Efficacy Of Herbal Drugs Research Articles

DNA Barcoding of the Market Samples of Single-Drug Herbal Powders Reveals Adulteration with Taxonomically Unrelated Plant Species

Herbal drugs are increasingly becoming a viable alternative to allopathic medicine. Since powdered herbal drugs are more prone to adulteration than intact plant parts, their authentication becomes essential to ensure the safety and efficacy of herbal drugs. This study authenticated 107 single-drug herbal powders, representing 65 species from 60 genera and 35 families, collected from the markets in Tamil Nadu, India. DNA barcoding using the rbcL marker revealed that 58 samples (54%) were authentic, and 49 (46%) were adulterant. About 41% of the adulterant samples were a mixture of more than one species, possibly due to unintentional cross-contamination during processing. In 59% of the adulterant samples, the authentic species was entirely substituted with taxonomically and medicinally unrelated species, 72% of which belonged to different orders and families, while 28% were from other genera. Despite the taxonomic diversity, 20% of adulterant spe, cies had a morphological resemblance to the authentic species. It is not known whether their use as adulterants is intentional. In a detailed study on DNA barcoding of 17 powder samples from Ocimum tenuiflorum, 88% of the samples were authentic. These results indicate that the extent of adulteration is not high in all the species. Approximately, 95% of the samples collected for this study were produced by companies with limited resources and expertise in the unorganized sector. Hence, training them on species identification and providing simple and cost-effective authentication tools will likely reduce adulteration in the market samples.

Nanophytomedicine in Clinical Management: An Introductory Evidence-based Review

Introduction: Herbal medicines are an important ingredient of traditional and alternative medicinal system and thus being used since ancient times. Owing to their characteristic of having lesser side effects and potential therapeutic effect they have drawn attention of pharmaceutical scientists from across the globe. Herbal medicines have now strongly captured a whooping US $62 billion market globally. Herbal medicines have been widely accepted of their potential to treat chronic diseases, low toxicity profile, cheap and wide availability etc. Methods: The Safety and efficacy of herbal drugs have played an important part in their successful commercialization. With the emergence and application of nanotechnology the bioavailability and bioactivity of herbal medicines have improved drastically. Results: Development of nano-phytomedicines by reducing their size to nano scale range, attaching it with polymers and by modifying their surface properties, solubility, permeability, eventually enhances the bioavailability of herbal formulations. Conclusion: Novel formulations like niosomes, liposomes, nanospheres, phytosomes etc. can be exploited in this area. However, novel nano-phytomedicines comes with its own pros and cons. This article extensively reviews herbal nano-medicines with its reported success and failures.

Efficacy of a herbal drug in treating bovine mastitis

Abstract. Presently, mastitis is being addressed by biologically active agents of plant origin having a bactericidal, viricidal and immune-modulating effect. In this regard, the study of the Raido drug to treat different types of mastitis in lactating cows is of a certain scientific and practical importance. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of the Raido herbal drug against serous and catarrhal mastitis in cows during the lactation period. Research methods. Mastitis was detected according to clinical observations, with the results being confirmed by the express diagnosticum Mastidinum or a quick mastitis test. The blood morphological composition in terms of erythrocyte, leucocyte and haemoglobin content was analyzed on a haematological analyzer. Milk samples were examined bacteriologically for the pathogenic microflora. Results. Treating serous and catarrhal mastitis with the Raido herbal drug increased the level of erythrocytes and haemoglobin in recovering cows, reduced their leucocyte content in the peripheral blood, and somatic cells in milk more than doubled. There were no clinical signs of the disease on the fifth day when serving serous mastitis with 5 or 7 ml of the herbal drug intercisternally. Treating catarrhal mastitis with 10 and 12 ml of the drug using the same administration method produced a similar effect on the sixth day. Thus, the optimal dose for daily interstitial administration of serous mastitis was 5 ml and 10 ml for catarrhal mastitis. A comparison of the therapeutic effects of the phytomedicines Raido and Riposol revealed higher efficacy of the daily Raido use in these dosages. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the optimal dosage of the Raido herbal drug for intercisternal administration to cows with serous and catarrhal mastitis was determined; the therapeutic effect of the Raido herbal remedy was detected; a comparative assessment of the Raido and Riposol herbal remedies' effect in the treatment of serous and catarrhal mastitis was made.

A RARE PEDIATRIC CASE OF CHRONIC ARSENIC POISONING FROM AYURVEDIC MEDICATION

Ayurveda is an indigenous system of medicine becoming more popular around the world in recent years. In various Ayurvedic formulations, the arsenical compounds are intentionally added as the main active ingredients or as an auxiliary agent to assist the efficacy of herbal drugs. The chronic arsenic poisoning following the use of Ayurvedic medication is reported rarely in the literature. This report describes a rare pediatric case of chronic arsenic poisoning from Ayurvedic medication in a 15-year-old girl. She was a known case of seizure disorder and was on treatment with Ayurvedic medication for 1 year. The generalized hyperpigmentation and thickening of soles were noticed in the girl 7 months after taking the herbal tablet. The plasma-coupled atomic absorption spectroscopy of herbal tablet was performed in a laboratory and the result showed 4.3 mg of arsenic present in each herbal tablet. The patient was advised to stop the Ayurvedic medication and as an alternate drug, tablet levetiracetam (250 mg, twice a day) was started for the treatment of seizure disorder. During the follow-up, her cutaneous manifestations improved and is doing well.

Challenges and guidelines for clinical trial of herbal drugs.

World Health Organization (WHO) has defined herbal medicines as finished labeled medicinal product that contain an active ingredient, aerial, or underground parts of the plant or other plant material or combinations. According to a report of WHO, about 80% of the world population is reported to rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Even in the developed countries, complementary or alternative medicine is gaining popularity. A report of a global survey on national policy on traditional medicine and regulation of herbal medicines indicated that about 50 countries including China, Japan, and Germany already have their national policy and laws on regulations of traditional medicines. Herbal drugs possess a long history of its use and better patient tolerance. These are cheaper and easily available in countries like India due to rich agro culture conditions. However, reckless utilization of resources threatens the sustainability of several plant species. Traditional medicines are governed by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945. In 1959, the Government of India amended the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to include drugs that are derived from traditional Indian medicine. In 1993, the guidelines for the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines developed by an expert committee directed that the procedures laid down by the office of the Drug Controller General of India for allopathic drugs should be followed for all traditional and herbal products to enter into clinical trials for any therapeutic condition. However, there are certain loop holes in the clinical trials of herbal drugs as the lack of stringent bylaws and regulations. Hence, a deep insight of important challenges and major regulatory guidelines for clinical trial of herbal drugs and botanicals is discussed in the present communication. There is lack of scientific evidence to evaluate safety and efficacy of herbal drugs. The quality of the trial drug has to be tested for batch-to-batch uniformity of the active constituents. It is very difficult to have active and control groups with identical color, smell and taste of the herbal drug, which cannot be imitated while manufacturing a placebo. These challenges can be reduced or overcome by applying most recent methodologies and guidelines for clinical trials. Since the quality control of herbal medicines is complicated and difficult, relevant and appropriate requirements should be established for the assessment of safety and efficacy for different categorized herbal medicines to reduce cost and expenditure. And, efforts should be made for the integration of traditional medicine into national healthcare systems. Different challenges and regulatory guidelines discussed for the clinical trial of herbal drugs will be useful for various industries for considering it before going ahead for clinical trial of their product.

Spectrum-Effect Relationship Between High Performance Liquid Chromatography Fingerprints and Anticoccidial Activities of a Compound Chinese Medicine

Quality control and screening of active substances in traditional Chinese medicines have been performed using fingerprint analysis. The spectrum-effect relationship between chromatography fingerprints and efficacy of herbal drugs is considered as a potentially useful method for determining active ingredients in complex mixtures. The study was designed to develop a method for determining the bioactive components of a compound Chinese medicine called Tiefeng based on spectrum-effect relationships between high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints and anticoccidial activities. Four peaks of the established HPLC fingerprint indicate the main bioactive components of this medicine. In addition, pharmacodynamic atlas was defined and used to assess the anticoccidial activity of Tiefeng from different sources for the first time. We found that the level of anticoccidial activity of Tiefeng was consistent with the degree of similarity between the pharmacodynamic atlas and chromatogram of any sample. Furthermore, effect of this medicine was related with the main active constituents, along with the origin and the harvesting time.

Efficacy of Herbal Drugs in Human Diseases and Disorders

According to a ballpark figure by World Health Organization, more than three-quarters of population of the developing nations exploit herbal medicine for their primary health care. Herbal drugs and their constituents have advantageous effects on long-term fitness and can be used to efficiently treat human diseases or disorders. In veracity, herbs frequently include various active ingredients that imaginably have drug allying commotion in the body. Bringing into play, herbs are often more affordable than procuring expensive contemporary pharmaceuticals to take care of ailments. A large number of herbs have proved their usefulness in managing various illnesses. Latest advances in biology and medicine have introduced new technologies to study the biological significance of herbal drugs in various human diseases and disorders. Hence it is important to understand the mechanism(s) of herbal drug action for the knowledge and development of successful therapies. The current special issue brings together several exciting papers defining the efficacy of herbal drugs in an assortment of human diseases and disorders. J. Li et al. have tested the effects and mechanism of Bufei Yishen formula (BYF) in a rat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) model and provided the basis for mechanisms of BYF on COPD and new therapeutic drug targets. X. Yu et al. have reported the treatment of Si-Jun-Zi decoction, a famous Chinese medicine that promotes the restoration of intestinal function after obstruction by regulating intestinal homeostasis. Tong xinluo (TXL), a Chinese herbal compound, has been used in China with traditional therapeutic efficacy in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). N. Zhang et al. demonstrated that TXL successfully inhibits TGF-β1-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in DN, which may account for the therapeutic efficacy in TXL-mediated renal protection. W. Zhang et al. explored the effects of Jian-Pi-Zhi-Dong decoction (JPZDD) on Tourette syndrome (TS) by investigating the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its type A receptor (GABAAR) in the striatum of a TS mice model induced by 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) treatment. It was revealed that JPZDD alleviates TS symptoms which may be associated with GABAAR expression downregulation in striatum thereby controlling GABA metabolism. TZQ-F has been traditionally used as a traditional Chinese medicine formula for the treatment of diabetes. H. Yuhong et al. compared the pharmacologic effects and gastrointestinal adverse events between TZQ-F and acarbose in Chinese healthy volunteers. T. Numata et al. reported the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using the traditional Japanese herbal medicine Saikokeishikankyoto in survivors of the great east Japan earthquake and tsunami. The traditional medicine may be a valid choice for the treatment of psychological and physical symptoms in PTSD patients. Y. Ewnetu et al. evaluated the synergetic antimicrobial effect of Ethiopian honey and ginger powder extract mixtures on standard and resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The combination has the potential to serve as cheap source of antibacterial agents especially for the drug resistant strains. Herbs are now gaining much attention as the main source of effective drugs for lowering serum lipids and lipid peroxidation. M. Rafieian-kopaei et al. assessed the impact of Ferulago angulata on serum lipid profiles and on levels of lipid peroxidation in male Wistar rats. Administration of a hydroalcoholic extract reduces the serum levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL comparable to atorvastatin (a standard lipid lowering drug). A-J. Lee et al. investigated the absolute counts and percentages of peripheral blood (PB) lymphocyte subtypes in end-stage cancer patients before and after localized radiotherapy (RT) and after oral administration of Bojungikki-tang water extract (BJITE) and to evaluate the changes mediated by RT and BJITE. It was observed that immune deterioration occurs after RT and administration of BJITE was found effective in its restoration. T. Shimizu provides a good overview of efficacy of Kampo medicine (KM) in treating atopic dermatitis (AD). KM is a traditional herbal medicine in Japan and has a long history and plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of various diseases including AD. Y. Ma et al. explored the efficacy of herb-partitioned moxibustion in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (DPIBS) and suggest it as a promising, efficacious, and well-tolerated treatment for patients. Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract containing transresveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) and other derivatives exerts diverse beneficial effects. H. Konno et al. reported melinjo seed extract decreases serum uric acid levels in nonobese Japanese males regardless of insulin resistance and may improve lipid metabolism by increasing HDL cholesterol. We anticipate that readers and scientific fraternity working in the area of herbal drugs will find not only the updated review on the subject but also a compilation of precise data on the efficacy of herbal drugs in some lifestyle diseases and disorders with their suggested mechanism of action. Suaib Luqman Syed Ibrahim Rizvi Andre-Michael Beer Sunil Kumar Khare Pinar Atukeren

Comparative efficacy of herbal and allopathy drugs against coccidiosis in poultry

For this study, 240 one-day-old broiler chicken were used to test the anti-coccidial efficacy of a herbal drug Coxigon® compared with a chemical synthetic Diclazuril® against Coccidiosis in broilers. These birds were divided into six groups (A, B, C, D, E, F) of forty birds each. There were six treatments, non-infected non-medicated (A), infected non-medicated (B), infected and medicated with Coxigon® at 3 g/1 kg of feed (C) infected and medicated with Diclazuril® at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed (D), non-infected but treated with Coxigon® at 3 g/50 kg of feed (E), and non-infected but treated with Diclazuril® (F) at 0.20 g/1 kg of feed. Groups B, C, and D were given a challenge dose of coccidial oocysts at the age of 22 days. Weight gain, feed consumption, oocysts count in the faeces, clinical findings and mortality were recorded. The mean values of birds feed intake during experimental period (0–6 weeks) were 3770.4, 3206.5, 3493.3, 3333.3, 3751.5 and 3764.1 g for the groups A, B, C, D, E and F, respectively. The results revealed that the birds of group E had better (P<0.05) weight gain (g) as compared to other groups. Moreover, Coxigon® at 3 g/1 kg of feed (C) had excellent performance in terms of oocysts count (31700/g feaces) and lower mortality as compared with Diclazuril® (D).

Phytotherapy and Classical Medicine

The place of phytotherapy in medical science is discussed, particularly in relation to European legislation. Due to numerous clinical and/or experimental studies on the efficacy of herbal drugs, phytotherapy has increased in scientific significance. In Germany, phytotherapy will in the near future be re-evaluated at the university level as a result of the 7th decree on the amendment of the rules of approbation of physicians. Beginning in 1993, phytotherapy is included in the 2nd part of the German medical examination. The attitude of German physicians in prescribing phytopharmaceuticals differs to a large extent from colleagues in other countries of the European community. In Germany, physicians with a background in naturopathy and about 70 percent of the general practitioners prefer to prescribe phytopharmaceuticals. An important reason for the acceptance of phytotherapy by many physicians in Germany has been the compilation of scientifically supported Drug Monographs of the Interdisciplinary Expert Comm...