Plants with traditional uses and activities,relevant to the management of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders

In traditional practices of medicine, numerous plants have been used to treat cognitive disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other memory related disorders. An ethnopharmacological approach has provided leads to identifying potential new drugs from plant sources, including those for memory disorders. There are numerous drugs available in Western medicine that have been directly isolated from plants, or are derived from templates of compounds from plant sources. For example, some alkaloids from plant sources have been investigated for their potential in AD therapy, and are now in clinical use (e.g. galantamine from Galanthus nivalis L. is used in the United Kingdom). Various other plant species have shown favourable effects in AD, or pharmacological activities indicating the potential for use in AD therapy. This article reviews some of the plants and their active constituents that have been used in traditional medicine, including Ayurvedic, Chinese, European and Japanese medicine, for their reputed cognitive-enhancing and antidementia effects. Plants and their constituents with pharmacological activities that may be relevant to the treatment of cognitive disorders, including enhancement of cholinergic function in the central nervous system, anti-cholinesterase (anti-ChE), antiinflammatory, antioxidant and oestrogenic effects, are discussed.     

与辐射防护有关的药用植物活性

辐射防护剂在放射治疗、太空探险甚至核战等辐射环境中的应用日益受到关注,但现今所使用的许多人工合成的辐射防护剂都不太理想,因此,许多研究者将目标转移到了丰富的天然药用植物资源上。为了减少新药筛选过程中的盲目性,作者按照与辐射防护作用有关的生物活性分类整理了一些有潜在利用价值的药用植物,并对它们新近的研究进展进行了综述。     

Pharmacological actions and potential uses of Momordica charantia: a review

Since ancient times, plants and herbal preparations have been used as medicine. Research carried out in last few decades has certified several such claims of use of several plants of traditional medicine. Popularity of Momordica charantia (MC) in various systems of traditional medicine for several ailments (antidiabetic, abortifacient, anthelmintic, contraceptive, dysmenorrhea, eczema, emmenagogue, antimalarial, galactagogue, gout, jaundice, abdominal pain, kidney (stone), laxative, leprosy, leucorrhea, piles, pneumonia, psoriasis, purgative, rheumatism, fever and scabies) focused the investigator's attention on this plant. Over 100 studies using modern techniques have authenticated its use in diabetes and its complications (nephropathy, cataract, insulin resistance), as antibacterial as well as antiviral agent (including HIV infection), as anthelmintic and abortifacient. Traditionally it has also been used in treating peptic ulcers, interestingly in a recent experimental studies have exhibited its potential against Helicobacter pylori. Most importantly, the studies have shown its efficacy in various cancers (lymphoid leukemia, lymphoma, choriocarcinoma, melanoma, breast cancer, skin tumor, prostatic cancer, squamous carcinoma of tongue and larynx, human bladder carcinomas and Hodgkin's disease). There are few reports available on clinical use of MC in diabetes and cancer patients that have shown promising results.     

Plants traditionally used in age related brain disorders--a survey of ethnobotanical literature

In traditional herbal medicine, numerous plants have been used to treat age related cognitive disorders. In this review we compiled available literature from four Swiss university libraries, scientific journals and online database query's on plants and remedies used in traditional medicinal systems for such diseases. Over 150 plant species in various preparations and mixtures were found. European herbals from the 16th and 17th century alongside traditional Chinese and Indian medicinal works were the most prolific sources. The information is organised into geographic regions and when available the findings are discussed in the light of more recent scientific findings concerning their secondary metabolites and in vitro and in vivo activities relevant to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.     

Ethnomedicinal knowledge of indigenous communities and pharmaceutical potential of rainforest ecosystems in Fiji Islands

The World Health Organization recently raised concerns about antimicrobial resistance and lack of novel antibiotics in the health sector. The success rate of drug discovery is higher when chemical constituents are sourced from natural products and when drug candidates are based on the indigenous knowledge of local communities. Tropical rainforests are an important source of medicinal plants for traditional healthcare systems. The pharmaceutical industry also recognizes the potential of rainforests in novel drug development. However, habitat degradation and loss of traditional knowledge are endangering the healing powers of nature. The islands of Fiji have a rich cultural history of traditional medicine and a number of medicinal plants are sourced from the country’s rainforest ecosystems. While deforestation and forest degradation are decimating unique rainforest biodiversity and reducing access to medicinal plants in the wild, inter-generational erosion of ethnobotanical knowledge is attributed to acculturation, rural-urban migration and their effects on the transmission of oral traditions from one generation to another. Under these conditions, plants may disappear before their therapeutic value is formally identified. This review summarizes the importance of traditional medicinal knowledge and the potential for drug discovery from the tropical rainforest ecosystems of Fiji. However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed to realize the true potential of ethnopharmacology in this country.     

Computer automated prediction of potential therapeutic and toxicity protein targets of bioactive compounds from Chinese medicinal plants

Understanding the molecular mechanism and pharmacology of bioactive compounds from Chinese medicinal plants (CMP) is important in facilitating scientific evaluation of novel therapeutic approaches in traditional Chinese medicine. It is also of significance in new drug development based on the mechanism of Chinese medicine. A key step towards this task is the determination of the therapeutic and toxicity protein targets of CMP compounds. In this work, newly developed computer software INVDOCK is used for automated identification of potential therapeutic and toxicity targets of several bioactive compounds isolated from Chinese medicinal plants. This software searches a protein database to find proteins to which a CMP compound can bind or weakly bind. INVDOCK results on three CMP compounds (allicin, catechin and camptotecin) show that 60% of computer-identified potential therapeutic protein targets and 27% of computer-identified potential toxicity targets have been implicated or confirmed by experiments. This software may potentially be used as a relatively fast-speed and low-cost tool for facilitating the study of molecular mechanism and pharmacology of bioactive compounds from Chinese medicinal plants and natural products from other sources.     

Potential medicinal plants for CNS disorders: an overview

Although very few drugs are currently approved by regulatory authorities for treating multi-factorial ailments and disorders of cognition such as Alzheimer's disease, certain plant-derived agents, including, for example, galantamine and rivastigmine (a semi-synthetic derivative of physostigmine) are finding an application in modern medicine. However, in Ayurveda, the Indian traditional system of medicine which is more than 5000 years old, selected plants have long been classified as 'medhya rasayanas', from the Sanskrit words 'medhya', meaning intellect or cognition, and 'rasayana', meaning 'rejuvenation'. These plants are used both in herbal and conventional medicine and offer benefits that pharmaceutical drugs lack. In the present article, an attempt has been made to review the most important medicinal plants, including Ginkgo biloba, St John's wort, Kava-kava, Valerian, Bacopa monniera and Convolvulus pluricaulis, which are widely used for their reputed effectiveness in CNS disorders.     

Medicinal uses,phytochemistry and pharmacology of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre: A review

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre is one of the many plants with diverse medicinal properties where all its parts have been used as traditional medicine in the treatment and prevention of several kinds of ailments in many countries such as for treatment of piles, skin diseases, and wounds.

Aim of this review

This review discusses the current knowledge of traditional uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, and toxicity of this species in order to reveal its therapeutic and gaps requiring future research opportunities.

Material and methods

This review is based on literature study on scientific journals and books from library and electronic sources such as ScienceDirect, PubMed, ACS, etc.

Results

Several different classes of flavonoid derivatives, such as flavones, flavans, and chalcones, and several types of compounds including terpenes, steroid, and fatty acids have been isolated from all parts of this plant. The pharmacological studies revealed that various types of preparations, extracts, and single compounds of this species exhibited a broad spectrum of biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities.

Conclusion

The results of several toxicity studies indicated that extracts and single compounds isolated from this species did not show any significant toxicity and did not cause abnormality on some rats' organs. Thus, this plant has a potential to be used as an effective therapeutic remedy due to its low toxicity towards mammalian cells. However, further study on chemical constituents and their mechanisms in exhibiting certain biological activities are needed to understand the full phytochemical profile and the complex pharmacological effects of this plant. In addition, further study on the toxicity of the other compounds isolated from this plant required to be assessed to ensure their eligibility to be used as sources of drugs.     

Phytotherapeutic alternatives for neurodegenerative dementias: Scientific review,discussion and therapeutic proposal

The incidence and prevalence of age-related neurodegenerative dementias have been increasing. There is no curative therapy and conventional drug treatment can cause problems for patients. Medicinal plants traditionally used for problems associated with ageing are emerging as a therapeutic resource. The main aim is to give a proposal for use and future research based on scientific knowledge and tradition. A literature search was conducted in several searchable databases. The keywords used were related to neurodegenerative dementias, ageing and medicinal plants. Boolean operators and filters were used to focus the search. As a result, there is current clinical and preclinical scientific information on 49 species used in traditional medicine for ageing-related problems, including neurodegenerative dementias. There are preclinical and clinical scientific evidences on their properties against protein aggregates in the central nervous system and their effects on neuroinflammation, apoptosis dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, gabaergic, glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems alterations, monoamine oxidase alterations, serotonin depletion and oestrogenic protection. In conclusion, the potential therapeutic effect of the different medicinal plants depends on the type of neurodegenerative dementia and its stage of development, but more clinical and preclinical research is needed to find better, safer and more effective treatments.     

中医康复在脑损伤后手功能障碍中的研究现状

脑损伤后手功能障碍的康复是目前临床上的一个难题,我国西医康复临床资源匮乏,且治疗效果并不理想.而中国传统康复医学在脑卒中后肢体功能康复中越来越受到重视,包括针刺、艾灸、推拿、中药熏洗和外敷及新的中医康复技术手段在脑损伤手功能障碍康复中正在被广泛应用,但临床上并未有被统一的应用标准和认识,值得研究.本文综述中医康复在脑损伤后手功能障碍中的研究现状,以提供参考.     

The genus Broussonetia: a review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology

Plants belonging to the genus Broussonetia (Moraceae), which grow naturally in Asian and Pacific countries, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various conditions, particularly tinea, dysentery, hernia and oedema. Various parts of plants of this genus such as the fruits, bark, leaves, flowers and roots are used medicinally. According to Flora of China, the inner bark fibre is used in making paper, and the wood is used for furniture. Several active compounds including coumarins, polyphenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, lignans and diterpenes have been isolated from the plants of this genus in the past few years, and some members of these constituents have been demonstrated to exert antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiplatelet, antityrosinase, antimicrobial and antinociceptive effects. Antidiabetic and antitumoural properties seem possible, but need further support. Due to the lack of clinical trials, there are few published reports on target-organ toxicity or side effects. Currently, some East Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Japan have shown increased interest in these plants. This article reviews the phytochemical and potential beneficial therapeutic effects of plants of this genus reported since 2000.     

Medicinal plants used to induce labour during childbirth in western Uganda

Traditional medicine usage in rural Ugandan population for day-to-day health care needs is close to 90%. Women and children form the bulk of the people reliant on herbal medicine. This study was undertaken to document how ethnomedical folklore aids childbirth in rural western Uganda by conducting field surveys, discussions and interviews with the resource users (mothers) and health providers (traditional birth attendants). Health surveys revealed that over 80% of childbirths are conducted at home by using herbal remedies in Bushenyi district. Seventy-five plants have been recorded for usage in inducing labour and some of these plants may be oxytocic. The dilemma lies in the toxicity levels and the unspecified dosages that may threaten the life of the unborn baby and the mother. The high population growth rate, high total fertility rate coupled with high maternal mortality and morbidity in Uganda calls for rethinking in gendered health provision policies and programmes for which herbal medicine integration in health care systems seems viable.     

Herbal medicines for sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are gaining significant importance at present due to rapid spread of the diseases, high cost of treatment, and the increased risk of transmission of other STDs and AIDS. Current therapies available for symptomatic treatment of STDs and AIDS are quite expensive beyond the reach of common man and are associated with emergence of drug resistance. Many patients of STDs and AIDS are seeking help from alternative systems of medicines such as Unani, Chinese, Ayurvedic, naturopathy, and homeopathy. Since a long time, medicinal plants have been used for the treatment of many infectious diseases without any scientific evidence. At present there is more emphasis on determining the scientific evidence and rationalization of the use of these preparations. Research is in progress to identify plants and their active principles possessing activity against sexually transmitted pathogens including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with an objective of providing an effective approach for prevention of transmission and treatment of these diseases. In the present review, plants reported to possess activity or used in traditional systems of medicine for prevention and treatment of STDs including AIDS, herbal formulations for vaginal application, and topical microbicides from herbal origin, have been discussed.     

Pharmacopoeia of traditional medicine in Venda

Many researchers in different parts of the world are actively involved in recording the available information on traditional medicine. To contribute to this vast task, we chose Venda, one of the more remote tribes in Southern Africa. We found traditional healing to be very much alive and functioning in this area. Within 2 years of research, we could tabulate 151 medicinal plants with their galenics. Many of the plants listed were frequently used by different healers to treat the same ailment which might substantiate their reliability. On the other hand, certain plants were employed for various indications. Moreover, although the toxic effects of some plants are not included in our list, they are encountered by the Western medical doctors. Therefore, the benefits of compiling such lists on medicinal uses of different plants are twofold. To gain from the positive aspects of the traditional medicine and to eradicate, if possible, the harmful effects of some plants used by the traditional healers. However, during our study, it became clear that the plants used were with some exceptions mainly found in the vicinity of the habitat of the healer or the herbalist. It would therefore be useless to compile a more general pharmacopoeia for the African traditional healing as many of the useful plants in one area cannot be found in another. Hence, a more specific pharmacopoeia for each area would be necessary.     

The potential of South African plants against Mycobacterium infections

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: In South Africa, tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most commonly notified disease and the fifth largest cause of mortality, with one in ten cases of TB resistant to treatment in some areas. Many plants are used locally in traditional medicine to treat TB-related symptoms. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim was to summarize currently available knowledge on South African plants used to treat TB symptoms, and antimycobacterial efficacy of plant-derived extracts and compounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The traditional uses of plants for respiratory ailments and TB were collated and tabulated. The antimycobacterial activity tests of extracts and chemical constituents of several of these plants and others using different methods and target organisms were summarized. RESULTS: Almost 180 plants used for TB-related symptoms in South African traditional medicine were documented. About 30% of these have been tested for antimycobacterial efficacy, mostly against fast-growing, non-pathogenic Mycobacterium species. CONCLUSIONS: Many plant species are used in traditional South African medicine to alleviate symptoms of TB, and several interesting leads have originated for further inquiry following in vitro antimycobacterial activity evaluation. However, much work remains to be done on the systematic assessment of anti-TB efficacy of local plants against pathogenic Mycobacterium species, both in vitro and in vivo.     

The anti-snake venom properties of Tamarindus indica (leguminosae) seed extract

In Indian traditional medicine, various plants have been used widely as a remedy for treating snake bites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Tamarindus indica seed extract on the pharmacological as well as the enzymatic effects induced by V. russelli venom. Tamarind seed extract inhibited the PLA(2), protease, hyaluronidase, l-amino acid oxidase and 5'-nucleotidase enzyme activities of venom in a dose-dependent manner. These are the major hydrolytic enzymes responsible for the early effects of envenomation, such as local tissue damage, inflammation and hypotension. Furthermore, the extract neutralized the degradation of the Bbeta chain of human fibrinogen and indirect hemolysis caused by venom. It was also observed that the extract exerted a moderate effect on the clotting time, prolonging it only to a small extent. Edema, hemorrhage and myotoxic effects including lethality, induced by venom were neutralized significantly when different doses of the extract were preincubated with venom before the assays. On the other hand, animals that received extract 10 min after the injection of venom were protected from venom induced toxicity. Since it inhibits hydrolytic enzymes and pharmacological effects, it may be used as an alternative treatment to serum therapy and, in addition, as a rich source of potential inhibitors of PLA(2), metalloproteinases, serine proteases, hyaluronidases and 5 cent-nucleotidases, the enzymes involved in several physiopathological human and animal diseases.     

The traditional medical uses and cytotoxic activities of sixty-one Egyptian plants: Discovery of an active cardiac glycoside from Urginea maritima

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Medicinal plants from the Sinai desert are widely used in traditional Bedouin medicine to treat a range of conditions including, cancers, and may thus be useful sources of novel anti-tumor compounds. Information on plants used in this way was obtained through collaboration with Bedouin herbalists.

Aim of the study

To document the traditional uses of 61 species from 29 families of Egyptian medicinal plants and to investigate their biological activity using a cytotoxicity assay.

Material and methods

MeOH extracts of the 61 plant species investigated were dissolved in 10% DMSO and their cytotoxic activity was evaluated. The extracts were tested in duplicate on three separate occasions at three different concentrations (1, 10 and 100 μg/ml) against human lymphoma U-937 GTB. The most active extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation using HPLC and LC/ESI–MS to isolate and identify its active components.

Results and discussion

The most potent extracts were those from Asclepias sinaica, Urginea maritima, Nerium oleander and Catharanthus roseus, followed by those from Cichorium endivia, Pulicaria undulate and Melia azedarach. Literature reports indicate that several of these plants produce cardiac glycosides. Bioassay-guided fractionation of alcoholic U. maritima extracts led to the isolation of a bioactive bufadienolide that was subsequently shown to be proscillaridin A, as determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. This result demonstrates the value of plants used in traditional medicine as sources of medicinally interesting cytotoxic compounds.