Natural products: A safest approach for obesity

Obesity is recognized as a social problem,associated with serious health risks and increased mortality.Numerous trials have been conducted to find and develop new anti-obesity drugs through herbal sources to minimize adverse reactions associated with the present anti-obesity drugs.The use of natural products as medicine has been documented for hundreds of years in various traditional systems of medicines throughout the world.This review focuses on the medicinal plants such as Achyranthus aspera, Camellia sinensis,Emblica officinalis,Garcinia cambogia,Terminalia arjuna,etc.,being used traditionally in Ayurvedic,Unani,Siddha and Chinese,etc.,systems of medicine.The review also highlights recent reported phytochemicals such as escins,perennisosides,dioscin,gracillin,etc.,and the various extracts of the plants like Nelumbo nucifera,Panax japonicas,Cichorium intybus,Cyperus rotundus,Paeonia suffruticosa,etc.,which have been successfully identified for the treatment of obesity.     

Indian Systems of Medicine: A Brief Profile

Medicinal plants based traditional systems of medicines are playing important role in providing health care to large section of population, especially in developing countries. Interest in them and utilization of herbal products produced based on them is increasing in developed countries also. To obtain optimum benefit and to understand the way these systems function, it is necessary to have minimum basic level information on their different aspects. Indian Systems of Medicine are among the well known global traditional systems of medicine. In this review, an attempt has been made to provide general information pertaining to different aspects of these systems. This is being done to enable the readers to appreciate the importance of the conceptual basis of these system in evolving the material medica. The aspects covered include information about historical background, conceptual basis, different disciplines studied in the systems, Research and Development aspects, Drug manufacturing aspects and impact of globalization on Ayurveda. In addition, basic information on Siddha and Unani systems has also been provided.     

Prenatal developmental toxicity evaluation of Withania somnifera root extract in Wistar rats

Context: Withania somnifera (L) Dunal (Solanaceae) is an important traditional herbal medicine used for thousands of years and is considered as the Indian ginseng. Reports on the effect of Withania somnifera root (WSR) extract on the developing foetus of pregnant rats including mortality, structural abnormalities, changes in growth and effects on dams are not available. Objective: The present study was performed to evaluate the prenatal developmental toxicity potential of WSR extract in rats. Materials and methods: WSR extract was given orally to pregnant rats during the period of major organogenesis and histogenesis (days 5 to 19 of gestation) at the dose levels of 500, 1000 and 2000?mg/kg/day. Clinical observations including mortality, moribundity, behavioural changes, signs of overt toxicity, body weight, gross pathological changes of dams and foetal analyses including external malformations, skeletal and soft tissue malformations were evaluated. Results: No evidence of maternal or foetal toxicity was observed. WSR extract caused no changes (p?Discussion and conclusion: Under the conditions of the study, the no-observed-effect level (NOEL) of WSR extract for maternal and developmental toxicity was concluded to be at least 2000?mg/kg/day.     

Relationship between childhood diseases and food avoidances in rural south India

This study examines the selection of foods for children by mothers in rural South India. The mothers’ explanations of the reasons for food avoidances were verbally recorded and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods used in cognitive psychology. The results revealed that the choice of foods considered as suitable for consumption by the child was governed by concerns related to three major childhood health problems, thokam, mandham & perali, and karpan rather than by the food categories (for example, the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ foods). The interpretations of the health problems were based on the traditional theories of Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine prevalent in India. The implications of these findings with respect to child nutrition and nutrition education are discussed.     

Culture,Community Networks,and HIV/AID S Outreach Opportunities in a South Indian Siddha Organization

Summary

Background: Gandeepam is an NGO in rural south India, with an HIV prevalence rate estimated at 2-7 times the national average. Aside from several outreach programs, Gandeepam practices Siddha medicine.

Objective: Evaluate Gandeepam's strengths and opportunities to promote HIV education.

Design: Three weeks of observing clinic practice, meeting patients, and discussing organizational structure. A survey of attitudes toward HIV was completed.

Results: Gandeepam reaches a broad cross-section of its community, and effectively disseminates information. No primary HIV prevention efforts were observed.

Conclusion: Current strengths include an established network for information dissemination, and a strong community reputation. Tremendous social obstacles for disseminating effective HIV prevention messages remain.     

Rasagenthi lehyam (RL) a novel complementary and alternative medicine for prostate cancer

Purpose The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer has been increasing. The therapeutic modalities which originated from India, viz., Ayurveda and Siddha, have phytotherapy as their fundamental basis and, therefore, produce few side effects. They are among the most ancient medicinal systems and are still being practiced in India and elsewhere, to cure cancer and other diseases. Many Siddha practitioners in the southern parts of India prescribe rasagenthi lehyam (RL) as a drug for cancer. RL contains 38 different botanicals, many of which have been shown to possess therapeutic efficacy, and 8 inorganic compounds, all prepared into a paste in a palm sugar and hens egg base. The efficacy of RL in killing prostate cancer cells in vitro was investigated in this study to determine whether RL could be recommended as a CAM for prostate cancer.Methods In order to scientifically validate the anticancer activity of RL on prostate cancer, a methanolic extract of RL was serially extracted with four organic solvents, and the extracts were tested for clonogenic inhibition and induction of apoptosis in PC-3 prostate cancer cells, with and without irradiation. n-Hexane, ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts of RL effectively killed PC-3 cells.Results The IC₅₀ values of n-hexane, ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts of RL were 3.84 g/ml, 3.68 g/ml and 75 ng/ml, respectively. All three extracts induced apoptosis in PC-3 cells. Further, all the three extracts when combined with radiation, caused enhanced effect on killing of PC-3 cells. Among the three extracts, the chloroform extract showed the most significant radiation-sensitizing effect.Conclusion RL, either in its original formulation prepared under strict quality control or its chloroform extract, could potentially be an alternative medicine for prostate cancer, and also a sensitizing agent in the context of radiation therapy for prostate cancer, as a complementary medicine. A more directed study could lead to the identification of the active principle(s) in the chloroform extract of RL for use in prostate cancer therapy.     

Herbal drug patenting in India: IP potential

Ethnopharmacological Relevence

Herbal drugs are gaining worldwide prominence due to their distinct advantages. Developing countries have started exploring the ethnopharmacological approach of drug discovery and have begun to file patents on herbal drugs. The expansion of R&D in Indian herbal research organizations and presence of manufacturing units at non-Indian sites is an indication of the capability to develop new products and processes. The present study attempts to identify innovations in the Indian herbal drug sector by analyzing the patenting trends in India, US and EU.

Methodology

Based on key word and IPC based search at the IPO, USPTO, Esp@cenet and WIPO databases, patent applications and grant in herbal drugs by Indian applicants/assignees was collected for the last ten years (from 1st January 2001 to 31st October 2010). From this collection patents related to human therapeutic use only were selected. Analysis was performed to identify filing trends, major applicants/assignees, disease area and major plant species used for various treatments.

Result

There is a gradual increase in patent filing through the years. In India, individual inventors have maximum applications and grants. CSIR, among research organizations and Hindustan Unilever, Avesthagen, Piramal Life Science, Sahajanand Biotech and Indus Biotech among the companies have the maximum granted patents in India, US and EU respectively. Diabetes, cancer and inflammatory disorders are the major areas for patenting in India and abroad. Recent patents are on new herbal formulations for treatment of AIDS, hepatitis, skin disorders and gastrointestinal disorders.

Conclusion

A majority of the herbal patents applications and grants in India are with individual inventors. Claim analysis indicates that these patents include novel multi-herb compositions with synergistic action. Indian research organizations are more active than companies in filing for patents. CSIR has maximum numbers of applications not only in India but also in the US and EU. Patents by research organizations and herbal companies are on development of new processes for active compound isolation and standardization of such components in addition to new compositions for therapeutic use. Pharmaceutical companies such as Ranbaxy, Lupin and Panacea Biotec are increasingly patenting on herbal drugs. There is increased patenting activity related to diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, asthma and arthritis in India and abroad.     

Plants of Indian origin in drug discovery

The Indian system of medicine (ISM) consists of several major components such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and homeopathy. All these components provide the major healthcare for a large part of the population in India and have been flourishing in this country for many centuries. Medicinal plants constitute a major part in all of these traditional systems. Several regulations and controls on the use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine have evolved. On the one hand, such regulations will help to cure different aliments through Indian indigenous resources and, on the other hand, they will help in the screening and evaluation of natural resources through the development of potential lead components in order to provide better healthcare through ISM. Several lead molecules have been developed from ISM. This review aims at highlighting aspects of drug development from Indian medicinal plants through the use of ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology and systems biology, with different approaches using metabolomics and allied fields.     

Perceptions of the use of complementary therapy and Siddha medicine among rural patients with HIV/AIDS: a case study from India

Allopathic practitioners in India are outnumbered by practitioners of traditional Indian medicine, such as Ayurveda and Siddha. These forms of traditional medicine are currently used by up to two‐thirds of its population to help meet primary healthcare needs, particularly in rural areas. Gandeepam is one of the pioneering Siddha clinics in rural Tamil Nadu that is specialized in providing palliative care to HIV/AIDS patients with effective treatment. This article examines and critically discusses the perceptions of patients regarding the efficacy of Siddha treatment and their motivation in using this form of treatment. The issues of gender equality in the access of HIV/AIDS treatment as well as the possible challenges in complementing allopathic and traditional/complementary health sectors in research and policy are also discussed. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of complementing allopathic treatment with traditional medicine for short‐term symptoms and some opportunistic diseases present among HIV/AIDS patients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A review of plant species used to treat conjunctivitis.

Conjunctivitis is a major occular external infection in tropical countries. Although not a very serious disease, it gives much discomfort and sometimes leads to partial blindness or blindness due to corneal involvement. Conjunctivitis has been known to occur in epidemic proportions in different parts of the world, mainly African and Asian regions. The indigenous cure of conjunctivitis using herbal products has been popular for centuries. This paper is an attempt to compile information on plants mentioned as a cure for conjunctivitis during ethnobotanical surveys between 1933 and 2000. Plants mentioned as a cure in various systems of medicine, namely Siddha and Ayurveda, are also included.