Knowledge of African Traditional Medicine System: Immunomodulation

African traditional medicine is one of the oldest forms of health-care system in the continent that has continued to be relevant. It is usually holistic, treating mind and body, and includes aromatherapy, bone setting, circumcision, herbs, homeopathy massaging, spiritual therapies, maternity care, psychiatric care, music therapy, and many more. It is a very old and culturally informed method of health management that humans have used against diseases that have threatened existence. More than 60,000 of the world's higher plant species can be found in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. These are about one-fourth of the global total and less than the 8% of the medicinal plants sold internationally from Africa. This scarcity could be due to lack of data on the traditional uses of many African plants as the knowledge is transferred orally by storytellers and traditional healers though in recent times, there are some information in print. Immunomodulation is seen as an essential feature of immunotherapy whereby immune responses are provoked, heightened, decreased, or avoided. Immune responses have been observed to be either cellular co-receptor expression, class switching, cytokine secretion, histamine release, immunoglobulin secretion, lymphocyte expression, or phagocytosis. Immune system dysfunction is responsible for various diseases like allergies, asthmas, arthritis, cancers, and infectious diseases. So modulation of immune responses is required in controlling diseases. This is requisite nowadays because of the upsurge of infectious diseases like superbugs caused by Multi-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the coronavirus (COVID-19) plus other emerging diseases. The historical view of African Traditional Medicine (ATMs) will be discussed from the point of view of specific plants used for immunomodulation in the ATMs and their efficacies following the trend of use and development of herbal medicines from crude formulations to refined dosage forms and procedures over time. Most of the ATMs are prepared as tonics and bitters to heighten and keep up immune defenses. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Potential inhibition of Melaleuca leucadendron L. compounds against the NSP5 SARS CoV-2 protein

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), causing a global health emergency as a pandemic disease. The lack of certain drug molecules or treatment strategies to fight this disease makes it worse. Therefore, effective drug molecules are needed to fight COVID-19. Non Structural Protein (NSP5) or called Main Protease (Mpro) of SARS CoV 2, a key component of this viral replication, is considered a key target for anti-COVID-19 drug development. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the compounds in the Melaleuca leucadendron L. plant such as 1,8-cineole, terpene, guaiol, linalol, a-selinenol, beta-eudesmol and P-eudesmol are predicted to have antiviral activity for COVID-19. Interaction of compounds with NSP5 with PDB code 6WNP analyzed using molecular docking with Molegro Virtual Docker. Based on binding affinity, the highest potential as an anti-viral is Terpineol with binding energy (-119.743 kcal/mol). The results of the interaction showed that terpinol has similarities in all three amino acid residues namely Cys 145, Gly 143, and Glu 166 with remdesivir and native ligand. Melaleuca leucadendron L. may represent a potential herbal treatment to act as: COVID-19 NSP5, however these findings must be validated in vitro and in vivo.

Potential cultivating plant-based raw materials in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for the pharmaceutical industry: an online survey from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry

The goal of this study is to assess the potential of cultivating plant-based raw materials in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry and to discuss the factors that could hinder the realization of high-quality cultivation. Procuring high-quality plant-based materials is crucial for the production of plant-based medicines, and the pharmaceutical industry has faced increasing challenges in sourcing these materials in recent years. The methodology involved surveying pharmaceutical companies that are members of the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association and are involved in the fields of homeopathic/anthroposophic medicines and plant-based pharmaceuticals. An online questionnaire was used to collect data. According to the pharmaceutical industry's perspective, there is growing demand for plant-based raw materials from domestic cultivation. Stable supply chains, quality, and reliability are seen as primary advantages over foreign cultivation. Geopolitical conflicts, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected the stability of supply chains for imported goods. 73% of companies reported encountering import difficulties multiple times. The majority of pharmaceutical companies can envision increased cooperation with agricultural enterprises in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Sustainability in sourcing was already deemed significant by more than two-thirds of the respondents. The study concludes that the importance of sustainable pharmaceutical production, stable supply chains, and high-quality plant-based raw materials will continue to grow. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern provides favorable conditions to meet a portion of the demand. To fully utilize the theoretical potential, close collaboration between the industry, academia, and policymakers is needed, along with minimizing regulatory and bureaucratic barriers for agricultural enterprises.

Herbal remedies in post-COVID trauma: a systematic review

The world has faced huge challenges throughout the endemic of COVID-19. The survivors of Covid too are facing health difficulties. The non-availability of specific treatments made researchers search for all the possible treatment regimens including traditional medicines. India has the greatest culture of Ayurveda. Indian government's AYUSH ministry has granted permission for use of ancient systems of medicine for treatment of some of the COVID-19 cases, especially which are not at advanced stages. Along with this certain reports are there which have shown the positive outcomes of Ayurvedic treatment of COVID-19. However, it is more beneficial to build the immune system of the host from a large population and its health perspective to avoid widespread infection and control the potency of the infectious viral particles. A vaccine can offer protection by boosting specific immunity in the host at the same time non-specific ways to improve host immunity are suggestible. This has carved a path for the use of ancient Indian therapeutic methods such as Ayurveda and Yoga. Although there are many general articles where the home remedies have suggested but, more scientific references are required to document the ayurvedic medicines for Covid related ailments. In this review, an attempt is made to organize available evidences of usefulness of Ayurveda, Yoga, in COVID-19.

In-silico screening of plant-derived natural compounds for their anti-COVID-19 potential

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and quickly spread across the worldwide. It becomes a global pandemic and risk to the healthcare system of almost every nation around the world. In this study thirty natural compounds of 19 Indian herbal plants were used to analyze their binding with eight proteins associated with COVID -19. Based on the molecular docking as well as ADMET analysis, isovitexin, glycyrrhizin, sitosterol, and piperine were identified as potential herbal medicine candidates. On comparing the binding affinity with Ivermectin, we have found that the inhibition potentials of the Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), Tinospora cordifolia (giloy) and Piper nigrum (black pepper) are very promising with no side-effects.

Fostering home-grown response to COVID-19: development of improved traditional herbal medicines to WHO standards

Facing the unprecedented burden and rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic across the globe, responses from various regions have been exceptionally quick. Drug discovery has been essentially based on repurposing, particularly at the onset of the scourge. Several experimental models have been designed ranging from in vitro cell culture systems to nonhuman primates;however, each with advantages and limitations. It was revealed beside its detrimental consequences on health, economy and the society, Covid-19 has also provided opportunity to highlight the immense potential of traditional medicine as a valid alternative for addressing major health threat. The African traditional medicine has been instrumental for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic in the continent, in situation of extremely low vaccination coverage. For optimal and sustainable use of traditional medicine, we strongly recommend products be developed following the WHO standards, while taking into consideration sustainability, environmental protection and copyright issues surrounding the natural product-based drug research and development.

Anti-viral compounds from Jatropha curcas seed extract with anti-HIV-1 and anti-SARS-CoV-2 action

Many studies have dealt with the medicinal properties of Jatropha curcas;however, there are limited studies on the scope of its antiviral potential. This is a fact associated with the current challenges posed by HIV-AIDS and COVID-19, which has reinforced the need to expand the knowledge about its antiviral resource. Based on the search for natural products with anti-HIV-1 and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities, this work analyzed the extract of J. curcas seed, the structure of the plant whose antiviral references were not found in the literature, and the compounds that can potentiate it as a candidate for herbal medicine. GC-MS analysis was used to screen for the active substances of the J. curcas seeds, and the literature was searched to find those with anti-HIV-1 and anti-SARS-CoV-2 indication. The results showed they have 27 compounds, of which glycerol 1-palmitate, stigmasterol and gamma-sitosterol were shown to have antiviral action in the literature. Regarding glycerol 1-palmitate, no detailed description of its antiviral action was found. Stigmasterol and gamma-sitosterol act as anti-HIV-1 and anti-SARS-CoV-2, respectively, inhibiting the reverse transcriptase of HIV-1, the proteases 3CLpro, PLpro and the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2. However, despite the fact that the extract of J. curcas seeds consist of antiviral compounds that fight against the etiological agents of HIV-AIDS and COVID-19, it is concluded that there is a need to deepen this evidence, by in vitro and in vivo assays.

Ethnobotanical study on the use of medicinal plants with antiviral interest, case of SARS-CoV-19, in the region of Seraidi (Annaba, north-east Algeria)

The taxonomic diversity and the richness of the region of Seraidi (North-East Algeria) in medicinal plants, as well as the appearance of diseases of viral origin, in particular, the current pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, led us to the realization of an ethnobotanical survey of plants with antiviral interests. The survey was conducted based on a pre-established quiz, with 120 people from different categories of the population of Seraidi, with the aim of listing the medicinal plants used in the treatment of viral diseases and collecting as much information as possible on this subject. After analyzing, the information provided by the people interviewed, we listed 32 species belonging to 20 families, of which the Lamiaceae family is the most represented. Older women are the most affected by the use of plants;people without a higher intellectual level have the most knowledge about the use of plants with antiviral interest. The leaf is the most widely used organ, in the form of a decoction or infusion, administered orally.

In-silico studies of active phytochemicals from siddha medicinal herbs of karisalai chooranam against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3 CLpro), RNA dependent RNA polymerase and angiotensin-converting enzyme II receptor

Aim: The contagious disease COVID 19 is a recently out-broken pandemic situation which threatens humankind all over the world. Siddha system of medicine is one of the traditional medical systems of India, which has provided a novel remedy for many epidemics like Dengue, Chicken guinea earlier. On evaluating the literature evidence and considering the mortality and severity of the disease, we have attempted to identify the possible inhibition of viral replication by "Karisalai Chooranam" - a polyherbal Siddha formulation which contains herbs like Karisalai (Wedelia chinensis), Thoodhuvelai (Solanum trilobatum), Musumusukai (Melothria maderaspatana) and Seeragam (Cuminum cyminum). The aim of this study was to identify the bioactive components present in Karisalai chooranam and pin down the components that inhibit COVID 19 protease by In Silico molecular docking analysis. Material and methods: The study was performed for the active compounds present in the herbs (Wedelia chinensis - Benzoic acid, Solanum trilobatum- Disogenin, Melothria maderaspatana- beta-sitosterol, Cuminum cyminum L- Coumaric acid and Limonene) with three potential targets, PDB id: 6LU7 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), PDB id: 6-NUR RNA dependent RNA polymerase and PDB id: 2AJF Angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor using Autodock Vina. Key findings: The active phytocomponents present in "Karisalai chooranam" was found to inhibit the target 3CL proenzyme and hereby halt the formation of 16 non-structural proteins (nsp1-nsp16) that are highly essential for viral replication and there by prevents viral survival in the host environment. The phytocomponents also inhibited the target RNA dependent RNA polymerase (PDB)-6NUR RdRp which possess versatile action in mediating nonstructural protein (nsp 12) essential for viral replication. A significant binding against the target Angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptors - PDB- 2AJF was found which was recognized as a binding site for novel coronavirus to cause its pathogenesis. Among the five active components present in the herb, the binding ability of Disogenin and beta-sitosterol with COVID19 protease suggests a possible mechanism of protease inhibition and thus preventing viral replication. Significance: The results strongly suggest that phytocomponents of "Karisalai chooranam" may act as a potential therapeutic agent for the management of COVID-19 and related symptoms. Further, the efficacy of the active compounds should be tested in vitro before being recommended as a drug.

Herbal medicines exhibit a high affinity for ACE2 in treating COVID-19.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been an unprecedented disaster for people around the world. A point particularly worth noting is that herbal medicines have made great contributions to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in China. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified as the critical functional receptor for SARS-CoV-2. It can bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S protein), which is responsible for the entry of the coronavirus into host cells. Therefore, ACE2 can be regarded as an important intervention target for COVID-19. Recently, many herbal medicines have exhibited a high affinity for ACE2 in treating COVID-19. The current work summarized these herbal medicines including formulas (such as Lianhua Qingwen capsules, Xuebijing injection, Qingfei Paidu Decoction, Huashi Baidu formula, Shufeng Jiedu capsules, and Maxing Shigan decoction), single herbs including Ephedra sinica Stapf (Mahuang), Scutellariae radix (Huangqin), Lonicera japonica (Jinyinhua), and Houttuynia cordata (Yuxingcao), and active ingredients (such as ursodeoxycholic acid, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhizin, salvianolic acid, quercetin, and andrographidine C), which have exhibited a high affinity for ACE2 in treating COVID-19. We hope this work may provide meaningful and useful information on further research to investigate the mechanisms of herbal medicines against SARS-CoV-2 and follow-up drug discovery.

Clinical study of qingke pingchuan granules in treatment of light and common type of novel Coronavirus infection

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Qingke Pingchuan Granules in treatment of light and common type of novel coronavirus infection(phlegm heat stagnating lung syndrome). Methods Sixty patients with novel coronavirus infection(phlegm heat stagnating lung syndrome) hospitalized in the Novel Coronavirus Unit of Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from March 2022to June 2022 were selected and divided into control group and treatment group according to different therapeutic drugs, with 30 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were given conventional treatment. Patients in the treatment group were po administered with Qingke Pingchuan Granules on the basis of conventional treatment, 10 g/time, 3 times daily. The efficacy of TCM syndromes, inflammatory indexes and adverse reactions were observed before and after treatment. Results After treatment, the total effective rate in the treatment group(86.7%) was significantly higher than that in the control group(66.7%)(P < 0.05). After treatment, daytime and nighttime cough scores in 2 groups were lower than before treatment(P < 0.05), and daytime and nighttime cough scores in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of peripheral blood leukocytes and procalcitonin between the two groups before and after treatment. After treatment, the level of C-reactive protein(CRP) in the two groups was significantly lower than that before treatment(P < 0.05), and the CRP level in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. Conclusion Qingke Pingchuan Granules has good clinical efficacy in treatment of light and common type of novel coronavirus infection(phlegm heat stagnating lung syndrome), and can relieve the clinical symptoms of patients, which has good safety.

Herbal medicines in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus, started in livestock within the markets of Wuhan, China and was consequently spread around the world. The virus has been rapidly spread worldwide due to the outbreak. COVID-19 is the third serious coronavirus outbreak in less than 20 years after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012. The novel virus has a nucleotide identity closer to that of the SARS coronavirus than that of the MERS coronavirus. Since there is still no vaccine, the main ways to improve personal immunity against this disease are prophylactic care and self-resistance including an increased personal hygiene, a healthy lifestyle, an adequate nutritional intake, a sufficient rest, and wearing medical masks and increasing time spent in well ventilated areas. There is a need for novel antivirals that are highly efficient and economical for the management and control of viral infections when vaccines and standard therapies are absent. Herbal medicines and purified natural products have the potential to offer some measure of resistance as the development of novel antiviral drugs continues. In this review, we evaluated 41 articles related to herbal products which seemed to be effective in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.Copyright © 2021 The Author(s).

Use of alternative medicine to treat COVID-19 symptoms

The use of alternative medicine helps to prevent the symptoms generated by Covid-19, among the methods is phytotherapy or herbal therapy, homeopathy acupuncture, among others, all with different functions such as moxibustion, for coughs, flu, lungs, pain body, breathing, etc. Although some people do not use it due to the few results in improving their health. In this article, the use of alternative medicine to treat symptoms of Covid-19 was analyzed through a quantitative exploratory approach, the population was taken through a simple random non-probabilistic sampling of 40 people from the Banos parish of Ulba between 30 At 60 years as results it was obtained that, among the most frequently used methods was phytotherapy with 65%, followed by homeopathy with 15% and acupuncture with 12,5%. It was concluded that it is important to know the benefits that contributes to health using alternative medicine such as medicinal plants to improve health and in this case to a virus that has affected and caused the death of countless people.

Phytomedicines for Covid-19: Opportunities and Obstacles

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger respiratory tract infection. Due to its tendency to affect the upper respiratory tract (sinuses, nose and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and lungs), this disease is life-threatening and affects a large number of populations. This virus's unique and complex nature enhances the scope to look into the direction of herbal plants and their constituents for its prevention and treatment. The herbal remedies can have preventive as well as therapeutic actions. This review focuses on various aspects of using herbal medicines for COVID-19, as herbal constituents may also have adverse effects. Various studies revealed that some medicinal plants show life-threatening adverse effects, so selecting plants, and their related studies should be appropriate and strategic. This article includes various factors that should be considered before herbal drug use in COVID-19 patients. These are clinical trials, safety, molecular mechanism, and self-medication, which have been elaborated. This article also discusses the targets of covid-19 and different coronavirus strains. As before, treatment diagnosis of the disease is very important. Various patents have been filed and granted for its proper diagnosis so that its treatment can be easy.Copyright © 2022 Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. All rights reserved.

Network pharmacological mechanism of Runfei Ningshen Decoction in the treatment of insomnia caused by COVID-19

Objective: To study the mechanism of Runfei Ningshen Decoction in the treatment of insomnia caused by corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19) by using network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis. Methods: The chemical components and targets of Chinese medicinal materials of Runfei Ningshen Decoction in TCMSP, Batman, and CTD databases were searched. The relevant targets of novel coronavirus pneumonia and insomnia in Disgenet, GeneCards, CTD, and Malacards databases were searched. The component-target-disease network was established by using Cytoscape 3.2.1 software;The protein-protein intereation(PPI) network was constructed in string database. The common targets were enriched by using Cluster Profiler software package in R language software platform. The molecular docking of core targets related to insomnia caused by COVID-19 was carried out by using Discovery Studio 4.0 software. Results: 349 medicinal ingredients in Runfei Ningshen Decoction, 1 904 targets, 1 505 new coronavirus pneumonia-related targets, and 1 337 insomnia-related targets were collected. When the intersection of Venn diagrams were used, 404 common targets were obtained for the 2 diseases. 250 targets were intersected with the 2 diseases, and 33 core targets were screened out by the analysis of the interaction network between targets. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that Runfei Ningshen Decoction mainly acts on AKT1, INS, TP53, IL-6, key targets such as AKT1, INS, TP53, IL-6, JUN, CASP3, TNF, CAT, PTGS2 and CXCL8, which are involved in the important pathway processes such as human cytomegalovirus infection, fluid shear stress, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways in complications of atherosclerosis and diabetes. The results of molecular docking showed that the core target has a high affinity with beta-sitosterol, 1-methoxy phaseolin, 3'-hydroxy-4'-O-methylglycyrrhizin, and anhydroicariin. The prescription treatment of insomnia caused by COVID-19 may be through the targets such as PTGS2, AR, PPARG, NOS2, HSP90 AA1 and so on. Conclusion: Runfei Ningshen Decoction can treat insomnia caused by COVID-19 by inhibiting IL-6 and TNF-a.

A study of antioxidant and physicochemical stability in antipyretic decoction of traditional Lanna recipe

During the current COVID-19 outbreak, Thai traditional antipyretic recipes and antipyretic herbs have been widely studied. Antipyretic Thai/Lanna herbal decoction for relieving fever in the North consists of Tinospora crispa, Rhinacanthus nasutus, Sauropus androgynus and Alstonia scholaris. This research aimed to study the physical stability, pH, sedimentation, and color of the Lanna antipyretic decoction at 4 degrees C 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C with 75 +or- 5% RH for 7 days. The testing included the Folin Ciocalteu method for quantifying total phenolic content, the aluminium chloride colorimetry for flavonoid content, and the DPPH radical scavenging and ABTS methods for antioxidant activities. The results demonstrated that, for the decoction, the pH values at various temperatures dropped with storage time, the sediment amounts increased with storage time, but its color did not change at 4 degrees C. Its total phenolic and flavonoid contents rose with storage time. The total phenolic contents in mg GAE/g extract at Days 0 and 7 were 161.13 +or- 5.62 and 15.34 +or- 6.21 at 4 degrees C, 160.53 +or- 11.78 and 14.32 +or- 1.13 at 25 degrees C, and 160.09 +or- 7.39 and 12.82 +or- 6.91 at 40 degrees C, respectively;while the flavonoid contents in mgQE/g extract at Days 0 and 7 were 20.32 +or- 0.43 and 7.80 +or- 0.34 at 4 degrees C, 20.10 +or- 0.47 and 7.27 +or- 0.20 at 25 degrees C, and 20.06 +or- 0.55 and 6.63 +or- 0.43 at 40 degrees C, respectively. The decoction's free radical inhibition (IC50) values at 4 degrees C, 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C by DPPH ranged from 14.74 +or- 0.04 to 23.18 +or- 0.72%w/w;and by ABTS the values ranged from 2.63 +or- 0.12 to 3.95 +or- 0.05%w/w. At the storage temperature of 4 degrees C, the decoction showed the best physical stability. Thus, the results can be used in setting up storage guidelines for Thai traditional and folk decoctions to ensue the best stability.

Study on the effect of Xuanfei Jiere Granules in the treatment of COVID-19 by network pharmacology and molecular docking

Objective: To explore the effect and mechanism of Xuanfei Jiere Granules in the treatment of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complicated with fever. Methods: The effective components of Xuanfei Jiere Granules were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the potential target genes were predicted. The disease targets of COVID-19 complicated with fever were searched by GeneCards and CTD databases, and the common targets were obtained, and then introduced into Cytoscape to construct the "component-target-disease" network. The above 2 common targets were input into the online database of STRING protein interaction, and the results were imported into Cytoscape software to obtain Protein-Protein Interaction(PPI) network;R language was used to analyze the common targets with Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis. Results: 84 active components and 82 targets were obtained. The pathway enrichment analysis showed that Xuanfei Jiere Granules mainly acted on protein kinase B(AKT1), tumor protein P53(TP53), interleukin-6(IL6) and other key targets in the treatment of COVID-19 complicated with fever. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the action was mainly related to the influence of fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, human cytomegalovirus infection, and AGE-RAGE in diabetic complications and other signal pathways. The results of molecular docking showed that the core target had strong affinity with beta-sitosterol, formononetin, N-trans ferulyl tyramine and so on. Conclusion: This study preliminarily verified that Xuanfei Jiere Granules can play a role in the treatment of COVID-19 complicated with fever through multi-components, multi-targets and multi-pathways.

FDA approves first dietary supplement under new drug application with the indication of serious or life-threatening illnesses

Background: Research began on botanical/herbal organisms to study plant cells. The idea behind this was that plant cells have basic similar actions as do animal cells (i.e., both are Eukaryotic cells). These cells can show what activity is produced from the Technology/Innovation behind ImunStem, without risk to animals or humans, and still retrieve data to verify the theory. By using plants and studying plant cell activity, then later comparing plant cell, animal cells, and human cell responses, it thus shows activity for all cell structures. The activity was also studied from patients taking ImunStem for the indication of Serious or Life-threatening conditions or diseases. Patient medical report results showed an overall improvement in bodily function as blood report results were compared. Patients that were administered ImunStem showed improvement in their overall health and patients with chronic disease had reduced pain as ImunStem was administered over time. The pain was reduced because the body was in the healing process and a reduction in inflammation would occur during healing and the patient's health would improve. ImunStem was produced based on the theory that the product could rejuvenate the cell and bring the cell back to a homeostasis balance. This balance to the cell (through nutrition) can give the surrounding cells a homeostasis balance that may heal cells and tissues in the body. It is believed that the function of a Quantum Wave effect is explained through the discipline of Quantum Mechanics. The Quantum Wave may disrupt the subatomic particles that provide adhesion to allow the product through the cell wall and move to its target location. In Quantum Mechanics, particles have wavelike properties. The Schrodinger equation, for example, governs how these waves behave. Methods: Administration of ImunStem was given to patients in a life-threatening situation where no standard acceptable treatment was available and in which there was not sufficient time to obtain approval from the Institutional Review Board. Results: ImunStem showed positive medical results for patients with Serious or Life-threatening conditions or diseases, which prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to move forward so patients could be provided treatment that was not otherwise available to them from their physicians/doctors. ImunStem was applied for and received its New Drug Application (NDA) No.: 204701 with the indication of Serious or Life-threatening conditions or diseases and National Drug Code (NDC) No.: 70642-001-01 on July 02, 2018. Golden Sunrise submitted an NDA application on January 07, 2013, November 05, 2018, and April 03, 2020 with a request for FDA Fast Track designation, Breakthrough Therapy designation, Accelerated Approval designation, and Priority Review program process are the pathway allowing the ImunStem product to receive acceptance by the FDA.

Evaluation of antiviral effects and toxicity of herbal medicine Vipdervir capsules

Background: Antiviral vaccine is not effective, synthetic antiviral drugs are highly toxic, leading to increased interest in herbal medicines as promising antiviral drugs. Recently, Vipdervir has been developed from medicinal herbs with the aim to support and treat diseases caused by viruses such as H5N1 and SARSCoV- 2. In the present study, we assessed Vipdervir's antiviral activity against H5N1 and SARS-CoV-2. In addition, we also evaluated the acute toxicity and repeated dose toxicity of Vipdervir in mice and rabbits, respectively. Methods: H5N1 inhibitory effect of Vipdervir was assessed using hemagglutination inhibition assay. Vipdervir's SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory effect was evaluated by Plaque Reduction Neutralization assay. Acute and repeated dose oral toxicities of Vipdervir were determined according to OECD 423 and OECD 407 guidelines, respectively. Results: Data show that Vipdervir is effective against both H5N1 and SARSCoV- 2. At concentrations of 3 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL Vipdervir completely inhibits H5N1. At a concentration of 50 g/mL Vipdervir showed an inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2. Acute toxicity data revealed that the LD50 of Vipdervir is greater than 35200 mg/kg, b.wt. in mice. Repeated toxicity data indicated that Vipdervir did not induce significant differences in body weight gain, hematology and clinical biochemistry in compared to the control group. The No Observed Adverse Effect Level of Vipdervir is greater than 613.8 mg/kg b.wt./day in rabbits. No delayed toxicity effects of Vipdervir were observed. Conclusion: Vipdervir capsules were found to be antiviral effective and relatively safe in the tested doses and experimental conditions.

Pharmacovigilance of herbal medicines: The vigilance of tomorrow

This chapter reviews current research, knowledge and practice in the field of herbal medicines (HMs). Its focus is on phytovigilance, on what has been achieved in the science and the urgent need for its development. As the use of HMs surges across the world, safety and rational use become ever-more pressing issues, especially with regard to the discovery of adverse effects from often lightly-regulated or unregulated HMs themselves and from interactions from concomitant use of Western medicine. The current state of research is reviewed, with illustrative examples from work on COVID-19 and cancer. The chapter proposes expansion and improvement in regulation, standardization, clinical trials, information for practitioners and users, monitoring and reporting systems and in communication at all levels. Future progress relies on phytovigilance being given a higher priority in public health policy, in professional training, in research and in public communication. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.