Indian Medicinal Plants Research Articles

IN-VITRO ANTI-CANCER POTENTIAL OF WHOLE PLANT OFLANTANA CAMARA EXTRACT USING HELA CELLS LINE

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the anticancer property of Lantana Camara on HeLacells. Material and Methods: Using ethnomedical datasubmission , the Indian medicinal plant(L.Camara) which are used in traditional medicine for cancer diseases were collected. The crude extracts was prepared by ethanolic extraction methods using standard protocols. The anticancer effects on alcoholic extracts of Lantana Camaraplants functioning a proliferation of cancerous cell lines, which are HeLa cell lines. Which make use of cytotoxicity assay, an cell viability, OD value and the IC50 of L.camarawas determined. This extracts sign influential for the treatment of cervical cancer. Results: The ethanolic extract of L.camaraexhibit good cytotoxicity for-which concentration dependent. It repose contrasting ,incase of ethanolic extracts, the cell viability was begin to increase while the concentration of extract increases. It states that not just the concentration of extract is experience the effect on cell viability, even the methods and solvents of extraction are chief in make aneffects on cell line. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of L.camarareveal the cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells for which the plants used as anticancer herbal drugs, our outcome shows a cytotoxic activity on cancer cells.

The factors affecting optimisation of phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Indian medicinal plant species and their biological applications: A review

Recently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) hold a centre stage in the vast arena of research in nanomedicine. Biological methods of synthesis of nanoparticles are being adopted to avoid the use of chemicals that are toxic and hazardous and used in chemical synthetic methods. The choice of the plant extracts used for the synthesis of AgNPs is based on their phytochemicals and pharmaceutical properties. Another importance of the phytosynthesis method is that it is simple, easy, fast, reliable and cost effective. The phytochemical components of the herbal extracts not only cause reduction of Ag+1 to Ag0, but also increase the biological activities of the nanoparticles. This article briefly describes the research on green synthesis of AgNPs using Indian medicinal plant extracts. We aim to provide a systemic depth of information regarding the effect of various reaction factors during the synthesis of AgNPs such as the concentration of silver salt and phytoextract, light intensity, time, temperature, pH of the reaction mixture. The characterizations of nanoparticles are done by X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet- visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential analysis. The phytochemicals and pharmaceutical activities present in the plant extracts are also reported here. The articles from 2011 to 2022 were selected and studied in detail to get in-depth knowledge about the phytosynthesis of AgNPs and their biological activities.

Screening of potential phytomolecules against MurG as drug target in nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa: perceptions from computational campaign

The nosocomial infection outbreak caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains a public health concern. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains of P. aeruginosa are rapidly spreading leading to a huge mortality rate because of the unavailability of promising antimicrobials. MurG glycotransferase [UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-N-acetylmuramyl (pentapeptide) pyrophosphoryl-undecaprenol N-acetylglucosamine transferase] is located at the plasma membrane and plays a key role in murein (peptidoglycan) biosynthesis in bacteria. Since MurG is required for bacterial cell wall synthesis and is non-homologous to Homo sapiens; it can be a potential target for the antagonist to treat P. aeruginosa infection. The discovery of high-resolution crystal structure of P. aeruginosa MurG offers an opportunity for the computational identification of its prospective inhibitors. Therefore, in the present study, the crystal structure of MurG (PDB ID: 3S2U) from P. aeruginosa was selected, and computational docking analyses were performed to search for functional inhibitors of MurG. IMPPAT (Indian medicinal plants, phytochemicals and therapeutic) phytomolecule database was screened by computational methods with MurG catalytic site. Docking results identified Theobromine (−8.881 kcal/mol), demethoxycurcumin (−8.850 kcal/mol), 2-alpha-hydroxycostic acid (−8.791 kcal/mol), aurantiamide (−8.779 kcal/mol) and petasiphenol (−8.685 kcal/mol) as a potential inhibitor of the MurG activity. Further, theobromine and demethoxycurcumin were subjected to MDS (molecular dynamics simulation) and free energy (MM/GBSA) analysis to comprehend the physiological state and structural stability of MurG-phytomolecules complexes. The outcomes suggested that these two phytomolecules could act as most favorable natural hit compounds for impeding the enzymatic action of MurG in P. aeruginosa, and thus it needs further validation by both in vitro and in vivo analysis. HIGHLIGHTS The top phytomolecules such as theobromine, demethoxycurcumin, 2-alpha-hydroxycostic acid, aurantiamide and petasiphenol displayed promising binding with MurG catalytic domain. MurG complexed with theobromine and demethoxycurcumin showed the best interaction and stable by MD simulation at 100 ns. The outcome of MurG binding phytomolecules has expanded the possibility of hit phytomolecules validation. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Large-scale computational screening of Indian medicinal plants reveals Cassia angustifolia to be a potentially anti-diabetic

Researchers are investigating the medicinal properties of herbal plants throughout the world, which often leads to the discovery of novel plants and their chemicals for prophylactic needs of humans. Natural phytochemicals continue to be sought as alternative treatments for various diseases because of their non-toxic and therapeutic properties. In recent years, computational phytochemistry has enabled large-scale screening of phytochemicals, enabling researchers to pursue a wide range of therapeutic research alternatives to traditional ethnopharmacology. We propose to identify an anti-diabetic plant by computational screening on Indian herbal plants in conjunction with experimental characterization and biological validation. The methodology involves the creation of an in-house Indian herbal plant database. Molecular docking is used to screen against alpha amylase for anti-diabetic prophylaxis. Cassia angustifolia was chosen because its phytochemicals are able to bind to alpha amylase. Plants were experimentally extracted, botanically studied and their biological activity was evaluated. Further, the use of molecular dynamics was then applied to pinpoint the phytochemicals responsible for the affinity of alpha amylase. Results in the phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed strong presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. Moreover, alpha amylase biological activity with C. angustifolia extracts of chloroform, hexane and ethyl acetate demonstrated activity of 3.26, 8.01 and 30.33 µg/ml validating computational predictions. In conclusion, this study developed, validated computational predictions of identifying potential anti-diabetic plants ‘Cassia angustifolia’ from house herbal databases. Hope this study shall inspire explore plant therapeutic repurposing using computational methods of drug discovery. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of Argemone mexicana Linn – An Indian medicinal plant

Argemone mexicana (Mexicana poppy) it is commonly known as “Satyanasi or bhatkatiya” belonging to the family papaveraceae of 44 genera and about 760 species of flowering plant which is used in several traditional medicines to cure various ailments all over the world. The plants consist of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, long-chain aliphatic alcohol, amino acids, carboxylic acid, steroids, carbohydrates and phenolics. Pharmacological studies performed on the plant revealed that the plant tends to posses antioxidant, wound healing activity, antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, larvicidal and chemosterilant activity. The present article gives detailed information on its phytochemical and pharmacological properties and its ethno medicinal uses about the plant which would be helpful for the researchers for the future investigation.

Evaluation of Immunomodulatory Effect of Aqueous Extract of Bauhinia variegata L. Leaves

Abstract: Natural products have the potential to modulate the immunity of human beings either by stimulating or depressing it and the approach was being used over time by medicinal practitioners to treat ailments. This present study was planned to ascertain the immunomodulating potential of one of the Indian traditional medicinal plants Bauhinia variegata L. The aqueous extract of powdered leaves of Bauhinia variegata L. was prepared by using the decoction method and the extract was then dried and made free from solvent. The extract of Bauhinia variegata L. (BVAE) was screened for immunomodulating activity by hemagglutination reaction for humoral and delayed-type hypersensitivity study for cellular immune responses. The sheep RBC (5X109 cells/ mL) was used as antigen and levamisole was used as the standard drug in both studies. The extract of plant material (BVAE) showed a dose-dependent response in these studies. BVAE at 400 mg/ kg dose among all the doses of plant material showed significantly (p<0.05) high antibody titer 7.13±0.17) in humoral immune response and potential delayed-type hypersensitivity response (0.96±0.06) in the cellular immune study. Whereas, the standard drug levamisole showed the most significant (p<0.01) higher antibody titer (7.87±0.19) and delayed-type hypersensitivity response (1.24±0.04). Though the standard drug showed a better response the plant material also showed the potential immunomodulatory effect in the present study. Hence, the findings of this study proposed the immunomodulatory effect of the aqueous extract of Bauhinia variegata L., and 400 mg/kg dose of the extract was found to be potent among other doses. Keywords: Bauhinia variegata, Cellular immune response, Haemagglutination, Humoral study, Immunomodulation.

Anti Mtb Medicinal Plants Database (AMMPDB): A curated database of Indian anti-tubercular medicinal plants

The utilization of medicinal plants for their therapeutic properties has long been a key component of Indian culture. Unique medicinal characteristics can be found in the phytochemicals that are extracted from these plants. Globally, tuberculosis (TB) burden and management are challenged due to the emergence of new resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This highlights the importance of new drug molecules from diverse sources as well as their innovative management options. In this context, the present study formulated an Anti Mtb medicinal plant database (AMMPDB Ver. 1.1), a manually curated database of native Indian medicinal plants that reported anti-tubercular (anti-TB) activities and their potential therapeutic phytochemicals. This is the first-ever freely accessible digital repository. The current version of the database provides users, with information regarding 118 native Indian anti-tubercular medicinal plants and their 3374 phytochemicals. The database provides the following information: Taxonomical ID, botanical description, vernacular names, conservation status, geographical distribution maps, IC-50 value, phytochemical details which include - name, Compound ID, Synonyms, location in plant part, 2D, 3D structures (as per the availability), and their medicinal uses reported in the literature. The tools section of the database is equipped with sequentially catalogued and hyperlinked open-access tools utilized for computational drug designing. A case study has been incorporated under the contributors section to validate the tools section and the phytochemicals of the database. AMMPDB Ver 1.1 will be serviceable to research in computational drug designing and discovery with effectiveness and ease.Database URL: https://www.ammpdb.com/

Linking marketing imperfections to sustainable entrepreneurial prospects and sustainability: the case of Indian medicinal and aromatic plants businesses

Purpose Drawing on the extant literature that suggests marketing imperfections are an opportunity to create and establish a foundation for sustainable entrepreneurial prospects and sustainability, this study aims to delineate a marketing mix strategy for Indian medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) resources to optimize the benefits derived from their existing MAP business and address its marketing imperfections. Design/methodology/approach A case study research design was used to investigate the MAP sector, and 37 in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the primary data. Given the study’s exploratory nature, an inductive approach was used for data analysis, and conventional qualitative content analysis was performed to analyze the data. Findings The findings reveal that a marketing mix strategy is relevant for linking MAP businesses to the country’s sustainable livelihood options, entrepreneurial prospects, resource management and the economy and for improving the sector’s global competitive position. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to explore and present a marketing mix strategy for Indian MAP resources. Thus, it extends the marketing and entrepreneurship literature regarding natural resource businesses to advance sustainable entrepreneurial prospects and sustainability. The study concludes by offering strategic clues for implementing the marketing mix strategy in the Indian MAP sector and businesses.

IMPPAT 2.0: An Enhanced and Expanded Phytochemical Atlas of Indian Medicinal Plants.

Compilation, curation, digitization, and exploration of the phytochemical space of Indian medicinal plants can expedite ongoing efforts toward natural product and traditional knowledge based drug discovery. To this end, we present IMPPAT 2.0, an enhanced and expanded database compiling manually curated information on 4010 Indian medicinal plants, 17,967 phytochemicals, and 1095 therapeutic uses. Notably, IMPPAT 2.0 compiles associations at the level of plant parts and provides a FAIR-compliant nonredundant in silico stereo-aware library of 17,967 phytochemicals from Indian medicinal plants. The phytochemical library has been annotated with several useful properties to enable easier exploration of the chemical space. We have also filtered a subset of 1335 drug-like phytochemicals of which majority have no similarity to existing approved drugs. Using cheminformatics, we have characterized the molecular complexity and molecular scaffold based structural diversity of the phytochemical space of Indian medicinal plants and performed a comparative analysis with other chemical libraries. Altogether, IMPPAT 2.0 is a manually curated extensive phytochemical atlas of Indian medicinal plants that is accessible at https://cb.imsc.res.in/imppat/.

Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser (Rubiaceae) extracts: promising prospects for anticancer and antibacterial potential through in vitro and in silico studies

Neolamarckia cadamba is an Indian traditional medicinal plant having various therapeutic potentials. In the present study, we did solvent-based extraction of Neolamarckia cadamba leaves. The extracted samples were screened against liver cancer cell line (HepG2) and bacteria (Escherichia coli). MTT cytotoxic assay was performed for in vitro analysis of extracted samples against the HepG2 cell lines and the normal human prostate PNT2 cell line. Chloroform extract of Neolamarckia cadamba leaves showed better activity with IC50 value 69μg/ml. DH5α strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was cultured in Luria Bertani (LB) broth media and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were calculated. Solvent extract chloroform showed better activity in MTT analysis and antibacterial screening and it was taken for characterization of phytocomposition by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The identified phytoconstituents were docked with potential targets of liver cancer and E. coli. The phytochemical 1-(5-Hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-5-methyl-1H-pyrimidine-2,4-dione shows highest docking score against the targets PDGFRA (PDB ID: 6JOL) and Beta-ketoacyl synthase 1(PDB ID: 1FJ4) and their stability was further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation studies.

Therapeutic potential of Indian medicinal plants against Leishmania donovani: a review

A prevalent medical condition in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, Leishmaniasis; due to the unavailability of effective drugs, caters the need for its eradication and therapeutic control. Modern-day pentavalent antimonials such as Sodium Stibogluconate, Miltefosine used for disease treatment are costly and have low efficacy, apart from triggering severe side effects after prolonged treatment. Plants offer active natural components that have miraculous medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, antimalarial, and even antileishmanial. In this review, research articles on Indian medicinal plants effective against visceral leishmaniasis causal organism, Leishmania donovani, from several renowned domains from 1900s to 20th century were thoroughly studied and the results discussed. Among the 16 plant families from over 50 articles, Piperaceae has been found to treasure plant species with potent leishmanicidal chemical constituents, followed by Meliaceae. The review highlights the plant derived biologically active extracts, essential oils, and isolated compounds effective against the parasite both in vitro and in vivo. While Plumbago zeylanica was found to be the most effective in vitro, momordicatin from Momordica charantia lead to 100% parasite clearance at 10 mg/kg body weight dosage in infected hamsters. The course of study revealed that apart from directly inhibiting parasite growth, plant extracts also led to phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation, cell cycle arrest and a significant increase in ROS and pro- inflammatory cytokines expression as well. This article can be further utilized for the selection of naturally derived drugs for clinical trials and their successful use as effective anti-leishmanial medicines.

Status of Indian Medicinal Plants in Terms of Antibacterial Activity (In vitro): A Review of Literature

In present article, authors have reviewed status of Indian medicinal plants in term of their antibacterial properties (2011-2020). This paper provides general information about names of plants, areas of collection, their family, parts used and solvents used during their extraction. An overview of bacterial strains, methods and standards used for antibacterial activity has also been discussed.

Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV2 Mediated Depression, Therapeutics, and Consequences: A Comprehensive Narrative.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to emerging and reemerging diseases, which was first identified and reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was similar to the SARS virus, a β-coronavirus. The epidemiological studies suggest that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 mainly occurs from an infected person to others through close contact with the respiratory droplets or by having contact with SARS-CoV-2 adhering to objects and surfaces. The incubation period ranges from 5 to14 days. The symptoms include fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches, chest pain, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, headache, difficulty in breathing or short breath, loss of taste, smell, rashes on the skin, and sore throat. Some reports indicated that males exhibited lower scores than females, the younger populations displayed increased symptoms, Chinese/Taiwanese people registered only scarce symptoms, and Canadians experienced more symptoms. The results of several studies suggested that while COVID-19 had a significant effect on depression, job instability affected anxiety and depression. The diagnostics to detect the presence of coronavirus involve ELISA and RT-PCR. There is no specific treatment available to eradicate COVID-19. The therapeutics used to treat COVID 19 exhibited severe side effects. Recently, some Indian traditional medicinal plants have shown promise in reducing the risk of viral infection and also boosting the immunity of an individual. This paper presents an overview of the current status of depression in the SARS CoV2 infected people and the measures required to overcome COVID-19 induced depression in patients even after recovery.

Withaferin A: A Pleiotropic Anticancer Agent from the Indian Medicinal Plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.

Cancer represents the second most deadly disease and one of the most important public health concerns worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immune therapy are the major types of treatment strategies that have been implemented in cancer treatment. Unfortunately, these treatment options suffer from major limitations, such as drug-resistance and adverse effects, which may eventually result in disease recurrence. Many phytochemicals have been investigated for their antitumor efficacy in preclinical models and clinical studies to discover newer therapeutic agents with fewer adverse effects. Withaferin A, a natural bioactive molecule isolated from the Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, has been reported to impart anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines and preclinical cancer models by modulating the expression and activity of different oncogenic proteins. In this article, we have comprehensively discussed the biosynthesis of withaferin A as well as its antineoplastic activities and mode-of-action in in vitro and in vivo settings. We have also reviewed the effect of withaferin A on the expression of miRNAs, its combinational effect with other cytotoxic agents, withaferin A-based formulations, safety and toxicity profiles, and its clinical potential.

Role of herbal medicines in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Herbal medicines have helped to cure illness because the practice has continued for generations. Multiple alkaloids/compounds that occur naturally (as against single extracts) exhibit synergistic actions such as antiviral, antibacterial, anti-protozoal, and antioxidant. The cases related to viral, protozoal, and bacterial infections were selected. Patients with amoebiasis, E-coli, gastrointestinal infection, skin and urinary tract infections were treated using herbal drugs. Diagnoses were confirmed with investigations. Due to their cost effectiveness, these medicines are in great demand for primary health care with cultural acceptability and minimal side effects. The aim of the reported study is to show the actual use of Indian medicinal plants used for the treatment of various types of infectious diseases. Cases varying from COVID 19 to gastrointestinal infection, viral diseases, skin and wound infections are being treated effectively with herbal drugs.

EXPLORING THE PHARMACOLOGICAL MECHANISM OF NARINGENIN AND ITS DERIVATIVES AGAINST RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS USING NETWORK PHARMACOLOGY AND MOLECULAR DOCKING TECHNIQUES

Objective: Flavonoids like Naringenin (NR), which have potent anti-inflammatory effects, are crucial in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study investigates the potential pharmacological mechanism of NR and its derivatives in the treatment of RA. Methods: The current study’s purpose was to employ computational methodologies to evaluate the efficiency of several NR phytochemicals against RA. The Indian medicinal plants, Phytochemistry and therapeutics and DrugBank database is used to retrieve potential ligands. While, known target proteins associated with RA were retrieved through the GeneCards database and predicted target proteins related to NR were screened through the STITCH database. STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment involved in targets were performed by the ShinyGo 0.76.3 database. The BIOVIA Discovery Studio Visualizer and the virtual screening tool PyRx were used to systematically perform molecular docking. To assess their compatibility with the RA, the top 6 phytocompounds from NR were selected. The pharmacological evaluation of the ligands was carried out using ADMET filters. Results: The phytocompounds 4’-Hydroxyflavanone and Sakuranetin from the NR derivatives were discovered to be the most potent antagonistic for the protein tumor protein P53 and interleukin-10 protein. Conclusion: Ligands 4’-Hydroxyflavanone and Sakuranetin are deserving candidates for the suppression of inflammation of RA due to their strong affinity for the protein.

MOLECULAR DOCKING AND INTERACTION OF COUMARIN DERIVATIVES AS INHIBITORS OF GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTORS

Objective: Cancer is the largest cause of mortality in the globe, accounting for over 10 million deaths in 2020, or roughly one in every six. Because growth factor receptors are involved in the pathophysiology of the disease in several ways, human epidermal growth factors (HER-2 and HER-3) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3) might be as considered therapeutic targets. Coumarins and derivatives were chosen for this study to investigate their pharmacological characteristics and therapeutic effect against the targeted proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of different cancers. Methods: In this work, 50 coumarins and their derivatives were chosen to assess their binding affinity with the targeted proteins (HER-2, HER-3, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3). PyRx, a virtual tool, was utilized to perform molecular docking. The investigation was carried out computationally, with data and molecular structures of the phytocompounds and proteins derived from Indian medicinal plants, phytochemistry, and therapeutics, as well as PubChem. The protein structure was validated using a variety of tools, including Protein Data Bank sum generate and BIOVIA discovery studio software. The pharmacological assessment of the ligands was carried out using ADMET filters. Results: According to the results of molecular docking, the ligands Glycycoumarin, Mutisifurocoumarin, Thunberginol A, Pervilleanine, Licocoumarin A, and Murrayacoumarin C had the lowest binding affinity toward the four targeted proteins. Conclusion: Since these compounds are effective against the growth factor receptors implicated in cancer pathogenesis, they could be a suitable candidate for cancer management and suppression. However, in vitro research is still required to support these findings.

Acute toxicity study of hydroalcoholic extract of two Indian medicinal plants Alternanthera ficoidea and Ludwigia octovalvis

Background: The ethano-pharmacological survey on two Indian medicinal plants Alternanthera ficoidea and Ludwigia octovalvis revels that both plants are biologically potential and effective in the management of various diseases. Despite the both the plants as whole are used traditionally by the local people in Indian subcontinent but the toxicity studies on whole plant extract of both plant has not explored scientifically. Objective: The toxicity study was designed to explore the toxicity potential associated to hydroalcoholic extract of whole plant of Alternanthera ficoidea and Ludwigia octovalvis according OECD guidelines. Material and methods: Healthy Charles Foster albino female rats of 8-12 weeks’ old were divided in 3 groups. Group I, group II, and group III received vehicle (0.5% CMC, p.o., single dose), hydroalcoholic extract of whole plant of Alternanthera ficoidea (HAF) (Single dose of 2000 mg/kg, given orally), and hydroalcoholic extract of whole plant of Ludwigia octovalvis (HLO) (Single dose of 2000 mg/kg, given orally), respectively. After 14 days, all rats were anesthetized with chloroform and blood were collected by retro-orbital capillary puncture for the study of haematological and biochemical parameters. After blood collection, rats were sacrificed; organs were carefully collected, weighted and examined for changes. Results: The acute toxicity study on Charles foster female rats showed that there was no sign and symptoms of toxicity were seen in rats of all group. Haematological parameters, biochemical parameters and histopathological architectures of various organs of treated groups were found to be non-significant and normal in range when compared with normal control groups. Conclusion: The study found that no mortality occurred at a dosage of 2 g/kg of HAF and HLO, and it came to the conclusion that the IC50 of HAF and HLO was higher than that level.

Indian medicinal plants are effective in the treatment and management of COVID-19

Indian medicinal plants are referred to as the “nectar of life” owing to their phytochemicals and bioactive complexes that are beneficial in treating diseases. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health issue without any proper medication. The indigenous plants of India can be exploited to control the precise signs of SARS-CoV-2. The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) has advised routine usage of medicinal plants for COVID-19. Medicinal plants like Zingiber officinalis, Azadirachta indica, Ocimum sanctum, Nigella sativa, Withania somnifera, Curcuma longa, Piper nigrum, Allium sativum, Tinospora cordifolia, etc. have immunity-boosting, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that can suppress and treat symptoms of COVID-19. In vitro, in vivo as well as in silico validation, these phytochemicals can help us to manage and treat COVID-19 disease. This integration of traditional knowledge in the prophylaxis of corona infection and current skills validating it for the development of precise and powerful therapeutic approaches will more efficiently resolve different clinical aspects of COVID-19. The review focuses on both traditional and emergent methods to prevent and treat COVID-19 with various Indian medicinal plants along with their phytochemicals.

Demand and Supply Situation for Medicinal Plants

From 2020 to 2015, it was predicted that the demand for medicinal plants in India will increase at an annual pace of between 17 and 23 percent to meet the needs of both domestic and international consumers. Small-scale farmers stand to gain financially and economically from a well-organized medicinal plant production and administration system. Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha are the three main Indian medical traditions, and together they are expected to bring in more than $500 million annually. In 2015, the gap between demand and supply of MAPs was predicted to be between 50,000 and 250,000 tons. In 2020, this hole was predicted to grow from 250,000 to 500,000 metric tons. Modified accelerated production (MAP) industries provide labor opportunities in economically depressed states, raising the standard of living and tax base of the area.