Traditional effects of medicinal plants in the treatment of respiratory diseases and disorders: an ethnobotanical study in the Urmia

ObjectiveTo identify, present and review the respiratoty medicinal plants which used by Urmian herbalists.MethodsThe list of traditional healers of West Azarbaijan Province was prepared and data were obtained by direct observation, interviews and the questionnaires After that, herbarium samples were collected from the desired area and deposited in herbarium unit of the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.ResultsOur results demonstrated that 20 medicinal plants from 10 plant families are used to treat respiratory disorders. Also, the most plant part that used for treating of respiratory disorders was seed (27%) and the most traditional form prescribed by herbalists was boiled (54%). Forty three percentage of Urmia herbalists have used herbs for the treatment of cough.ConclusionsPeople in this area have a strong belief that plants have a positive impact in the treatment of respiratory disorders and they have used medicinal plants since ancient times to treat these disorders. Our study revealed the importance of herbal medicines and traditional medicine in this area as medicinal resource for drug discovery in future.     

Traditional use of medicinal plants for anti-ringworm therapy in some parts of Kamrup District of Assam,a North Eastern State of India

ObjectiveTo survey traditional use of medicinal plants for anti-ringworm therapy from December 2007 to January 2009 in some parts of Kamrup district of Assam, a North Eastern State of India.MethodsBased on a standard questionnaire, local inhabitants were interviewed for their knowledge of medicinal plants used against ringworm. Each entry includes the botanical and prevalent local name(s), part(s) used, and mode of use against the diseases.ResultsThis report deals with 46 plant species belonging to 30 different families used as herbal remedies for the treatment of Dermatophytosis.ConclusionsThe study reveals several medicinal plants used by the local people for the treatment of cutaneous infections caused by dermatophytes. Such study may lead to the discovery of new antifungal agents from natural sources.     

Ethnomedicinal plants used by Chorei tribes of Southern Assam,North Eastern India

ObjectiveTo explore and enumerate the medicinal plants used by the Chorei tribe residing in Sourthern Assam part of North Eastern India in the treatment of various ailments.MethodsSystematic and intensive field surveys were conducted in Chorei inhabited parts of Southern Assam part of North East India to collect information on medicinal plants used by them in treatment of various ailments. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and personal observations made during the field visit.ResultsA total of 53 different medicinal plants were recorded along with their vernacular names, parts used and mode of utilization by the Chorei tribes. Each of the plants was categorized according to their use in treatment of particular disease.ConclusionsThe present study revealed that the Chorei tribe is primarily dependent of medicinal plant for treatment of various ailments.     

Ethno-botanical survey of plants used in the traditional treatment of malaria in Sei Kepayang,Asahan of North Sumatera

ObjectiveTo investigate and collect information from traditional health healer/tribal communities on the use of medicinal plants for treatment of malaria in Sei Kepayang, Asahan District of North Sumatera.MethodsThe ethno-botanical study was conducted in Sei Kepayang, Asahan District of North Sumatera in January-March 2013 through questionnaire and personal interviews, and their responses were documented.ResultsThe present study enumerated 16 ethno-medicinal plant species belonging to 13 families used by the tribal communities and medicinal healers in Sei Kepayang, Asahan District of North Sumatera in treatment of malaria. Some of the recipes, methods of preparation and administration were also documented.ConclusionsFrom the interviews conducted, 16 plant spesies belonging to 13 families have been identified in the treatment of malaria.     

Chinese herbal medicine for mild cognitive impairment using mini-mental state examination: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction:The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the elderly population aged 60 to 84 years ranges from 6.7% to 25.2%, and the effective prevention and reversal of MCI progression to Alzheimer disease (AD) is crucial. The mini mental state examination (MMSE) is the most commonly used screening tool in Chinese outpatient clinics, with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to allow useful stratification from average to abnormal with adequate consideration of age and education.Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of Chinese herbs on MMSE scores in MCI patients and discuss the effectiveness of Chinese herbs through pharmacology.Methods:Three English databases and 4 Chinese databases we have searched, and the risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane tool. Statistics will be used for heterogeneity assessment, sensitivity analysis, data synthesis, funnel plot generation and subgroup analysis. If sufficiently homogeneous studies are found, a Meta-analysis will be performed, with subgroups describing any differences.Results:A total of 21 studies were included, 4 studies were placebo-controlled, 14 Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHMs) were compared with other cognitive improvements, 3 CHMs were combined with other medications, and the results of 17 studies favored the herbal group.Conclusion:The results indicate that herbal medicine can improve MMSE scores, and herbal medicine combined with other drugs that can improve cognition can significantly improve MMSE scores, but there are methodological flaws in the study. Experimental studies have found a basis for the ability of herbs to improve cognition and memory impairment, and herbal medicine has great potential to improve MCI cognition. Keywords mild cognitive impairment, herbal medicine, MMSE, systematic evaluation, meta-analysis. PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews protocol registration number: CRD42020202368     

A review of five traditionally used anti-diabetic plants of Bangladesh and their pharmacological activities

Plants are used traditionally throughout the globe to treat various diseases.Traditionally used medicinal plants are an essential part of the health sector in Bangladesh due to its abundance of a vast source of ethno-medicine.Rural people from developing country like Bangladesh are greatly dependent on traditional source of medicine.The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing from recent years; therefore various researches are going on to discover better medicine to treat this disease.This study has focused on five plants which are Andrographis paniculata, Ageratum conyzoides, Swertia chirata, Terminalia arjuna, and Azadirachta indica to find out their traditional formulation as anti-diabetic medicine and their pharmacological activity has also been explored through literature search.The available information about traditional anti-diabetic uses of these plants and their pharmacological activities were collected from various electronic sources like Pubmed, Sci Finder, Elsevier, Springer, Scopus, Scirus, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Web of Science apart from these locally available books and peer reviewed journal were also used to collect information.This study will help to strengthen the relation between traditional medicine, pharmacology and drug development.A clue may be found from the information provided this review to discover new and better anti-diabetic drugs.     

Herbal medicine and treatment of diabetes in Africa: an example from Guinea

AIM: Use of medicinal plants is widespread in Africa, particularly in Guinea where oral transmission of practices is part of the social ritual. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of diabetic patients who use herbal medicine and identify the types of plants in use. Reasons for using herbal medicine and the formulations employed were also noted. METHODS: A questionnaire on use of herbal medicine was proposed to all diabetic patients hospitalized or consulting the Endocrinology Unit of the Conakry University Hospital between April 1 and June 30, 2003. RESULTS: A total of 397 patients responded; 33% declared they used herbal medicine. They proposed many motivations, sometimes in association: belief in its efficacy (74%), easy access to medicinal plants (70%), lower cost (48%), and search for complete cure of diabetes (37%). Hearing about a positive experience had convinced 78% of the users to use herbal medicine. The majority of the users were satisfied (85%). One or more clinical manifestations occurring concomitantly with use of herbs was observed in 23 patients (18%), particularly gastrointestinal disorders (n = 10) and skin problems (n = 8). Two cases of hypoglycaemia were noted. CONCLUSION: Herbal medicine plays an important role in anti-diabetes treatment in Guinea. This type of treatment should be based on scientific evidence but very few studies have been conducted. Conditions of use should be better defined and patients should be informed of potential adverse effects.     

Use of herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus in adults from the central–western region of Mexico

ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the prevalence of herbal medicine (HM) use and factors influencing HM usage including the identification of the main plants consumed by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in central-western Mexico.DesignA total of 1862 patients with diabetes were surveyed in public and private hospitals in four states (Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, and San Luis Potosi) of the central-western region of Mexico. The chi-square test was used to assess associations between HM use and demographic characteristics, such as glucose levels, presence of complications and comorbidities, as well as the selected therapy to treat T2DM.ResultsThe prevalence of HM use (59.2%) in patients with T2DM was mainly associated with education level (p = 0.001), time of diagnosis of T2DM (p = 0.004), presence of complications (p < 0.001) and comorbidities (p = 0.018) and the use of insulin (p < 0.001). These patients report a higher consumption of herbal medicine compared to those on glycemic control (p < 0.001). The most frequently used medicinal plants to treat T2DM were nopal (54.9%), moringa (26.7%), and aloe (22.1%).ConclusionThe prevalence of HM use to treat T2DM in west-central Mexico is high (59.2%) and its consumption is mostly carried out without the recommendation of a health professional (91.9%). The use of HM increases mainly when the patient uses insulin, during complications of the disease or in patients with an inadequate glycemic control.     

基于CiteSpace的中医药研究心律失常可视化分析

目的 挖掘我国中医药研究心律失常的核心及前沿信息,为后续研究提供参考。 方法 利用CiteSpace软件,以“心律失常”作为主题词,对从中国期刊全文数据库（China National Knowledge Infrastructure,CNKI）检索到的1610篇中医药研究心律失常相关文献进行可视化分析,并对研究核心及研究前沿进行讨论。 结果 中医药研究心律失常主要围绕缓慢性心律失常、炙甘草汤及乌头碱展开;在未来中医药研究心律失常应深入循证医学研究、细胞分子研究及中药研究。 结论 中医药治疗缓慢性心律失常在中医药研究心律失常领域内占据重要地位,未来中医药治疗心律失常相关中药作用机制的研究应深入到细胞分子层次,中医药发展应注重循证医学证据。     

Herbal Interventions in Asthma and Allergy

This paper reviews the role of herbal-based medicines in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis. A comprehensive literature search was performed of relevant English-language papers and abstracts were identified through a MEDLINE search and from bibliographies of the identified papers. Papers and studies pertaining to the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis were identified. They were then analyzed according to design, inclusion and exclusion criteria, population studied, variables tested, method of treatment (i.e., specific medicinal plants or herbal combinations), and results. The data have been reviewed and divided on the basis of culture and the effects of medicinal plants in asthma and allergy. A number of studies were found that support the use of some herbal medicines in asthma and allergy. Various derivatives from specific medicinal plants were identified as the antiasthma components and some mechanisms of action were explored. The results show positive effects of these herbs on bronchodilation, pulmonary function tests, and antagonism of asthma mediators such as histamine and platelet activating factor, corticosteroid levels, and clearance of mucus. Improved symptoms were also seen in patients with allergic rhinitis specifically on histamine-induced reactions, e.g., rhinorrhea, sneezing, and itching. From the review, there has been a role for some herbal medicines in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Usage of herbal medicines has increased in recent years. Many of these medicinal plants provided relief of symptoms equal to allopathic medicines used. Specific chemical derivatives have been isolated from many of these plant products which act on the mechanisms and mediators that cause asthma and allergies. The amount of research on these products, especially in the United States, is limited. There is a lack of control of quantity and quality of the components in these remedies. Yet, many have fewer side effects than current therapy. Throughout the history of medicine, drugs have been developed from traditional medicine. By continuing to investigate how some of these herbal interventions work, we may be able to find additional effective medicines to treat asthma and allergies.     

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used in the management of diabetes mellitus in the Urmia,Northwest Iran

ObjectiveTo collect and document information on anti-diabetic plants traditionally used in the treating of diabetes in Urmia at Northwest Iran because ethnomedicines are considered as valuable sources to find new potential drugs.MethodsWe used the method of direct observation and interview (35 traditional healers) along with gathering herbarium specimens mentioned plants in site.ResultsThere were 30 medicinal plants from 17 families for the treatment of diabetes. The family with most plants was Lamiaceae (20%). Leaves (20%) are often used and its form is decoction (70%). It was also found that Citrullus colocynthis has the most frequency of use among traditional healers.ConclusionsFurthermore, base on current findings many of the mentioned plants have potential active ingredients to influence diabetes.     

Different Chinese herbal medicine therapy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: A protocol for systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

Background:Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a common immune system and blood system disease in clinical practice, and it is a hemorrhagic disease caused by immune factors causing platelet destruction and decreasing number of platelets. There is currently no effective treatment plan for ITP. At this stage, glucocorticoid and gamma globulin are mostly used in the treatment of ITP, and some patients use splenectomy to achieve therapeutic purposes, but the various treatment methods are inadequate. At this stage, a large number of randomized controlled studies have reported that Chinese herbal medicine has achieved good curative effect in the treatment of ITP. However, due to the variety of Chinese herbal medicine, there has been no evidence of the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of ITP. Because of the above reasons, this study uses the network meta-analysis method based on Bayesian method to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of different kinds of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of ITP through direct and indirect comparison, in order to provide evidence-based medical support for the treatment of ITP with Chinese herbal medicine.Methods:This study uses the method of combining free words with theme words, and using computer to retrieve PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, WANFANG Database, CNKI, and VIP Database, etc, to collect the randomized control studies on Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of ITP. The retrieval time is from the establishment of each database to January 2021, and the retrieval languages are Chinese and English. Two researchers independently read the title, abstract and full text of the article to determine whether it is included in the literature; In the event of a disagreement, a third researcher will join the discussion to resolve the disagreement; For the literature that lacks information, trying to contact the original author of the document to supplement it. The literature quality evaluation carried out by using the Stata 14.0 software to draw network and funnel plots, in accordance with the quality evaluation criteria of version 5.1.0 of the Cochrane System Evaluation Manual. Statistical analysis is performed by using ADDIS 1.16.8 software based on the Bayesian model.Results:This study will compare the clinical efficacy and safety of different types of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura through the method of network meta-analysis, and rank the different types of Chinese herbal medicine according to their effectiveness, and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed, high-quality academic journal.Conclusion:This study will find effective and safe Chinese herbal medicine for clinical treatment of ITP from the perspective of evidence-based medicine, and benefit more ITP patients.     

The effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine for tic disorders in children and adolescents: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

Background:The tic disorders are common neuropsychiatric disorders that affects the growth and development of children and adolescents. Chinese herbal medicine is commonly used for the treatment of tic disorders. However, there is no consensus on the difference in clinical efficacy compared with routine treatment. Therefore, we plan to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to review the clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for tic disorders.Methods:Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Bio-medical Database, and Wanfang database will be searched from their inception until March 31, 2021. The meta-analysis will be conducted with Review Manager 5.3 software to systematically review the clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for tic disorders. The primary outcome will include the improvement rate (amount) of tic symptoms using related scales or methods, and the secondary outcome will include adverse events.Results:This analysis will provide useful information about clinical efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for tic disorders.Conclusions:Our study will generate strong evidence of Chinese herbal medicine for patients with tic disorders and provide suggestions for clinical practice.     

Thai ethnopharmacological herbs for diabetes treatment: Data collection and informatics tracing for therapeutic property

BackgroundIn the present day, the standard treatments for this medical disorder include diet modification, antidiabetic drug and insulin treatment. However, in additional to standard treatment, the role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) should be mentioned.ObjectiveHere, the author reports on the important Thai herbs that are used as compositions for CAM regimen for diabetes mellitus. Further informatics approach is done to fulfill the existed usefulness of identified herbs.MethodsThe data from famous classical Thai CAM centers then details of detected herbal contents in the regimens were registered. The derived ethnopharmacological registered data on Thai herbs were further assessed for its clinical feasibility for usage in diabetes treatment by matching the reported literature in the public standard medical database.ResultsThere are 7 identified herbs with 1 herb that has supportive evidence in the published literature for feasibility in using in diabetes treatment.ConclusionThere are many local Thai herbs that should be studied for its ethnopharmacological property for diabetes treatment. This is a preliminary for further research on diabetes treatment.     

Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine combined with HAART in the treatment of HIV/AIDS: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the infectious diseases pandemic in the word. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine, as an alternative and complementary therapy of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), has been put into the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS over 30 years due to its good therapeutic effects and high safety, while there is a lack of evidence-based medicine support. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine combined with HAART for HIV/AIDS patients.Methods:We will search all randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine combined with HAART in the treatment of HIV/AIDS from electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, China Science and Technology Journal Database and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from inception to December 31, 2021. Literature screening will be conducted through EndNote software, and data extraction will be processed according to inclusion and exclusion criteria by two independent researchers. We will use Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 16 software for data analysis and publication bias test.Results:This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a high-quality evidence for the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine combined with HAART in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.Conclusion:The conclusion of this review will provide an objective assessment to evaluate whether Chinese herbal medicine integrated with HAART has the effect of improving the efficiency and depressing the toxicity.Registration number:INPLASY2021110082.     

The effects of medicinal herbs on gut microbiota and metabolic factors in obesity models: A systematic review

Background and aimsThis systematic review of animal studies aimed to identify anti-obesity medicinal herbs with prebiotic properties, and investigate their effects on gut microbiota and metabolic disorders.MethodsTo obtain the relevant publications, four electronic databases were systematically searched up to June 2019.ResultsOut of 1949 publications, 20 articles met the inclusion criteria in this study. Apart from body weight, some cases (n = 11) had reported the effects of medicinal herbs on metabolic parameters, including lipid profile (n = 7) and glycemic status (n = 4).ConclusionAlthough some medicinal herbs could be effective in modulating metabolic status and body weight, through making changes in the gut flora, further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of such herbs in clinical trials.     

Successful treatment of restless leg syndrome with the traditional herbal medicines Dangguijakyak-san and Shihogyeji-tang: A case report (CARE-compliant)

Rationale:Dopamine replacement is currently the standard treatment for restless leg syndrome (RLS); however, various adverse effects are associated with long-term therapy, and the benefits disappear upon discontinuation. To overcome these limitations, interest in traditional East Asian medicine has increased.Patient concerns:A 72-year-old Asian woman originally admitted for an intracerebral hemorrhage presented with complaints of an unpleasant sensation throughout the body that appeared at night.Diagnoses:The patient was diagnosed with chronic persistent RLS based on the 2012 Revised International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group Diagnostic Criteria.Interventions:The patient was treated with extracts of the traditional herbal medicines Dangguijakyak-san (DS) and Shihogyeji-tang (ST). After 47 days of therapy, all herbal medicines were discontinued, and symptoms had not returned by the last follow-up 244 days after the initial treatment.Outcomes:One week after initiating herbal treatment with DS and ST, the RLS symptoms began to improve, and the total hours of sleep had increased from 2 to 9 hours by day 21, with a Korean version of the international restless legs scale score of 11 points. On day 36, ST was discontinued, given the continued improvement of symptoms. On day 47, symptoms had disappeared (Korean version of the international restless legs scale score: 0), and sleep disturbances caused by RLS had completely resolved. After day 47, DS was also discontinued. There were no adverse effects associated with the administration of DS and ST, and the symptoms had not recurred by the last follow-up on day 244.Lessons:In this case, RLS related symptoms, which had been present for approximately 60 years, were improved using only the traditional herbal medicines DS and ST (without dopamine replacement), and no symptoms recurred for 244 days. This case suggests that if replacement therapy is difficult or not desired, herbal medicinal therapies may be an effective alternative. This also suggests that the effect of herbal medicine on RLS might be semi-permanent. Further investigations, including clinical trials, are needed to confirm these effects.     

The constraints of antiretroviral uptake in rural areas: the case of Thamaga and surrounding villages,Botswana

Abstract

This article examines the constraints of antiretroviral (ARV) uptake in the villages of Thamaga, Kumakwane, Mankgodi and Gakgatla which are in the Kweneng District of Botswana. The social interactionist approach and theories of health behaviour provided the theoretical basis of the study. Data were obtained by using interviewer-administered questionnaires which were applied to a sample of 145 respondents and 61 people living with HIV/AIDS in the four villages. The results of the study showed that people aged 30–39 years represented the highest proportion of the persons on ARV treatment in the villages. Some of the people living with HIV believed that ARV therapy could better their lives during the initial stages of introduction, but with time, they lost hope and gave up the treatment. Culturally, parents and children in the villages do not discuss sexual matters at home and it was found in the study that there was little communication between parents and children on AIDS and ARV issues. Some churches in the area discouraged the use of ARV. There were also traditional doctors who made their patients mix traditional herbs treatment with ARV treatment. Distance, travel costs, cultural beliefs, stigma and discrimination among others were found to be important socio-economic factors inhibiting ARV uptake. Even though there were constraints on ARV uptake in the villages, efforts were being made by Government and non-governmental organizations to overcome them. The Ministry of Health provided information and education to the public using its strategy known as Information, Education and Communication. Nurses, doctors and chiefs taught people at kgotlas (traditional courts) in the villages about the dangers of the epidemic. Free HIV testing, ARVs and condoms were provided to the villagers. The outlook for ARV uptake looks generally promising for the future. However, if HIV/AIDS is to be contained, sexual behaviour of people in the villages needs to change.     

Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Chinese medicine has a unique theory and the Chinese herbal medicine treatment is based on the integral concepts and syndrome differentiation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine system. Although antibiotics remain the mainstay of SIBO treatment, various alternative or adjunctive therapies are available, including prokinetic agents, dietary interventions, probiotics, and herbal combinations. There is accumulating evidence demonstrating the antimicrobial properties of a growing number of herbs including garlic, black cumin, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, all-spices, bay leaves, mustard, and rosemary. This has prompted an interest in herbal therapy for the treatment of SIBO. Currently, there is no systematic review focusing on efficacy of CHM in the treatment of SIBO with PCOS, so our meta-analysis aims to comprehensively explore it. Meanwhile we will provide high-quality evidence to help patients, clinicians as well as health policymakers select better treatment strategy of PCOS.Methods:We will search the following sources without restrictions for date, language, or publication status: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Cochrane Library, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. We will apply a combination of Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) and free-text terms incorporating database-specific controlled vocabularies and text words to implement search strategies. We will also search the ongoing trials registered in the World Health Organization''s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Besides, the previous relevant reviews conducted on CHM for SIBO and reference lists of included studies will also be searched.Results:This study will provide a reliable basis for the treatment of SIBO with CHM.Conclusions:The findings will be an available reference to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM in the treatment of SIBO.Registration number:INPLASY202080004.