Tradition In Folk Medicine Research Articles

Influence of the Extraction Method on the Biological Potential of Solidago virgaurea L. Essential Oil and Hydrolates.

Solidago virgaurea L., or European goldenrod, has a long tradition in folk medicine due to the wide range of its biological activity. This paper aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidative potential of S. virgaurea essential oil and hydrolates obtained by traditional and novel extraction techniques. For that purpose, hydrodistillation, microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and solvent-free extraction were performed. Analysis of the composition of essential oils indicated the presence of 59 different compounds with cyclocolorenone, germacrene D and spathulenol being the dominant in all essential oil samples. Antimicrobial activity was detected in all the analyzed samples, with higher effect on Gram-positive microorganisms compared to Gram-negative. Regarding the type of performed extraction process, the introduction of microwaves induced higher antimicrobial and antioxidative potential in both essential oils and hydrolates. Hydrolates obtained in microwave-assisted processes had pronounced antioxidative activity, which creates a good basis for further investigation of this side product's potential use in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS USED IN HEALING IN KYRGYZ TURKS' FOLK MEDICINE

Since ancient time the intention to seek healing for diseases and lead a healthy life has been the primary concern of people. The treatment practices with traditional knowledge and experience which were developed accordingly have reached our days, passing from generation to generation through oral tradition. Folk medicine, which is based on the concept that health made up of soul and body integrity, is a purification and treatment formula in which the experience of generations, cooperation, belief and trust are affirmed, and nature and the power of nature are blessed. These healing practices in Turkish culture which consist of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic customs, traditions, beliefs, cultures and experiences are also an important and remarkable field for Kyrgyz Turks. The folk medicine tradition of the Kyrgyz Turks and its performers carry the traces of the ancient healers such as shamans and Shamanism as well as Islamic tradition, and it exemplifies cultural diversity and continuity. For Kyrgyz Turks, the tradition of folk medicine is considered as complementary and alternative treatment system to the modern medicine as well as the first treatment system that patients apply for healing. The performers of this tradition, their personal characteristics, the treatment practices and methods used in healing, as well as materials used in the treatment are important to draw the boundaries this tradition and to explore the tradition. This study presents the materials and methods used in the treatment within the folk medicine tradition of Kyrgyz Turks which will be evaluated in relation to the treatment methods and diseases. The findings will be discussed regarding the data obtained through observation and interview as well as the literature review.

Nigella Sativa: An Immunity Booster as Pandemic Treatment Solution Against SARS-CoV-2

Nigella sativa (Family Ranunculaceae) is a common medicinal plant all across the world. It is quite popular in different traditional medicinal systems such as Unani, Ayurveda, Tibb, and Siddha. Oil and Seeds have a long tradition of folk medicine utilized in different medicinal systems and food. The seeds of N. Sativa have indeed been widely applied in the treatment of many diseases, ailments, and also as an immune booster. Our research goal was to primarily concentrate on the therapeutic efficacy of Nigella sativa in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Phytochemical study of the genus Amphoricarpos

Phytochemistry deals with the study of secondary metabolites produced by plants that synthesize these compounds for many reasons, including their own protection against attack of herbivores and plant diseases. Secondary metabolites are believed to represent plant adaptation to various environmental factors and that they enabled the survival of the species. Secondary metabolites of plants can have curative or toxic effects in humans and animals. Herbal medicine has a long tradition in folk medicine and until the early 20th century, when synthetic organic chemistry began to develop, plants were the main source of medicines. The two basic goals of our phytochemical research are: isolation and identification of new (biologically active) compounds ? potential drugs, and chemotaxonomy (chemosystematics). In the following text through one selected example, the genus Amphoricarpos Vis., our phytochemical research is shown on both aspects.

Effect of Thiobacillus and Superabsorbent on Essential Oil Components in Thyme Species

Plants of the Lamiacea family have a long tradition in folk medicine and are used as aroma herbs due to their high content of essential oils. The objective of this research was to examine the possibility of improving the quantity and quality of essential oil in thyme through nutrition of the seedlings using Thiobacillus bio-fertilizer and treatment by superabsorbent. For this purpose, seedlings of two thyme species (Thymus vulgaris and Thymus daenensis) were sown in pots and exposed to different levels of Thiobacillus and superabsorbent. Results of Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed that the main compounds detected for T. vulgaris were thymol (31.5 %), p-cymene (23.4 %), γ-terpinene (13.9 %), linalool (38.3 %) and carvacrol (2.7 %) while the main compounds of T. daenensis were thymol (51.2 %), o-cymene (12.9 %), γ-terpinene (4.5 %), linalool (1.7 %) and borneol (3.1 %). Furthermore, the application of Thiobacillus had a significant effect on α-pinene content (p=0.05). Moreover, the interaction between superabsorbent and Thiobacillus significantly changed the percentage of thymol, borneol, and caryophyllene.

Potency Therapy in Classical Indian Medicine

This paper examines the traditional Indian ideas about impotency, virility, and potency therapy as found principally in the Sanskrit medical treatises of Caraka and Suśruta. Included is a detailed discussion of the potency formulas and what they contain. The analysis of this material leads to six important conclusions: l. Caraka relies on a brahminic explanation of and justification for potency therapy, which is wanting in Suśruta. 2. The use of symbolism to empower certain medicines seems to reflect a local tradition of folk medicine. 3. Certain animals are used as potency symbols. A similar use of potent animals occurs throughout Sanskrit literature. 4. The mention of meat in the potency of formulas of both treatises indicates that meat-eating was not forbidden at this time in certain contexts. 5. All but one of the potency formulas were to be consumed, and where believed to give general nourishment and bodily strength. Moreover, the consumption of animal semen as an ingredient in certain formulas was forbidden by the twelfth century CE. 6. The only non-consumed potency medicine was a foot balm, which may have been derived from an early tradition of Indian eroticism, known as Kāmaśāstra.

Phytochemical Analysis of Drimia Species

Indian squill, Drimia species is a very important and rare medicinal plant endemic to India, Africa and Mediterranean Regions. Drimia extract has an ancient tradition in folk medicine and in Ayurveda as anti-inflammatory, constipation, dysentery, rheumatic fever and nervous condition in children. It is also utilized as a source of natural cardiac steroid product in traditional remedial and veterinary medicine. The extract of the bulb of Drimia indica and Drimia wightii were collected by using alcoholic extraction. In this work, we present HPLC profile of two samples of D. indica and D. wightii relating to the presence of cardiac glycosides. Qualitative analysis of the phytochemical of ethanol extracts revealed presence of carbohydrates, phenols, tannins, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. Quantitative analysis showed that tannins were the major photochemical of samples.

World-wide every fifth vascular plant species is or was used as medicinal or aromatic plant

It is common knowledge that plants have been the world-wide most important source of medicines and that they still play this role in developing countries. However, up to now, complete lists of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) exist for comparatively few countries. A review of all lists know to the authors reveals the following results: A total of 20.7 % of the plant species analyzed by either publications or own research are or were used as MAP. However, regarding single countries, the differences are considerably high. Absolutely leading the list are China (36.2 %), Burkina Faso (35.2 %) and the Korean Republic (34.5 %). Also ahead of other countries or regions are the North of Benin (32.8 %) and the entire Pakistan (30.3 %). Still above average rank Great Britain (26.7 %) and Nepal (23.3 %), while the figures for Bul¬garia (21.0 %), Germany (20.2 %) and France (19.4 %) almost represent the average. Jordan (17.3 %), Vietnam (17.1 %), Sri Lanka (16.6 %), India (16.1 %) and Thailand (15.5 %) rank slightly beneath. Clearly below the average are the percentages of MAP for Hungary (12.2 %) and the USA (11.8 %). The average numbers of MAP in the Philippines (9.5 %) and Malaysia (7.7 %) fall far behind. Calculated on a worldwide scale, every fifth plant can be regarded as MAP. This number matches that from Bulgaria, France and Germany. In northern Benin, Burkina Faso, Korea, China and Pakistan, however, every third plant is or was used as MAP, whereas in Hungary and the USA only every eighth plant can be regarded as MAP. This number drops even further for the Philippines ore Malaysia where only every tenth or thirteenth plant can be attributed to medicinal or aromatic use. These differences might be due to various factors. A geographical component of the results is obvious: in most cases geographically close countries show similar percentages. A correlation between the total number of species and the fraction of those used as MAP cannot be confirmed. The countries with percentage of MAP > 30 % in common show that they belong either entirely (Burkina Faso, Benin) or at least in their rural areas to the poorest countries of the world so that it is (was) impossible for the majority of the people to buy "modern" MAP. In those countries the number of traditional healers outnumbers largely the number of modern doctors. Therefore, the tradition of folk medicine was maintained until today. Additionally, China, Korea and partially Pakistan have a very old and well documented tradition of folk medicine. Due to this documentation even in areas where today "modern MAP" are used, the knowledge was not lost. In neighboring countries or regions, which differ with respect to a more arid or a more humid climate, for the arid country (region) more MAPs are reported than for the humid one. The potential reasons for this phenomenon are discussed in the paper. For many countries the percentage given for MAP in literature is too low. But even these low values represent a striking argument for the importance of a world-wide conservation of biodiversity.

Qualitative Characterization of Solvent and Cooked Extracts of Tribulus terrestris L. Fruit

Currently there has been an increased attention globally to identify antioxidant compound that are pharmacologically potent and have low or no side effects. As plants are source of natural antioxidant s, much concentration has been given to plants. A variety of free radical scavenging antioxidants exists within the body in which many of them are derived from dietary sources like fruits, vegetables, etc. Tribulus terrestris L. fruit extract has an ancient tradition in folk medicine and in ayurveda as a diuretic, antiseptic, mood enhancer and anti-inflammatory agent. Though already few studies are available on antioxidative properties ofTribulus terrestris, yetno research has explored what happens toboiled or cooked extract of the sample. This was conceptualized in the present study with the hypothesis whether the extract can be incorporated into foods rather than as medicine. Hence, in this study, preliminary qualitative phytochemical analysis of Tribulus terrestris fruitwas observed and also antioxidant activity of the methanol, ethanol, aqueous and cooked extract ofTribulus terrestrisfruit wasdetermined along with nitric oxide, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays.It was found that the cooked extract ofTribulus terrestris fruit toopossessed greater percentage of inhibition activity when compared with other solvent extracts. Further, the results of preliminary

Rottlerin and curcumin: a comparative analysis

Rottlerin and curcumin are natural plant polyphenols with a long tradition in folk medicine. Over the past two decades, curcumin has been extensively investigated, while rottlerin has received much less attention, in part, as a consequence of its reputation as a selective PKCδ inhibitor. A comparative analysis of genomic, proteomic, and cell signaling studies revealed that rottlerin and curcumin share a number of targets and have overlapping effects on many biological processes. Both molecules, indeed, modulate the activity and/or expression of several enzymes (PKCδ, heme oxygenase, DNA methyltransferase, cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase) and transcription factors (NF-κB, STAT), and prevent aggregation of different amyloid precursors (α-synuclein, amyloid Aβ, prion proteins, lysozyme), thereby exhibiting convergent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiamyloid actions. Like curcumin, rottlerin could be a promising candidate in the fight against a variety of human diseases.

Metabolic fingerprinting of Leontopodium species (Asteraceae) by means of 1H NMR and HPLC–ESI-MS

The genus Leontopodium, mainly distributed in Central and Eastern Asia, consists of ca. 34–58 different species. The European Leontopodium alpinum, commonly known as Edelweiss, has a long tradition in folk medicine. Recent research has resulted in the identification of prior unknown secondary metabolites, some of them with interesting biological activities. Despite this, nearly nothing is known about the Asian species of the genus. In this study, we applied proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) metabolic fingerprinting to reveal insights into the metabolic patterns of 11 different Leontopodium species, and to conclude on their taxonomic relationship. Principal component analysis (PCA) of 1H NMR fingerprints revealed two species groups. Discriminators for these groups were identified as fatty acids and sucrose for group A, and ent-kaurenoic acid and derivatives thereof for group B. Five diterpenes together with one sesquiterpene were isolated from Leontopodium franchetii roots; the compounds were described for the first time for L. franchetii: ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, methyl-15α-angeloyloxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oate, methyl-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oate, 8-acetoxymodhephene, 19-acetoxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, methyl-15β–angeloyloxy-16,17-epoxy-ent-kauran-19-oate. In addition, differences in the metabolic profile between collected and cultivated species could be observed using a partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). PCA of the LC–MS fingerprints revealed three groups. Discriminating signals were compared to literature data and identified as two bisabolane derivatives responsible for discrimination of group A and C, and one ent-kaurenoic acid derivative, discriminating group B. A taxonomic relationship between a previously unidentified species and L. franchetii and Leontopodium sinense could be determined by comparing NMR fingerprints. This finding supports recent molecular data. Furthermore, Leontopodium dedekensii and L. sinense, two closely related species in terms of morphology and DNA-fingerprints, could be distinguished clearly using 1H NMR and LC–MS metabolic fingerprinting.

Folk Medicine among the Mongols in Inner Mongolia

AbstractTwenty-first-century Inner Mongolia is characterised by medical pluralism: biomedicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and the Tibetan-derived tradition of Mongolian medicine have parallel roles in the health care system. There is, however, another form of medical practice that has existed in the Mongol society alongside these institutional medicines. In this article, I refer to it as folk medicine. The indigenous tradition of folk medicine has originated from both nomadism and shamanism, and some elements of these old traditions still survive that do not appear to have been influenced by other medical systems. I discuss how nomadic culture produced folk medical practices such as koumiss treatment, immersion therapy and herbal medicine and how shamanic healing practices such as bonesetting and andai therapy are key parts of Mongolian folk medicine, which is related to treating both bodily suffering and illness of the soul. Healing is an important function of Mongolian shamanism, an old religious complex that remains alive within modern society. Folk medicine as a cultural phenomenon has existed from ancient times to our present era. When we attempt to reconstruct the history of Mongolian medicine, we must accept that indigenous knowledge continues to play a role within the medical pluralism of twenty-first-century Inner Mongolia.

TLC Fingerprint of Flavonoids and Saponins from Passiflora Species

Several Passiflora species, known in Brazil as maracujás, are used as flavour and as juice in food industries, whereas passionflower extract has an ancient tradition in folk medicine as a sedative. Due to few phytochemical and pharmacological studies, there are no quality criteria for these Passiflora species as raw material. In this work, we present unique fingerprints of fourteen samples of Passiflora species relating to the presence of flavonoids and saponins. These chemical characterisations can provide, for example, authentication of samples, detection of adulterations, and differentiation between closely related species.

Potency Therapy in Classical Indian Medicine

This paper examines the traditional Indian ideas about impotency, virility, and potency therapy as found principally in the Sanskrit medical treatises of Caraka and Suśruta. Included is a detailed discussion of the potency formulas and what they contain. The analysis of this material leads to six important conclusions: l. Caraka relies on a brahminic explanation of and justification for potency therapy, which is wanting in Suśruta. 2. The use of symbolism to empower certain medicines seems to reflect a local tradition of folk medicine. 3. Certain animals are used as potency symbols. A similar use of potent animals occurs throughout Sanskrit literature. 4. The mention of meat in the potency of formulas of both treatises indicates that meat-eating was not forbidden at this time in certain contexts. 5. All but one of the potency formulas were to be consumed, and where believed to give general nourishment and bodily strength. Moreover, the consumption of animal semen as an ingredient in certain formulas was forbidden by the twelfth century CE. 6. The only non-consumed potency medicine was a foot balm, which may have been derived from an early tradition of Indian eroticism, known as Kāmaśāstra.

Healing Charms in Use in England and Wales 1700–1950

The collection and analysis of Anglo-Saxon and early medieval healing charms has long generated an active interest in their content and application. However, despite the quite extensive ethnographic evidence concerning the content of healing charms in use from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, there has been no attempt, so far, to make an extensive collection of charm formulae from this period. This paper seeks to begin that task. It is hoped that this inventory, not only serves to highlight an important aspect of the English and Welsh tradition of folk medicine, but also serves to indicate the long history of that tradition. An examination of these charms also provides an illustration of the importance of the written word in the transmission of popular knowledge.

Traditional Medicine in Turkey II. Folk Medicine in Kastamonu

Turkey has a rich flora as well as a great tradition of folk medicine. This paper describes an ethnopharmacological study in the Kastamonu province. Information about the vernacular names and utilization of plants used in traditional medicine was collected by interviews with inhabitants. The medicinal uses of 25 plant species, parts used, and methods of preparing the medicines are recorded.

The concept of plants as teachers among four mestizo shamans of iquitos, Northeastern Peru

In the city of Iquitos and its vicinity there is even today a rich tradition of folk medicine. Practitioners, some of whom qualify as shamans, make an important contribution to the psychosomatic health of the inhabitants of this area. Among them there are those called vegetalistas or plant specialists and who use a series of plants called doctores or plant teachers. It is their belief that if they fulfill certain conditions of isolation and follow a prescribed diet, these plants are able to “teach“ them how to diagnose and cure illnesses, how to perform other shamanic tasks, usually through magic melodies or icaros, and how to use medicinal plants. Four shamans were questioned about the nature and identity of these magic plants, what are the dietary prescriptions to be followed, how the transmission of shamanic power takes place, the nature of their helping spirits, and the function of the magic melodies or icaros given to them by the plant teachers.