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Background: Hypoestes rosea (family: Acanthacea), has been harnessed and utilized for treatment of several ailments. However, there is the paucity of available data on nephrotoxicity associated with this herb. Here, we investigated the phytochemical profile and toxicological effect of H. rosea on Wistar Rats. Methods: Twenty rats (weight range: 75–100 g) were assigned into five study groups, viz; (a) control (without treatment) (b) treatment group 1, orally administered with 50 mg/kg (c) treatment group 2, orally administered with 100 mg/kg (d) treatment group 3, orally administered with 250 mg/kg, and (e) treatment group 4, orally administered with 300 mg/kg of H. rosea, respectively for 28 days of four rats per group. The rats were made unconscious by using oral administration of chloroform. Cardiac punctures were made, and blood samples collected into 10 ml labeled plain container, allowed to clot and spun to harvest serum for determination of sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea and creatinine using colorimetric, back-titrimetric, Urease-Berthelot and Jaffe’s reaction methods respectively. Kidneys of rats were harvested, weighed and immediately fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histological analysis. Result: Mean serum sodium (p = 0.049), potassium (p = 0.007), and urea (p

Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum Danert (Apiaceae) (PC), popularly known as parsley, is an herb native to the Mediterranean region widely cultivated around the world for culinary and ethnomedicinal purposes. The herb is traditionally used in various parts of the world to treat arterial hypertension, hemorrhoid, nose bleeding, hyperlipidemia, and pain, among other indications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antithrombotic activity of an aqueous extract PC in rats. Aerial parts of a flat-leaf variety of parsley were extracted by decoction. In vivo thrombosis in rat models as well as ex vivo assays were used in the evaluation of PC antithrombotic effects. Intravenous administration of PC (25 mg/kg.b.w), 5 min before thrombosis induction, reduced the venous thrombus formation by 98.2%, while oral administration (125 mg/kg.b.w) impaired it by 76.2%. In the arterial thrombosis model, the oral administration of PC at 15 or 25 mg/kg.b.w, 60 min before thrombosis induction, increased the carotid artery occlusion time by 150% (37.0 ± 6.44 min) and 240% (more than 60 min), respectively. A HPLC-DAD-MS/MS profile of PC extract used in this study was provided. Apiin showed to be the most abundant phenolic compound in the extract. It also revealed the presence of many coumaric acid derivatives. Our results indicate that PC is a potential candidate for the development of a phytotherapeutic drug in the treatment of thromboembolic diseases and provide a detailed chemical profile useful for controlling PC extract production in view of phytotherapy.

Mangifera longipes and Quercus gomeziana both is an ethnomedicinally important Asian herb that has been known for numerous healing activity of tribal people. The present research aims to investigate the phytochemical analysis with in vitro, in vivo possibilities of the soluble ethanol extract of M. longipes root (EEMLR) and Q. gomeziana leaves (EEQGL) by an experimental approach. The plant extract of EEMLR and EEQGL was found secondary metabolites, notably steroids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, gums, and alkaloids. Additionally, the extract showed significant activity in antioxidant, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, membrane stabilization, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, and analgesic activities while no response in antibacterial activity. Our findings reveal that soluble ethanol extract of EEMLR and EEQGL is safe, which can be an effective source for exploring new medicinal products. This research's outcomes may provide potentials for mitigating pyrexia, inflammation, pain, cellular toxicity, and coagulation.

Objective: To systematically explore the effect and mechanism of traditional Chinese herbs in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Methods: Magnolia flower, xanthium fruit, astragalus root, paniculate cynanchum, scutellaria root, cicada molting, stephania root, small centipeda herb, and licorice root as traditional Chinese herbs are widely used to treat allergic rhinitis. With multiple database integration and entity grammar systems, a molecular interaction network of traditional Chinese herbs for treating allergic rhinitis was established. Bioinformatics approaches were adopted to integrate relevant data and biological information by multiple databases. Molecular interaction network of Chinese herbs for treating allergic rhinitis was constructed based on entity grammar systems model. The network was then used for elucidating the anti-allergic rhinitis mechanism of the Chinese herbs on the molecular level. The subnetworks were also extracted to explicitly display the pathway and targets where effective components acted on. Results: Traditional Chinese herbs could influence various pathological aspects in allergic rhinitis including the production of pro-inflammatory substances, such as histamine and cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-13 (IL-13), lowering immunoglobulin E (IgE) level or blocking antigen binding, altering the biological processes of IgE, modulating the balance of T helper (Th) or other cells by cell proliferation and differentiation, mediating cell–cell signaling and second-messenger-mediated signaling, stabilizing the cell membrane, and affecting regulation of cellular defense response. Conclusion: The research theoretically confirms the mechanism of anti-allergic rhinitis by traditional Chinese herbs, provides important fundamental research information for treatment of allergic rhinitis, and may serve as a reference for new drug development and effective ingredients of compatibility.

Medicinal plants having high-value and unique active ingredients are attractive in different industries, including pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic sectors. The phytochemicals in these plants are synthesized through diverse biosynthetic pathways including those for mevalonate, shikimic, acetic acid and so forth. Several key enzymes catalyze different reactions in these pathways and convert precursors to final products. Identification of rate limiting enzymes in the biosynthetic pathways of the secondary metabolites and their encoding genes can reveal the bottlenecks of these pathways and ultimately lead us to develop an appropriate breeding strategy for selecting plants possessing desirable and high-quantity active ingredients. Next-generation sequencing methods, in the last two decades, have contributed, in many ways to a more detailed study of medicinal plants and a deeper exploration of these pathways. In this way, an NGS-based whole genome sequencing (WGS) approach and the data it provides, can lead to the development of new high-throughput molecular markers for more effective marker assisted selection (MAS), more accurate QTL and association mappings, easier genotyping by sequencing, a deeper study of phylogenetic relationships, a faster calculation of evolutionary rates of different genes, reconstruction of genetic diversity patterns between plant taxa, and ultimately domestication of wild high-value medicinal plants. In addition, RNA-Seq methods can have a similar application in the plants without a WGS as well as being used for representing the expression profile of the genes in plants with a great impact on functional genomics. NGS-based methods can greatly help medicinal plant researchers to identify genes involved in the biosynthetic pathways of important metabolites including phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides, etc. Subsequently, through metabolic engineering, it would be possible to increase the quantity and quality of sec-ondary metabolites and to develop new medicinal plant cultivars for their exploitation in an industrial scale.

Nigella sativa is an Asian Middle Eastern native angiosperm belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Even before the advent of modern medicine, this miracle herb was being used in folkloric traditional medicine across the globe for treatments of all kinds of ailments and diseases. Ancient medicinal traditions, unlike modern allopathic medicine observed health of an individual in a holistic manner as a culmination of mind, body, soul, and nature. This plant has been mentioned in the written traditional medicinal texts of major civilizations like the Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Greek-Roman, Malay, Tibb-e-Nabwi, and Jewish texts. Black cumin and black seed are other alternate names of Nigella seeds and have been extensively used as medicines in all Abrahamic cultures. It has ample eminence that apart from death, black seed is deemed as the cure for all ailments. It has been extensively utilized for the treatment of liver, lung, kidney, gastric, and psychological disorders. Extensive research on N. sativa has revealed a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties comprising anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, analgesic, spasmolytic, reproprotection, hepatoprotection, bronchodilaton, nephroprotection, and contraception. Endowed with such miraculous healing power this black pearl has been placed among the top ranked evidence-based medicines by pharmacologists and medical practitioners. It has also been revealed that different fractions of Nigella extract exert different actions and can produce a wide array of pharmacological actions, if chosen properly, for the cure of specific diseases and maintenance of general health. The primary constituent of Nigella extract is thymoquinone. This chapter is an effort to embody the enormous ancient and modern medicinal literature into a clear concise script for researchers to understand the pharmacological characteristics, actions, and chemical conformation of N. sativa, “the miracle herb.”

Tylophora indica, a threatened medicinal plant of family Asclepiadaceae, grows profoundly in Asia, Africa, Australia, Oceanic Islands, Ceylon, Malay island, and Borneo. The plant is a twinning herb that is excessively used in folk medicine as a substitute of ipecac, an expectorant. Different parts of the plant are accredited for the anti-asthmatic, antibacterial, anti–psoriasis, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antiallergic, antidiarrhoeal, hypolipidemic, and anxiolytic properties. Antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antiangiogenic, anti-tumor, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, anti-rheumatic, and diuretic activities are also attributed to the magnificent medicinal plant owing to the occurrence of various active phytochemicals such as alkaloids, saponins, phytosterols, tannins, and primary metabolites. The plant has been exploited by the ethnic people due to the immense medicinal importance, leading to the endangerment of the plant species. The review brings to light the important pharmacological attributes, folk medicinal uses, and biotechnological approaches that must be followed to save the plant from extinction.

The traditional medicine based on medicinal plants in the Kingdom of Arabia Saudia presents a strong relationship belonging to natural remedies, health, diet, and folk healing practice recognized by a specific culture. The aim of the current study is to carry out an ethnobotanical review on medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in the Kingdom of Arabia Saudia including information on plant species, used parts, preparation method as well as medical uses. Earlier published data in journals, textbooks, periodicals, websites, and databases written in pharmacological evidence of Suadi medicinal plants were based on gathering information. The present review work reported that 96 species belonging to 47 families have been used in Saudi Pharmacopeia. Amaranthaceae has the highest number of plant species (7) Followed by Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, and Fabaceae with 5 plant species in each. The inventoried plant species in the current work are frequently used for the treatment of various illnesses and to ensure the medication safety of Saudi people. The biological analysis of plant form used in Saudi natural remedies showed the dominance of herb and subshrub form with a percentage of 43% and 30% respectively. The most used preparation method of plant drugs, which used in Saudi Alternative medicine was decoction and infusion. The whole plant, leaves, seeds, and aerial parts were the most useful plant parts in natural preparation in Saudi traditional medicine with a percentage of 29%, 28%, 7%, and 5% respectively as reported in the present review work. The present review work gives big data about medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including data about plant species, used parts, preparation method as well as medical uses.

Pedalium murex L. is a medicinal herb that has been used for the treatment of diseases related to kidney in the traditional system of medicine. The current study aims to study the effect of ethyl acetate extract of P. murex (EAEP) and its fractionated compound pedalitin against urease production and UreC gene expression in Proteus mirabilis. The selected reference strain Proteus mirabilis (MTCC 425) and the isolates culture of Proteus mirabilis were subjected to study the antibacterial efficacy of P. murex. Expression analysis of P. mirabilis urease gene was successfully done by QPCR. The ethyl acetate extract effectively inhibit the reference Proteus mirabilis and bacterial isolates of Proteus mirabilis in the clinical samples studied. EAEP has showed more potent activity (56.7%) against urease enzyme and pedalitin also exhibited potent activity (30.1%). Using qPCR, the expression of UreC gene of P. mirabilis was controlled by EAEP and also its bioactive compound pedalitin. The present study clearly demonstrated the potency of P. murex in controlling the growth of pathogenic P. mirabilis and to control the expression of urease enzyme production as well as to restrict the urease gene expression in P. mirabilis. Keywords: Pedalium murex, Pedalitin, Proteus mirabilis, UreC, qPCR

Highlights • Both males and females sniff ‘insunko’ herb, 3 g per day. • Females also insert ‘insunko’ herb vaginally, 6 g prior for sexual intercourse. • High concentration of toxic heavy metals have been detected in ‘insunko’ herb. • Hazard Indexes for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, manganese, and copper were greater than one., There has emerged a herb in Zambia called ‘insunko’ which has unknown chemical composition. The use of ‘insunko’ herb with unknown chemical composition has brought mixed feelings among many Zambians. This study, therefore, aimed to assess the toxic and carcinogenic substances in‘insunko’ herb. ‘Insunko’ herb was purchased from Chipata, Lusaka, Mpika, Mwense, Kitwe, and Solwezi. 5 samples were collected from each of these districts and were thoroughly mixed to give 6 consolidated samples (n = 6). Nicotine and, nitrosamines were analysed using UV spectrometer lambda 35 Perkin Elmer while trace metals were analysed using ICP-MS Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA). Nicotine, nitrosamines, and trace metals were detected in high concentrations. The concentrations ranged from 3.87 to 9.83 mg/kg for nitrosamines and 10.94–34.01 mg/kg for nicotine. Hazard Indexes for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, manganese, and copper were greater than one (HI > 1). ‘Insunko’ herb is a potentially toxic and carcinogenic substance because it contains toxic and carcinogenic constituents in high concentrations. These toxic and carcinogenic constituents have been confirmed to cause gastrointestinal disorders, cancers, degenerative, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, neurologic and cognitive problems as well as male infertility.

SUMMARY The objective of this work is to investigate the feed supplementation with Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and methanol extraction of anticoccidial herbs (leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.) individually or in combination as alternatives during chicken E. tenella infection. A total of 264 chickens were divided into 11 groups (n = 8 × 3). They were control group (G1), E. tenella infected group (G2), E. tenella infected with diclazuril treated group (G3). G4 to G6 were E. tenella infected and treated with 300 mg/kg body weight of methanol extract of herb in feed (3 different kinds of herbs: leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.), respectively. G7 to G9 were infected and probiotic-herb combined groups: 5 × 108 cfu/kg B. subtilis was added to feed on the basis of G4 to G6, respectively. The remaining groups are both feed with B. subtilis at 5 × 108 cfu/kg in feed but infected (G10) and uninfected (G11). The anticoccidial efficacy was assessed by: bloody feces scores, lesion scores, relative weight gain rate, oocysts excretion, and mRNA expression levels (occludin, ZO-1, IL-17A and IL-2) in ceca. All the interventions reduced all the indexes, as compared to that of G2. The use of B. subtilis combined with herb significantly reduced the oocysts excretion and IL-17A mRNA level as compared to herb only groups. In summary, we conclude that the combination of B. subtilis and anticoccidial herb have potential development value.

Background The Chinese official rhubarb (COR), from the genus Rheum, is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, while many rhubarb plant sources include in the Tibetan rhubarb (TR) are not attributable to Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Tibetan rhubarb is widely used as a natural medicine in Tibet; however, the difference in plant endogenous phytochemicals between the COR and TR remains largely unclear. Objective To establish a method for evaluating the chemical composition and metabolic difference between COR and TR. Materials and methods Using UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, we established a strategy to quickly and comprehensively identify the chemical components of COR and TR. Furthermore, multivariate statistical analysis was applied to identify the significant metabolic differences between the two. Results In total, 209 chemical compounds, including 51 anthraquinones, 44 stilbenes, 26 tannins, 52 acyl glycosides, and 36 other compounds, were identified using the data mining strategy. Importantly, 47 compounds may be the potential new compounds, while 35 significant metabolic differences were revealed between COR and TR. Conclusion This study offers significant insight into the chemical composition and differences between COR and TR that could be used to develop their varieties and clinical applications.

The aim of this article was to systematically review literature on clinical trials investigating the effects of culinary herbs and spices on obesity in adults. Relevant articles were searched through the electronic databases using predefined search terms. Thirty commonly used herbs and spices for weight loss were selected based on the literature. Out of 33 intervention studies that were eligible for inclusion in the review, 24 studies reported statistically significant (P < 0.05) reductions in obesity indices either compared to baseline or to the placebo. Overall, eight herbs/spices were reported to be beneficial in regards to obesity in the eligible literature including basil (on BW and BMI), cardamom (on BW, BMI and WC), cinnamon (on BW, BMI, BFP and WC), coriander (on BMI), garlic (on BMI and WC), ginger (on BW, BMI, WC and HC), nigella (on BW, BMI, WC, BFP and HC) and turmeric (on BW, BMI, BFP and WC).

Thymus vulgaris Linn. is a medicinal and culinary herb from the Southern European region known for its anti-infective, cardioprotective, gastroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities since the Egyptian era. The reported pharmacological activities of T. vulgaris L. include antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-cancerous activities. In this review, a comprehensive approach is put forth to scrutinize and report the available data on phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, and toxicology of the plant. The different extracts and essential oil obtained from the plant have been assessed and reported to treat ailments like microbial infections, inflammation, non-communicable diseases like cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV-1 and Herpes. The literature review has also indicated the use of volatile oils, phenolic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides in pharmacotherapy. Applications of these compounds including antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's, cardio, neuro and hepatoprotective, anti-osteoporosis, sedative, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, antispasmodic, antinociceptive, gastroprotective, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, antidepressant, anti-amnesia, and anti-helminthic activities have been mentioned. Further, based on research gaps, recommendations have been provided to evaluate T. vulgaris L. systematically to develop plant-based drugs, nutraceuticals, and to evaluate their clinical efficiency and safety., Thymus vulgaris L., ethnopharmacology, pharmacology, phytochemistry, toxicology

Dipacus asperoides (DA), a traditional perennial herb, has distributed wildly in China, especially Wuhe Xuduan known as genuine herb. To evaluate DA’s quality, we collected ten samples from eight counties in Enshi and determined the contents of total saponins (TS) and asperosaponin VI (Asp. VI) using vanillin - glacial acetic acid - perchloric acid with spectrophotometry and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) separately. Subsequently, we carried out the optimization extraction of TS, Asp. VI and several organic acids such as loganic acid (LA), chlorogenic acid (ChA) and caffeic acid (CA) in the cultivated DA root grown at Hefeng and the optimized method was applied to detect the contents of TS, LA, ChA, CA and Asp. VI in flowers, leaves, stem and root of the wild and cultured DA. The results showed that DA grown at Hefeng was superior to the other samples according to the two characteristic components. In addition, grown at the same place of Hefeng, the content of Asp. VI in cultivated DA was 84% higher than that of the wild one. Moreover, leaves and flowers were rich in TS, Asp. VI and some organic acids, second only to that of root, suggesting that flowers and leaves of DA would be employed for further application.

Since ancient times, dandelion (Taraxacum officinale L.) has been consumed in various forms as a valuable source of nutrients, minerals and vitamins which can also have beneficial effects on various complex diseases. It is described as a nontoxic herb with exceptional biological activity. The aim of this review is to present the multidirectional activity of various dandelion products whose dietary intake may help to prevent, or reduce the risk of, the development of a range of diseases, including cancer, obesity, hepatitis, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the paper describes the history of dandelion usage and serves as an overview of current literature based on in vitro and in vivo studies. However, the correlation between the chemical content and the biological properties of dandelion and its food products are not always clear, and further experiments are required to determine the therapeutic doses of dandelion products for use in future research.

Background: Root rot is a serious destructive disease of Panax notoginseng, a famous cultivated araliaceous herb called Sanqi or Tianqi in Southwest China. Methods: The chemical substances of Sanqi rot roots were explored by chromatographic techniques. MS, 1D/2D-NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction were applied to determine the structures. Murine macrophage RAW264.7 and five human cancer cell lines were used separately for evaluating the antiinflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Results and Conclusion: Thirty dammarane-type triterpenes and saponins were isolated from the rot roots of P. notoginseng. Among them, seven triterpenes, namely, 20(S)-dammar-25-ene-24(S)-hydroperoxyl-3β,6α,12β,20-tetrol (1), 20(S)-dammar-3-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-6α,12β,20-triol (2), 20(S)-dammar-12-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-3β,6α,20-triol (3), 20(S)-dammar-3-oxo-23-ene-25-hydroperoxyl-12β,20-diol (4), 20(S),24(R)-epoxy-3,4-seco-dammar-25-hydroxy-12-one-3-oic acid (5), 20(S),24(R)-epoxy-3,4-seco-dammar-25-hydroxy-12-one-3-oic acid methyl ester (6), and 6α-hydroxy-22,23,24,25,26,27-hexanordammar-3,12,20-trione (7), are new compounds. In addition, 12 known ones (12–16 and 19–25) were reported in Sanqi for the first time. The new Compound 1 showed comparable antiinflammatory activity on inhibition of NO production to the positive control, whereas the known compounds 9, 12, 13, and 16 displayed moderate cytotoxicities against five human cancer cell lines. The results will provide scientific basis for understanding the chemical constituents of Sanqi rot roots and new candidates for searching antiinflammatory and antitumor agents. Keywords: 20,24-epoxylated, Dammarane-type triterpenes, Hydroperoxylated, Panax notoginseng, Inhibition of NO production

Objective: The safety of comfrey herbal cream application to broken skin is still a matter of regulatory debate. It was therefore examined in children with intact and with broken skin treated for blunt traumas and sports injuries, with the aim of collecting data for pharmacovigilance and clinical safety assessments. Methods: A total of 712 children (386 children with intact skin and 326 children with abrasions and superficial wounds) were openly treated for up to 2 weeks with 1–5 applications daily of comfrey herb cream after presenting for blunt traumas and sports accidents. The incidence rate of adverse events was calculated, next to a global assessment of treatment effects. Results: No adverse events occurred in the group of children with intact skin, and one intolerability reaction (burning and reddening) was observed after application to broken skin. The overall incidence rate of intolerability reactions per patient was calculated as 0.14% (95% CI 0.00–0.78%) and that of systemic adverse effects as 0.00% (95% CI 0.00–0.42%). Accordingly, the probability of the occurrence of local reactions and systemic adverse events is well below, which is one in 100 treated patients. The global assessment of effects corresponded to previously published experience. Conclusion: These studies confirm an excellent benefit-to-risk ratio for the application of comfrey herb cream in the treatment of blunt traumas and sports injuries in children with intact and with broken skin. Keywords: Comfrey, Symphytum herb extract, Topical application, Safety, Pediatric use

The aim of the collection of the present dataset is to show the antibacterial effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Ferula assafoetida plant on Listeria monocytogenes. Firstly, the Ferula assafoetida herb was collected from investigated hills in Gonabad, Khorasan province, Iran. After botanical and pharmocognosy investigation, the hydro-alcoholic extract of this herb was produced using percolation method. Then, its antimicrobial effects, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), were investigated using Disc Diffusion Method and Macro Dilution Method vs. Listeria Monocytogenes, serotypes 4a and 4b, respectively. Also, Ampicillin (10 µg/disc) was used as a reference antimicrobial material. The data showed that MIC and MBC of the Ferula assafoetida extract on Listeria monocytogenes was 7.25 µg/ml and 12.50 µg/ml, respectively. Moreover, the average diameter of the inhibitory zone of extracted hydrolcoholic from Ferula Alliacea plant over Listeria monocytogenes 4a and 4b (30 g/ml) were 16.35 2.5 and 15.87 3.1 mm, respectively, and in order for ampicillin was 24.31 2.45 and 24.31 2.45 mm. The hydro-alcoholic extract produced from Ferula assafoetida can be used as the antibacterial for Listeria Monocytogenes. Keywords: Antibacterial, Ferula assafoetida, Listeria monocytogenes, Hydro-Alcoholic Extract

Arctic plants are affected by many stressors. Root-associated fungi are thought to influence plant performance in stressful environmental conditions. However, the relationships are not transparent; do the number of fungal partners, their ecological functions and community composition mediate the impact of environmental conditions and/or influence host plant performance? To address these questions, we used a common arctic plant as a model system: Bistorta vivipara. Whole plants (including root system) were collected from nine locations in Spitsbergen (n=214). Morphometric features were measured as a proxy for performance and combined with metabarcoding datasets of their root-associated fungi (amplicon sequence variants, ASVs), edaphic and meteorological variables. Seven biological hypotheses regarding fungal influence on plant measures were tested using structural equation modelling. The best-fitting model revealed that local temperature affected plants both directly (negatively aboveground and positively below-ground) and indirectly - mediated by fungal richness and the ratio of symbio- and saprotrophic ASVs. Fungal community composition did not impact plant measurements and plant reproductive investment did not depend on any fungal parameters. The lack of impact of fungal community composition on plant performance suggests that the functional importance of fungi is more important than their identity. The influence of temperature on host plants is therefore complex and should be examined further.

This chapter will provide an overview of the food fraud challenges that exist within herb and spice commodities. Herbs and spices hold a high economic value while also being vulnerable to fraud. Several examples of herb and spice fraud will be reviewed to show the primary drivers of food fraud within the specific commodity. Other topics covered in this chapter include ongoing analytical research to strengthen methods of detection of adulteration in herbs and spices, as well as various mitigation efforts that can be taken to reduce the vulnerability to fraud within supply chains.

Herbs and spices are commonly consumed in different regions for culinary and medical purposes. Herbs and spices may have several positive health effects due to their phytochemical contents that have already been discussed in several studies. In this study, the main aim was to review and discuss the possible toxic effects of commonly used herbs and spices. The dose-dependent toxic effects of herbs and spices are important to create public awareness on the consumption of these phytochemical sources for both culinary and medical purposes. Even though the health-promoting effects of these herbs and spices at lower concentrations have been reported in various studies, each herb and spice may become toxic after a certain dose. In addition to the general evaluation of these herbs and spices, susceptible organs or systems in living organisms were presented in this chapter covering several in vivo studies.

The Mediterranean region, including 24 countries at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia, has a strong culinary tradition shaped through the rich Mediterranean biological and cultural diversity. In this chapter, the variety of culinary aromatic herb species used in the region, their geographical distribution, morphology, essential oils, and culinary applications in Mediterranean countries are documented. The most commonly used aromatic herbs in Mediterranean cookery are parsley, mint, laurel, oregano, thyme, rosemary, coriander, dill, basil, tarragon, chives, sage, marjoram, fennel, and chervil, most of them members of the Lamiaceae and Apiaceae families. Mint, sage, pennyroyal, mountain tea, and several oregano and thyme species are popular herbal teas. Mint, basil, lavender, rosemary, and laurel are sometimes used to aromatize sweet-flavored dishes. Historical uses of culinary herbs in the Mediterranean (ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome) are also discussed. Besides their local culinary importance, Mediterranean aromatic herbs are also part of the international herb trade. Several to numerous botanical species with different essential oil characteristics (and thus different aroma, taste, and biological activity) underlie the commercial names oregano, thyme, mountain tea, mint, and sage. It is suggested that herbal products traded under these names are botanically identified and characterized about their main essential oil compounds so that quality standards are kept. Controlling overharvesting and systematizing the cultivation of wild-collected species will help prevent overexploitation of local plant resources.

Roselle has attained huge attention as a jute substitute, and attempts are being made to extend its cultivation in areas that are not favorable for the cultivation of jute. The roselle plant is classified as a rapid-growing plant and renewable natural bioresource that can be found growing in Malaysia, India, Panama, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Guatemala, Australia, Philippines, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Somalia, Tanzania, Djibouti, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, Gabon, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo, Myanmar, Thailand, Belize, China, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Gambia, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Laos, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, and Cuba. This chapter discusses the origin, distribution, taxonomy, benefits, production, product development, and composites of the roselle plant. Roselle is an astringent, aromatic, and refreshing herb that is commonly used in the tropics. The roselle plant has been utilized in folk medicine as a mild laxative and diuretic and in the treatment of nerve and cardiac diseases. The leaves taste strongly mucilaginous and are used as a moisturizer and for cough relief. Similar to the leaves, the fruits also have antiscorbutic property. The flowers contain anthocyanin, the glycoside hibiscin, and gossypetin. The findings of this chapter showed that the incorporation and hybridization of roselle hybrid composites had improved the mechanical properties of polymer composites. Roselle can be utilized in either medical products or massive-scale industrial applications as a result of its excellent mechanical properties when reinforced with polymer composites.

Biologically active compounds from aromatic and medicinal herbs are relatively unstable, have strong odors, can have low water solubility, and degrade quickly during the processing and storage. Encapsulation technology offers protection, controlled and targeted release of encapsulated biologically active compounds. Nanoencapsulation technology is always evolving, providing thus new methodology in preparation and application of delivery systems loaded with bioactive compounds. This review aims to summarize the most important information for the encapsulation of natural extracts using alternative technologies. We highlight the importance of the implementation of prepared nanomaterials loaded with bioactive compounds from herb extracts into real food. Furthermore, we highlight novel technologies that offer new capabilities like, for example, nanotubes or nanofibers may because of their high surface to volume ratio allow achieving desirable actions. Furthermore, nanocrystals offer unique capabilities to overcome problems regarding the poor solubility of compounds and even to increase the antioxidant properties of entrapped compounds. These types of nanosystems may be tailored to either act on the spot or with the delayed release of active compounds, whilst protecting the encapsulated biologically active compounds.

Among 200 recognized species of the genus Crocus L. (Iridaceae) that are mainly distributed in the Mediterranean and south-western Asia, the most known is Crocus sativus, autumn blooming species which is not found in the wild. The word “saffron” depicts the dried red stigmas of C. sativus plant, which are highly demanded as a spice in culinary arts. Saffron is universally considered as the most expensive herb, which is why it reaches the highest market value in the food and beverage sector. Major countries for saffron production are Iran with 80% of world production, followed by Spain, Greece, Morocco, Italy, and India. Distinct sensory properties of saffron (flavor, aroma, and color) are attributed to three characteristic compounds: picrocrocin, safranal, and crocetin, which are responsible for the bitter taste of saffron, the pungent aroma, and red coloring of stigmas. Numerous bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, terpenoids, etc.) are present in the stigmas, the only commercially valuable part of the plant, but also in the other parts of the plant (by-products). Those compounds are reasonably associated with health-promoting properties of saffron (antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiarthritic, etc.).

Depression is a serious and prevalent mental disorder as well as a leading cause of disability. Natural herb products may be considered as an alternative to synthetic antidepressants with fewer side effects and more tolerability. Several clinical and animal studies showed that saffron, the stigmas of Crocus sativus L., may be one of the best supplements for depressive disorders. Among more than 150 chemicals in saffron, 2 carotenoids including crocin and crocetin and monoterpene aldehydes such as safranal are the most biologically active components. Saffron and its main constituents exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anticonvulsant, antigenotoxic, antitussive, etc. In this chapter, different studies which investigated the antidepressant effects of C. sativus L. and its main ingredients as well as proposed mechanisms have been introduced.

Two functional vanilla chocolate milk drinks i.e. Drink 1 (containing free herb) and drink 2 (containing encapsulated herb) were optimized by incorporating alcoholic extract of Terminalia arjuna (free and encapsulated forms), cocoa powder and sugar into milk with the help of Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) of response surface methodology (RSM). During the optimization of Drinks, the products were evaluated for sensory (namely colour and appearance, flavour, mouthfeel, sedimentation and overall acceptability) and physico-chemical (i.e. pH, colour, sedimentation and viscosity) characteristics. In addition, the flavour score was aimed to be maximized while the other responses were kept in range in order to arrive at optimized solutions. The result revealed that the desirability of Drink 1 and Drink 2 were 1.0 and 0.93, respectively, representing herb extract (free form: 0.3% and encapsulated form: 1.8%, respectively), cocoa powder (0.75 and 0.97%, respectively) and sugar (6.85 and 7.00%, respectively) into milk and had corresponding sensory attribute such as sweetness score (7.34 and 7.36, respectively), flavour score (7.00 and 7.20, respectively), overall acceptability score (6.96 and 7.34, respectively) and physicochemical properties such as L* (50.29 and 49.41, respectively), a* (10.27 and 11.25, respectively), sedimentation value (3.44 and 3.84, respectively) and viscosity (9.74 and 10.63cp respectively). All the examined model solutions had significant influence on the different parameters indicating that the statistical model designed for these attributes fitted well in all the aspects of model efficiency check (R2>85%). Further, the sensory qualities of optimized Drinks formulations were improved by addition of vanilla essence (0.05%) and stabilizer (0.03%).

Background Medical observation period is a period of 14 days after any exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred. This review aimed to summarize and analyze the herbs and herbal formulae recommended by available guidelines. Methods A total of 14 sources were searched for potential guidelines that provide herbal medicine treatment for the medical observation period of COVID-19. We summarized and analyzed the recommended herbal formulae and performed a network analysis to identify the relationship between herbs. Results We found 9 guidelines that provide herbal formula for medical observation based on clinical manifestation. There are 12 herbal formulae with a total of 53 herbs recommended by the guidelines. The result of our network analysis showed that the herb Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chen Pi) strongly paired with the herb Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gan Cao). Conclusion This review briefly summarized the usage of herbal medicine for the medical observation period of COVID-19 and may serve as a reference for future studies. More research is needed in the future to provide evidence on the usage of herbal medicine in various phases of COVID-10.

Background: Advertisements of most alcoholic beverages in Ghana persuasively entice consumers with herbal constituents believed to enhance sexual performance, although, alcohol has negative effect onfertility. The impact of herbal constituents in these alcoholic beverages on the known negative effects of alcohol on fertility remains to be evaluated. This study evaluated the effects of three alcoholic beverages manufactured in Ghana on male reproductive function in rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received 0.5, 2.5 or 5 ml/kg of 3 herb-based alcoholic beverages (Brand A, B & C), 42% v/v ethanol or distilled water p.o. for 21 days. On day 22, blood was collected and assayed for serum prolactin, testosterone and, hematological parameters. Testes were removed for histology and sperm from the cauda epididymis analyzed for sperm count, motility and morphology. Total antioxidant capacity of the testes was determined. Results: The three alcoholic beverages did not cause any changes in hematological parameters and relative weight of the testes. However, Brand C reduced epididymal sperm count and increased serum prolactin and induced loss of germinal epithelial cells, necrosis, inter-tubular edema in seminiferous tubules and lipid and fluid accumulation in the Sertoli cells. Both Brands A and B caused tubular atrophy and enlarged spermatogonia at 5 ml/kg. All three brands significantly (p