PSP group when compared with the placebo group (p value <0.05). In addition, post-intervention values of FBG and HbA1c were significantly lower in patients treated with PSP compared to the placebo group (p values = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). However, the latter comparison regarding cholesterol and TG showed no significant differences (p values = 0.51 and 0.26, respectively). CONCLUSION It seems that complementary treatment with PSP may have beneficial effects on FBG and HbA1c of patients with T2DM. However, its effect on TG and cholesterol was equivocal.
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Punica granatum as a Source of Natural Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agent: A Comprehensive Review on Related Investigations.
Jalali, A, Kiafar, M, Seddigh, M, Zarshenas, MM
Current drug discovery technologies. 2021;(2):207-224
Abstract
BACKGROUND The consumption of natural antioxidants is increasing due to the demand and tendency to natural foods. Punica granatum L. [Punicaceae] is a fruit with various bioactive ingredients. The effectiveness of this plant has been proved against various disorders such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, blood coagulation, infections, cancer, and dentistry. Among them, there are numerous researches on antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Subsequently, the present study aimed to compile a review of those properties to outline this herb as a possible natural antioxidant and preservative. METHODS Synchronically, keywords "Punica granatum" with antimicrobial, or antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and radical scavenging were searched through "Scopus" database up to 31st September 2019. Papers focusing on agriculture, genetics, chemistry, and environmental sciences were excluded, and also related papers were collected. RESULTS Among 201 papers focusing on related activities, 111 papers have dealt with antioxidant activities focusing based on DPPH assay, 59 with antibacterial, on both gram+ and gram- bacteria, 24 with antifungal effects, mostly on Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, and 7 papers with antiviral activities. There were about 50 papers focusing on in-vivo antioxidant activities of this plant. CONCLUSION Taken together, botanical parts of P. granatum have possessed notable radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities that, with these properties, this plant can be introduced as a natural, safe source of preservative and antioxidant. Accordingly, P. granatum can be applied as excipient with the aforementioned properties in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
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Traditional herbal medicines to overcome stress, anxiety and improve mental health in outbreaks of human coronaviruses.
Shahrajabian, MH, Sun, W, Soleymani, A, Cheng, Q
Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2021;(3):1237-1247
Abstract
Mental health condition is including depression and anxiety, and they may impact wellbeing, personal relationships and productivity of both genders. Herbal medicines have been used to treatment of anxiety and depression symptoms for centuries. SARS, MERS and COVID-19 are related to coronavirus types. SARS (sever acute respiratory syndrome, China, 2002), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome, Saudi Arabia, 2012), and SARS-CoV-2 (2019-2020) are the main coronavirus outbreaks. Both anxiety and depression are more serious to be considered and improved for all general public during fight with these diseases. In this mini-review article, we have mentioned the key role some of the most important plants and herbs for treatment of stress and anxiety and improve mental health against SARS and SARS-CoV-2 on the basis of traditional Asian medicine, especially traditional Chinese and Persian medicine.
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Safety and Efficacy of Oral Supplementation of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medic) in Dry Eye Patients.
Panahi, Y, Roozbahani, M, Pirhadi, S, Aghamollaei, H, Nejat, F, Naderi, M, Serahati, S, Jadidi, K, Sathyapalan, T, Jamialahmadi, T, et al
Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 2021;:377-384
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of dietary lentil capsules in patients suffering from dry eye symptoms. METHODS A randomized, triple-blind, interventional, placebo-controlled study was done. Sixty patients were randomized in two groups to receive either one capsule containing 500 mg of lentil powder or placebo daily for 3 months. UCVA, tear film breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer's test, tear film osmolarity, and OSDI score were recorded at baseline and 3 months after intervention. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS for Windows version 20 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS In the lentil group, at baseline, the mean UCVA (LogMAR), OSDI, TBUT (S), tear film osmolarity (mOsm/L), and Schirmer (mm) scores were 0.104 (0.026), 22.66 (19.40), 10.31 (5.32), 301.07 (15.57), and 8.22 (6.87), respectively. These values were 0.101 (0.026), 20.85 (19.44), 13.04 (7.11), 299.81 (11.60), and 9.87 (10.11). In the placebo group, these values were 0.084 (0.027), 25.35 (20.08), 10.56 (4.95), 299.77 (15.09), and 9.35 (8.06) at baseline and 3 months later were 0.077 (0.027), 23.32 (22.90), 13.62 (6.30), 297.54 (12.08), and 8.64 (9.60), respectively. Three patients (one in the lentil group and two in the placebo group) experienced severe gastrointestinal symptoms. CONCLUSION Although consumption of 500 mg of lentil is safe, this amount is not sufficient for reduction of dry eye syndrome in 3 months. For more validation, a clinical study with increased dosage of lentil is proposed.
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Randomized placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial on the efficacy of ayurvedic treatment regime on COVID-19 positive patients.
Devpura, G, Tomar, BS, Nathiya, D, Sharma, A, Bhandari, D, Haldar, S, Balkrishna, A, Varshney, A
Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. 2021;:153494
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Specific treatment for COVID-19 is still an unmet need. Outcomes of clinical trials on repurposed drugs have not been yielding success. Therefore, it is necessary to include complementary approaches of medicine against COVID-19. PURPOSE This study was designed to evaluate the impact of traditional Indian Ayurvedic treatment regime on asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 infection. STUDY DESIGN It is a placebo controlled randomized double-blind pilot clinical trial. METHODS The study was registered with Clinical Trial Registry-India (vide Registration No. CTRI/2020/05/025273) and conducted at the Department of Medicine in National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur, India. 1 g of Giloy Ghanvati (Tinospora cordifolia) and 2 g of Swasari Ras (traditional herbo-mineral formulation) and 0.5 g each of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Tulsi Ghanvati (Ocimum sanctum) were given orally to the patients in treatment group twice per day for 7 days. Medicines were given in the form of tablets and each tablet weighed 500 mg. While, Swasari Ras was administered in powdered form, 30 min before breakfasts and dinners, rest were scheduled for 30 min post-meals. Patients in the treatment group also received 4 drops of Anu taila (traditional nasal drop) in each nostril every day 1 h before breakfast. Patients in the placebo group received identical-looking tablets and drops, post randomization and double blinded assortments. RT-qPCR test was used for the detection of viral load in the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples of study participants during the study. Chemiluminescent immunometric assay was used to quantify serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) on day 1 and day 7 of the study. RESULTS By day 3, 71.1 % and 50.0 % patients recovered in the treatment and placebo groups, respectively. Treatment group witnessed 100 % recovery by day 7, while it was 60.0 % in the placebo group. Average fold changes in serum levels of hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in treatment group were respectively, 12.4, 2.5 and 20 times lesser than those in the placebo group at day 7. There was 40 % absolute reduction in the risk of delayed recovery from infection in the treatment group. CONCLUSIONS Ayurvedic treatment can expedite virological clearance, help in faster recovery and concomitantly reduce the risk of viral dissemination. Reduced inflammation markers suggested less severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the treatment group. Moreover, there was no adverse effect observed to be associated with this treatment.
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Effect of Nigella sativa in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Tang, G, Zhang, L, Tao, J, Wei, Z
Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2021;(8):4183-4193
Abstract
The effectiveness of Nigella sativa (NS) treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial. This systematic review, and meta-analysis, was conducted to evaluate potential benefits of NS for NAFLD. Up to June 11, 2020, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating NS for the treatment of NAFLD were searched and included from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of science. Mean differences (MD) or risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Six articles from five trails with a total of 358 participants were included. Although NS has no beneficial effect on the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglyceride (TG), insulin, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), its supplementation did improve the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), fasting blood sugar (FBS), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), and grade of fatty liver compared with placebo. In summary, this study showed that NS supplementation was effective in the treatment of NAFLD and could improve the levels of ALT, AST, FBS, HDL, and hs-CRP in patients with NAFLD, as well as the severity of NAFLD. High-quality large sample RCTs are necessary to confirm the benefit of NS supplementation for NAFLD.