Angelica archangelica and its role in traditional medicine: A systematic review of its therapeutic applications

Background: Traditional medicines are an important part of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. Traditional medicine has long been used in Cameroon and the world over in the prevention and treatment of diseases, physical and mental disorders as well as social imbalance. Building successful disease management programs that are sensitive to traditional medicine practices, achieving primary and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), will require an understanding of their current use, and roles as well as the state of regulation. This review was done to identify the role, research gaps, and suggest perspectives for future research as far as traditional medicine is concerned in Cameroon. Methods: Database searches were done through the internet using Google scholar, Google, PubMed, Sci-hub, books, theses, and related websites involving the use of key words in both English and French Languages. Out of the 93 articles only 12 original articles and 3 reviews met the inclusion criteria. Results: Studies show that 4.6% (urban settlement) compared to 94% (semi urban settlements) in Sub-Saharan Africa with Cameroon inclusive use and patronize traditional herbal medicine. One of the priorities of the African Regional Strategy on Promoting the Role of traditional medicine (TM) in Health Systems was found to be the promotion of collaboration between practitioners of traditional and conventional medicine. However, despite the health benefits such collaboration could bring to the populations, decades of disregard of traditional medicine practices and products has created mistrust between the two sectors hampering all the efforts being made to promote this potentially useful partnership. Based on this review, traditional herbal medicine plays a role in oral health, reproductive health and HIV /AIDS in Cameroon. Conclusion: It is undoubtedly evident that traditional medicine plays a role in primary healthcare sector in Cameroon which must be further assessed to see specific roles in achieving UHC, ensure collaboration as stipulated by the WHO as well as hindrances to collaboration and also regulation strategies to ensure quality products, practices and practitioners.

Honey in traditional Chinese medicine: A guide to future applications of NADES to medicines

Dementia, a common problem in elderly, is rising worldwide including India. Alzheimer’s disease is the main etiology for dementia. Currently anticholinesterases, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, disease modifying agents form the mainstay of treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. However, recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease research have given multiple new treatment targets. This review summarizes the role of existing therapies and their limitations, role of traditional medicines and new treatment targets. The newer agents include molecules targeting tau protein like modulators of τ-kinases or phosphatases, kinase inhibitors, τ-aggregation inhibitors. It also includes molecules which targets amyloid plaques like, inhibitors or modulators of the secretases, amyloid-β aggregation inhibitors and amyloid-plaque degradation enhancers. Role of nootropics, statins and antipsychotics in the management of Alzheimer’s disease is limited and lacks conclusive evidence. Studies with vaccines have shown reduced amyloid beta and τ-pathology, neutralized soluble amyloid beta oligomers. But search for the appropriate vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease is still on. Antioxidants, metal chelators, Metal-protein attenuating compounds, metal complexes have also shown some potential. Traditional medicines like huperzine A and galantamine have been used for management of Alzheimer’s disease. Traditional medicinal system in India particularly Ayurveda mentions neuroprotective actions of plant drugs like Brahmi, Shankhapushpi, Amla, Guduchi, Tulsi, Ashwagandha and Haritaki, which can help in improving the treatment armamentarium for Alzheimer’s disease.The understanding of Alzheimer’s disease neurobiology is improving now and the search for better treatment options is still on. This provides an opportunity for more research on integrated approach using existing therapies, traditional and alternative medicines with newer treatments and potential candidates for management of Alzheimer’s disease.

Mental health in indigenous communities is a relevant issue for the World Health Organization (WHO). These communities are supposed to live in a pure, clean and intact environment. Their real condition is far different from the imaginary; they are vulnerable populations living in difficult areas, exposed to pollution, located far from the health services, exposed to several market operations conducted to extract natural resources, facing criminal groups or illegal exploitation of land resources. These factors may have an impact on mental health of indigenous population. We reviewed all papers available on PubMed, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library until December 2018. We focused on those factors affecting the changes from a traditional to a post-modern society and reviewed data available on stress-related issues, mental distress affecting indigenous/aboriginal communities and the role of Traditional Medicine (TM). We reviewed articles from different countries hosting indigenous communities. The incidence of mental distress and related phenomena (e.g. collective suicide, alcoholism and violence) among indigenous populations is affected by political and socio-economic variables. The mental health of these populations is poorly studied and described even if mental illness indicators are somewhat alarming. TM still seems to have a role in supporting affected people and may reduce deficiencies due to poor access to medical insurance/coverage, psychiatry and psychotherapy. It would be helpful to combine TM and modern medicine in a healthcare model to face indigenous populations' health needs. This review confirms the impact of societal changes, environmental threats and exploitation of natural resources on the mental health of indigenous populations. Global Mental Health needs to deal with the health needs of indigenous populations as well as psychiatry needs to develop new categories to describe psychopathology related to social variance as recently proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5).

Entomoceuticals define a subset of pharmaceuticals derived from insects. The therapeutic effect of insect-derived drugs has been empirically validated by the direct use of various folk medicines originating from three sources in particular: the glandular secretions of insects (e.g., silk, honey, venom), the body parts of the insect or the whole used live or by various processing (e.g., cooked, toasted, ground), and active ingredients extracted from insects or insect-microbe symbiosis. Insects have been widely exploited in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) relative to other ethnomedicines, especially in the prospect of insect species for medicinal uses. It is noticeable that most of these entomoceuticals are also exploited as health food for improving immune function. In addition, some edible insects are rich in animal protein and have high nutritional value, which are used in the food field, such as insect wine, health supplements and so on. In this review, we focused on 12 insect species that have been widely used in traditional Chinese herbal formulae but have remained less investigated for their biological properties in previous studies. We also combined the entomoceutical knowledge with recent advances in insect omics. This review specifies the underexplored medicinal insects from ethnomedicine and shows their specific medicinal and nutritional roles in traditional medicine.

Medicinal plants played an important role in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases since antiquities. The aim of the study is to carry out an ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used traditionally in cancer treatment in the region of Greater Casablanca-Morocco, and to enhance the traditional herbal medicine knowledge. 110 traditional healers in the study area were interviewed face to face to response a survey questionnaire including the names of plants used in cancer treatment, used parts, methods of preparation, and route of administration. Indices of Fidelity Level (FL), Use Value (UV), and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were calculated to identify the most effective plants used for cancer treatment. Eight species were specified including Aristolochia baetica, Aristolochia paucinervis, Bryonia dioica, Aquilaria malaccensis, Marrubium vulgare, Lavandula maroccana, Ephedra alata, and Euphorbia resinifera belonging to 7 families. Aristolochiaceae, Aquilariaceae, and Cucurbitaceae were the most useful families in cancer treatment with high significant indices of UV, FL, and RFC with values of 1, 100%, and 1, respectively. Roots and leaves were the most commonly used plant parts. Decoction and powder mixed with honey were the frequently used method for remedies preparation. The present study showed that the people living in Morocco's economic capital are still highly dependent on traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of cancer. Therefore, it seems that herbal medicine still plays a crucial role in the primary healthcare system for the local population. During this survey, it was reported that even some plant families are highly toxic for humans like Aristolochiaceae that are frequently used in cancer treatment in the study area. As many people still rely on natural traditional medicine considering (it is safe with no side effects), so combined effort between all social categories including scientists and traditional healers should be established for involving the scientific validity of the used plants in the treatment of diseases.

Context: Increasing numbers of cancer patients are looking towards traditional medicines (TM) in an effort to sustain tumour remission or halt the metastasis. TM such as Chinese Traditional Medicines, Ayurveda and Unani Medicines are being used in many parts of world from centuries. However, scientific data is lacking for the clinical use of majority of these medicines in cancer management and systematic clinical evaluation is mandatory before recommending long term use. Objective: The role of traditional medicine for prevention and management of cancer are reviewed in this paper which will help to take a step further to bring these TM into mainstream therapy. Methods: Traditional knowledge about the claims of therapeutic potential is collected. Emphasis was given to the use of plant derived products. Further efforts were made to identify the driving factors for use of such TM for the cure of cancer. Results: There are several driving factors which attract patients towards TM out of which minimum side effects of TM remains on the priority. Apart from being used as standalone therapy, TM is progressively becoming more popular as adjuvant therapy to improve effectiveness of conventional treatment and to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Conclusion: Patients are inclining towards TM due to diverse reasons. The search for anticancer drugs from herbs has been very productive and advances in pharmacological techniques have exerted enormous drive on the research and development of new biologically active compounds of plant origin, which may act alone or in synergistic manner. Keywords: Unani system; Ayurveda; Oncology; Herbal therapy; Complimentary therapy

Background Diabetes mellitus is a complicated health condition with multiple causes and many treatment options. Various myths may influence diabetics' health-seeking behavior, and they may use traditional medicines, which include normal foods and herbs, for primary health care. The aim of this study was to determine patients' and herbalists' practices and perspectives regarding the use of traditional medicines and the role of traditional medicines in the management of diabetes. Methods and Findings We conducted a cross-sectional study with a mixed-methods design. We interviewed 140 patients attending diabetic clinics using a structured questionnaire, conducted focus group discussions with an additional 20 diabetic patients, and conducted in-depth interviews with 8 local herbalists. The majority of the diabetic participants believed that diabetes is caused by a high-carbohydrate diet. Of the 140 participants who answered the questionnaire, 67.2% reported using traditional medicines to manage their diabetes, including 58.6% who reported using both conventional medicines and traditional medicines. Some participants believed that combining conventional and traditional medicines improved the effectiveness of treatment. Reasons given for using traditional medicines included the high cost of conventional treatment and the availability and accessibility of the traditional medicines. The most commonly used traditional medicines were indigenous vegetables and medicinal plant products including amalanth leaves, hare lettuce leaves, nightshade leaves, spider plant leaves, okra pods, moringa leaves and seeds, soursop leaves, black plum back, avocado seed, and lemongrass. Conclusion Patients and herbalists provided a range of perspectives regarding the use of traditional medicines to treat diabetes. Further research is needed to identify bioactive compounds present in commonly used traditional medicines and their efficacy.

While earth is becoming a smaller village every day, the rapid population growth and ageing is impeding obvious shifting pattern of disease which in turn is inflecting great economic burden required for fast growing health expenditure particularly in the developing world whose suffering from this particular issue is turning into an inflated almost non-curable disease. The major world population today is suffering from poverty and week health status mainly in countries that find it extremely difficult to have proper plans and programs capable of solving such serious dull future. Conventional Medicine with all its astonishing advancements still cannot satisfy public health demands a fact that could be generalized to all societies today but it is of very much concern to mankind in the developing countries. The serious challenges imposed on such societies to maintain reasonable healthy conditions are placing the Traditional Medicine in a very special position where some times willingly or compulsory it is holding a noticeable share in the health care delivery systems, some times officially recognized and some times without any national control socially accepted. Scientists, Policy makers, Health care deliverers, Academies and International Organizations such as WHO are well aware of the great value of Traditional Medicine a matter that has been well reflected in many local and international meetings designed to reflect this fact and one can name few important ones held at the beginning of this century ; “WHO International Symposium on Traditional Medicine, September 11-13, 2000, Japan“ and “The International Consultative Meeting on Global Information on Traditional Medicine, WHO Kobe Center, September 19-21, 2001, Japan” and “The International Seminar on Integration of Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine, October 12-15, 2002 in Cairo“ and “International Meeting on Global Atlas of Traditional Medicine, Kobe, June 17-19, Japan“. Despite very serious attention paid to Traditional Medicine the fact remains though it is still under estimated, not regulated and misconceived while majority of countries worldwide are not giving it the weight it carries or deserves and not defined in the category of national programs intended for health care delivery systems and social welfare strategies. In addition academic curricula is strongly lacking practical revision of the role of Traditional Medicine in their educational set up to produce manpower capable of utilizing this rather important growing need as a skill required to meet national health needs. Interestingly one can feel a global human desire to replace pure chemical curing agents with natural remedies and treatments a matter that worth emphasizing and demands special attention since we who care to provide satisfactory health care are responsible to respond to the clients wish and needs.

Lichens- Role in Traditional Medicine and Drug Discovery

Exploring dried ginger essential oil as a therapeutic strategy for 5-FU-induced mucositis: Gut microbiota and tryptophan metabolite IAA-AHR/IL-22/STAT3 signaling axis.

Traditional medicine is a form of medicine that has been widely used in Ethiopia for thousands of years. However, it is still practiced in the absence of formal healthcare. The current approach to the protection of traditional medicinal resources in Ethiopia is based on multiple fragmented legislations and neglects one of these problems. The main objective of this paper is to discuss the need for integrating traditional medicine into national healthcare system and protecting of traditional medicinal resources in Euthopia. This normative legal research employs statutory approach. It is found that Ethiopia has put in place a legal framework for the protection of its traditional medicinal resources, but the role of traditional medicine in healthcare is not clearly defined. Many medicinal plants are, consequently, at risk of extinction and biopiracy. Ay policy option that seeks to protect traditional medicinal resources must have in mind these three problems together, i.e loss of traditional knowledge, loss of medicinal plants, and potential misappropriation. Integrating traditional medicine into the modern health care system requires careful consideration of conservation, protection, and development of traditional practices.

Background: For centuries, people have used traditional eye care practices using mineral-only treatments and herbal medicines to optimize their eye health. Many practices are documented in older texts, including the Sushruta Samhita, Ebers Papyrus, and Islamic texts. In a world moving towards integrative medicine, optometry is now reflecting on these traditional practices. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review traditional eye treatments and their potential place in modern optometric treatment by exploring their historical context, current use, pharmacological evidence, and clinical outcomes. Methods: A literature analysis was carried out using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Key search terms were ‘herbal remedies,’ ‘traditional ophthalmic medicine,’ and ‘ocular health.’ Reports published in English articles from 2016 to 2025 that included information on traditional medicine and the way it is used in modern eye care were included in the study. Results: Prevalence percentages of traditional medicines were found to be quite variable in rural and underserved areas; in rural India it’s at 25%, and Zimbabwe had 65.7%. Minerals, honey, ghee, and herbal extracts have anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antioxidant properties. Catastrophic misuse can cause corneal ulcers or blindness; however, data summarize that it offers potential therapeutic benefits for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and dry eye syndrome. Conclusion: Conventional eye medications may be available for use as an adjunct treatment; however, their safe incorporation into modern ocular care requires further clinical validation, standardization, and large studies.

BackgroundUses of polyherbal formulations have played a major role in traditional medicine. The present study is focused on the formulations used in traditional Thai folkloric medicine as tonics or bracers. Twenty documented polyherbal mixtures, used as nourishing tonics by the folk healers in Phatthalung and Songkhla provinces in southern Thailand, are targeted. Despite traditional health claims, there is no scientific evidence to support the utilization of polyherbal formulations.MethodsThe phenolic and flavonoid contents of the polyherbal formulations and a series of antioxidant tests were applied to measure their capability as preventive or chain-breaking antioxidants. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of effective formulations was assayed in Vero cells.ResultsNinety-eight plant species belonging to 45 families were used to prepare the tested formulation. The preliminary results revealed that water extracts of THP-R016 and THP-R019 contain a high level of total phenolic and flavonoid contents and exhibit remarkable antioxidant activities, as tested by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The extract of THP-R019 also showed the strongest metal chelating activities, whereas THP-R016 extract possessed notable superoxide anion and peroxyl radical scavenging abilities.ConclusionsThe data provide evidence that the water extracts of folkloric polyherbal formulations, particularly THP-R016, are a potential source of natural antioxidants, which will be valuable in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The free radical scavenging of THP-R016 may be due to the contribution of phenolic and flavonoid contents. Useful characteristics for the consumer, such as the phytochemical profiles of active ingredients, cellular based antioxidant properties and beneficial effects in vivo, are under further investigation.

Jamaica's national motto 'Out of Many, One People' reflects the country's multiracial past and the historic and ongoing influences that many cultures have had on the country's traditional knowledge systems (TKS) and traditional medicine (TM). This review explores Jamaican TKS and TM, from the earliest indigenous peoples to their use today. Historically, a significant proportion of the Jamaican population has relied on different forms of TM, and today 73% of Jamaicans self-medicate with plant-based medicines on a regular basis. Modern Jamaica effectively has a spectrum of healthcare provision operating between two healthcare systems, western biomedicine and TM, although the latter is often dismissed as lacking western scientific rigour. Crucial to the development of TKS and TM has been the island's abundant flora, including endemic, native and introduced plants, giving rise to a uniquely Jamaican vegetation. Following a declining oral tradition of transmission, Jamaican TKS and TM also face a concurrent loss of biological diversity that forms an indispensable constituent of these systems, making their conservation and protection a priority. Jamaica is poised to develop a natural health products' industry with the potential to contribute to national growth and development. However, for such development to flourish on an equitable basis across Jamaican society requires recognition of TKS, and legislation that protects TKS and the holders of TKS and guarantees fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the commercial use of these knowledge systems. At a time when the rights of indigenous peoples internationally are increasingly recognized, it is also important for Afro-descendant communities in the Caribbean and Latin America to achieve better recognition and to be incorporated into the dialogue on traditional, local and indigenous knowledge systems and their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.