ABSTRACT
For thousands of years, plant based herbal medicines have been utilized by millions of people all over the world. Plant materials or products are used in different folk/traditional medical systems, such as the Chinese, African and Indian medical systems, like Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, and Homeopathy. Tinospora cordifolia (TC) is a medicinal plant belonging to the family Menispermaceae. It is a big deciduous, climbing shrub growing prevalently in the tropical part of Indian subcontinent regions such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Srilanka, and in Myanmar, and China. Guduchi, Giloy, Shindilkodi, and Amritha are all the common names for this plant. Extracts from different parts of this herbal plant have been used to treat many diseases. In Ayurvedic medicine, extract from this plant is used for preparing "rasayanas", which is known to cure diabetes, skin diseases, allergic conditions, jaundice, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, poisoning, and microbial infections. T. cordifolia has a many bioactive phytochemicals that have been isolated from its aerial parts and roots. Many bioactive principles have been reported from this plant which belong to various classes like alkaloids, aliphatic compounds, diterpenoid lactones, phenolics, flavonoids, glycosides, sesquiterpenoids, lignans, steroids and polysaccharides. T. cordifolia possesses medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antiallergic, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, antidote, antitumor, antileprotic, antispasmodic, and antidiabetic properties. The present review will provide a comprehensive therapeutic potential of T. cordifolia.
ABSTRACT
Diosmin is the 7-rutinoside of 3 ', 5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone (7-O-rutinoside of diosmetin), and hespheridine is the 7-rutinoside of 3', 5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone (7 -O-rutinoside hesperetin). Diosmin, is a gray-yellow or pale-yellow, hygroscopic powder, whereas hesperidine is in the form of light-yellow spherocrystals. Diosmin was isolated from fruits of the Citrus genus (C. sinensis, C. limonia), now it is obtained semi-synthetically from natural hesperidin. These flavonoids have, among others: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, analgesic, antioxidant and possibly anti-virus activity, that cause COVID-19. The metabolism of diosmin takes place initially in the small intestine and involves demethoxylation and hydrolysis. In contrast, oxidation and conjugation take place in the liver. There is no presence of diosmin and diosmetin in the urine, which are mainly eliminated in the form of glucuronic acid conjugates. The dominant metabolite detected in urine samples is m-hydroxy-phenylpropionic acid, excreted in conjugated form. Diosmin may reduce the aggregation of Red Blood Cells, and thus it is able to reduce blood viscosity. The LD50 of the mixture of 90% diosmin and 10% hesperidin for rats is over 3 g/kg. The tests did not reveal any mutagenic effects or effects on reproductive functions. It also does not pose a significant threat during breast feeding, as it poorly passes into breast milk.
ABSTRACT
Spondias mombin is one of the species belonging to the (Family: Anacardiaceae), its ethnomedicinal uses may be justified through many studies that reported potential pharmacological properties due to its phytochemical compounds. This review aimed at examining the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical compounds and pharmacological properties of S. mombin leaf extracts on the African continent, to justify its use in the management and/ or treatment of viral infections and cancers. Electronic databases such as Google Scholar, SciHub, PubMed and Science Direct with search dates between 1999 and 2019 were used. Findings from this review confirm the ethnomedicinal uses, of decoctions and infusions of S. mombin leaf extracts for management diseases such as malaria, sore throat, and inflammation disorders;studies confirmed the presence of phytochemical compounds such as Geraniin, 2-O-Caffeoyl-(+)-allohydroxycitric acid, Quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and pelandjuaic acid, responsible for the antiviral and chemotherapeutic properties. However, there is a need for bio-assay guided extractions, isolation, identification and characterization of phytochemical compound(s) in the leaf extracts of S. mombin that may be responsible for antiviral and anticancer activity. Investigations of the pharmacological action, in silico and in vitro studies of known and /or newly isolated compounds are warranted in the management and /or treatment of viral infections such as, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, and cancers to justify the use of leaf extracts of S. mombin on the African continent for the management of viral infections and or cancer.
ABSTRACT
Neem (Azadirachta indica) a member of Meliaceae plays an immense role in human health and disease which is attributed to its composition of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites (BASM). It has been widely used in Indian Traditional Systems of Medicine that includes Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homeopathy and other Folklore Systems of Medicine practiced in the Indian Subcontinent for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Current global health perspectives and medical practice in the post COVID era has no other way but to seek to merge alternative systems of medicine with evidence-based therapeutic aspects for a better understanding of the metabolic process and its effects in the human body. The studies based on animal model established that neem and its chief constituents play pivotal role in anticancer management through the modulation of various molecular pathways including p53, pTEN, NF-B, PI3K/Akt, Bcl-2, and VEGF. Besides, NEEM plays a vital role in the management of diabetics and its associated long term complication through ROS scavenging and ameliorative potentials to restore oxidative injury/inhibit enzymes linked to. Overall NEEM is considered as GRAS medicinal plant that modulates metabolic inflammations without side effects. Though it has been confirmed that neem and its constituents play role in the scavenging of free radical and prevention of disease pathogenesis, a clear scientific basis of its pharmacoinformatics is still lacking. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis of the fractions revealed the presence of 62 metabolites.