Single Herb Research Articles

Traditional Chinese medicine use in patients with oral cancer: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study in Taiwan.

Oral cancer is frequently associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel quid chewing, which are common harmful behaviors observed in certain cohorts of the Taiwanese population. Some reports have explored the potential therapeutic effect of certain herbal remedies on cancer treatments and the outcomes thereof. However, supportive evidence regarding the specific use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in oral cancer treatment is lacking and deserves further investigation. This study measured the use of TCM therapies for oral cancer in a Taiwanese population-based retrospective longitudinal cohort study. The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was utilized to conduct this study. The study population was limited to oral cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2009, which were followed up for at least 5 years. Therapeutic strategies investigated included acupuncture and the Chinese herbs and formula used. Additionally, the frequency of TCM treatment visits, total medical costs, and all-cause mortality were also analyzed. Between 2000 and 2009, a total of 951 patients were diagnosed with various oral cancers. 13.7% of the diagnosed patients utilized TCM treatment measures. The majority of the patients were males. The top 3 common single herbs used were Xuán shēn (Radix Scrophulariae), Shí hú (Herba Dendrobii), and Mài mén dōng (Ophiopogon Japonicus). Then, Gān lù yǐn, Zhī bǎi dì huáng wán, and Sàn zhǒng kuì jiān tāng were the most frequently used herbal formulas. The survival probability was higher in TCM users when compared to non-TCM users in 5- and 12-year all-cause mortality (P < .05). This study explored the use of TCM therapies in oral cancer patients and identified essential information regarding the specifics of conventional herbal medicine used, affiliated medical costs, survival probability, and common symptoms observed in Taiwanese oral cancer patients.

Uncovering the Anticancer Potential of Phytomedicine and Polyherbal’s Synergism against Cancer – A Review

Cancer is a dreadful disease; many researchers successfully aimed to find a strategy to successfully eliminate cancer with minimal side effects. Herbal medicine allows us to attain sickness relief while avoiding side effects. Several herbal compounds have been discovered to have an anti-cancer effect by inducing apoptosis, antioxidant activity, and inhibiting, activating cancer-causing, and suppressing genes and proteins. The existence of active phytochemicals that treat a variety of ailments contributes to medicinal plants' pharmacological efficacy. Since commonly used modern chemical treatments for cancer possess severe side effects, identifying an alternative treatment with fewer side effects and effective illness relief is critical. This review reveals that aromatic phytocompounds account for 90 percent of anti-cancer action with most terpenoids and phenolics. Each anti-cancer phytocompound works in a distinct way to stop cancer from spreading. Polyherbal formulations are more effective than single herbs at expressing anti-cancer and other activities because they can act on multiple targets simultaneously, have multiple mechanisms for a single ailment, inhibit disease resistance development and enhance treatment activity through synergism. When using synergic herbal substances in the right ratio, a polyherbal formulated medicine can be used as a commercial drug following successful clinical trials for cancer therapy.

Metabolism-involved drug interactions with traditional Chinese medicines in cardiovascular diseases

Herbal medicines have been widely used for the past millennia. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a major modality in Chinese medical care and has garnered global attention owing to its pharmacological effects and multi-targeted actions. The increased incidence of sequential or concurrent use of herbs and drugs in patients forces us to consider herb-drug interactions (HDIs) in this modern era. One of the main causes of HDIs is modulation of drug metabolism, in which cytochrome P450 (CYP), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), and transporters play primary roles. In this review, we focus on in vivo studies of HDIs, particularly in the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is currently the leading cause of disease-related mortality worldwide. A total of 55 HDIs are summarized, and their potential underlying mechanisms are examined. The pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of three single herbs (Danshen, Ginseng, and Ginkgo) and four compound prescriptions (Shenmai injection, Shengmai-San, Shu-Jing-Hwo-Shiee-Tang, and Wu-Chu-Yu-Tang) are discussed. Due to the complex compositions and PK/PD profiles of TCMs, the determinants of significant HDIs have been listed to further define the pros and cons of HDIs in medical care.

Kadukkai- Terminalia chebula Retz. (Elixir of Rejuvenation) – A Gift of Siddha Medicine

Aim: Natural products which are gradually gaining importance because of its medicinal value in clinical research due to their well-known property of fewer or no side effects as compared to synthetic drugs. World Health Organization also advised the general public to focus on enhancing their immune system to prevent from getting affected by pandemic diseases.&#x0D; Methodology: In the traditional Siddha system of Medicine, there is a concept known as, ‘Yegha Mooligai Prayogam’ (Yega – single, Mooligai – herb, and Prayogam – application) which deals with single herb and their clinical application. Polyherbal formulation were consisting of herbs, metals, and minerals but, single herb therapy is safe, convenient and economical. The concept of Single herb as a therapeutic agent is widely recognized nowadays. Kadukkai (Terminalia chebula Retz., Family: Combretaceae) possesses a great therapeutic value and it is widely distributed in all over the India. Siddha Kayakarpam (rejuvenation) therapy has been traditionally used in India for its immunomodulatory and adaptogenic effects and more recently has been included as a therapeutic adjuvant for several maladies. Amongst several other herbs, Kadukkai plays an important role in Kayakarpam therapy which balances the three bodily humors (Vatham, Pitham, and Kabam) or doshas that are the main reasons for illness. Kadukkai properties are known to support healthy bowel movements and gut health. Nowadays modern science also recognizes the gut as “the second brain” -perhaps the ancients recognized the relationship between a healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract and clarity of mind.&#x0D; Conclusion: Thereby, the single herb Kadukkai finds a special place, which has been compared as superior to the nursing mother. This study concluded that the consumption of Kadukkai in a certain way with various adjuvant in respective seasons will boost our immunity and helps to prevent diseases.

Encapsulation of Frankincense Essential Oil by Microfluidic and Bulk Approaches: A Comparative Study

Herbs and hand-made herbal remedies have been long used for disease control, treatment, and health improvement. Evidence suggests that a single herb’s compounds can have synergistic functions with probably no adverse effect. Unfortunately, the traditional administration of essential oil (EO) does not follow a regulatory dose regimen, causing reduced bioavailability due to EO evaporation or denaturation in harsh biological environments. Hence, encapsulation can help enhance EO stability and dose dependence. Here, chitosan nanoparticles (ChNPs) were used to encapsulate frankincense essential oil (FEO) to preserve its remarkable therapeutic effects. Also, traditional bulk preparation methods were compared with microfluidic with central aqueous stream configuration (CAS). The results indicated the higher quality of microfluidic-based nanoparticles with uniform, spherical, and separated morphologies. The size of bulk and microfluidic nanoparticles ranged from 86 to 118 nm, the surface charge varied from 12.5 to 19.5 for different amounts of FEO, and the as-prepared colloid remained stable for three days. Narrow size distribution (PDI≤0.28) and high encapsulation efficiency (EE≤99 %) were achieved using the microfluidic process compared to the bulk method (PDI=0.74, EE≤90 %). The microfluidic nanoparticle also indicated a burst release rate greater than the bulk method (≤30 %). It was concluded that the high-performance microfluidic approach provided higher quality and more control over nanoparticle properties.

Deciphering the combination mechanisms of Gualou-Xiebai herb pair against atherosclerosis by network pharmacology and HPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology.

Introduction: Gualou (Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim)–Xiebai (Allium macrostemon Bunge) (GLXB) is a well-known herb pair against atherosclerosis (AS). However, the combination mechanisms of GLXB herb pair against AS remain unclear. Objective: To compare the difference in efficacy between GLXB herb pair and the single herbs and to explore the combination mechanisms of GLXB against AS in terms of compounds, targets, and signaling pathways. Methods: The combined effects of GLXB were evaluated in AS mice. The main compounds of GLXB were identified via quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and UNIFI informatics platforms. The united mechanisms of GLXB in terms of nodes, key interactions, and functional clusters were realized by network pharmacology. At last, the anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms of GLXB were validated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot in AS mice. Results: The anti-atherosclerotic effects of the GLXB herb pair (6 g/kg) were more significant than those of Gualou (4 g/kg) and Xiebai (2 g/kg) alone. From the GLXB herb pair, 48 main components were identified. In addition, the GLXB herb pair handled more anti-atherosclerotic targets and more signaling pathways than Gualou or Xiebai alone, whereas 10 key targets of GLXB were found using topological analysis. Furthermore, the GLXB herb pair (6 g/kg) could suppress the inflammatory target levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, ALOX5, PTGS2, and p-p38 in AS mice. GLXB herb pair (6 g/kg) could also ameliorate endothelial growth and function by regulating the levels of VEGFA, eNOS, p-AKT, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 and reducing macrophage adhesion to vascular wall in AS mice. GLXB herb pair (6 g/kg) could improve the blood lipid levels in AS mice. In addition, the regulating effects of GLXB herb pair (6 g/kg) on levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, ALOX5, VEGFA, eNOS, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and blood lipids were more significant than those of Gualou (4 g/kg) or Xiebai alone (2 g/kg). Conclusion: The combination mechanisms of the GLXB herb pair were elucidated in terms of components, targets, and signaling pathways, which may be related to suppressing inflammation, regulating vascular endothelial growth/function, and improving blood lipid levels.

Plant community patterns and edge effect study in the ecotone region of River Pabber and Tons in Western Himalaya

The present study was carried out in riverine ecotone of Tons and Pabber rivers which are tributary of river Yamuna in Garhwal Himalaya to understand the edge effect on distribution and structure of plant community patterns. The study was done at an altitude of 900 m to 1300 m to identify the plant diversity and community structure of riverine ecotone areas within a stretch of 64 km. In total Seventeen (N=17) tree species twenty one (N=21) shrub species, thirty-eight (N=38) species of herbs and three (N=3) species grasses were identified. Mallotus philippensis, Alnus nepelensis, and Pinus roxburghii were found to be dominant threes having 35.7%, 14.9% and 13.6% representation in total tree population. Out of nine (N=9), sample sites Mallotus philippensis and Pinus roxburghii were having the highest densities and relative densities in five (N=5) sites. Rubus elipticus was dominating shrub species with 16% representation followed by Zanthoxylum armatum 12.2%, Adhatoda vasica 10.3% and Agave cantula 9.3%. Rubus elipticus and Zanthoxylum armatum.were having the highest numbers in sites where the slope was gentle and soil conditions were not sandy. Whereas Adhatoda vasica was more uniformly distributed and was found growing uniformly in riverine sandy soil areas Agave cantula preferred the southern and western aspects with rocky slopes and poor soil conditions. In grasses, Carex infuscata was having highest dominance (43.64), in herbs Trifolium repens was having the highest dominance (21) followed by Cannabis sativa (20.92), Cynodon dactylon (17.8) and Verbascum thapsus (10.71). Species diversity indices used in the study was the Shannon Index, the value of diversity indicated by H' was 2.44 which indicates that the herb diversity in the ecosystem is uniformly distributed, no single herb species is dominant, whereas the dominance value which is 0.11 corroborate the diversity of the ecosystem. The value of Shannon wiener (H') index for shrub species was 1.58 which indicates that the majority of shrub (66.6%) species are distributed uniformly except Berberis lycium, Clerodendrum phlomidis, Euphorbia royleana, Indigofera heterantha, Lantana camara, Woodfordia fruticosa and Viburnum cotinifolium.

Comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition of Lurong dabu decoction and its absorbed prototypes and metabolites in rat plasma using UHPLC–Q Exactive Orbitrap–HRMS

Lurong Dabu decoction (LRDBD) is an effective traditional Chinese Korean ethnic medicine prescription composed of eight herbs, which is used for treating asthma. However, its material basis has not been studied yet. Herein, the use of a new and highly sensitive UHPLC–Q Exactive Orbitrap–HRMS technique is proposed for the high-resolution and accurate identification of the material basis of LRDBD. We identified 122 compounds belonging to different groups in LRDBD. Among these, 23 ingredients produced by decoction were identified and compared with 8 single herb compounds. Moreover, 39 other significantly different compounds were identified. Additionally, 29 absorbed prototype components and 35 metabolites were identified in rat plasma. Half of the prototype components were originated from antler velvet, it has corroborated the compatibility theory of Sasang medicine. To the best of our knowledge, the material basis of LRDBD was characterized for the first time. Our findings provide basic data and a method for further discovering potential drug targets and revealing the action mechanism of LRDBD in asthma treatment.

Concurrent use of Chinese herbal medicine and anticoagulants may reduce major bleeding events.

BackgroundThis retrospective cohort study investigated the risk of major bleeding events during the concurrent use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and anticoagulants in clinical practice.MethodsA total of 4,470 patients receiving anticoagulant drugs were selected from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Half (n = 2,235) were also using CHMs (CHM cohort); the other half were not (non-CHM cohort). Each cohort was matched 1:1 using the propensity score. Chi-square testing and the Student’s t-test were used to examine differences between two cohorts. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis assessed the risks for major bleeding events in each cohort, as well as bleeding risks associated with specific CHM formulas and herbs. Cumulative incidence curves for major bleeding events were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis.ResultsCompared with the non-CHM cohort, the CHM cohort had a lower risk of overall bleeding events (p < 0.001) including hemorrhagic stroke (p = 0.008), gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (p < 0.001), urogenital bleeding (p ≤ 0.001) and nasal/ear/eye bleeding (p = 0.004). Single herbs, such as Glycyrrhiza uralensis et Rhizoma, Panax notoginseng, Panax ginseng, Platycodon grandiflorum, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver and formulas, such as Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang, Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang and Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan were associated with a lower risk of major bleeding events.ConclusionUsing CHMs with anticoagulants appeared to decrease the risk of major bleeding, especially CHMs products containing Glycyrrhiza uralensis et Rhizoma, Panax notoginseng, Panax ginseng, Platycodon grandiflorum and Eucommia ulmoides Oliver. Further investigations are needed to determine whether CHM can maintain the therapeutic efficacy of anticoagulants while simultaneously reducing potential side effects.

Potential cellular endocrinology mechanisms underlying the effects of Chinese herbal medicine therapy on asthma

Asthma is a complex syndrome with polygenetic tendency and multiple phenotypes, which has variable expiratory airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms that vary over time and in intensity. In recent years, continuous industrial development has seriously impacted the climate and air quality at a global scale. It has been verified that climate change can induce asthma in predisposed individuals and that atmospheric pollution can exacerbate asthma severity. At present, a subset of patients is resistant to the drug therapy for asthma. Hence, it is urgent to find new ideas for asthma prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss the prescription, composition, formulation, and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine monomer, traditional Chinese medicine monomer complex, single herbs, and traditional Chinese patent medicine in the treatment of asthma. We also discuss the effects of Chinese herbal medicine on asthma from the perspective of cellular endocrinology in the past decade, emphasizing on the roles as intracellular and extracellular messengers of three substances—hormones, substances secreted by pulmonary neuroendocrine cells, and neuroendocrine-related signaling protein—which provide the theoretical basis for clinical application and new drug development.

Protective effect of carwin capsules against cyclophosphamide induced chromosomal aberrations in mice

The concept of polyherbalism has been highlighted in , an Ayurvedic literature dating back to 1300 AD. Polyherbal formulations enhance the therapeutic action and reduce the concentrations of single herbs, thereby reducing adverse events. In the present study, the clastogenic effect of carwin capsuleshas been evaluated against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells of the mice. Genotoxicity was carried out in mouse bone marrow cells. Animals were divided into four groups each containing four animals. Group I (control) was treated orally with vehicle (acacia suspension- 1ml/100gm), Group II was treated i.p. with cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg, bw.), Group III was treated orally with carwin alone (1.5 mg/animal, bsa.), and Group IV was treated with cyclophosphamide + carwin. Animals were pretreated for 7 days with test drug (carwin). The evaluating parameter was to count total number of aberrated chromosomes and its various types. The results demonstrate that carwin was found to be significant (P&amp;#60;0.01) as compared to cyclophosphamide treated as the no. of total aberrated chromosomes in carwin treated was decreased effectively. And also carwin was able to significantly (P&amp;#60;0.01) protect the action caused by cyclophosphamide as well was also found to be effective antigenotoxic (P&amp;#60;0.01) as compared to cyclophosphamide, when total no. of aberrated cells and their types were scored. Therefore, the results suggest a genotoxic potential of carwin capsules.

Compound synthesizing profiling based on quantitative HPLC fingerprints combined with antioxidant activity analysis for Zhizi Jinhua pills

BackgroundCompound drug Zhizi Jinhua Pills (ZZJHP) is composed of 8 herbal medicines (HMs), and it is necessary to control the HMs to ensure its holistic quality. PurposeTo establish a quality monitoring method for ZZJHP from precise control of multiple active ingredients to contour control of fingerprint, to calculate the contribution of HMs and predict the quality of compound drugs. MethodsIn this study, HPLC method was established for content determination of 11 analytes and fingerprint assessment. In vivo and in vitro studies of antioxidant activity were performed, Orthogonal Partial Least Squares analysis was applied for spectrum-effect correlation between antioxidant activity and HPLC fingerprint. The compound synthesizing fingerprint (CSF) of ZZJHP was fitted with 8 HMs, and the contribution of the single herb to prescription was evaluated by Sub-quantified profiling method. ResultsThe content of 11 analytes and fingerprints of ZZJHP were measured simultaneously, 32 batches of samples were divided into 6 grades. In vivo and in vitro researches suggested significant antioxidant activity capacity of ZZJHP. Then, spectrum-effect relationship study showed that 24 of the 30 fingerprint peaks had antioxidant activity. By prescription and decomposition profiling, the qualitative and quantitative contributions of the 8 herbs were revealed in turn. The negative solution experiment proved that CSF could accurately predict the quality of composite drugs. ConclusionThe intelligent prediction strategy could intervene at the source to realize rapid screening of HMs and prediction of the quality of preparations, which could provide guidance for the use of HMs and improve the quality of composite drugs.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Reduces the Risk of Heart Failure in Hypertensive Patients: A Nationwide, Retrospective, Cohort Study.

BackgroundHypertension (HTN) is the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide. Patients with HTN are at higher risk for heart failure (HF). The currently available therapeutic approaches for HTN do not always optimally control blood pressure or are not suitable for hypertensive patients who have a higher number of comorbidities. This study aimed to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine (CMH)-based interventions could reduce the risk of HF in hypertensive patients.MethodsThis retrospective study randomly selected 2 million enrollees from the National Health Insurance Research Database and identified 507,608 patients who were newly diagnosed with HTN in 2000–2017. After 1:1 frequency-matching by age, sex, index year, income, urbanization, duration of HTN, comorbidities and antihypertensive medications, we selected 8,912 eligible patients in each group. During 16 years of follow-up, 380 CHM users and 426 CHM non-users developed HF, representing incidence rates of 6.29 and 7.43 per 1,000 person-years, respectively.ResultsCHM users had significantly lower HF risk compared with CHM non-users (adjusted HR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.74–0.98). The markedly predominant effect was observed in those receiving CHM products for more than 180 days (adjusted HR = 0.65). The frequently prescribed formula, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, and the single herbs Ge Gen, Huang Qi, Du Zhong, Huang Qin, and Chuan Xiong were significantly associated with lower risk of HF.ConclusionsThis population-based study revealed decreased HF risk in hypertensive patients with CHM use. These findings may provide a reference for HF prevention strategies and support the integration of CHM into clinical intervention programs that provide a favorable prognosis for hypertensive patients.

Chinese Herbal Medicine as an Adjunctive Therapy Improves the Survival Rate of Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background Ischemic heart disease (IHD) related to cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and an important issue of public health worldwide. The cost of long-term healthcare for IHD patients may result in a huge financial burden. Objectives To analyze the medical expenditure incurred for and survival of IHD patients treated with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and Western medicine. Methods Subjects were randomly selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. The Cox proportional hazards regression model, Kaplan–Meier estimator, logrank test, chi-square test, and analysis of variance were applied. Landmark analysis was used to assess the cumulative incidence of death in IHD patients. Results We identified 11,527 users of CHM combined with Western medicine and 11,527 non-CHM users. CHM users incurred a higher medical expenditure for outpatient care within 1 (24,529 NTD versus 18,464 NTD, P value <0.0001) and 5 years (95,345 NTD versus 60,367 NTD, P value <0.0001). However, CHM users had shorter hospitalizations and lower inpatient medical expenditure (7 days/43,394 NTD in 1 year; 11 days/83,141 NTD in 5 years) than non-CHM users (11 days/72,939 NTD in 1 year; 14 days/107,436 NTD in 5 years). The CHM group's adjusted hazard ratio for mortality was 0.41 lower than that of the non-CHM group by Cox proportional hazard models with time-dependent exposure covariates. Danshen, Huang qi, Niu xi, Da huang, and Fu zi were the most commonly prescribed Chinese single herbs; Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang, Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang, Tian-Wang-Bu-Xin-Dan, Sheng-Mai-San, and Yang-Xin-Tang were the five most frequently prescribed herbal formulas in Taiwan. Conclusions Combining Chinese and Western medicine can reduce hospital expenditure and improve survival for IHD patients.

Visual analysis on regulation of necroptosis with Chinese medicine based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace knowledge graphs

The study was conducted by searching the literature related to the regulation of necroptosis with Chinese medicine from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2021 in CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, Web of Science(WoS), and PubMed. The obtained literature were imported into NoteExpress for eliminating duplicates and screening, and the final included articles were imported into Excel to plot the publication trend. The core authors were identified according to Price's law, and VOSviewer 1.6.17 was used to draw a collaborative view of the core authors and sort the high-frequency keywords. Then CiteSpace 5.8.R3 was employed to analyze keywords clustering, burst, and timeline view. Finally, 98 Chinese articles and 72 English articles were included in the study. The number of publications on the regulation of necroptosis with Chinese medicine has been increasing year by year. China ranked among the top in the world in terms of the number of publications, and Chinese authors played a central role in this field. Specifically, LIU Hua published the most Chinese literature while CHEN X P had the most English publications. The collaborative view of the core authors showed more intra-team cooperation and less inter-team cooperation. The Chinese and English keywords formed ten clusters separately, indicating that the research hotspots of regulation of necroptosis with Chinese medicine mainly focused on disease, prescription, related factors, and mecha-nism. Further, the analysis of Chinese and English keywords revealed that regarding disease treatment, tumor, ischemia-reperfusion injury, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammatory diseases were studied most. The Chinese medicines that received much attention in this field were curcumin, shikonin and tanshinone. The main protein factors involved were Ripk1, Ripk3, Mlkl, and TNF-α, and Ripk1/Ripk3/Mlkl and p53 signaling pathways were predominant. Moreover, single herbs and herbal monomers were the hotspots of the included articles. In the future, scholars need to expand the study of classical Chinese herbal compounds and explore their mechanism of action in the occurrence and development of various diseases, to provide new ideas and experimental basis for the treatment of clinical diseases with Chinese medicine.

The Medicinal Uses of Phyllanthus emblica L. (Indian gooseberry): An Evidence-Based

Phyllanthus emblica L. (Indian gooseberry) has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases in Asian countries. It has been recorded in Ayurvedic and traditional medicines in Thailand for antitussive medicine for a long time. It is developed into Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract and also medicine/ health products with several health claims. However, there have been not articles discussing its use in Thai traditional medicine and relevant empirical evidence. The objective of this article is to review and evaluate evidence related to medicinal uses of the Indian gooseberry, including treatment of COVID-19, in order to provide information for rationale uses. The Indian gooseberry and Thai traditional uses in Tamra Kanphaet Thaidoem (Pheattayasat Songkhro Chabab Anurak) Volume 1 were listed. The empirical evidence of the medicinal properties of Indian gooseberry as list were searched in PubMed, Web of science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, ThaiJO and Google Scholar. Eleven out of thirteen scriptures mentioned to 164 recipes contain the Indian gooseberry, Khamphi Prathomchinda contained the highest number of herbal recipes (32 recipes), followed by Khamphi That Wiworn (31 recipes) and Khamphi Sapphakhunya (24 recipes), respectively. The eleven literature searches provided evidence related to cough, sore throat, constipation and pain including treatment or prevention of COVID-19. In conclusion, the Indian gooseberry can be used as an alternative to cough relief. The use of herbal mixtures is more common than single herbs for sore throat, constipation, fever and pain. There is a crucial need for clinical studies on combined treatment with COVID-19.

Herbal Medications to Manage Insomnia: An Overview of Clinical Trials Using Herbal Treatment for Insomnia

Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders worldwide which significantly affects the quality of life. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches have been applied in managing insomnia. The risk of tolerance and dependence on conventional medications and their other side effects leads the surveys to complementary and alternative medicine. This overview aimed to compile the clinical trials on herbal remedies in managing insomnia for facilitating future studies on medicinal plant in this issue. The keywords “Medicinal plant”, “Herbal medicine” in combination with “Hypnotic and sedative”, “Insomnia” or “Sleep” were searched through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus electronic databases from 1st January 2000 to 31st August 2020. Then, all clinical trials focusing on the efficacy of medicinal plants on insomnia were collected. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 36 articles were selected, included 16 medicinal plants (23 studies) as a single herb and 13 polyherbal formulations. The most prevalent route of administration among these trials was oral. Matricaria chamomilla L., Valeriana officinalis L., Viola odorata L., and Passiflora incarnata L. were among the most prevalent effective herbal medicines on insomnia. Also, the modulation of the GABAergic system was the most common target of these medicinal plants. Herbal remedies can be introduced as safe and effective alternatives for conventional medications in managing insomnia. The popular herbal medicines, such as M. chamomilla, V. officinalis, V. odorata, are suitable for further therapeutic development. Other cited medicinal plants in this review can be more investigated in improvement of sleep.

Proximate composition and functional analysis of some polyherbal formulations as potential botanical candidates for antidiabetic screening: A Preliminary study

Polyherbal formulations improve therapeutic action while lowering single herb concentration, thereby reducing possible side reactions. Proximate composition and functional properties of tomato, garlic, and carrot formulations were studied. Fresh samples of the botanicals were collected, identified and authenticated. Equal amount of each sample (500 g) was weighed, shed-dried and crushed into fine powdered particles. The proximate composition and functional properties of each formulation were determined according to a standard assay guideline. The result on proximate composition analysis revealed a significant (p ˂ 0.05) higher moisture content of tomato and carrot formulations when compared to other formulations. The content of ash and crude protein were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher in all garlic containing formulations. The garlic formulation was observed to have lower fat content and greater carbohydrate content than all other formulations (p˂ 0.05). However, when compared to single formulations, all mixed formulations had significantly higher crude fiber content. Furthermore, there was a significant (p ˂ 0.05) variation in glucose adsorption capacity, oil adsorption capacity and water adsorption capacity among all the formulations. The outcome of this study have led us to conclude that employing safe combinations of these herbal formulations for the production of nutraceuticals is recommended.

Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Quality Control of Xiasangju: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula.

As a traditional Chinese herbal formula, Xiasangju (XSJ) is widely used in China for antipyresis and influenza treatment. However, XSJ still fails to have a comprehensive summary of the research progress in the last decade. This review summarizes the advanced research on the extraction process, phytochemistry, pharmacological activity, and quality control of XSJ. Current research mainly focuses on quality control and the pharmacological effects of single herbs and active ingredients, but many pharmacological mechanisms of the formula are unclear. The development of active ingredients reflects the active characteristics of triterpenes, phenolic acids and flavonoids, but the hepatotoxicity of Prunella vulgaris L. has not been taken into account. XSJ has extensive historical practical experiences, while systematic clinical trials remain lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to study the active ingredients and define the mechanisms of XSJ to develop multiple applications, and further studies on the dose range between its hepatoprotective activity and hepatotoxicity are necessary to improve the safety of the clinical application. In this review, the current problems are discussed to facilitate the reference basis for the subsequent research on the development of XSJ and future application directions.

Network Pharmacology and Data Mining Approach Reveal the Medication Rule of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome/Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common disorder that affects women of reproductive age. It is characterized by periodic mental and somatic symptoms such as irritability, depression, and breast pain during the luteal phase. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is the most severe form of PMS. In recent years, the incidence of PMS/PMDD has been increasing year after year. However, due to the complex symptoms and ambiguous classification of PMS/PMDD, the limitations of present treatments, such as their poor efficacy rate, have become increasingly apparent. With its unique benefits such as syndrome differentiation and high cure rate, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has sparked new diagnosing and treating of PMS/PMDD. This study uses data mining methods, and statistical analysis revealed that Xiaoyao San and Chaihu Shugan San were the commonly used TCM to treat PMS/PMDD. A detailed investigation of regularly used single herbs revealed that most TCM is used as cold herbs that penetrate the liver meridian, with predominant bitter, sweet, and pungent flavors. The network pharmacology method analyzes the interactions between diseases, targets, and herbs. Meanwhile, the deep action targets and molecular mechanisms of 10 commonly used herbs for the treatment of PMS/PMDD are studied, revealing that it involves several ingredients, many targets, and different pathways. This interaction provides insight into the mechanism of action of TCM in the synergistic treatment of PMS/PMDD. It is now clear that we can begin treating PMS/PMDD with TCM using the target and mechanism revealed by the abovementioned findings in the future. This serves as an essential reference for future research and clinical application of TCM in the treatment of PMS/PMDD.