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Herbal medicines are presently widely used in developed and developing countries for health care due to their affordability, accessibility and availability. Objective: The microbial quality of selected herbal remedies sold in open markets in Owerri, South Eastern, Nigeria was studied. Methods: The samples were bulked according to type and then serially diluted. The spread plate technique was used in inoculating the samples on the appropriate culture medium and then incubated. Standard laboratory protocols for microbiological studies and biochemical tests were employed for the identification of the microorganisms present in the samples. Results: The presence of bacterial species namely Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus spp was recorded. They were all gram positive and bacterial counts ranged from 1.0 x 106 to 7.8 x 107cfu/ml. Fungal isolates included Mucor, Saccharomyces and Penicillium spp. and fungal counts ranged from 3.0x103 to 1.3x108 cfu/ml respectively. Conclusion: The presence of these microorganisms in herbal remedies do not only make them hazardous, but might also change the physical, chemical and natural properties of the herbal remedies by altering the contents of active ingredients or converting them to toxic products. The production and consumption of herbal remedies should be properly supervised and monitored to ensure that only good quality products get to the consumers.
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The rapid advancement in fast pacing lifestyle of people and more dependent on fast food is the major leading cause of the increase in stomach infections leading to dysentery and diarrhea. Diarrhoea / Diarrhea and Dysentery are major causes of morbidity and mortality in rural communities of the developing world. The current review focus on herbal remedies from the Melghat region for dysentery and diarrhea-related symptoms. A total of 287 medicinal plant species from 90 families have been compiled for Dysentery (210) and Diarrhea (243). Most reported plant families were Fabaceae contributing 11.14% plants of the total population, followed by Asteraceae (5.57%), Malvaceae (4.52%), Apocynaceae (3.48%), Rubiaceae (3.48%), Lamiaceae (3.13%), Combretaceae (3.13%), Amaranthaceae (2.78%), Euphorbiaceae (2.78%), Moraceae (2.78%), Mimosoideae (2.43%), etc. In this study, out of 287 species reviewed, trees represented 34.49% of species, followed by herbs (32.75%), shrubs (21.95%), climbers (8.01%), grasses (2.43%), and orchids (0.34%). Curated data presented along with the plant's botanical name, plant's family, category (habit), ailments, the part used with relevant traditional, folk, ethnobotanical uses and patterns with cross citations offers scope for researchers engaged in herbal drug discovery and development to dwell into the herbal reservoir and find suitable plant compounds for fighting this disease.
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Resumo Os fitoterápicos podem atuar como dispositivo terapêutico micropolítico para o campo da saúde mental. Este relato de experiência apresenta o percurso de uma horta comunitária em uma Unidade de Saúde da Família (USF) no sul da Bahia, com objetivo de resgatar os saberes locais para produzir um campo de visibilidade. Trabalhou-se com o referencial teórico-metodológico da cartografia para analisar os efeitos do dispositivo horta na saúde dos participantes e na construção do vínculo dos trabalhadores de saúde com usuários do serviço. Participaram do grupo em torno de dez pessoas, majoritariamente mulheres negras, pobres, idosas e moradoras do local. Considera-se que a horta constituiu um dispositivo potente para o encontro de usuárias da USF, acompanhamento terapêutico, construção de vínculos, cultivo de plantas medicinais, redução no consumo de medicações alopáticas e mesmo para a produção de legumes e frutas para alimentação das participantes.
Resumen Los fitoterápicos pueden actuar como dispositivo terapéutico micropolítico para el campo de la salud mental. Este relato de experiencia presenta el recorrido de una huerta comunitaria en un servicio de atención primaria en el sur de Bahía, con el objetivo de rescatar los saberes locales para producir un campo de visibilidad. Se trabajó con el referencial teórico-metodológico de la cartografía para analizar los efectos del dispositivo huerta en la salud de los participantes y en la construcción del vínculo de los trabajadores con los usuarios del servicio. Participaron del grupo cerca de diez personas, mayoritariamente mujeres negras, pobres, ancianas y moradoras del lugar. Se considera que la huerta constituyó un dispositivo potente para el encuentro de usuarias del servicio de salud, acompañamiento terapéutico, construcción de vínculos, cultivo de plantas medicinales, reducción en el consumo de medicamentos alopáticos, e incluso para la producción de legumbres y frutas para alimentación de las participantes.
Abstract Herbal remedies may act as a micropolitical therapeutic device to the mental health field. This experience report shows the course of a community garden in a Family Health Unit (USF) in the south of Bahia, aiming to rescue the local knowledge in order to produce a visibility field. The cartography was used as theoretic-methodological to analyze the effects of the vegetable garden device on the participants' health and on the construction of a bond between workers and the service users. About 10 people participated, mostly black, poor and elder women that were local residents. The vegetable garden turned into a potent device for the meetings of primary health care users, for therapeutic follow-up, for building bonds, cultivating medicinal plants, reducing consumption of allopathic medication and even for the production of vegetables and fruits to feed the participants.
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The traditional system of medicine is so ingrained in our culture that, about 75% of the Indian population depends on this indigenous system for relief. With such a huge section of an ever increasing population relying on herbal remedies, it is imperative that the plant products which have been in use for such a long time be scientifically supported for their efficacy. Diabetes a metabolic disorders is most frequent occurring disease in India. The present paper reports with the investigation of antidiabetic potential of Eugenia jambolana (Bark), Phyllanthus niruri (Whole plant), Momordica charantia Linn. (Seeds) and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (Leaves).
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Self-help through self-treatment makes a countless contribution. Home remedy use is a component of health self-management, particularly among people who have experienced limited access to medical care or discrimination by the health care system. Self-care using home remedies survived for long time and it surely give effect in the easiest, safest, fastest and cheapest way. Oral diseases are a significant public health burden in India as well as across the globe. The consequence of poor oral health deteriorates the individual health and wellbeing, decrease economic productivity, and act as significant risk factors for other systemic health ailments. Developing countries have more diverse health systems than developed countries and expenditure in oral health care is low, access to Dental healthcare is limited and restricted to emergency Dental care or pain relief. Moreover, allopathic medicine is expensive and these chemicals can have adverse effects. Hence, there is a need for alternative products and natural extracts obtained from plants which are safe and biocompatible can be considered as good alternatives. In such circumstances use of home remedies would meet the need for treating minor ailments safely. Home remedies are good and comparable methods of equal value which have met the scientific and regulatory criteria for safety and effectiveness. The purpose of this review was to evaluate some of the commonly available foods being utilized in the treatment of oral diseases at home.
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Objective To identify the anti-inflammatory activity through two murine models and in the median Lethal Dose (LD
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OBJECTIVE@#To identify the anti-inflammatory activity through two murine models and in the median Lethal Dose (LD) of three dietary supplements that contain Moussonia deppeana.@*METHODS@#The anti-inflammatory activity of three dietary supplements (Cicatrisan/Gastricus, Gastinol, and Gastrovita) EtOH extracts was evaluated by TPA and by carrageenan murine models; also, median Lethal Dose (LD) was determined. Verbascoside was quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and the mixture of ursolic and oleanolic acids were identified in all supplements by TLC; however, none of these dietary supplements contain verbascoside.@*RESULTS@#For the TPA model, Cicatrisan/Gastricus generated a notable effect with 38.24% inhibition. While in the carrageenan model, it also exhibited noteworthy anti-inflammatory activity of ear edema with 66.39% of paw edema inhibition at 150 mg/kg, followed by Gastinol and Gastrovita with ≈50% at 300 mg/kg. Finally, LD was >2 g/kg for all supplements, when was administered intragastrically and Body Weight (BW) gain in mice was not altered after 14 days.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Of the three food supplements containing M. deppeana, only the EtOH extract from Cicatrisan/Gastricus formulation (tablets) showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in both experimental models and the LD was >2 g/kg.
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Currently, available conventional options for diabetes mellitus have certain limitations of their own, and options from medicinal plants with antihyperglycemic activities are being searched to meet the need. Antidiabetic properties of Tinospora cordifolia are highly appreciated in Ayurveda and even in recent modern researches. Several studies on its extracts (viz. immunemodulatory, anti-hyperglycemic, antioxidant, adaptogenic, hepatoprotective, hormone regulator etc.) and isolated phytoconstituents (like tinosporin, berberine, jatrorrhizine etc.) have reported that it is a preventive and curative antidiabetic herb, which are substantiated by clinical trials. Scattered information pertaining to antidiabetic potential of Tinospora is reported. Present review encompasses (i) in-depth information of reported antidiabetic activities of the plant in light of available experimental and clinical studies, and (ii) understanding on the possible mechanism of its action in combating the complex pathology of diabetes.
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Oil pulling is extensively used as a traditional Indian folk remedy without the scientific proof for many years to prevent decay, bleeding gums, oral malodor, dryness of throat, cracked lips and for strengthening teeth, gums, and jaws. This paper reviewed the literature on oil pulling based on the scientific articles available under the following subheadings: (1) Introduction (2) history (3) procedure (4) mechanism (5) benefits (6) discussion (7) summary (8) conclusion. Oil pulling or oil swishing is the ayurvedic way of maintaining oral health and improving overall immune system. Oil also pulling acts as an excellent detoxifying agent in healing the body inside. Oil pulling is a procedure in which the practitioners rinse their mouth with approximately one tablespoon of an ordinary cooking oil for 3-20 min, then spits it out. This procedure is typically performed daily. In this narrative review, authors try to illustrate different types of oil used for oil pulling and their oral benefits and general benefits on the health. Various oils used for swishing (pulling) the oral cavity-coconut oil, palm oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, etc. Though oil pulling is effective, none of the studies considered it as a replacement for the tooth brushing, but can definitely be a supplemental oral hygiene aid.
Subject(s)
Humans , Medicine, Traditional , Oral Hygiene , Plant Oils/therapeutic use , Tooth Diseases/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Objective: To collect, preserve and document primary ethnopharmacological information on common natural remedies (NRs) used by the Chinese community to treat and/or manage common diseases in Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean. Methods: Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 52 key Chinese informants using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, namely, the informant consensus factor (FIC), the use value, the fidelity level, the index of agreement on remedies and the relative importance were calculated.Results:constituted the exploited flora and fauna by the Chinese community. Based on the FIC the main categories of plants used were employed against injury and poisons due to external causes (FIC=0.97), diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.96), diseases of the eye and adnexa (FIC=0.95), undefined pains or illness (FIC=0.95), diseases during the postpartum period, diseases of the digestive system and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (FIC=0.94 each). For zootherapy, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the eye and adnexa, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases had total consensus Plants (61) and animal species (17), belonging to 43 and 9 families respectively, (FIC=1.00). Conclusions: It was found that the Chinese community of Mauritius still relies, to a great extent, on NRs which need to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further research is needed to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence-based investigation to discover new drugs.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To collect, preserve and document primary ethnopharmacological information on common natural remedies (NRs) used by the Chinese community to treat and/or manage common diseases in Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 52 key Chinese informants using a semi-structured questionnaire. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, namely, the informant consensus factor (FIC), the use value, the fidelity level, the index of agreement on remedies and the relative importance were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Plants (61) and animal species (17), belonging to 43 and 9 families respectively, constituted the exploited flora and fauna by the Chinese community. Based on the FIC the main categories of plants used were employed against injury and poisons due to external causes (FIC=0.97), diseases of the respiratory system (FIC=0.96), diseases of the eye and adnexa (FIC=0.95), undefined pains or illness (FIC=0.95), diseases during the postpartum period, diseases of the digestive system and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (FIC=0.94 each). For zootherapy, diseases of the circulatory system, diseases of the eye and adnexa, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases had total consensus (FIC=1.00).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It was found that the Chinese community of Mauritius still relies, to a great extent, on NRs which need to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further research is needed to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence-based investigation to discover new drugs.</p>
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In Korea, the use of herbal remedies is a common cause of drug-induced liver injury. However, the occurrence of both acute pancreatitis and acute hepatitis after taking herbal remedies has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a case of concurrent acute pancreatitis and acute hepatitis associated with Ceramium kondoi ingestion. A 58-year-old woman was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer 7 months ago. Total gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy was performed without complications. The patient had been well until recently, when she presented with severe abdominal pain after ingestion of Ceramium kondoi for 4 weeks. The laboratory findings demonstrated elevated liver enzymes and lipase, and abdominal computed tomography revealed pancreas swelling with fat infiltration. The diagnosis was made based on the diagnostic criteria for drug induced pancreatitis and the Russel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method scale for drug-induced liver injury. After cessation of Ceramium kondoi, she showed clinical and biochemical improvement.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Abdominal Pain/etiology , Acute Disease , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/diagnosis , Lipase/metabolism , Liver/drug effects , Pancreas/drug effects , Pancreatitis/chemically induced , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Rhodophyta/chemistry , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Since cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for 13% of all deaths, there is a global demand for research to develop new treatments. In search of new cancer preventive and treatment agents, hundreds of plant extracts and compounds have been evaluated for their potential to inhibit cancer cells in vitro, many of which have been used for centuries by native populations from specific geographic regions around the world. Some ancient remedies have now been shown to inhibit the proliferation of specific cancer cells by having a desirable effect at the molecular level. More recently, the number of in vitro gene studies to understand the effects of these herbal medicines on various forms of cancers has increased due to the advancement in molecular techniques. Improved research methods and increased knowledge of the effects of plant extracts on cancer genes is allowing individualistic diagnoses, prognoses, and treatments.
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AIM: To determine the impact of health insurance and the government's Benefit Service Scheme, a system that provides free drugs to treat mostly chronic illnesses to persons aged 16 to 65 years, on the use of herbal remedies by Christian churchgoers in Barbados. METHODS: The eleven parishes of Barbados were sampled over a six-week period using a survey instrument developed and tested over a four-week period prior to administration. Persons were asked to participate and after written informed consent, they were interviewed by the research team. The data were analysed by the use of IBM SPSS version 19. The data were all nominal, so descriptive statistics including counts, the frequencies, odds ratios and percentages were calculated. RESULTS: More than half of the participants (59.2%) were female, a little less than a third (29.9%) were male, and one tenth of the participants (10.9%) did not indicate their gender. The majority of the participants were between the ages of 41 and 70 years, with the age range of 51-60 years comprising 26.1% of the sample interviewed. Almost all of the participants were born in Barbados (92.5%). Approximately 33% of the respondents indicated that they used herbal remedies to treat various ailments including chronic conditions. The odds ratio of persons using herbal remedies and having health insurance to persons not using herbal remedies and having health insurance is 1.01 (95% CI 0.621, 1.632). There was an increase in the numbers of respondents using herbal remedies as age increased. This trend continued until the age group 71-80 years which showed a reduction in the use of herbal remedies, 32.6% of respondents compared with 38.3% of respondents in the 61-70-year category. CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrated that only a third of the study population is using herbal remedies for ailments. Health insurance was not an indicator neither did it influence the use of herbal remedies by respondents. The use of herbal remedies may not be associated with affluence. The reduction in the use of herbal remedies in the age group 71-80 years could be due to primarily a lower response rate from this age group, and secondarily due to the Benefit Service Scheme offering free medication to persons who have passed the age of 65 years.
OBJETIVO: Investigar si el Seguro de Saludy el Plan de Servicios y Beneficios del Gobierno - un sistema que proporciona medicina libremente para tratar principalmente enfermedades crónicas en personas de 16 a 65 anos de edad - influyen en el uso de remedios herbarios por los feligreses cristianos en Barbados. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un muestreo en once provincias de Barbados por un período de seis semanas, usando como instrumento una encuesta desarrollada y probada durante un período de cuatro semanas antes de ser aplicada. Se le pidió participación a distintas personas y luego de obtener el consen-timiento informado por escrito, las mismas fueron entrevistadas por el equipo de investigación. Los datos fueron analizados mediante la versión 19 de IBM SPSS. Todos los datos eran nominales, de modo que se calcularon las estadísticas descriptivas, incluyendo conteos, frecuencia, cociente de probabilidades (odds ratio), y porcentajes. RESULTADOS: Más de la mitad de los participantes (59.2%) eran mujeres; poco menos de un tercio (29.9%) eran hombres; y una décima parte de los participantes (10.9%) no indicó su sexo. La mayoría de los participantes se encontraban entre las edades de 41 y 70 anos, para un rango de edad de 51-60 anos que comprendía el 26.1% de la muestra entrevistada. Casi todos los participantes nacieron en Barbados (92.5%). Aproximadamente 33% de los entrevistados indicaron que usaban remedios herbarios para tratar varias dolencias, incluyendo condiciones crónicas. El odds ratio de las personas que usan remedios herbarios y poseen seguro de salud es 1.01 (95% CI 0.621, 1.632). Seprodujo un aumento en el número de entrevistados que usaban remedios herbarios, según aumentaba su edad. Esta tendencia continuó hasta el grupo etario de 71-80 anos, el cual mostró una reducción en el uso de remedios herbarios, 32.6% de los entrevistados en comparación con el 38.3% de los entrevistados en la categoría de los 61-70 anos. CONCLUSIONS: Los datos mostraron que sólo una tercera parte de la población está usando remedios herbarios para sus dolencias. El seguro de salud no fue un indicador ni influyó sobre el uso de remedios herbarios por los entrevistados. El uso de remedios herbarios no puede asociarse con la afluencia. La reducción en el uso de remedios herbarios en el grupo etario 71-80 anos podrían deberse principalmente a una tasa de respuesta más baja de este grupo etario, y secundariamente al Plan de Servicios y Beneficios que ofrece medicamentos gratuitamente a personas que han pasado la edad de 65 anos.