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1.
The genus Asarum: A review on phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, toxicology and pharmacokinetics.
Liu, H, Wang, C
Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2022;:114642
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE In essentially every quadrant of the globe, many species of genus Asarum are used as a common herbal medicine and appear in many formulas or Kampo. Crude drug from several medicinal plants of genus Asarum (MA) known as Asari Radix et Rhizoma (ARR) has been proven to have the functions of dispelling cold, relieving pain, and reducing phlegm according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory for thousands of years. AIM OF THE STUDY This article reviews the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and metabolic kinetics related research of genus Asarum to evaluate its ethnopharmacology use and future opportunities for research. MATERIALS AND METHODS Information on relevant studies of the genus Asarum was gathered via the Internet using Baidu Scholar, Web of Science, Elsevier, ResearchGate, ACS, Pudmed and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Additionally, information was also obtained from some local books, PhD, MS's dissertations and Pharmacopeias. RESULTS The genus Asarum has played an important role in herbal treatment. At present, more than 277 compounds have been isolated or identified from genus Asarum. Among them, volatile oil and lignans are the major active constituents and important chemotaxonomic markers. Modern pharmacological studies indicated that genus Asarum and its active compounds possess a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially analgesic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, cardiovascular protection, antitussive, immunosuppressive, anti-tumor, and microbicidal activities. CONCLUSIONS Based on this review, therapeutic potential of genus Asarum has been demonstrated with the pharmacological effects on inflammation, CNS, respiratory regulation, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and microbial infection. The available literature showed that the major activities of the genus Asarum can be attributed to the active lignans and essential oils. Further in-depth studies on the aspects of the genus for mechanism of actions, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, drug interactions, and clinical trials are still limited, thereby intensive research and assessments should be performed.
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2.
Plant Secondary Metabolites Produced in Response to Abiotic Stresses Has Potential Application in Pharmaceutical Product Development.
Yeshi, K, Crayn, D, Ritmejerytė, E, Wangchuk, P
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2022;(1)
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are vital for human health and constitute the skeletal framework of many pharmaceutical drugs. Indeed, more than 25% of the existing drugs belong to PSMs. One of the continuing challenges for drug discovery and pharmaceutical industries is gaining access to natural products, including medicinal plants. This bottleneck is heightened for endangered species prohibited for large sample collection, even if they show biological hits. While cultivating the pharmaceutically interesting plant species may be a solution, it is not always possible to grow the organism outside its natural habitat. Plants affected by abiotic stress present a potential alternative source for drug discovery. In order to overcome abiotic environmental stressors, plants may mount a defense response by producing a diversity of PSMs to avoid cells and tissue damage. Plants either synthesize new chemicals or increase the concentration (in most instances) of existing chemicals, including the prominent bioactive lead compounds morphine, camptothecin, catharanthine, epicatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), quercetin, resveratrol, and kaempferol. Most PSMs produced under various abiotic stress conditions are plant defense chemicals and are functionally anti-inflammatory and antioxidative. The major PSM groups are terpenoids, followed by alkaloids and phenolic compounds. We have searched the literature on plants affected by abiotic stress (primarily studied in the simulated growth conditions) and their PSMs (including pharmacological activities) from PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE Ovid, Google Scholar, Databases, and journal websites. We used search keywords: "stress-affected plants," "plant secondary metabolites, "abiotic stress," "climatic influence," "pharmacological activities," "bioactive compounds," "drug discovery," and "medicinal plants" and retrieved published literature between 1973 to 2021. This review provides an overview of variation in bioactive phytochemical production in plants under various abiotic stress and their potential in the biodiscovery of therapeutic drugs. We excluded studies on the effects of biotic stress on PSMs.
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3.
Zingiber officinale var. rubrum: Red Ginger's Medicinal Uses.
Zhang, S, Kou, X, Zhao, H, Mak, KK, Balijepalli, MK, Pichika, MR
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2022;(3)
Abstract
Zingiber officinale var. rubrum (red ginger) is widely used in traditional medicine in Asia. Unlike other gingers, it is not used as a spice in cuisines. To date, a total of 169 chemical constituents have been reported from red ginger. The constituents include vanilloids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, flavonoids, amino acids, etc. Red ginger has many therapeutic roles in various diseases, including inflammatory diseases, vomiting, rubella, atherosclerosis, tuberculosis, growth disorders, and cancer. Scientific evidence suggests that red ginger exhibits immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperuricemic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities. These biological activities are the underlying causes of red ginger's therapeutic benefits. In addition, there have been few reports on adverse side effects of red ginger. This review aims to provide insights in terms the bioactive constituents and their biosynthesis, biological activities, molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of red ginger.
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4.
Plants used against obesity in Turkish folk medicine: A review.
Sargin, SA
Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2021;:113841
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Obesity is one of the growing public health problems in Turkey, as well as all over the world, threatening people of almost all ages. Turkey has a large potential for research on this topic due to owning broad ethnomedicinal experience and the richest flora (34% endemic) of Europe and the Middle East. Herbs that they have utilized for centuries to treat and prevent obesity can provide useful options to overcome this issue. AIM OF THE STUDY This survey was carried out to disclose the inventory of plant taxa that the people of Turkey have been using for a few centuries in treating obesity without any side effects or complications, and to compare them with experimental studies in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS The research was achieved in two phases on the matter above by using electronic databases, such as Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, HighWire Press, PubMed and Google Scholar. Both results were shown in separate tables as well as the regional comparative analysis. RESULTS 117 herbal taxa belonging to 45 families were identified among the selected 74 studies conducted in the seven regions of Turkey. However, only 49 (41.9%) of them were found to be subjected to worldwide in vitro and in vivo research conducted on anti-obesity activity. Quercetin (9.1%), gallic acid (6.1%) and ferulic acid and epigallocatechin gallate (4.5%) have been recorded as the most common active ingredients among the 66 active substances identified. Prunus avium (32.4%) and Rosmarinus officinalis (25.7%) were identified as the most common plants used in Turkey. Also, Portulaca oleracea and Brassica oleracea emerged as the most investigated taxa in the literature. CONCLUSION This is the first country-wide ethnomedical review conducted on obesity treatment with plants in Turkey. Evaluating the results of the experimental anti-obesity research conducted in the recent years in the literature, it was determined that forty-nine plants were verified. This clearly shows that these herbs have a high potential to be a pharmacological resource. Moreover, 68 (41.9%) taxa, which haven't been investigated yet, are likely to be a promising resource for national and international pharmacological researchers in terms of new natural medicine searches.
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5.
Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Composition of Six Commercially Available Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Extracts: Potential Biological Implications.
Catani, MV, Rinaldi, F, Tullio, V, Gasperi, V, Savini, I
International journal of molecular sciences. 2021;(19)
Abstract
Several phytochemical-containing herbal extracts are increasingly marketed as health-promoting products. In particular, chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) is well known for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antitumor properties. Here, we evaluated differences in chemical composition among six commercially available products and their potential impact on biological activity in human immortalized colonocytes. Our investigation encompassed: (i) preparation of dry extracts and yield evaluation; (ii) qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenol content; (iii) modulation of redox state; and (iv) bioavailability of main bioactive compounds. We demonstrated that apparently identical products showed huge heterogeneity, in terms of yield extraction, chemical composition, and antioxidant effects. All samples contained high amounts of flavonoids and cinnamic acid derivatives, but differentially concentrated in the six extracts. Depending on polyphenol content, chamomile samples possessed variable antioxidant potential, in terms of decreased radical generation and increased reduced glutathione levels. The observed effects might be ascribed to flavones (apigenin, luteolin, and their glycones) highly represented in the six extracts. Nonetheless, chamomile extracts exerted cytotoxic effects at high concentrations, suggesting that a herbal medicine is not always safe. In conclusion, due to the complexity and variability of plant matrices, studies evaluating effectiveness of chamomile should always be accompanied by preliminary characterization of phytochemical composition.
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6.
The traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of Paris L. (Liliaceae): A review.
Ding, YG, Zhao, YL, Zhang, J, Zuo, ZT, Zhang, QZ, Wang, YZ
Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2021;:114293
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Paris L. (Liliaceae) consisted of 33 species, of which the study focused on Paris polyphylla Smith, P. polyphylla var. chinensis (Franch.) Hara, and P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand. -Mazz. Due of course to the good effects of analgesia and hemostasis, it was traditionally used to treat trauma by folk herbalists. AIM OF THIS REVIEW This study summarized the traditional uses, distributions, phytochemical components, pharmacological properties, and toxicity evaluation of the genus Paris, and reviewed the economic value of cultivate P. polyphylla. This aim was that of providing a new and comprehensive recognition of these medicinal plants for the further utilization of Paris plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS The literature about traditional and folk uses of genus Paris was obtained from Duxiu Search, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The other literature about genus Paris was searched online on Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Scifinder database, and Springer research. The Scientific Database of China Plant Species (DCP) (http://db.kib.ac.cn/Default.aspx) databases were used to check the scientific names and provide species, varieties, and distribution of genus Paris. The botany studies information of genus Paris was available online from Plant Plus of China (www.iplant.cn). All the molecular structures of chemical compounds displayed in the text were produced by ChemBioDraw Ultra 14.0. RESULTS The plants of genus Paris, containing about 33 species and 15 varieties, are mainly distributed in Southwest China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces). More than 320 chemical components have been isolated from genus Paris since 2020, including steroidal saponins, C-21 steroids, phytosterols, insect hormones, pentacyclic triterpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds. Arrays of pharmacological investigations revealed that compounds and extracts of Paris species possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antifungal, hemostatic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The studies about toxicity evaluation suggested that Rhizome Paridis had slight liver toxicity. CONCLUSIONS The dried rhizomes of P. polyphylla, P. polyphylla var. chinensis, and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were used to treat wound, bleeding, and stomachache, etc. in folk medicine. Phytochemistry researches showed that different species had pretty similarities especially in terms of chemical constituents. Pharmacological studies witnessed that Rhizome Paridis has various activities. Among these activities, steroidal saponins were the main active ingredients. Furthermore, an important aspect responsible for increasing interest in genus Paris is the use of antifertility-nonhormonal contraceptives by women. Also, the development of TCM (Traditional Chinese medicine) planting industry can improve the income of ethnic minorities and promote economic development.
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7.
Flavonoids and other Non-alkaloidal Constituents of Genus Erythrina: Phytochemical Review.
Son, NT, Elshamy, AI
Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. 2021;(1):20-58
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genus Erythrina belongs to family Fabaceae, which is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. It has been used in both traditional herbal medicines and pharmacological applications. Original research articles and publications on the overview of alkaloids related to this genus are available, but a supportive systematic review account which highlighted phytochemical aspects of other types of secondary metabolites is currently insufficient. OBJECTIVE With the utilization of data and information from SCI-Finder, Google Scholar, the Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, ACS journals, Springer, Taylor Francis, Bentham Science and IOP Science, the reliable material sources of this systematic review paper were obtained from the literature published from the 1980s to now. CONCLUSION A vast amount of data showed that the non-alkaloidal secondary metabolites were obtained from genus Erythrina with various classes of chemical structures. Herein, approximately five hundred constituents were isolated, comprising flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, phytosterols, phenols, arylbenzofurans, coumarins, alcohols, ceramides, mono-sugars and fatty acid derivatives. In agreement with the previous phytochemical reports on the plants of the family Fabaceae, flavonoids reached a high amount in the plants of genus Erythrina. Numerous biological activity investigations such as anti-bacteria, anti-cancer, anti-virus using isolated compounds from Erythrina species suggested that secondary metabolites of Erythrina plants are now becoming the promising agents for drug developments.
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8.
Antiviral Activity of Jamaican Medicinal Plants and Isolated Bioactive Compounds.
Lowe, H, Steele, B, Bryant, J, Fouad, E, Toyang, N, Ngwa, W
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2021;(3)
Abstract
Plants have had historical significance in medicine since the beginning of civilization. The oldest medical pharmacopeias of the African, Arabian, and Asian countries solely utilize plants and herbs to treat pain, oral diseases, skin diseases, microbial infections, multiple types of cancers, reproductive disorders among a myriad of other ailments. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 65% of the world population solely utilize botanical preparations as medicine. Due to the abundance of plants, plant-derived medicines are more readily accessible, affordable, convenient, and have safer side-effect profiles than synthetic drugs. Plant-based decoctions have been a significant part of Jamaican traditional folklore medicine. Jamaica is of particular interest because it has approximately 52% of the established medicinal plants that exist on earth. This makes the island particularly welcoming for rigorous scientific research on the medicinal value of plants and the development of phytomedicine thereof. Viral infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2), hepatitis virus B and C, influenza A virus, and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) present a significant global burden. This is a review of some important Jamaican medicinal plants, with particular reference to their antiviral activity.
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9.
Chalcone Scaffolds, Bioprecursors of Flavonoids: Chemistry, Bioactivities, and Pharmacokinetics.
Rudrapal, M, Khan, J, Dukhyil, AAB, Alarousy, RMII, Attah, EI, Sharma, T, Khairnar, SJ, Bendale, AR
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 2021;(23)
Abstract
Chalcones are secondary metabolites belonging to the flavonoid (C6-C3-C6 system) family that are ubiquitous in edible and medicinal plants, and they are bioprecursors of plant flavonoids. Chalcones and their natural derivatives are important intermediates of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Plants containing chalcones have been used in traditional medicines since antiquity. Chalcones are basically α,β-unsaturated ketones that exert great diversity in pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitubercular, antiplasmodial, antileishmanial, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, and so on. This review provides an insight into the chemistry, biosynthesis, and occurrence of chalcones from natural sources, particularly dietary and medicinal plants. Furthermore, the pharmacological, pharmacokinetics, and toxicological aspects of naturally occurring chalcone derivatives are also discussed herein. In view of having tremendous pharmacological potential, chalcone scaffolds/chalcone derivatives and bioflavonoids after subtle chemical modification could serve as a reliable platform for natural products-based drug discovery toward promising drug lead molecules/drug candidates.
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10.
Review on Pharmacological and Phytochemical Prospects of Traditional Medicinal Plant: Persicaria hydropiper (Smartweed).
Nasir, A, Khalil, AAK, Bhatti, MZ, Ur Rehman, A, Li, J, Parveen, Z
Current topics in medicinal chemistry. 2021;(12):1027-1036
Abstract
Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre (family Polygonacea), commonly known as Polygonum hydropiper, is a popular medicinal plant used in traditional medicine. The plant is indigenous to the tropical northern hemisphere and temperate zone, including China, Bangladesh, India, and Japan. The plant is used in folk medicine for numerous ailments such as hemorrhoids, antifertility, diarrhea, and dyspepsia. Its medicinal usage in Unani, Ayurveda, Siddha, and other traditional medicine is well-recognized. So far, a wide range of active phytochemicals of this plant has been identified, such as flavonoids, sulphated flavonoids, terpenoids, anthraquinones, steroids, coumarin, simple phenolics, and others. Pharmacological data reported in the literature suggest that various parts of P. hydropiper exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antidepressant, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, anticancer, and antifertility effects. The present review aims to compile the coherently document research on the phytochemical, pharmacological, and biological activities of P. hydropiper from different parts of the globe.