Crude Drug Research Articles

Significant association between HLA-B*35:01 and onset of drug-induced liver injury caused by Kampo medicines in Japanese patients.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a severe and life-threatening immune-mediated adverse effect, occurring rarely among treated patients. We examined genomic biomarkers in the Japanese population that predict the onset of DILI after using a certain class of drugs, such as Kampo products (Japanese traditional medicines). A total of 287 patients diagnosed as DILI by hepatology specialists were recruited after written informed consent was obtained. A genome-wide association analysis and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing in four digits were performed. We found a significant association (p=9.41×10-10 ) of rs146644517 (G>A) with Kampo product-related DILI. As this polymorphism is located in the HLA region, we evaluated the association of HLA types and found that 12 (63.2%) of 19 Kampo-DILI patients contained HLA-B*35:01, whereas only 15.2% were positive for this HLA among healthy volunteers. The odds ratio was 9.56 (95% confidence interval 3.75-24.46; p=2.98×10-6 , corrected p=4.17×10-5 ), and it increased to 13.55 compared with the DILI patients not exposed to Kampo products. The individual crude drug components in the Kampo products, including Scutellaria root (ougon in Japanese), rhubarb (daiou), Gardenia fruit (sanshishi), and Glycyrrhiza (kanzou), were significantly associated with HLA-B*35:01. HLA-B*35:01 is a genetic risk factor and a potential predictive biomarker for Kampo-induced DILI in the Japanese population.

Determination of oxalic acid in herbal medicines by semi-micro hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection.

In this study, the determination of oxalic acid in herbal medicines was performed by using a hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection (HILIC-ECD) method. A semi-micro column packed with amide-silica particles and an acetonitrile-30mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) mixture (65:35, v/v) were used as the stationary and mobile phases, respectively, in the HILIC-ECD. A potential of + 1.1V vs. Ag/AgCl was applied to a glassy carbon working electrode. The ratio of the peak height of oxalic acid to that of the internal standard (synephrine) was proportional to the concentration of 0.45μg L-1 to 1.8mg L-1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio, S/N = 3) of oxalic acid was 0.17μg L-1. By the HILIC-ECD, the oxalic acid content in crude drugs and Kampo medicine extract granules (Zingiberis Rhizoma Processum, Pinelliae Tuber, Sho-seiryu-to, Hange-shashin-to, etc.) were determined with less than 2.9% relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 6), and their recoveries were more than 88.7% with less than 3.3% RSD (n = 6). In conclusion, we demonstrated that the HILIC-ECD performed measurements that were quite selective, accurate, and precise for the determination of oxalic acid in herbal medicines.

A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Assessing the Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine (Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction) in the Treatment of Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu decoction (HGWD), which is composed of five crude drugs (Astragali Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Paeoniae Radix Alba, Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens, and Jujubae Fructus), in the treatment of albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy (PN) in Chinese patients with breast cancer (BC). Methods: This trial was conducted at the National Cancer Center in China from January 2020 to June 2022. The eligible participants were assigned randomly in a 1:1 ratio to an HGWD group or a control group. The outcome measure was EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 questionnaire. Results: 92 patients diagnosed with BC were enrolled and randomized to either HGWD group (n = 46) or control group (n = 46). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (p > 0.05). A statistical analysis of the sensory and motor functions of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 scores showed that patients in the HGWD group reported a larger decrease in CIPN sensory scores than those in the control group (p < 0.001). The EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 autonomic scores showed no statistical significance between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: HGWD packs could significantly improve patients’ nab-PTX-induced PN, increase the tolerance for nab-PTX-containing chemotherapy, and further improve the quality of life of patients with BC.

Comparative macro-microscopic studies of three wild Solanum species (S. melongena L., S. incanum L. and S. virginianum L.)

Background: The traditional medicinal system comprises the usage of innumerable plant species for the treatment of various ailments. Solanum, a potent medicinal genus, finds vast description in the various traditional medicinal systems world over. The effectiveness of a herbal drug relies on the usage of correct botanical sources. In this scenario of growing importance of traditional medicines and excessive loss of habitats of various medicinal plants, the procurement of genuine herbals is a challenging issue. Many related species of Solanum distributed over the world find their usage in many medicinal preparations, but the authenticity of the herbals is not promised. The identification and standardization of crude herbal drugs can be assured by the definite morphological and anatomical characterization. Materials and Methods: Macroscopical characters of all three samples collected from Attur Chat village in Salem district were observed and recorded using Nikon Digital camera D5600 and ZEISS Discovery V8 stereo microscope. The samples were preserved in formalin acetic acid, free hand sectioning was done to reveal the anatomy, and photographs were taken using Axiolab 5 trinocular microscope fitted with Axiocam 208 camera. Results: Macro-microscopic features of three important Solanum species viz S. melongena L., S. incanum L., and S. virginianum L. were characterized by morphology and anatomy studies. The stem was terete (S. incanum), flattened (S. melongena), and cylindrical (S. virginianum) in the species. The leaves were large and elliptic in S. melongena, simple ovate in S. incanum, and ovate and brittle in S. virginianum. Anatomically in the stem of S. virginianum, glandular trichomes were observed, which were absent in the other two species. In the case of leaves, the trichome type and density were varying in the three species, and trichomes were present only in the midrib of S. melongena. Variations observed in petiole and fruits were also recorded. Conclusion: The macro-microscopic characterization carried out will be worthwhile in judging the authenticity of the plants and differentiating these species from one another.

Characteristic features and comparative analysis of essential oil composition of selected genus of Ocimum sanctum L. through GC-MS.

The main aim of this research is to provide literature on the Ocimum plant, and to know the significance of the Ocimum species carried out by pharmacognostic study and experimental design for GC-MS. Ocimum genus are very important for their therapeutic potential among the most important aromatic herbs. Extreme attention has been put on literature reports in which the utilization of tulsi and their pharmacognostic study has been done by performing morphological and microscopic leaf experimental design and by using essential oil through the GC-MS instrumentation method. The utilization of these characteristics would be important for the drug discovery scientist to develop a specific formulation of the crude drug, which will be a magical therapeutic agent in the future, with many advantages. GC-MS chromatogram of Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum canum, and Ocimum gratissimum oil showed major peaks and has been identified after comparison of the mass spectra with the NIST library, indicating the presence of three phytocomponents. From the results, the GC-MS study suggested that anethole which is well reported antimicrobial compound is more in O. canum (2.66%) in comparison to O. sanctum (1,28%) but absent in O. gratissimum. The results indicated that the antimicrobial activity is more in O. canum due to the presence ofa high amount of anethole in comparison to O. gratissimum and O. sanctum. The result revealed that O. canum has a microscopic character that can be identified by the characteristic GC MS analysis of extracts to distinguish between different species of the ocimum plant.

Development of quality control parameters for classical ayurvedic formulation: Vyoshadi Churna

Introduction: Ayurvedic formulations have a long history of use and have increased amazingly to follow the global interest in natural products. However, for many classical ayurvedic formulations, no quality parameters of standardization are available. Vyoshadi Churna, a classical Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation that cures indigestion and diarrhea, is being used since ancient times. However, there is no standard method available for its formulation and evaluation. Hence, the current study aims to develop the quality standards for Vyoshadi churna. Methods: The standard procedures for preparation and standardization of Churna described in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) were used in the present study. Standardization includes pharmacognostical, chromatographic, and physico-chemical studies. The other essential studies were also done in accordance to API and World Health Organization guidelines to find the limits of microbial load, aflatoxin, heavy metals, and pesticide residue using modern analytical techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (MS) and inductively coupled plasma-MS/MS. Results: Vyoshadi Churna is of brown color and bitter in taste. Pharmacognostical studies have shown the characteristic features of almost each contributory crude drug. A unique chemical profile was also developed using toluene: ethyl acetate: methanol: formic acid (4:4:1:0.5) as the mobile phase to resolve maximum components. Furthermore, the standardized limits for the physicochemical studies, microbial load, heavy metals, aflatoxins, and pesticide residues were established and found in limits. Conclusion: This is for the first time when the standard operating procedure of Vyoshadi Churna was developed. Hence, the current technical work would be practically helpful for the future preparation and standardization study of Vyoshadi Churna.

Comparative standardization studies of marketed Polyherbal tablets

Siddha and Ayurvedha is one of the oldest traditional systems of medicine in the world. There are different formulations which are adequately increase delivery of the drug to our body sites; one of basic formulation is tablet. Tablet is one of the conventional formulations in solid oral dosage form, which are usually used in traditional system of medicines and allopathic medicines. Allopathic formulations like tablets usually maintaining their standards based on the various pharmacopoeia but Ayurvedhic and Siddha proprietary medicines shows lots of troubles in their standardization parameters, why because they consist of multiple herbal crude drugs in one formulation, so it should be prescribed with proper standardization parameters. The present work deals with to evaluation two marketed formulation by performing basic quality control parameters of tablets such as Organoleptic properties, Weight variation, Hardness, Friability, Disintegration of herbal tablets {Alsactil [A] and Alsarex [B]} From the analysis of above parameters, results was observed and all the parameters of both drugs passes the test, within the reference values.

Phytochemical Screening, Free-Radical Scavenging Activity, in vitro Alpha-Amylase Inhibitory Activity, and in vivo Hypoglycemic Activity Studies of Several Crude Drug Formulations Based on Selected Medicinal Plants of Nepal

Phytochemical Screening, Free-Radical Scavenging Activity, in vitro Alpha-Amylase Inhibitory Activity, and in vivo Hypoglycemic Activity Studies of Several Crude Drug Formulations Based on Selected Medicinal Plants of Nepal

Formulation and Evaluation of Topical Gel Containing Nepalese Medicinal Plants

Background: The formulation of herbal gel offers a great advantage in non-sticky products as compared to ointments and creams. Herbs are beneficial for human health containing several phytochemicals. Traditionally herbal preparations are used to enhance and facilitate the quality of the skin. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to prepare the herbal gel for the use of skin nourishing and help to cure skin related disease. Methods: Different crude drugs like Aloe (Aloe vera), Neem (Azadiracta indica), Turmeric (Curcuma longa),Onion (Allium cepa), and Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) are used to formulate the gel. Selection of these herbs are based on literature review on their individual uses in skin related problems. Formulation was developed from polymer base by experimental design based on previous works. Different compositions of herbs were designed for the formulation study. The water extract of the herb was prepared individually and later on mixed with the gel base ingredients containing carbopol 934, methylparaben and propyl paraben. The gel is subjected to evaluation of organoleptic properties and consistency, pH, and spreadability. Disk diffusion method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial property of the extract. DPPH method was used to determine the antioxidant property of extracts. Results: The average pH values of the formulations were 6.12 and 5.91, similarly, the spreadability of the two formulations F and S were 9.223 and 9.336 respectively. All the parameters were within the range. The antimicrobial study showed that both of the formulations have strong antimicrobial properties to E.coli. Conclusion: The study concludes that the developed formulation of different concentrations are safe and within the range of standard. Therefore, we can say that our formulation product is one of the good natural gels which can be considered for the antioxidant benefit.

Bioactive Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Ponciri Fructus.

Ponciri Fructus is a crude drug obtained from the dried immature fruits of Poncirus trifoliata (L). Raf. (Syn. Citrus trifoliata L.). This study aims to compile and analyze the ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive constituents, and pharmacological activities of Ponciri Fructus. Various online bibliographic databases namely, SciFinder, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were used for collecting information on traditional uses, biological activities, and bioactive constituents. Concerning ethnomedicinal uses, Ponciri Fructus is extensively used in traditional Korean, Chinese, and Kampo medicines to mitigate allergic reactions, inflammation, edema, digestive complications, respiratory problems, spleen-related problems, liver complications, neuronal pain, hyperlipidemia, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular problems, hernia, sinusitis, and insomnia. Several studies have shown that Ponciri Fructus is a major source of diverse classes of bioactive compounds namely flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, phytosterols, and alkaloids. Several in vivo and in vitro pharmacological activity evaluations such as antidiabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimelanogenic, gastroprotective, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects have been conducted from Ponciri Fructus. However, scientific investigations focusing on bioassay-guided isolation and identification of specific bioactive constituents are limited. Therefore, an in-depth scientific investigation of Ponciri Fructus focusing on bioassay-guided isolation, mechanism based pharmacological studies, pharmacokinetic studies, and evaluation of possible toxicities is necessary in the future.

Berberine hydrochloride inhibits migration ability via increasing inducible NO synthase and peroxynitrite in HTR-8/SVneo cells

Ethnopharmacological relevanceInadequate trophoblasts migration and invasion is considered as an initial event resulting in preeclampsia, which is closely related to oxidative stress. Berberine hydrochloride (BBR), extracted from the traditional medicinal plant Coptis chinensis Franch., exerts a diversity of pharmacological effects, and the crude drug has been widely taken by most Chinese women to treat nausea and vomit during pregnancy. But there is no research regarding its effects on trophoblast cell function. Aim of the studyThis study aimed to investigate the effect of BBR on human-trophoblast-derived cell line (HTR-8/SVneo) migration ability and its mechanism. Materials and methodsCell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. The effect of BBR on cells migration function was examined by scratch wound healing assay and transwell migration assay. Intracellular nitric oxide (NO), superoxide (O2−) and peroxynitrite (ONOO−) levels were measured by flow cytometry. The expression levels of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), eNOS, p-eNOS, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, Rac1, NOX1, TLR4, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), p-NFκB, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) in cells were analyzed by Western blotting. Uric acid sodium salt (UA), the scavenger of ONOO−, PEG-SOD (a specific superoxide scavenger), L-NAME (a NOS inhibitor) and antioxidants (Vit E and DFO) were further used to characterize the pathway of BBR action. Results5 μM BBR decreased both the migration distance and the number of migrated cells without affecting cells viability in HTR-8/SVneo cells after 24 h treatment. BBR could increase the level of NO in HTR-8/SVneo cells, and the over-production of NO might be attributable to iNOS, but not eNOS. BBR could increase intracellular O2− levels, and the over-production of O2− is closely related with Rac1 in HTR-8/SVneo cells. The excessive production of NO and O2− further react to form ONOO−, and the increased ONOO− level induced by BBR was blunted by UA. Moreover, UA improved the impaired migration function caused by BBR in HTR-8/SVneo cells. The depressed migration function stimulated by BBR in HTR-8/SVneo cells was diminished by PEG-SOD and L-NAME. Furthermore, BBR increased the expression of IL-6 in HTR-8/SVneo cells, and antioxidants (Vit E and DFO) could decrease the expression of IL-6 and iNOS induced by BBR. ConclusionsBBR inhibits the cell migration ability through increasing inducible NO synthase and peroxynitrite in HTR-8/SVneo cells, indicating that BBR and traditional Chinese medicines containing a high proportion of BBR should be used with caution in pregnant women.

The in-vitro Antioxidant Properties of Crude Drugs Traditionally Used for Diabetes Management in Northern Banyumas

Chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.) leaves, Malayan cherry (Muntingia calabura L.) fruits, and Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp.) H.Rob.) leaves are used for traditional diabetes treatment by Banyumas (Central Java, Indonesia) people. This study characterized selected quality parameters, evaluated the in-vitro antioxidant activity as the preliminary assay for its antidiabetic activity, and calculated the total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) of those crude drugs. The plant materials of each species were collected from three different areas in Banyumas and dried into crude drugs. The quality parameters were determined according to the standard method in the Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopeia (IHP) 2017. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the standard 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, while TFC and TPC were analyzed following standard methods in IHP 2017. The correlations between antioxidant activities and the TFC-TPC were analyzed by Pearson's correlation test. The values for acid-insoluble ash, loss on drying, total ash, ethanol extractable, and water-extractable of all crude drugs were quantified, with TPC and TFC proposed as the chemical content parameter for Malayan cherry fruits and Yacon leaves. Yacon leaves and Malayan cherry fruits contained the highest TFC and TPC at 8.01±0.72 mg Quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dry weight (DW) and 11.54±1.44 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g DW, respectively. Malayan cherry fruits exerted the strongest DPPH scavenging activity (366.13±17.65 mM Trolox equivalent (TE)/g DW) and FRAP (1025.33±50.47 mM TE/g DW). Moderate to strong correlations were observed between DPPH radical scavenging activity – FRAP and TFC-TPC of Malayan cherry fruits and Yacon leaves. Hence, flavonoids and phenolic compounds of both crude drugs contributed to their antioxidant activity.

Quantitative multicomponent analysis of a single marker-based simultaneous determination and quality assessment of nucleoside analogs from Qi Zhi capsules.

Qi Zhi capsule (QZC) is approved by the State Drug Administration of China. The QZC consists of nine crude drugs, including astragalus, leeches, ground beetles, curcuma zedoary, hawthorn, semen cassiae, rhizoma sparganii, polygonum multiflorum, and peach kernel, of which leeches and ground beetles are Traditional Chinese Medicine of animal origin. Nucleosides are animal substances with pharmacological effects that are easy to extract and quantify. Different nucleoside analogs in distinct animal-based formulations can be used to characterize animal-based medicines. However, the quality control of a single indicator does not reflect the overall quality of Chinese medicine. Here, we developed a method to simultaneously determine the nucleoside analogs uracil, xanthine, hypoxanthine, uridine, guanine, and uric acid in QZCs using high-performance liquid chromatography. Hypoxanthine was used as an internal reference to determine relative correction factors for the other five components. The six components were determined in ten different batches of QZCs. There was no significant difference between the quantitative multicomponent analysis of a single marker and the external standard method. The relative standard deviation of total nucleosides analogs of 10 batches of samples was 7%. This method can be applied to simultaneously determine multiple active components in QZCs and other nucleoside analog drugs, enabling multi-indicator quality control.

Optimization of Ethanol-Based Extraction Process for Duliang Formula by Central Composite Design and Response Surface Methodology

Background: Compound medicines (traditional Chinese medicines [TCM] formulae) are the main means of treating diseases in TCM. Now, for the convenience of clinical use, there are a lot of Chinese patent medicines (proprietary Chinese medicine) on the market. However, the preparation of Chinese patent medicine needs to solve 2 key problems. One is as far as possible to keep crude drug's active ingredients, and the second is the cost control of industrialization; in this article, the extraction process for the proprietary Chinese medicine of the classic TCM formula, Duliang formula, has been studied effectively. Objective: To investigate the optimal ethanol-based extraction process for Duliang formula by central composite design and response surface methodology. Materials and methods: Central composite design was used to carry out a 3-factor 5-level study for a comprehensive evaluation of the extraction process of Duliang formula after normalization processing, with the ethanol concentration, solvent volume, duration, and times of extraction as investigation factors to consider; also, the contents of imperatorin, ferulic acid, and extract yield were determined as Quality Control indicators. Multiple linear regression, binomial fitting, and response surface methodology were used to analyze and determine the optimal ethanol-based extraction process for Duliang formula and predict its extraction parameters. Results: The determined optimal ethanol-based extraction process was thermal reflux extraction twice with 11 times of 90% ethanol for 2.5 h each time. The overall desirability for the “Normalization Value” evaluation was 0.7681, with a deviation of −0.99% (&lt;5%) compared with the predicted value (0.7758). Conclusions: The determined ethanol-based extraction process for Duliang formula was easy and convenient, with stable, accurate, reliable parameters and reasonable predictability, and could serve as a reference for the industrial production of Duliang formula.

Near-Infrared Metabolic Profiling for Discrimination of Apricot and Peach Kernels.

Apricot and Peach Kernels are commercial crude drugs used in many formulas of traditional Japanese medicine, Kampo. Although their applications are quite different, it is difficult to distinguish them using conventional methods such as HPLC. The study aimed at near-infrared (NIR) metabolic profiling to discriminate Apricot and Peach Kernels (Armeniacae Semen and Persicae Semen) collected from Japanese markets. A fast, simple, non-destructive, and robust NIR measurement of kernel surface with no sample pre-treatment was achieved in situ. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models showed discrimination between the two crude drugs with good fitting and prediction values. These results indicate that NIR metabolic profiling is useful for discriminating Apricot and Peach Kernels based on their chemical constituents using a simple and non-destructive procedure.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance disease resistance of Salvia miltiorrhiza to Fusarium wilt.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen in Chinese) is vulnerable to Fusarium wilt, which severely affects the quality of the crude drug. Mycorrhizal colonization enhances resistance to fungal pathogens in many plant species. In this study, pre-inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus versiforme significantly alleviated Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Mycorrhizal colonization protected S. miltiorrhiza from pathogen infection, thereby preventing a loss of biomass and photosynthesis. There were greater defense responses induced by pathogen infection in AMF pre-inoculated plants than those in non-treated plants. AMF pre-inoculation resulted in systemic responses upon pathogen inoculation, including significant increases in the protein content and activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase in S. miltiorrhiza roots. In addition, mycorrhizal pre-inoculation caused upregulation of defense-related genes, and jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway genes after pathogen infection. The above findings indicate that mycorrhizal colonization enhances S. miltiorrhiza resistance against F. oxysporum infection by enhancing photosynthesis, root structure, and inducing the expression of defense enzymes and defense-related genes on the other hand.

Challenge to the production of crude drugs by new technology “1st International Symposium on Kampo Medicine”

Challenge to the production of crude drugs by new technology “1st International Symposium on Kampo Medicine”

Traditional knowledge and diversity of medicinal plants in Hindukush range, Tehsil Mastuj, Chitral, Pakistan: An ethnobotany survey

Background: The aim of the current study was to elaborate the indigenous knowledge about the use of medicinal plants in the Hindukush range, Tehsil Mastuj, Chitral, Pakistan. The study's goal was to use quantitative ethnobotanical indices to chronicle indigenous knowledge about the treatment of various disorders, as well as to locate and describe traditional applications of medicinal plants in the area to highlight key medicinal plant species by comparing the results to previously published ethnobotanical and pharmacological data. The medicinal flora is on the verge of extinction due to overgrazing and injudicious use. Methods: We conducted interviews with residents of Mastuj. Semi-structured protocols with a free list of plants were used to collect information, as well as botanical collection and identification of mentioned plants. Use Value (UV) and Informant Agreement Ratio (IAR) were used to analyze ethnobotanical data. Results: 44 plants belonging to 25 families were identified. Of them 1 family was gymnosperm, and 24 families were angiosperms. There were 36 wild plants, 4 wild and cultivated, 3 cultivated plants. The information collected from the study area revealed that 38 plants were used for the treatment of various ailments and diseases i.e., for cough, backache, skin diseases, dysentery, eczema, diarrhea, purgative, typhoid, rheumatism, narcosis, dyspepsia, malaria, tuberculosis, bronchitis, leprosy, jaundice, vomiting, wheals, lumbago, oedema, and as vermifuge and anthelmintic. Conclusion: Local communities have kept their traditional ways of life, relying on wild and cultivated plants for food, fuel, fodder, building materials, and crude drugs. Elders and health practitioners in the study area are knowledgeable about indigenous et al. medicinal plants, whereas young people are less interested in herbal treatments. As a result, traditional knowledge ethnomedicine is on the verge of extinction. In situ and ex situ conservation measures should be implemented to ensure the preservation and long-term use of such medicinal plant species, particularly those with economic and pharmaceutical importance. Residents should be properly trained and guided in the collection, drying, storage, and preservation of medicinal plants. Keywords: Ethnobotanical indices, Extinction, Hindukush range, Indigenous knowledge, Medicinal plants.

Essential oil composition of Curcuma species and drugs from Asia analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Essential oils (EOs) comprised of various bioactive compounds have been widely detected in the Curcuma species. Due to the widespread distribution and misidentification of Curcuma species and differences in processing methods, inconsistent reports on major compounds in rhizomes of the same species from different geographical regions are not uncommon. This inconsistency leads to confusion and inaccuracy in compound detection of each species and also hinders comparative study based on EO compositions. The present study aimed to characterize EO compositions of 12 Curcuma species, as well as to detect the compositional variation among different species, and between the plant specimens and their related genetically validated crude drug samples using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The plant specimens of the same species showed similar EO patterns, regardless of introducing from different geographical sources. Based on the similarity of EO compositions, all the specimens and samples were separated into eight main groups: C. longa; C. phaeocaulis, C. aeruginosa and C. zedoaria; C. zanthorrhiza; C. aromatica and C. wenyujin; C. kwangsiensis; C. amada and C. mangga; C. petiolata; C. comosa. From EOs of all the specimens and samples, 54 major compounds were identified, and the eight groups were chemically characterized. Most of the major compounds detected in plant specimens were also observed in crude drug samples, although a few compounds converted or degraded due to processing procedures or over time. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis allowed the marker compounds to discriminate each group or each species to be identified.

Botanical Identification of Ayush - Ayurveda and Unani Drugs and its Relevance in Quality Control

India has an age-old tradition of plant based health-care in the form of Ayush-Ayurveda, and Unani Systems of medicine. Nearly eighty percent of the formulations under these systems are plant based. Almost ninety percent of the raw materials of medicinal plants used by the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) manufacturing units are sourced from the natural resources. Correct identification of a plant species is the most critical task, which demands application of knowledge and skill. The events of misidentification of the plant species, involuntary use of totally dissimilar species or by closely related inferior quality species can deter the therapeutic values and efficacy of the botanical drugs. Historically, the physician or the traditional healer was known to manage the whole supply chain, right from collection of herbs up to the preparation and dispensing of the medicine. The supply chain of crude drugs obtained from the medicinal plants has, however, become a multi-stakeholders activity, often lacks the botanical expertise to provide adequate documentation of the identification of plant materials whether wild-harvested or cultivated. The importance and different needs of plant collectors (WHO and NMPB guidelines) and manufacturers in regard to authentic botanical identification and its role in quality considerations; Quality Assurance (QA) are outlined and discussed. This review places emphasis on the importance of botanical identification, nomenclature, including its historical development and botany as a basic established discipline for valid identification of the plant origin drugs used in pharmacognostical research and quality control of the plant product.