Prunella vulgaris: A comprehensive review of chemical constituents, pharmacological effects and clinical applications.

Prunella vulgaris (PV) is a perennial herb belonging to the Labiate family and is widely distributed in northeastern Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China. It is reported to display diverse biological activities including anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammation as determined by in vitro or in vivo studies. So far, about 200 compounds have been isolated from PV plant and majority of these have been characterized mainly as triterpenoids, sterols and flavonoids, followed by coumarins, phenylpropanoids, polysaccharides and volatile oils. This review summarizes and analyzes the current knowledge on the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, mechanisms of action and clinical applications of the PV plant including its potential as a future medicinal plant. Although some of the chemical constituents of the PV plant and their mechanism of action have been investigated the biological activities of many of these remain unknown and further clinical trials are required to further enhance its reputation as a medicinal plant

NATURAL RESOURCES FROM PLANTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER: AN UPDATE

Cancer has become the second leading cause of death worldwide. The incidences of cancer are rising at an alarming rate but it can be reduced and controlled by evidence-based strategies for cancer prevention, early detection, and management of patients with cancer. Historically, it is proven that plants and their metabolites have great potential in the treatment of various acute diseases as well as chronic disorders. The novel bioactive compounds from many plants are being studied as potential therapeutic agents because of their high activity and low toxicity. This review gives a comprehensive description of such medicinal plants which have been studied as potentially effective against cancer

The Antioxidant Content of Wong Lo Kat Tea

Wong Lo Kat (or Wanglaoji in Mandarin) is a popular soft drink containing herbal tea that is often used as a Chinese folk remedy for mild ailments. The herbs included in the drink are the following: Chinese Mesona, White Frangipani, Microcos, Chrysanthemum, Japanese Honeysuckle, Heal All, and Chinese Licorice. While there is research on the individual plants, there is limited information on the combined mixture of the herbs included in the Wong Lo Kat drink, particularly in published English literature. Antioxidant content for the individual herbs and a combined mixture of equal parts of each herb was tested using the TEAC test. To prepare the combined herb solution, each herb’s phenolics were sonicated, centrifuged, and concentrated using a rotary evaporator, then combined in equal parts using 1 mL each. The antioxidant activities were found to be the following: Chinese Mesona was 1.5586 ± 0.1217; White Frangipani was 1.4277 ± 0.2351; Microcos was 1.2813 ± 0.1398; Chrysanthemum was 1.2183 ± 0.1961; Japanese Honeysuckle was 1.4751 ± 0.1702; Heal All was 1.4905 ± 0.1702; Chinese Licorice was 1.1554 ± 0.1483; and combined was 1.2463 ± 0.1892. All values were reported in mmol Trolox equivalency/g sample. ANOVA test was used with Tukey\u27s test to determine that the means of the herbs and combined mixture were not statistically significant from each other. Comparing the Wong Lo Kat mixture with teas available in the market, the antioxidant activity is comparable to several high-quality iterations of green tea and other teas in the market

Biodiversity and healing activities of medicinal plants in the area of Kamchia Nature Complex

Introduction:Kamchia Nature Complex is part of the wetlands of importance in Bulgaria and has a global significance for preserving Europe's unique freshwater swamp forests also known as flooded (floodplain) forests (Bulgarian, Turkish: longoz).Aim:The study aims to bring up to date the list of medicinal plants in the area of Kamchia Nature Complex and to create a present-day database of their ecological and biological characteristics, floral elements, conservation significance and status. In addition, this study is designed to collect data available on the healing properties, usable parts, and the groups of diseases these medicinal plants are applicable for.Materials and Methods:Field surveys were conducted during the 2013–2015 vegetation seasons applying enroute survey methods.Floristic analysis was performed by the Tolmachev's method (1974).Species were determined by “Flora of the Republic of Bulgaria” and “Identification. Guide to Higher Plants in Bulgaria”.Results and Discussion:We have identified 183 species of medicinal plants out of 435 species of higher plants. The established medicinal plants refer to 60 families and 150 genera. The prevailing biology type is the herbaceous perennial plants—102 species (56%). The mesophyte plants occupy dominant position in terms of moisture and humidity as a factor—91 species (50%).Floristic analysis reveals Eurasian geo-elements as being predominant—34 (19%), with 60 (33%) species of different types of Mediterranean distribution.Species of conservation significance represent 20% of medicinal plants.The established medicinal plants have more than 30 species of healing activities, one third of which is used primarily for treatment of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. Species in which the above ground portion of the plant is collected for its plant substance constitute half of the established medicinal plants.Conclusion:Survey results reveal a considerable variety of medicinal plants in Kamchia Natural Complex area. Тhey feature a variety of healing properties and are applicable for a wide range of diseases

GLOBAL CURRENT TRENDS IN NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR DIABETES MANAGEMENT: A REVIEW

Diabetes mellitus is a major health problem in the world. There is no cure for diabetes. It is, therefore, essential to practice effective methods of the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diabetes. With the increase in a number of newer drugs for diabetes, there is the possibility of a wide range of side effects that vary from one drug to another. Hence, the need to explore oral antidiabetic drugs of natural origin with minimal side effects is highly essential. This review provides a scientific perspective on the usage and research of natural and Indian traditional remedies in the management of diabetes while also providing insight into the advances in our understanding of diabetic pathology.Keywords: Diabetes, Hyperglycemia, Diabetic complications, Medicinal plant

Cancer and Traditional Plant Knowledge, an Interesting Field toExplore: Data from the Catalan Linguistic Area

Cancer is the second cause of death in the world and is foreseen to be responsible for about 16 million deaths in 2040. Approximately, 60% of the drugs used to treat cancer are of natural origin. Besides the extensive use of some of these drugs in therapies, such as those derived from the genus Taxus, a significant number of plants have revealed themselves as useful against cancer in recent years. The field of ethnobotany focuses on documenting traditional knowledge associated with plants, constituting a starting point to uncover the potential of new plant-based drugs to treat or prevent, in this case, tumour diseases and side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. From a series of extensive ethnobotanical prospections across the Catalan linguistic area (CLA), we have recorded uses for 41 taxa with antitumour effects. The two most quoted botanical families are Asteraceae and Ranunculaceae, and the most frequently reported species is Ranunculus parnassifolius, a high-mountain species, which is widely collected for this purpose. The reported species have been used to treat an important number of cancer types, focusing on preventive, palliative, and curative uses, as well as to deal with the side effects of conventional treatments. Comparing our results in CLA with previous data available in the most comprehensive databases of pharmacology and a review of cytotoxicity assays revealed that for the several species reported here, there was no previous evidence of traditional uses against cancer. Despite the need for further analyses to experimentally validate the information presented here, combining traditional uses and phylogenetically-informed strategies to phytochemical and pharmacological research would represent new avenues to establish more integrative approaches, hence improving the ability to select new candidate taxa in cancer research. Keywords: antitumor; cancer; cytotoxic activity; ethnobotany; medicinal plants; pharmacological activity; traditional plant knowledge

Medical plants on the territory of Petrohan Training and Experimental Forest Range, Bulgaria

Medicinal plants are an important component of local plant diversity. Their study is of high scientific and practical significance, related to the conservation and sustainable use of their resources. The present study presents results of the inventory of medicinal plants on the territory of the Petrohan Training and Experimental Forest Range (Western Stara Planina, Bulgaria). A total of 140 species of medicinal vascular plants belonging to 113 genera and 53 families were recorded. The systematic structure of the studied plants is characterized and the classification of plant species according to biological type, life form and geoelement is presented. The information on the usable parts of the medicinal plants and the biologically active substances contained as well as medicinal action are presented. Specifying species composition and resource status will contribute to assessment of medicinal plants as an ecosystem service offered by forest communities. A list of medicinal plants on the territory of the Petrohan Training and Experimental Forest Range is presented, too

Antimicrobial Activity of Oleanolic and Ursolic Acids: An Update

Triterpenoids are the most representative group of phytochemicals, as they comprise more than 20,000 recognized molecules. These compounds are biosynthesized in plants via squalene cyclization, a C30 hydrocarbon that is considered to be the precursor of all steroids. Due to their low hydrophilicity, triterpenes were considered to be inactive for a long period of time; however, evidence regarding their wide range of pharmacological activities is emerging, and elegant studies have highlighted these activities. Several triterpenic skeletons have been described, including some that have presented with pentacyclic features, such as oleanolic and ursolic acids. These compounds have displayed incontestable biological activity, such as antibacterial, antiviral, and antiprotozoal effects, which were not included in a single review until now. Thus, the present review investigates the potential use of these triterpenes against human pathogens, including their mechanisms of action, via in vivo studies, and the future perspectives about the use of compounds for human or even animal health are also discussed