The value of Genus Acacia in arid and semi-arid environments for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases

Abstract

BackgroundChronic inflammatory diseases, such as chronic respiratory diseases, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity, kill six out of every ten people in the worldwide. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to relieve inflammation and pain, but they have a long list of side effects. Anti-inflammatory capabilities of medicinal plants can help in the development of remedies for chronic inflammatory diseases. Among them, the roots, leaves and fruits of Acacia species have been linked to medicinal effects in numerous studies. Unfortunately, no review has been published to date on the anti-inflammatory properties of Acacia species from all over the world. MethodsA comprehensive research in the literature was organized based on the databases SciFinder (American Chemical Society), Google Scholar, Springer Link, Science Direct PubMed Science and Saudi digital Library, in addition to doctoral and master's dissertations, books, and official website. ResultsThe search yielded more than 700 articles were published. More than 280 articles published between 1945 and 2022 were included. Twenty nine reports including 19 species were devoted to phytochemical studies. More than Two hundered reports including 22 species dealt with anti-inflammatory activities of the genus Acacia related to various chronic diseases. Seven reports including 2 species dealt with chronic inflammatory disease of the genus Acacia related to the human clinical trials. More than twenty reports including 8 species were devoted to toxicological risk assessment of genus Acacia. Mostly species originated from Africa, Australia, Egypt, India, Mali, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. The highest number of reports were related to leaves, stem bark, root bark, root, seeds, stems, pods, twinges, gums, flowers and whole plant. Regarding pharmacological evaluation most studied species were: A. catechu, A. nilotica, A. senegal, A. tortilis, A. seyal, A. ferruginea, A. dealbata, A. confusa, A. hydaspica, A. siebriana, A. farnesiana, A. gerrardii and A. etbaica. These species of genus Acacia display the highest use convergence. In vivo models of chronic antiinflammatory were more relevant than in vitro models or chemical models inducing acute inflammation for pharmacological assessment. This review study also highlights the most promising experimental findings on Acacia extracts and pure compounds active in clinical trials and animal models of chronic inflammatory diseases. ConclusionThis review will be useful to current researchers who want to learn more about the role of Acacia genus in chronic inflammatory diseases. Species with the highest use report were not those with pharmacological evaluation. Genus Acacia was found to have the most clinical evidence in a variety of chronic inflammatory illnesses. Acacia species have been demonstrated to regulate numerous molecular pathways implicated in chronic inflammatory disorders. To date, clinical trials conducted with genus Acacia are limited. More clinical research with larger participants and meta-analysis could help to resolve some of the conflicts. The involvement of the polyphenols indicating potential use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory illnesses. More comprehensive and methodologically research is needed to identify the dose and length of treatment to demonstrate the efficacy and effectiveness of Acacia species in chronic inflammatory illnesses. The use of Acacia species in traditional medical practice for treatment of various ailments is usually regarded as safe and harmless in humans.