Search

For many, the World Health Organization's (WHO) definition of health does not reflect their own understanding of health, because it lacks aspects such as spiritual wellbeing. Responding to these concerns, the WHO called in 2023 for a vision of health that integrates physical, mental, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing. To date, medical practitioners are often reluctant to consider spiritual aspects, because of a perceived lack of statistical evidence about the strength of relations. Research on this topic is emerging. A recent study among 800 young people living with HIV in Zimbabwe showed how study participants navigated three parallel, at times contradicting health systems (religious, traditional, medical). Conflicting approaches led to multifaceted dilemmas (= spiritual struggles), which were significantly related to poorer mental and physical health. This illustrates the need for inclusion of spiritual aspects for health and wellbeing in research, and of increased collaboration between all stakeholders in healthcare., Competing Interests: The author declares that they do not have any conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wüthrich-Grossenbacher.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In the past five years, ethnopharmacy-based drugs have been increasingly used in clinical practice. It has been reported that hundreds of ethnopharmacy-based drugs can modulate autophagy to regulate physiological and pathological processes, and ethnomedicines also have certain therapeutic effects on illnesses, revealing the important roles of these medicines in regulating autophagy and treating diseases., Aim of the Study: This study reviews the regulatory effects of natural products on autophagy in recent years, and discusses their pharmacological effects and clinical applications in the process of diseases. It provides a preliminary literature basis and reference for the research of plant drugs in the regulation of autophagy., Materials and Methods: A comprehensive systematic review in the fields of relationship between autophagy and ethnomedicine in treating diseases from PubMed electronic database was performed. Information was obtained from documentary sources., Results: We recorded some illnesses associated with autophagy, then classified them into different categories reasonably. Based on the uses of these substances in different researches of diseases, a total of 80 active ingredients or compound preparations of natural drugs were searched. The autophagy mechanisms of these substances in the treatments of divers diseases have been summarized for the first time, we also looked forward to the clinical application of some of them., Conclusions: Autophagy plays a key function in lots of illnesses, the regulation of autophagy has become one of the important means to prevent and treat these diseases. About 80 compounds and preparations involved in this review have been proved to have therapeutic effects on related diseases through the mechanism of autophagy. Experiments in vivo and in vitro showed that these compounds and preparations could treat these diseases by regulating autophagy. The typical natural products curcumin and tripterine have powerful roles in regulating autophagy and show good and diversified curative effects., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The fruits of Phyllanthus emblica Linn or Emblica officinalis Gaertn (Phyllanthaceae), (FPE) commonly known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, gained immense importance in indigenous traditional medicinal systems, including Ayurveda, for its medicinal and nutritional benefits. It is used to cure several diseases such as common cold, fever, cough, asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, cephalalgia, ophthalmopathy, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, erysipelas, skin diseases, leprosy, hematogenesis, inflammation, anemia, emaciation, hepatopathy, jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhages, leucorrhea, menorrhagia, cardiac disorders, and premature greying of hair., Aim of the Study: In the present review, we presented a comprehensive analysis of the ethnopharmacology, bioactive composition, and toxicity of P. emblica to identify the gap between research and the current applications and to help explore the trends and perspectives for future studies., Materials and Methods: We collected the literature published before April 2021 on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of FPE. Literature in English from scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, and Google Scholar, books. These reports were analyzed and summarized to prepare this review. The plant taxonomy was verified by "The Plant List" database (http://www.theplantlist.org)., Results and Conclusion: s: FPE have been used as a rich source of vitamin C, minerals, and amino acids. Several bioactive molecules were isolated and identified from FPE such as tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, ascorbic acid etc. The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on FPE revealed its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer, radioprotective, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, anti-venom, wound healing, HIV-reverse transcriptase effect. Toxicological studies on fruits indicated the absence of any adverse effect even at a high dose after oral administration., Conclusions: Although FPE showed remarkable therapeutic activities against several diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, hepatitis B virus, and malaria, there were several drawbacks in some previous reports including the lack of information on the drug dose, standards, controls, and mechanism of action of the extract. Further in-depth studies are required to explain the mechanism of action of the extracts to reveal the role of the bioactive compounds in the reported activities., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Medicinal plants of Cucurbitaceae family consist of several edible fruits and vegetables consumed worldwide since ancient times. The plants of this family have played an essential role in the ethnopharmacological as well as traditional medicinal system globally and their evidence is well established in several traditional literatures. Various plant parts have been used to treat several human ailments viz. Pandu (anemia), Pliharoga (splenomegaly), Sopha (inflammation), Gulma (tumor growth), Adhmana (indigestion. acidity), Garavisa (poisoning) etc. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review article aims to systematically document and bridge scientific evidences with the ethnopharmacological, ethnoveterinary and folklore claims along with the therapeutic efficacy with mechanism of action found in different literature, books, and scientific articles belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family., Materials and Methods: To construct the manuscript a comprehensive literature review was done based on the information collected from Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; books, research articles and databases such as ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, SciFinder, Scopus, Springer, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ACS Publications and PubMed., Results: The plants of Cucurbitaceae family are rich in phytochemicals like terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, etc., responsible for the therapeutic effect. Various parts of these plants such as leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots etc. exhibit a plethora of pharmacological activity viz. hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anticancer, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress and immunomodulatory activities. Also, in-vitro and in-vivo reports suggest strong inhibitory potential against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, lipase, carbonic anhydrase enzyme along with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-tumor, antifungal, etc. Furthermore many reports suggest these plants are beneficial for nutritional, economical and ethnoveterinary uses., Conclusions: The current review enlightens the therapeutic potential of the gourd family, comprising of the geographical origins, morphology, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, ethnoveterinary, nutritional importance, therapeutic benefits, safety, efficacy and related aspects. The phytochemical and pharmacological potential indicated will popularize this family as a potential source of novel therapeutic agents and functional foods. This study will help to validate the therapeutic claims of several ethnomedicinal uses of this plant family. Furthermore the Cucurbitaceae family needs to be evaluated based on the combine approaches of chemoprofiling and bioexploration to develop the concept of food as medicine for the development of new generation therapeutics leading to the human wellness., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The traditional medicine of various peoples populating Russia is strongly underrepresented in the international anthropological literature. In addition, it has a multicomponent structure, a long history of relations with official medicine, and is still a living system with many people using folk remedies and visiting ritual specialists., Aim of the Study: The article is a review of folk medicine in Karelia (north-west part of Russia) providing a short description of the history of medicine in this region and a comparison of folk medicine among Karelians and Russians., Materials and Methods: The review analyzes and systematizes published and unpublished sources related to the main remedies used by the local populations - plants, animal products, minerals, etc. - from the 1850s-2000s, tracking the main tendencies in publications about the folk medicine of Karelians and Russians of Karelia., Results: A total of 104 medicinal plants belonging to 46 families were mentioned as medicinal. In total, they represented 386 uses which demonstrate the leading role of plant remedies in the folk medicine of Karelia. The plant species with the most uses were Betula sp., Plantago sp., Rubus idaeus, Viburnum opulus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and Daphne mezereum. Medicinal uses of other origins had more modest numbers: animal remedies included 146 uses, and mineral ones 43 uses. Among animal-based remedies, physiological discharges of the human body were the most popular; fish oil and bear body parts were the most used from the wild, while from the household various components of cows, horses, and dogs were used. Animal remedies were mostly used for healing furuncles, scrofula, frostbite, hernia, and lanugo. The most diversely used mineral remedy was salt., Conclusions: Karelians and Russians are very disproportionally represented in the literature due to the lack of interest in the folk medicine of Russians in Karelia, in contrast to that of Karelians. The disparity does not allow adequate comparison, but nonetheless the available data demonstrate that the remedies shared by both ethnic groups are quite few. The review also contributes to research on the relationship of folk medicine and various state institutions in Russia/the Soviet Union., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cleome species in particular (C. gynandra Linn, C. viscosa Linn, C. rutidosperma DC, C. felina Linn.), commonly known as spider flowers, belong to the genus of flowering plants in Cleomaceae family. Found primarily in the African countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria), Asian countries (India and Afghanistan), European countries (Italy), and also in other countries like Brazil and Austria. These plants are commonly cultivated as a vegetable crop for their nutritional benefits, and the leaves are widely consumed for their health-promoting effects. The different parts of the plants, such as leaves, seeds, flowers, and roots, are used to treat acute and chronic inflammatory disorders, hepatotoxicity, malaria, fungal diseases, and cancer., Aim of the Study: Detailed investigations in underlining the molecular mechanisms and their wide variety of effects in treating various diseases remain ambiguous. The review focuses on an in-depth discussion of studies targeting phytochemistry and polypharmacology. Thus, the review aims to recapitulate the therapeutic potential of the components of Cleome involved in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments from ancient times were collected and presented along with strategies aiming for future studies., Materials and Methods: The information provided is collected from several scientific databases (PubMed, Elsevier, ScienceDirect) and traditional medicine books, and other professional websites., Results and Conclusion: Investigations and current evidence revealed that the different chemical constituents present in cleome species possess various health-promoting effects along with the aerial parts showing promising traditional uses in traditional healing and culinary. An explorative survey in the current review highlights the traditional healing effects along with a broad scope of studies that can be performed in the future., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Since ancient times, traditional Arabic medicine (TAM) has been used to treat various diseases in Syria. They are cost-effective with fewer side effects and are more suitable for long-term use compared with chemically synthesized medicines. In addition, the scientific importance is manifested, as this survey proceeds, for the purposes of verifying and documenting these traditional medicines and their common uses., Objective: We conducted ethnobotanical and ethnomedicine research on plants traditionally used to treat various diseases in central region of Syria., Methods: Information was collected from 2019 to 2021 from the cities of Homs and Hama and their villages, which are two governorates located in central Syria, after interviews with traditional practitioners called Attarin , and many other people. Plant specimens were collected according to different references concerning medicinal plants of Syria, to document the traditional uses of plants at least two of the traditional healers and three other people were asked., Results: In this survey, we listed 76 medicinal plants belonging to 39 families in alphabetical order with the parts used and the method of preparation according to their therapeutic use, which are used to treat 106 ailments., Conclusions: Many of the uses of medicinal plants mentioned in this survey are still under study. There is no doubt that this study will provide new data that could contribute to further pharmacological discoveries by identifying the active ingredients and their mechanism of effect by doing additional pharmacological work to confirm the alleged biological activities of these plants.

Pancreatic cancer, the seventh most lethal cancer around the world, is considered complicated cancer due to poor prognosis and difficulty in treatment. Despite all the conventional treatments, including surgical therapy and chemotherapy, the mortality rate is still high. Therefore, the possibility of using natural products for pancreatic cancer is increasing. In this study, 68 natural products that have anti-pancreatic cancer effects reported within five years were reviewed. The mechanisms of anti-cancer effects were divided into four types: apoptosis, anti-metastasis, anti-angiogenesis, and anti-resistance. Most of the studies were conducted for natural products that induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer. Among them, plant extracts such as Eucalyptus microcorys account for the major portion. Some natural products, including Moringa , Coix seed, etc., showed multi-functional properties. Natural products could be beneficial candidates for treating pancreatic cancer.

Background: Plant-derived medicines are widespread and continue to increase in traditional and modern medicine, especially in developing countries. Physalis peruviana L. is among the most used plants in conventional medication worldwide. This review aimed to highlight the ethnotherapeutic uses and phytochemical status of identified compounds in P . peruviana ., Methods: Data were collected from Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, SciFinder, Science Direct, Scopus, the Wiley Online Library, Web of Science, and any other helpful search engine using Physalis peruviana as the primary keyword., Results: Some countries, worldwide, use P . peruviana in their traditional medicine system to manage diverse ailments, mainly diseases and gastrointestinal tract disorders (25.33%). Leaf was the mostly used part (49.28%), prepared by decoction (31.58%) and overall administrated orally (53.57%) as the main route of admission. Around 502 phytoconstituents were identified in different plant parts, especially fruit (38.19%) ethanol/ethyl acetate extract. In most cases (36.17%), the solvent of the extract was not specified. Several phytochemical classes were found in the plant, especially terpenes (26.09%) and phenolic compounds (14.94%). Esters were also abundant (11.55%). In the terpenes category, carotenoids were the most abundant (11.15% followed by monoterpenes (8.76%) and diterpenes (3.18%). However, flavonoids (5.17%) followed by cinnamic acid derivatives (3.99%), monophenolic compounds (1.79%), and phenolic acids (1.33 M) are the most reported phenolic compounds. Hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid) was the most cited (five times)., Conclusion: P . peruviana plays an essential role in managing diseases in some countries and is rich in chemical compounds, which need to be isolated and investigated pharmacologically before clinical trials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Félicien Mushagalusa Kasali et al.)

Plant species are not only used as fodder or forage but also contribute substantially in the treatment of various health disorders, particularly in livestock. This study is the first quantitative ethnobotanical effort on ethnoveterinary uses of medicinal plants conducted in the Upper Neelum Valley of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Information pertaining to cure different ailments of animals were collected from 126 informants through semi-structured interviews, group discussion and field walks. In order to identify the plant species used and their preferred habitats, elderly and experienced members of the tribes, locally known 'Budhair' (aged), were interviewed and sometimes accompanied in the field. The data was further analyzed through ethnobotanical indices. In all, 39 plant species, belonging to 31 genera and 21 families were documented which were used by the indigenous communities of Kashmir Himalaya for curing 21 different diseases of 7 different types of livestock. The highest number of ethno-medicinal plants were contributed by the Polygonaceae family, followed by Crassulaceae, Asteraceae and other families. Roots were the most used part of the plant for preparing ethnoveterinary medicines, followed by the aerial parts. The highest frequency of citation (41) and relative frequency of citation (7.32) was recorded for Saussurea lappa, followed by Rumex acetosa (37/6.61), Rumex nepalensis (36/6.43), Thymus linearis (28/5.0) and Angelica cyclocarpa (28/5.0). The highest use value was recorded for Saussurea lappa (0.33), followed by Rumex acetosa (0.29), Rumex nepalensis (0.29), Thymus linearis and Angelica cyclocarpa (0.22 each). The current study has made an important contribution towards the preservation of indigenous plants-based knowledge from extinction. The phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of the plants with high use value can be a potential source of novel drugs to treat health problems of animals and humans., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Herbal medicine in Russia has a long history starting with handwritten herbalist manuscripts from the Middle Ages to the officinal Pharmacopoeia of the 21st century. The "herbophilious" Russian population has accumulated a lot of knowledge about the beneficial effects of local medicinal plants. Yet, for a long time, Russian traditional and officinal herbal medicine was not well known to the international audience. In our previous comprehensive review, we discussed the pharmacological effects of specific plants included in the 11 th edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the USSR, which was also for a while used in Russia. The 14 th edition of the Russian Federation's State Pharmacopoeia was implemented in 2018., Aim of the Review: The aims of the present review are: (i) to trace the evolution of medicinal plant handling from handwritten herbalist manuscripts to Pharmacopoeias; (ii) to describe the modern situation with regulatory documents for herbal medicinal products and their updated classification; (iii) to summarize and discuss the pharmacology, safety, and clinical data for new plants, which are included in the new edition of the Pharmacopoeia., Methods: New medicinal plants included in the 14th edition of the Russian Federation's State Pharmacopoeia were selected. We carefully searched the scientific literature for data related to traditional use, pharmacological, clinical application, and safety. The information was collected from local libraries in Saint-Petersburg, the online databases E-library.ru, Scopus, Web of Science, and the search engine Google scholar., Results: Investigating the evolution of all medicinal plants referred to in the Russian Pharmacopoeias led us to the identification of ten medicinal plants that were present in all editions of civilian Russian Pharmacopoeias starting from 1778. In the 14 th edition of the modern Russian Pharmacopoeia, medicinal plants are described in 107 monographs. Altogether, 25 new monographs were included in the 14 th edition, and one monograph was excluded in comparison to the 11 th edition. Some of the included plants are not endemic to Russia and do not have a history of traditional use, or on the other hand, are widely used in Western medicine. For 15 plants, we described the specificity of their application in Russian traditional medicine along with the claimed dosages and indications in officinal medicine. The pharmacology, safety, and clinical data are summarized and assessed for nine plants, underlining their therapeutic potential and significance for global phytopharmacotherapy., Conclusions: In this review, we highlight the therapeutical potential of new plants included in the modern edition of the Russian Pharmacopoeia. We hope that these plants will play an imperative role in drug development and will have a priority for future detailed research., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Traditional pharmacopeias have been developed by multiple cultures and evaluated for efficacy and safety through both historical/empirical iteration and more recently through controlled studies using Western scientific paradigms and an increasing emphasis on data science methodologies for network pharmacology. Traditional medicines represent likely sources of relatively inexpensive drugs for symptomatic management as well as potential libraries of new therapeutic approaches. Leveraging this potential requires hard evidence for efficacy that separates science from pseudoscience., Materials and Methods: We performed a review of non-Western medical systems and developed case studies that illustrate the epistemological and practical translative barriers that hamper their transition to integration with Western approaches. We developed a new data analytics approach, in silico convergence analysis, to deconvolve modes of action, and potentially predict desirable components of TM-derived formulations based on computational consensus analysis across cultures and medical systems., Results: Abstraction, simplification and altered dose and delivery modalities were identified as factors that influence actual and perceived efficacy once a medicine is moved from a non-Western to Western setting. Case studies on these factors highlighted issues with translation between non-Western and Western epistemologies, including those where epistemological and medicinal systems drive markets that can be epicenters for zoonoses such as the novel Coronavirus. The proposed novel data science approach demonstrated the ability to identify and predict desirable medicinal components for a test indication, pain., Conclusions: Relegation of traditional therapies to the relatively unregulated nutraceutical industry may lead healthcare providers and patients to underestimate the therapeutic potential of these medicines. We suggest three areas of emphasis for this field: First, vertical integration and embedding of traditional medicines into healthcare systems would subject them to appropriate regulation and evidence-based practice, as viable integrative implementation mode. Second, we offer a new Bradford-Hill-like framework for setting research priorities and evaluating efficacy, with the goal of rescuing potentially valuable therapies from the nutraceutical market and discrediting those that are pseudoscience. Third, data analytics pipelines offer new capacity to generate new types of TMS-inspired medicines that are rationally-designed based on integrated knowledge across cultures, and also provide an evaluative framework against which to test claims of fidelity and efficacy to TMS made for nutraceuticals., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biopiracy as "a silent disease" is hardly detectable because it does not leave traces frequently. The corporate hijacking of food is the most important health hazard in this era; giant commercial enterprises are using intellectual property rights to patent indigenous medicinal plants, seeds, genetic resources, and traditional medicines. The new era of biotechnology relies on the genes of living organisms as raw materials. The "Gene Rush" has thus become similar to that of the old "Gold Rush." Sri Lanka has been spotted in the top 34 biodiversity hotspots globally. Moreover, localized in the tropics, human generations in Sri Lanka have utilized the array of plant species for herbal treatments and treatment of diseases. Sri Lanka after its 30-year civil war is moving towards a solid growth and conservation of the environment which is a major component in a sustainable development where the conservation of biodiversity plays a significant role. In this paper, we present an overview of typical cases of global biopiracy, bioprospecting via introduction of cost-effective deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprinting and international protocol with Private-Public-People Partnership concept as excellent forms of utilization of natural resources. We propose certain perspectives as scientists towards abolishing biopiracy and also to foster the fair utilization of natural resources; since the economy of most developing countries is agriculture based, the gross domestic product of the developing countries could be increased by enhanced bioprospecting via introduction of cost-effective DNA fingerprinting technologies and thus not being a pray of corporate hijacking."Biopiracy is biological theft; illegal collection of indigenous plants by corporations who patent them for their own use" (Vandana Shiva)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Yoonus Imran et al.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The genus Melastoma consists of approximately 100 species distributed widely in tropical and subtropical countries, and Melastoma species are often used for medicinal purposes, such as treatment for bleeding, diarrhea, diabetes, and gynecological tumors by local people, mostly in Southeast Asian countries., Aim of the Review: The present review summarizes the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of species belonging to Melastoma to suggest further research strategies and to facilitate the exploitation of the therapeutic potential of Melastoma species for the treatment of human disorders., Materials and Methods: Information related to the traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities was systematically collected by searching for the word "Melastoma" in electronic databases, including SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, from Apr. 1968 until Dec. 2019., Results: A systematic literature survey revealed that Melastoma spp. are widely distributed in southern Asia to northern Oceania and the Pacific Islands and are traditionally used to treat bleeding, diarrhea, swelling, and gynecological tumors. Approximately 142 compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, organic acids, terpenoids, and steroids, have been reported from Melastoma spp. Different extracts have been evaluated for their pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, anticoagulant, cytotoxic, antibacterial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective and hypoglycemic activities., Conclusions: Melastoma spp. are popularly used in Southeast Asian countries as effective herbs and are rich in flavonoids, tannins and organic acids with valuable medicinal properties. However, additional studies of the chemical constituents and the mechanism-based pharmacological activities of many members of Melastoma are still needed for developing new plant-derived drugs. In addition, studies on the clinical safety and efficacy of Melastoma are also needed., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cereus hildmannianus (K.) Schum. (syn. C. peruvianus) is a native medicinal plant in the Neotropical region. C. hildmannianus cladodes extracts are used in folk medicine for weight loss, reducing cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, as diuretic and cardiotonic, and to treat various diseases, including pulmonary disorders, rheumatism, and in topical treatment for wounds and lithiasis. Fruits and flowers of C. hildmmanianus have high nutritional value., Aim of the Review: In this review, previous reports on C. hildmannianus (syn. C. peruvianus) concerning its botanical description, geographical distribution, ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties, food benefits and plant biotechnology were summarized., Materials and Methods: Scientific search engines, including ScienceDirect, Capes Journals Portal, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scielo, and Scifinder, were consulted to gather data on C. hildmannianus. The present review is an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of phytochemical compounds, ethnomedicinal uses, phytopharmacological activities, and food value of cladodes, flowers, fruits, seeds, and tissue culture from C. hildmannianus., Results: In traditional medicine, C.hildmannianus is used to treat various diseases, including pulmonary disorders, rheumatism, and in topical treatment for wounds and lithiasis. The extracts from the cladodes of C. hildmannianus exhibited numerous in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities such as gastroprotective, antioxidant, antifungal, ovicidal, hemagglutinating and slimming, and anticancer activity. These extracts' substances belong to different classes of chemical compounds such as fatty acids, polysaccharides, terpenes, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids CONCLUSIONS: Ethnomedicinal surveys have indicated the use of C. hildmannianus, an important medicinal plant in South America, for the treatment of various diseases. The ethnobotanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, and ethnomedicinal properties from various morphological parts of the plant of C. hildmannianus were highlighted in this review, which provides information for future studies, commercial exploration and reveals that this plant has a huge potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) LP Queiroz (Fabaceae) is an endemic tree in the Northeast of Brazil. Its flowers, leaves, stem bark and root have been used over the years to treat infections, abdominal pain, inflammation, diarrhea, heartburn, and dyspepsia., Aim of the Study: The present study is a critical assessment of the state-of-the-art concerning traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of P. pyramidalis performed through the application of a robust research strategy to explore the therapeutic potential of P. pyramidalis extracts and isolated compounds for the treatment of human disorders., Materials and Methods: Information related to this review was systematically collected from scientific literature databases for P. pyramidalis, including papers and patents (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Google scholar, INPI, WIPO, EPO and USPTO), published books (e.g. Plantas Forrageiras das Caatingas), dissertations and theses. Plant taxonomy has been confirmed in the "The Plant List" database (www.theplantlist.org)., Results: Phytochemical analysis of P. pyramidalis shows several constituents such as flavonoids, triterpenoids and phenylpropanoids. The extract and isolated constituents exhibited a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects including antimicrobial, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and neuroprotective activities. In addition, toxicity studies showed that the administration of P. pyramidalis extract was safe in non-pregnant rats but displayed teratogenic effects in rats and goats. On the other hand, the search in patent databases reported a single filing, which highlights the disparity between a large number of published scientific articles versus the almost nonexistent filing of patents. This fact evidences a still little explored technological potential of the species., Conclusion: P. pyramidalis represents an important therapeutic resource for the population from the Northeast of Brazil. Pharmacological studies confirmed the effectiveness of the extract or isolated compounds in the treatment of various pathologies traditionally treated with P. pyramidalis. The authors emphasize the need for in-depth research and future clinical trials in order to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of P. pyramidalis., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The subtribe Hyptidinae contains approximately 400 accepted species distributed in 19 genera (Hyptis, Eriope, Condea, Cantinoa, Mesosphaerum, Cyanocephalus, Hypenia, Hyptidendron, Oocephalus, Medusantha, Gymneia, Marsypianthes, Leptohyptis, Martianthus, Asterohyptis, Eplingiella, Physominthe, Eriopidion and Rhaphiodon). This is the Lamiaceae clade with the largest number of species in Brazil and high rates of endemism. Some species have been used in different parts of the world mainly as insecticides/pest repellents, wound healing and pain-relief agents, as well as for the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders., Aim of the Review: This review aims to discuss the current status concerning the taxonomy, ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and biological properties of species which compose the subtribe Hyptidinae., Materials and Methods: The available information was collected from scientific databases (ScienceDirect, Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, ChemSpider, SciFinder ACS Publications, Wiley Online Library), as well as other literature sources (e.g. books, theses)., Results: The phytochemical investigations of plants of this subtribe have led to the identification of almost 300 chemical constituents of different classes such as diterpenes, triterpenes, lignans, α-pyrones, flavonoids, phenolic acids and monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, as components of essential oils. Extracts, essential oils and isolated compounds showed a series of biological activities such as insecticide/repellent, antimicrobial and antinociceptive, justifying some of the popular uses of the plants. In addition, a very relevant fact is that several species produce podophyllotoxin and related lignans., Conclusion: Several species of Hyptidinae are used in folk medicine for treating many diseases but only a small fraction of the species has been explored and most of the traditional uses have not been validated by current investigations. In addition, the species of the subtribe appear to be very promising as alternative sources of podophyllotoxin-like lignans which are the lead compounds for the semi-synthesis of teniposide and etoposide, important antineoplastic agents. Thus, there is a wide-open door for future studies, both to support the popular uses of the plants and to find new biologically active compounds in this large number of species not yet explored., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The genus Stellera Linn. consists of species of perennial herbs and shrubs, and is mainly distributed in the temperate regions of east Asia to west Asia. There are 10∼12 species in the world, two species in China: Stellera chamaejasme Linn. and Stellera formosana Hayata ex Li. As recorded, the roots of Stellera species are used to dissipate phlegm and relieve pain. The roots and the barks can be used for papermaking., Aim of This Review: This review aims to summarize the ethnopharmacological uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, clinical applications and toxicology of the genus Stellera to better understand their therapeutic potential in the future., Materials and Methods: The relevant information of the genus Stellera was collected from scientific databases (Pubmed, ACS website, SciFinder Scholar, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Web of Science and CNKI). Information was also gathered from 'Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae (〈〈〉〉)', folk records, conference papers on ethnopharmacology, Ph.D. and Masters' Dissertation., Results: Stellera plants have been studied as traditional folk medicines all around the world. The chemical constituents of Stellera species mainly comprise terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, lignans, and so on. Extracts and compounds of Stellera species exhibit extensive pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-convulsive, anti-epileptic, anti-bacterial and anti-insect activities, etc. Clinical applications have suggested that the genus Stellera has the effects in treating several skin diseases and cancers, however, the results should be further verification. The genus Stellera plants are toxic and should be used reasonable., Conclusion: This paper reviewed the ethnopharmacological uses, chemical constituents, pharmacology, clinical applications and toxicology of the genus Stellera. The genus Stellera has broad application prospects. However, further in-depth studies are needed to determine the medical uses of the genus and its chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, clinical applications and toxicology., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Baking soda and vinegar have been used as home remedies for generations and today we are only a mouse-click away from claims that baking soda, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar are miracles cures for everything from cancer to COVID-19. Despite these specious claims, the therapeutic value of controlling acid-base balance is indisputable and is the basis of Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for constipation, epilepsy, metabolic acidosis, and peptic ulcers. In this narrative review, we present evidence in support of the current and potential therapeutic value of countering local and systemic acid-base imbalances, several of which do in fact involve the administration of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Furthermore, we discuss the side effects of pharmaceuticals on acid-base balance as well as the influence of acid-base status on the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs. Our review considers all major organ systems as well as information relevant to several clinical specialties such as anesthesiology, infectious disease, oncology, dentistry, and surgery., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Panax L. (Araliaceae) is globally-recognized plant resource suitable for the globalization of traditional Chinese medicines. It has traditionally been used as tonic agents in various ethnomedicinal systems of East Asia, especially in China. It is often used to regulate bodily functions and considered as adjuvant therapy for tumor, resuscitation of traumatic hemorrhagic shock, etc. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This review systematically summarized the information on distributions, botanical characteristics, traditional uses, chemical components and biological activities of the genus Panax, in order to explore and exploit the therapeutic potential of this plant., Materials and Methods: The available information about genus Panax was collected via the online search on Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Science Direct, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Springer search. The keywords used include Panax, saponin, secondary metabolites, chemical components, biological activity, pharmacology, traditional medicinal uses, safety and other related words. The Plant List (www.theplantlist.org) and Catalogue of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist (www.catalogueoflife.org/col/) databases were used to provide the scientific names, subspecies classification and distribution information of Panax., Results: Panax is widely assessed concerning its phytochemistry and biological activities. To date, at least 748 chemical compounds from genus Panax were isolated, including saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, steroids and phenols. Among them, triterpenoid saponins and polysaccharides were the representative active ingredients of Panax plants, which have been widely investigated. Modern pharmacological studies showed that these compounds exhibited a wide range of biological activities in vitro and in vivo including antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, hepatorenal protective, neuroprotective, immunoregulatory, cardioprotective and antidiabetic activities. Many studies also confirmed that the mechanisms of organ-protective were closely related to molecular signaling pathways, the expression of related proteins and antioxidant reactions. To sum up, genus Panax has high medicinal and social value, deserving further investigation., Conclusions: The genus Panax is very promising to be fully utilized in the development of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. However, there is a lack of in-depth studies on ethnomedicinal uses of Panax plants. In addition, further studies of single chemical component should be performed based on the diversity of chemical structure, significant biological activities and clinical application. If the bioactive molecules and multicomponent interactions are discovered, it will be of great significance to the clinical application of Panax plants. It is an urgent requirement to carry out detailed phytochemical, pharmacology and clinical research on Panax classical prescriptions for the establishment of modern medication guidelines. Exploring the molecular basis of herbal synergistic actions may provide a new understanding of the complex disease mechanisms and accelerate the process of pharmaceutical development., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Diabetes mellitus remains the most lethal metabolic disease of contemporaneous times and despite the therapeutic arsenal currently available, research on new antidiabetic agents remains a priority. In recent years, the revitalization of Thai Traditional Medicine (TTM) became a clear priority for the Thai government, and many efforts have been undertaken to accelerate research on herbal medicines and their use in medical services in various hospitals. Additionally, and particularly in rural areas, treatment of diabetes and associated symptomatology frequently relies on herbal preparations recommended by practitioners of TTM. In the current work, medicinal plants used in Thailand for treating diabetes, as well as their hypoglycaemic pharmacological evidences and potential therapeutic use for diabetes-related complications were reviewed., Materials and Methods: Ethnopharmacological information on the plant materials used in TTM for diabetes treatment was collected through literature search in a range of scientific databases using the search terms: diabetes, folk medicine, Thailand medicinal plants, traditional medicine. Information regarding scientific evidence on the antidiabetic effects of surveyed species was obtained considering not only the most common taxonomic designation, but also taxonomic synonyms, and including the keywords 'diabetes' and 'hypoglycaemic effect'., Results: A total of 183 species known to be used for diabetes management in TTM were reviewed, with 30% of them still lacking experimental evidences to support claims regarding the mechanisms and phytochemicals underlying their antidiabetic properties. Moreover, a total of 46 bioactives displaying effective antidiabetic effects have been isolated from 24 species, their underlying mechanism(s) of action being fully or partially disclosed., Conclusions: We deliver the most extensive survey dealing with the ethnomedicinal knowledge of Thai medicinal plants utilized on diabetes management. We are certain that the current review will spark further research on Thai plants for the development of new standardized phytomedicines through drug discovery programmes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The genus Orobanche consists of annual, biennial or perennial fleshy parasitic herb species, many of which are in use as traditional medicines and wild gathered foods since a long time. Recently, Orobanche spp. are increasingly accepted as edible medicines with nourishing properties. However, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of their ethnopharmacological background., Aim of the Review: This review focuses on the advancements in botanical classification, and summary of traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Orobanche species, in order to check for scientific support of their traditional uses and the safe treatment of human ailments and diseases., Materials and Methods: In this review, the results of a systematic and comprehensive literature survey about Orobanche spp over the past 60 years (from 1960 to 2020) is presented. The selected literature includes periodicals, doctoral dissertations, master dissertations conference papers and various books. The literature was identified through search engine websites and a cross-checked with the Chinese pharmacopeia, classic Chinese and European herbals, regional medicinal monographs, and online ethnobotanical databases., Results: The literature about the traditional uses revealed that Orobanche spp. were used as medicine and food in many regions of the world, but mainly in China and North America while in Europe they were primarily used as food items. Phenylpropanoid derivatives and alkaloids, were reported as their main bioactive compounds, showing antioxidant, immune system enhancing, androgenic, antibacterial and antiviral properties., Conclusions: Orobanche spp. are increasingly being used for tonic purposes in China. Their ethnopharmacological background suggests potential usages as healthy foods and food supplements. They have the potential to be developed into herbal medicines for tonifying the kidney, against impotence and spermatorrhea, dermatological problems and wounds, as well as infantile diarrhoea. However, the pharmacological studies conducted with extracts derived from Orobanche spp. were not useful for rationally explaining the traditional uses. More investigations are required to provide a pharmacological basis for the traditional claims and the relationship between traditional uses, clinical uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties. Additionally, quality control should be emphasized to ensure the safe and effective use of Orobanche derived products., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. is a historic plant, well-known for many centuries in traditional and folk use medicine. A. marina is an evergreen tree belongs to Acanthaceae family. The plant is the most widespread mangrove in the tropical and subtropical regions of Indo-West-Pacific area. Current scientific data confirmed the medicinal values of A. marina. The pharmacological activity of the plant is attributed to the presence of several phytochemical classes., Aim of the Study: To evaluate the link between the traditional use of the plant and the scientific data accumulated over time including both the phytochemical analysis and therapeutic activities. Additionally, to evaluate the usage of obtained data for further development of the plant and its products in the pharmaceutical market., Materials and Methods: The data related to traditional medicine, therapeutic uses, phytochemical analysis and market availability of A. marina and its products from different geographical regions were collected. The collected data was compared and the research gaps were identified in order to highlight areas that can be employed to improve plant-based research and development., Results: Although the wide geographical distribution of the plant, its historic traditional use, richness of phytochemicals and diverse pharmacological activities, the utilization of these data has never been exploited for human health and several gaps were identified. These gaps include the lack of phyto-geographical comparison of the plant, the lack of proper mapping of traditional use to the scientific data and inadequate exploration of plant phytochemicals by researchers., Conclusions: A. marina is an old tree that has evolved over centuries and adapted diverse climates. It contains a pool of potential phytochemicals that can be employed for the discovery of drugs after careful studies. Scientists are required to invest money and time to explore these renewable and natural sources of drugs and design drug formulations to overcome current difficult to treat health issues and fight against the era of drug resistant., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized as memory deficits, altered behavior and impaired cognitive functions. The most important risk factor for AD is aging and mounting. Evidences suggested in different studies that traditionally used plants in Asia, China, and Europe significantly affect aging and AD involved neurodegeneration pathways. Research into ethnobotanicals for impaired memory and cognition has been burgeoned in last decades. The inclusion and exclusion criteria for the plant selection were based on reputed herbs recommended for treatment of neurological disorders and their scientific validation to cure neurodegenerative disorders. A range of traditional plants imparts effects via acetylcholinesterase activity, β-amyloid peptide formation in plaques, neurotrophic factors and through antioxidant activity. On one side preclinical investigations identified promising drug candidates for AD, on the other side, clinical evidences are still pending. Presently, according to WHO, around more than 80% world population relay on natural remedies to cure their health related issues. Plants contain rich source of primary and secondary metabolites for improving health problems. Pharmaceutical industry is facing intriguing challenges like elevated cost and unendurable risk management due to the high burden of neurodegenerative disorders. A significant shift of drug discovery is being witnessed from synthetic moieties to herbal formulation., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tylophora indica (Burm. f.) Merr. commonly known as ananthamool is a climbing perennial plant which is widely used in Indian traditional medicine. T. indica exhibits diverse range of pharmacological activities viz. antiasthmatic, antidiarrheal, anticancer, antiarthritic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: Present review aims to grant an up-to-date insight into the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of T. indica, exploring its future research and opportunities., Material and Methods: Comprehensive information regarding T. indica was collected using the keywords Tylophora indica or Indian ipecac or ananthamool in various electronic databases ACS, Google Scholar, Pubmed, Science Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science, Springer Link and Wiley. In addition, some books and book chapters were also consulted., Results: T. indica has been traditionally used in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the form of various preparations like powder, decoction, pulp, paste and extract alone or in combination with other herbs against various ailments like skin disorders, inflammation, cough, asthma, diarrhea, cancer, microbial infections etc. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on T. indica revealed its potential as antiasthmatic, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiarrheal agent etc. A diverse range of phytochemical constituents have been isolated and identified from T. indica namely alkaloids (Tylophorine, Tylophorinine, Tylophorinidine), flavonoids (Kaempferol & Quercetin) terpenoids (α-Amyrin & β-Amyrin) and sterols (β-sitosetrol). Amongst which phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids isolated from roots and leaves are largely explored and considered to be the most active constituent of plant., Conclusion: Present review provides an insight into botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of T. indica. As an important traditional Indian medicine, few ethnobotanicals use of T. indica have been supported by modern pharmacological studies, especially in asthma, cancer and inflammation. Among compounds from various phytochemical classes, phenanthoindolizidine alkaloids namely tylophorine and tylophorinidine alkaloids have been considered as bioactive components of the plant and widely investigated. However, further identification, isolation and quantification employing some advanced hyphenated techniques viz. LC-MS/MS, LC-NMR to discover new pharmacologically active phytoconstituents in the management of different diseases. Several investigators have highlighted possible therapeutic roles of T. indica extracts and isolated compounds. Moreover, information about various aspects of T. indica pertaining to phytochemistry, toxicology and quality control are still unresolved. Further in-depth studies are required to discover key features viz. structure activity relationships, mode of action, safety and toxicity and therapeutic potentials T. indica in clinical settings., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The history of medical application of propolis (also known as bee glue) dates back to the times of ancient Greeks, Romans, Persians and Egyptians. Honey and other bee products, including propolis, occupy an important place in Polish folk medicine. Scientific research on propolis in Poland began in the early 1960s in Zabrze and continues until now., Aim of the Review: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of information on Polish research on propolis and its medical application with particular emphasis on studies concerning wound healing. Consequently, our goal is also to shed a new light on therapeutic potential of Polish propolis in order to support future research in the field., Materials and Methods: A systematic review of scientific literature on propolis and its medical application was performed by using the literature databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar). We paid special attention to papers describing the effect of propolis on skin wound healing as well as to Polish contribution to research on propolis., Results: Professor Stan Scheller was the first Polish scientist dealing with propolis and its medical potential. His legacy was continued by several research teams that studied the topic in various aspects. They analyzed propolis composition, its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiapoptotic and anticancer properties as well as its application in dentistry and wound treatment. Burn wound healing physiology after propolis administration was thoroughly studied on pig model, whereas research on patients proved the efficacy of propolis in chronic venous leg ulcer treatment., Conclusion: Polish scientists have made a significant contribution to the research on propolis, its biological properties and influence on wound healing. Propolis ointments can effectively accelerate the healing process and improve healing physiology, so they can be recommended as a promising topical medication for wound treatment in the future clinical and preclinical trials., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita L) is a perennial, glabrous and strongly scented herb belongs to the family Lamiaceae. It is cultivated in a temperate region of Europe, Asia, United States, India and Mediterranean countries due to their commercial value and distinct aroma. In addition to traditional food flavouring uses, M. × piperita is well recognized for their traditional use to treat fever, cold, digestive, anti-viral, anti-fungal and oral mucosa and throat inflammation. The scientific studies provide awareness on the use of M. × piperita for biological effects such as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, biopesticidal, larvicidal, anticancer, radioprotective effect, genotoxicity and anti-diabetic activity have been ascribed. A wide spectrum of bioactive phytochemicals such as flavonoids, phenolics lignans and stilbenes and essential oils are expected to be responsible for the aroma effects. In this sense, this present review provides an extensive overview of the traditional medicinal, phytochemical and multiple biological activities of this "Peppermint.", (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: Diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is challenging; however, proper evaluation and treatment ensure relief from symptoms in most patients. A comprehensive approach to treatment is important, considering the multifactorial etiology of TOS. The objective of this systematic review is to describe the methods for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture-based traditional medicine treatments for TOS., Methods: A total of 13 databases will be searched, from their inception to the present date, for studies that have investigated the treatment of TOS. Databases that will be included are MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and 4 Korean, 2 Chinese, and 2 Japanese databases.We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing acupuncture-based traditional medicine for the treatment of any type of TOS. All RCTs on traditional medicine with any form of acupuncture will be eligible for inclusion. The methodologic quality of the RCTs will be analyzed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool to assess the risk of bias, and the confidence in the cumulative evidence will be assessed using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation instrument., Ethics and Dissemination: The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated both electronically and in print. The review will be updated to inform and guide health care practices., Trial Registration Number: PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020164869.

This article advances the hypothesis that "traditional" Asian pharmaceutical industries are rapidly growing in size and prominence in contemporary Asia, and identifies a lack of empirical data on the phenomenon. Addressing this gap, the article provides a quantitative outline and analysis of the Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan, Mongolian and Himalayan medicine) pharmaceutical industry in China, India, Mongolia and Bhutan. Using original data gathered through multi-sited ethnographic and textual research between 2014 and 2019, involving 232 industry representatives, policy makers, researchers, pharmacists and physicians, it assembles a bigger picture on this industry's structure, size and dynamics. Revealing a tenfold growth of the Sowa Rigpa pharmaceutical industry in Asia between 2000 and 2017, the study supports its initial hypothesis. In 2017, the industry had a total sales value of 677.5 million USD, and constituted an important economic and public health resource in Tibetan, Mongolian and Himalayan regions of Asia. China generates almost 98 percent of the total sales value, which is explained by significant state intervention on the one hand, and historical and sociocultural reasons on the other. India has the second largest Sowa Rigpa pharmaceutical industry with an annual sales value of about 11 million USD, while sales values in Mongolia and Bhutan are very low, despite Sowa Rigpa's domestic importance for the two nations. The article concludes with a number of broader observations emerging from the presented data, arguing that the Sowa Rigpa pharmaceutical industry has become big enough to exert complex transformative effects on Tibetan, Mongolian and Himalayan medicine more generally. The quantitative and qualitative data presented here provide crucial foundations for further scholarly, regulatory, and professional engagement with contemporary Sowa Rigpa., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Epilepsy is a severe neural disorder that affects approximately fifty million individuals globally. Despite the fact that for most of the people with epilepsy, convulsions are better controlled by current accessible antiepileptic medicines, yet there are more than 30% of individuals affected with medically intractable epilepsy and around 30-40% of all patients with epilepsy affected by many adverse reactions and convulsion resistance to the present antiepileptic drugs. Consequently, various scientists attempt to develop new strategies to treat epilepsy, for instance, to find out novel antiepileptic ingredients from traditional medicines. This work aims to present a complete summary of natural medicines prescribed as antiepileptic agents all over the world by ethnic groups and different tribes. We undertook an extensive bibliographic analysis by searching peer reviewed papers and classical textbooks and further consulting well accepted worldwide scientific databases. We carried out PubMed, EMbase and CENTRAL searches by means of terms such as "antiepileptic" and "anti-convulsant" activity of plants. Medicinal plants have been prescribed to treat epilepsy and have been recognized as antiepileptic medicines. In this review, a variety of herbs have been reviewed for thorough studies such as Cuminum cyminum, Butea monosperma, Solanum americanum, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Leonotis leonurus, Elaeocarpus ganitrus and Angelica archangelica. This paper shows that it was high time experimental studies are increased to obtain novel potential active principles from medicinal plants. Plant extracts and their chemical constituents should be further evaluated to clarify their mechanisms of action. This paper provides a solid base upon which to further investigate the clinical efficacy of medicinal plants that are both currently prescribed by physicians as traditional antiepileptic agents, but also could be effective as an antiepileptic drug with further research and study.

As genomic researchers are encouraged to engage in broad genomic data sharing, American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) leaders have raised questions about ownership of data and biospecimens and concerns over emerging challenges and potential threats to tribal sovereignty. Using a community-engaged research approach, we conducted 42 semi-structured interviews with tribal leaders, clinicians, researchers, policy makers, and tribal research review board members about their perspectives on ethical issues related to genetics in AI/AN/NH communities. We report findings related to perspectives on genetic research, data sharing, and envisioning stronger oversight and management of data. In particular, participants voiced concerns about different models of data sharing, infrastructure and logistics for housing data, and who should have authority to grant access to data. The results will ultimately guide policy-making and the creation of guidelines and new strategies for tribes to drive the research agenda and promote ethically and culturally appropriate research., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright © 2019, Ethnicity & Disease, Inc.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: There are insufficient safe and effective treatments for chronic pain in pets. In cases such as osteoarthritis there is no commercially available cure and veterinarians use NSAIDs to manage pain. Pet owners may have to plan for a lifetime of plant-based treatment for the conditions that lead to chronic pain in pets. Phytopharmacotherapies have the advantage of being less toxic, cheap or free, readily available, are more likely to be safe for long-term use and have the potential to reset the immune system to normal functioning., Aim of the Study: To examine the recently published medicinal plant research that matches unpublished data on ethnoveterinary medicines (EVM) used for pets in Canada (British Columbia) to see if the EVM data can provide a lead to the development of necessary drugs., Materials and Methods: In 2003 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 participants who were organic farmers or holisitic medicinal/veterinary practitioners obtained using a purposive sample. A draft manual prepared from the data was then evaluated by participants at a participatory workshop that discussed the plant-based treatments. A copy of the final version of the manual was given to all research participants. In 2018, the recently published research matching the EVM data was reviewed to see if the EVM practices could serve as a lead for further research., Results and Conclusion: Medicinal plants are used to treat a range of conditions. The injuries treated in pets in British Columbia included abscesses (resulting from an initial injury), sprains and abrasions. Dogs were also treated with medicinal plants for rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain and articular cartilage injuries. More than 40 plants were used. Anal gland problems were treated with Allium sativum L., Aloe vera L., Calendula officinalis L., Plantago major L., Ulmus fulva Michx., Urtica dioica L. and Usnea longissima Ach. Arctium lappa, Hydrangea arborescens and Lactuca muralis were used for rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain in pets. Asthma was treated with: Linum usitatissimum L., Borago officinalis L., Verbascum thapsus L., Cucurbita pepo L., Lobelia inflata L., and Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Pets with heart problems were treated with Crataegus oxyacantha L., Cedronella canariensis (L.) Willd. ex Webb & Berth, Equisetum palustre L., Cypripedium calceolus L., Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson, Humulus lupulus L., Valeriana officinalis L., Lobelia inflata L., Stachys officinalis (L.) Trev., and Viscum album L. The following plants were used for epilepsy, motion sickness and anxiety- Avena sativa L., Valeriana officinalis, Lactuca muralis (L.) Fresen., Scutellaria lateriflora L., Satureja hortensis L., and Passiflora incarnata L. Plants used for cancer treatment included Phytolacca decandra, Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinula edodes, Rumex acetosella, Arctium lappa, Ulmus fulva, Rheum palmatum, Frangula purshiana, Zingiber officinale, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ulmus fulva, Althea officinalis, Rheum palmatum, Rumex crispus and Plantago psyllium. Trifolium pratense was used for tumours in the prostate gland. Also used were Artemisia annua, Taraxacum officinale and Rumex crispus. This review of plants used in EVM was possible because phytotherapy research of the plants described in this paper has continued because few new pharmaceutical drugs have been developed for chronic pain and because treatments like glucocorticoid therapy do not heal. Phytotherapuetic products are also being investigated to address the overuse of antibiotics. There have also been recent studies conducted on plant-based functional foods and health supplements for pets, however there are still gaps in the knowledge base for the plants Stillingia sylvatica, Verbascum thapsus, Yucca schidigera and Iris versicolor and these need further investigation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The prevalence of use of traditional and complementary medicine in the Saudi Arabia population has reached 75%. The most used therapies are religious healing, herbal medicine and cupping therapy. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is the Saudi national reference for all activities regarding complementary medicine. This article briefly highlights the current state of complementary medicine regulation in Saudi Arabia., (Copyright © 2019 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The preference in many parts of the world for ethnomedical therapy over biomedical alternatives has long confounded scholars of medicine and public health. In the anthropological literature cultural and interactional contexts have been identified as fundamental mechanisms shaping adherence to ethnomedical beliefs and health seeking behaviors. In this paper, we examine the association between individual, neighborhood, and social network characteristics and the likelihood of attachment to an ethnomedical cultural model encompassing beliefs about etiology of disease, appropriate therapeutic and preventative measures, and more general beliefs about metaphysics and the efficacy of health systems in a rural population in Eastern Senegal. Using data from a unique social network survey, and supplemented by extensive qualitative research, we model attachment to the ethnomedical model at each of these levels as a function of demographic, economic and ideational characteristics, as well as perceived effectiveness of both biomedical and ethnomedical therapy. Individuals' attachment to the ethnomedical cultural model is found to be strongly associated with characteristics of their neighborhoods, and network alters. Experiences with ethnomedical care among neighbors, and both ethnomedical and biomedical care among network alters, are independently associated with attachment to the ethnomedical model, suggesting an important mechanism for cultural change. At the same time, we identify an independent association between network alters' cultural models and those of respondents, indicative of a direct cultural learning or influence mechanism, modified by the degree of global transitivity, or 'connectedness' of individuals' networks. This evidence supports the long held theoretical position that symbolic systems concerning illness and disease are shared, reproduced, and changed through mechanisms associated with social interaction. This has potentially important implications not only for public health programming, but for the understanding of the reproduction and evolution of cultural systems more generally., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Aotearoa/New Zealand population is ageing and numerous studies demonstrate with this phenomenon comes increases in non-communicable diseases, injuries and healthcare costs among other issues. Further, significant inequities exist between Māori (Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa/New Zealand) and non-Māori around poor ageing and health. Most research addressing these issues is deficit oriented; however, the current research project takes a strengths-based approach that highlights the potential of kaumātua (elders) by asserting mana motuhake (autonomy, identity and self-actualisation). We believe that the esteem of elders in Māori culture signals transformative potential. Specifically, this project utilises a 'tuakana-teina' (older sibling/younger sibling) peer-educator model, where kaumātua work with other kaumātua in relation to health and wellbeing. The objectives of the project are (a) to develop the capacity of kaumātua as peer educators, whilst having positive impacts on their sense of purpose, health and wellbeing; and (b) to enhance the social and health outcomes for kaumātua receiving the intervention., Methods: The research is grounded in principles of Kaupapa Māori and community-based participatory research, and brings together an Indigenous community of kaumātua, community health researchers, and academic researchers working with two advisory boards. The project intervention involves an orientation programme for tuakana peer educators for other kaumātua (teina). The research design is a pre- and post-test, clustered staggered design. All participants will complete a baseline assessment of health and wellbeing consistent with Māori worldviews (i.e., holistic model). The tuakana and teina participants will be divided into two groups with the first group completing the intervention during the first half of the project and the second group during the second half of the project. All participants will complete post-test assessments following both interventions allowing comparison of the two groups along with repeated measures over time., Discussion: The findings will provide an evidence base for the importance and relevancy of kaumātua knowledge to create contextually based and culturally safe age-friendly environments that facilitate engagement and participation by kaumātua for kaumātua. If the model is effective, we will seek to facilitate the dissemination and scalability of the intervention., Trial Registration: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ( ACTRN12617001396314 ); Date Registered: 3 October 2017 (retrospectively registered).

The presence of mainstream medicine in local medical systems inserts a set of external treatments and concepts that generate adjustments in the local conceptions of health and disease. What points in the system are most receptive to change? Who are the residents most likely to adopt these external treatments to deal with diseases? To answer these questions, this work used a study model consisting of the simultaneous use of medicinal plants and modern medicine, testing whether diseases that require greater treatment efforts are the main targets of adherence to modern medicine and if socioeconomic characteristics of residents can cause intracultural variation in relation to simultaneous use. To obtain socioeconomic data on the knowledge of medicinal plants and simultaneous use of these resources with modern medicine, semistructured interviews were conducted in a rural community that has easy access to modern medicine. Participatory workshops were held to access the local perceptions about the frequency of occurrence and severity of illnesses. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied for data analysis. We found that chronic, severe and frequently occurring diseases in the community tended to show greater simultaneous use locally. Among the socioeconomic factors, we determined that high educational levels positively influenced the combined use of plants and modern medicine. The need to ensure the cure of frequent, severe and chronic diseases is a factor that leads residents to seek a greater number of possible treatments, stimulating the combined use of plants and modern medicine. Residents with higher educational levels were more likely to use a combination of treatments than those with lower educational levels, demonstrating that more participation in formal education may facilitate the combined use of medicinal plants and modern medicine., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Natural medicines (i.e., herbal medicines, traditional formulas) are useful for treatment of multifactorial and chronic diseases. Here, we present KampoDB ( http://wakanmoview.inm.u-toyama.ac.jp/kampo/ ), a novel platform for the analysis of natural medicines, which provides various useful scientific resources on Japanese traditional formulas Kampo medicines, constituent herbal drugs, constituent compounds, and target proteins of these constituent compounds. Potential target proteins of these constituent compounds were predicted by docking simulations and machine learning methods based on large-scale omics data (e.g., genome, proteome, metabolome, interactome). The current version of KampoDB contains 42 Kampo medicines, 54 crude drugs, 1230 constituent compounds, 460 known target proteins, and 1369 potential target proteins, and has functional annotations for biological pathways and molecular functions. KampoDB is useful for mode-of-action analysis of natural medicines and prediction of new indications for a wide range of diseases.

This work discusses the dominant models and tensions within the health field regarding the conceptualization of the human body (as a machine), the process of health work (industrial and artisanal models), institutions (hospitals and health centers) and primary agents (the medical corporation and the medical industrial complex). The context of analysis is the United States from the end of the 19th century to the present. Economic-political, ideological-cultural, and scientific-technical dimensions are discussed, which permeate the historicity of the field. The purpose is to illustrate how the health field has transformed over time, as well as the role instrumental reason and financial capital has played in this process, to the detriment of relational aspects.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Pteridophytes have been considered an excellent source of medicine since ancient times and remain underexplored in ethnobotanical aspects when compared to other vascular plants. Hence, an attempt has been made to compile medicinally important pteridophytes used by different ethnic minorities and local people in India., Materials and Methods: Relevant information on the uses of pteridophytes was extracted from scientific journals (local, regional, and international), books, book chapters, conference proceedings, M.Sc. and Ph.D. dissertations, and other scientific databases. Recent and accepted names of plants were validated using standard nomenclature databases., Results: In total, 283 species of pteridophytes are enumerated in this review which are used to treat 129 ailments. Ethnobotanical records from the states Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand revealed 59% of overall uses of pteridophytes from India. Pteridaceae was recorded with highest number of medicinally important species (57), followed by Polypodiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Thelypteridaceae, and Aspleniaceae with 36, 27, 22, and 21 species respectively., Conclusions: The use of medicinal plants in the primary healthcare of humans and livestock has been documented since ancient times, and they offer a useful source of new therapeutics. While pteridophytes have considerable importance in traditional pharmacopoeias, scientific studies on pharmacology of this group are scanty. Hence, studies on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of medicinally important pteridophytes with more citations may reveal active principles that can be further developed into novel therapeutic agents. Records of indigenous medicinal knowledge about pteridophytes need to be given top priority to aid the protection of such knowledge before they vanish from present day traditional healers., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cistanches Herba is an Orobanchaceae parasitic plant. As a commonly used Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), its traditional functions include treating kidney deficiency, impotence, female infertility and senile constipation. Chemical analysis of Cistanches Herba revealed that phenylethanoid glycosides, iridoids, lignans, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides were the main constituents. Pharmacological studies demonstrated that Cistanches Herba exhibited neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, hormonal balancing, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotection, anti-oxidative, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-tumor effects, etc. The aim of this review is to provide updated, comprehensive and categorized information on the phytochemistry, pharmacological research and pharmacokinetics studies of the major constituents of Cistanches Herba., Materials and Methods: The literature search was conducted by systematic searching multiple electronic databases including SciFinder, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar and CNKI. Information was also collected from journals, local magazines, books, monographs., Results: To date, more than 100 compounds have been isolated from this genus, include phenylethanoid glycosides, carbohydrates, lignans, iridoids, etc. The crude extracts and isolated compounds have exhibited a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacologic effects, such as neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotection, anti-oxidative, anti-bacterial, and anti-tumor effects. The phenylethanoid glycosides, echinacoside and acteoside have attracted the most attention for their significantly neuropharmacology effects. Pharmacokinetic studies of echinacoside and acteoside also have also been summarized., Conclusion: Phenylethanoid glycosides have demonstrated wide pharmacological actions and have great clinical value if challenges such as poor bioavailability, fast and extensive metabolism are addressed. Apart from phenylethanoid glycosides, other constituents of Cistanches Herba, their pharmacological activities and underlying mechanisms are also need to be studied further., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Species of the genus Codonopsis are perennial herbs mainly distributed throughout East, Southeast and Central Asia. As recorded, they have been used as traditional Chinese medicines since the Qing Dynasty, where they were claimed for strengthening the spleen and tonifying the lung, as well as nourishing blood and engendering liquid. Some species are also used as food materials in southern China and Southeast Asia, such as tea, wine, soup, plaster, and porridge., Aim of the Review: The review aims to assess the ethnopharmacological uses, explicit the material basis and pharmacological action, promote the safety of medical use, and suggest the future research potentials of Codonopsis., Materials and Methods: Information on the studies of Codonopsis was collected from scientific journals, books, and reports via library and electronic data search (PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Google Scholar, Springer, Science Direct, Wiley, Researchgate, ACS, EMBASE, Web of Science and CNKI). Meanwhile, it was also obtained from published works of material medica, folk records, ethnopharmacological literatures, Ph.D. and Masters Dissertation. Plant taxonomy was confirmed to the database "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org)., Results: Codonopsis has been used for medicinal purposes all around the world. Some species are also used as food materials in southern China and Southeast Asia. The chemical constituents of Codonopsis mainly are polyacetylenes, polyenes, flavonoids, lignans, alkaloids, coumarins, terpenoids, steroids, organic acids, saccharides, and so on. Extract of Codonopsis exhibit extensive pharmacological activities, including immune function regulation, hematopoiesis improvement, cardiovascular protection, neuroprotection, gastrointestinal function regulation, endocrine function regulation, cytotoxic and antibacterial effects, anti-aging and anti-oxidation, etc. Almost no obvious toxicity or side effect are observed and recorded for Codonopsis., Conclusions: The traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Codonopsis are reviewed in this paper. Species of the genus have long been used as traditional medicines and food materials, they are reported with a large number of chemical constituents with different structures, extensive pharmacological activities in immune system, blood system, digestive system, etc. and almost no toxicity. More profound studies on less popular species, pharmacodynamic material basis and pharmacological mechanism, and quality assurance are suggested to be carried out to fulfil the research on the long-term clinical use and new drug research of Codonopsis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The different species of the genus Datura have been used traditionally by some pre-Columbian civilizations, as well as in medieval rituals linked to magic and witchcraft in both Mexico and Europe. It is also noteworthy the use of different alkaloids obtained from the plants for medicinal purposes in the treatment of various groups of diseases, especially of the respiratory and muscularskeletal systems., Aim of the Study: A review of the ethnobotanical uses of the genus Datura in Mexico and Spain has been conducted. We focus on the medicinal and ritualistic uses included in modern ethnobotanical studies, emphasizing the historical knowledge from post-colonial American Codices and medieval European texts. Datura's current social emergency as a drug of recreation and leisure, as well as its link to crimes of sexual abuse is also considered. The work is completed with some notes about the distribution and ecology of the different species and a phytochemical and pharmacological review of Datura alkaloids, necessary to understand their arrival in Europe and the ethnobotanical uses made since then MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review and compilation of information on traditional medicinal uses of the genus has been carried out from the main electronic databases. Traditional volumes (codices) have also been consulted in libraries of different institutions. Consultations have been made with the National Toxicological Services of Spain and Mexico for toxicological data., Results: A total of 118 traditional uses were collected in both territories, 111 medicinal ones to be applied in 76 conditions or symptoms included in 13 pathological groups. Although there are particular medicinal uses in the two countries, we found up to 15 similar uses, of which 80% were previously mentioned in post-Colonial American codices. Applications in the treatment of asthma and rheumatism are also highlighted. Apart from medicinal uses, it is worth noting their cultural and social uses, in the case of Mexico relating to diseases such as being scared, astonishment or falling in love, and in the case of Spain, as a recreational drug and lately, for criminal purposes., Conclusions: This review highlights the variety of uses traditionally given to the different species in both territories. The fact that most of the coincident or similar uses in both countries also appear in the classical codices can be found an example of the flow, not only of the plants from America to Europe, but also of their associated information. It is also relevant that particular uses have derived in both countries, reflecting the difference in the cultural factors and traditions linked to rituals and cultural practices. Finally, the significant growth of Datura consumption in recent years as a drug of leisure and recreation, as well as in crimes of sexual submission, should be considered as research of maximum relevance in the field of forensic botany and toxicology., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Menstrual bleeding cessation is one of the most frequent gynecologic disorders among women in reproductive age. The treatment is based on hormone therapy. Due to the increasing request for alternative medicine remedies in the field of women's diseases, in present study, it was tried to overview medicinal plants used to treat oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea according to the pharmaceutical textbooks of traditional Persian medicine (TPM) and review the evidence in the conventional medicine., Methods: This systematic review was designed and performed in 2017 in order to gather information regarding herbal medications of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea in TPM and conventional medicine. This study had several steps as searching Iranian traditional medicine literature and extracting the emmenagogue plants, classifying the plants, searching the electronic databases, and finding evidences. To search traditional Persian medicine references, Noor digital library was used, which includes several ancient traditional medical references. The classification of plants was done based on the repetition and potency of the plants in the ancient literatures. The required data was gathered using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and web of knowledge., Results: In present study of all 198 emmenagogue medicinal plants found in TPM, 87 cases were specified to be more effective in treating oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. In second part of present study, where a search of conventional medicine was performed, 12 studies were found, which had 8 plants investigated: Vitex agnus-castus, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Foeniculum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, Paeonia lactiflora, Sesamum indicum, Mentha longifolia, and Urtica dioica. Conclusion . Traditional Persian medicine has proposed many different medicinal plants for treatment of oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. Although just few plants have been proven to be effective for treatment of menstrual irregularities, the results and the classification in present study can be used as an outline for future studies and treatment.

Globally, traditional medicine has long been used to address relatively common illness, mental ill health and during childbirth and post-natal care. However, traditional medicine is primarily provided by the private sector and it is unclear how far expenditures on traditional medicine contribute to household impoverishment. A life history method was used to understand the health seeking experience of 24 households over the last 60 years in Cambodia, a country with high out-of-pocket expenditures for health. The life histories suggest that traditional medicine in Cambodia has been undergoing a process of commercialization, with significant impacts on poor households. In the earlier lives of respondents, payments for traditional medicine were reported to have been flexible, voluntary or appropriate to patients' financial means. In contrast, contemporary practitioners appear to seek immediate cash payments that have frequently led to considerable debt and asset sales by traditional medicine users. Given traditional medicine's popularity as a source of treatment in Cambodia and its potential to contribute to household impoverishment, we suggest that it needs to be included in a national conversation about achieving Universal Health Coverage in the country., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.)

A number of universities have introduced Indigenous student-specific programming to improve recruitment. These programs target the needs of Indigenous students and often impart a sense of comfort or belonging that may be more difficult to obtain in a mainstream program. The University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing, implemented a Learn Where You Live delivery model that challenged the university community to think differently about outreach and engagement. This is best described by redefining distance such that student services and supports would no longer be localized to a main campus but redesigned for distribution across the province. Sustaining this model meant the College leadership had to find new ways to support faculty to engage in teaching and learning opportunities that would be context relevant and aid student recruitment and retention. The new position of Strategist for Outreach and Indigenous Engagement was created to lead opportunities for faculty and staff to gain knowledge and expertise in policy development, negotiation and implementation for success in the distributed delivery model. The framework of Two-Eyed Seeing was adapted to guide the introduction and ongoing implementation (Bartlett et al. 2012)., (© 2018 Longwoods Publishing.)

Galls, the abnormal growths in plants, induced by virus, bacteria, fungi, nematodes, arthropods, or even other plants, are akin to cancers in fauna. The galls which occur in a myriad of forms are phytochemically-distinct from the normal plant tissues, for these are the sites of tug-of-war, just like the granuloma in animals. To counter the stressors, in the form of the effector proteins of the invaders, the host plants elaborate a large repertoire of metabolites, which they normally will not produce. Perturbation of the jasmonic acid pathway, and the overexpression of auxin, and cytokinin, promote the tissue proliferation and the resultant galls. Though the plant family characteristics and the attackers determine the gall biochemistry, most of the galls are rich in bioactive phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, anthocyanins, purpurogallin, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenes, alkaloids, lipophilic components (tanshinone) etc. Throughout the long trajectory of evolution, humans have learned to use the galls as therapeutics, much like other plant parts. In diverse cultures, the evidence of folkloric usage of galls abound. Among others, galls from the plant genus like Rhus, Pistacia, Quercus, Terminalia etc. are popular as ethnomedicine. This review mines the literature on galling agents, and the medicinal relevance of galls., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Context: Herbal therapies are used worldwide to treat health conditions. In Mexico, generations have used them to treat gingivitis, periodontitis, mouth infections, and discoloured teeth. However, few studies have collected scientific evidence on their effects., Objective: This study aimed at searching and compiling scientific evidence of alternative oral and dental treatments using medicinal herbs from Mexico., Methods: We collected various Mexican medicinal plants used in the dental treatment from the database of the Institute of Biology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. To correlate with existing scientific evidence, we used the PubMed database with the key term '(scientific name) and (oral or dental)'., Results: Mexico has various medical herbs with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, according to ancestral medicinal books and healers. Despite a paucity of experimental research demonstrating the antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiplaque effects of these Mexican plants, they could still be useful as an alternative treatment of several periodontal diseases or as anticariogenic agents. However, the number of studies supporting their uses and effects remains insufficient., Discussion and Conclusion: It is important for the health of consumers to scientifically demonstrate the real effects of natural medicine, as well as clarify and establish their possible therapeutic applications. Through this bibliographical revision, we found papers that testify or refute their ancestral uses, and conclude that the use of plants to treat oral conditions or to add to the dental pharmacological arsenal should be based on experimental studies verifying their suitability for dental treatments.

This special issue of Biochemical Pharmacology contains proceedings of a joint conference sponsored by the Natural Products Section of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) and the International Conference on the Mechanism of Action of Nutraceuticals (ICMAN), an organization dedicated to defining actions and clinical benefits of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Entitled "From Nutraceuticals to Pharmaceuticals: Common Challenges and Approaches", the conference was held in Aberdeen UK in September 2017. The aim of this gathering was to identify the challenges that must be overcome to identify and characterize novel therapeutics from natural products. Contained in this issue are reviews prepared by conference participants as well as abstracts describing oral and poster presentations., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In Norway and Sweden, epilepsy has for many centuries been considered a strange and mysterious disease. The explanations of its causes have been many and imaginative. One being that epilepsy was caused by the hidden people inhabiting the woods and the mountains. To avoid the disease, these hidden people should not be annoyed. One commonly used treatment principle was to try to place the disease back to the ground, or passing the diseased through a hole or an opening in the nature. Fresh blood from criminals was also considered to have strong antiepileptic properties. In the Scandinavian countries, some of these folk beliefs have been very tenacious., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)