The Ambit of Phytotherapy in Psychotic Care

The rate of psychosis has drastically increased in recent years and the number of prescriptions for psychiatric medications has made an even bigger jump. With the worrisome side effects of the medications, which can pose serious health risks and make medication compliance difficult, coupled with the prohibitive cost for many patients, there is an obvious need for alternative solutions. This review presents the ambit of phytotherapy in psychotic care. Interestingly, the review revealed that, plant-based medicines are rich in phytonutrients of antipsychotic importance and may be effective as stand-alone treatments or supplementary to conventional interventions. Despite the emerging interest in phytotherapy for mental disorders, the majority of the formulations are yet to be clinically certified. However, simply disregarding them for this reason might be consequential and as such, for better and improved mental health, research into phytotherapeutic care for psychosis must remain to be continuously explored as a promising niche

Kinetics of inhibitory effect of ethyl acetate leaf fraction of Lecaniodiscus cupanoides on enzymes linked to carbohydrate metabolism: An in vitro assessment

Background and aims: This study investigates the kinetics of inhibitory activities of ethyl acetate leaf fraction of Lecanodiscus cupanoides o

Pharmacognosy: Importance and Drawbacks

In many nations of the world, a great number of deaths and morbidity arising from illnesses are witnessed due to lack of basic health care. Phytotherapy has continued to play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of diseases (communicable and noncommunicable). Interestingly, more than 80% of the global populations now adopt phytotherapy as a basic source of maintaining good healthy conditions, owing to the pronounced side effects, nonavailability, and expensive nature of conventional treatment options. While this review looked at the prospects and downsides of phytomedicine as it relates to the national health care system, it established the fact that although a number of medicinal plants had been resourceful (effective) against a range of diseases, with few developed into drugs based on the available phytotherapeutics, quite a large number of them are yet to scale through clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy. It is believed that until this is done, we hope phytomedicine to be adopted or integrated into the national health care system in many countries

Cosmetopoeia of African Plants in Hair Treatment and Care: Topical Nutrition and the Antidiabetic Connection?

To make the distinction against pharmaceuticals, natural product medicines are more accurately denoted as nutritional therapies. In the context of topical therapies targeting dermatological conditions, nutritional therapy may explain the mechanism of ethnocosmetic plants used in hair treatment and care. Inspired by emerging theories of a connection between dysregulated glucose metabolism and hair loss, the current review of the literature focused on African plants used to target hair conditions in general, such as alopecia or scalp dermis infections, with a cross-examination of the potential of the species to alleviate issues with glucose metabolism. We distinguish between topical nutrition and sterilization (i.e., dandruff and lice). Sixty-eight plants were identified as an African treatment for alopecia, dandruff, lice, and tinea. Fifty-eight of the species have potential as antidiabetic treatments when taken orally. The family Lamiaceae was the most represented (six spp.), followed by Fabaceae and Asteraceae (five spp. each). Most species are herbs, and the most used plant part is the leaf. Thirty of the sixty species have research associated with hair growth and general hair care, with studies focused on 5α-reductase inhibition, biomarkers such as vascular endothelial growth factor, and the rate of telogen to anagen phase transition. While studies tend to conceptualize the mechanisms of these medicinal species similarly to pharmaceuticals, the current review argues that a nutritional interpretation is more appropriate, where a general improvement to local glucose metabolism may play a role

Studies on anatomical characters indicating C3 and C4 photosynthetic metabolism in the genus Boerhavia L. (Nyctaginaceae)

The C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways in dicotyledons were investigated with the four species of Boerhavia occurring in Nigeria using light microscopy. The study is not yet well reported on dicotyledons as done for monocotyledons. The features cross-examined were stomata index, stomata size, inter-stomatal distance, stomatal density, interveinal distance, intercellular air spaces, leaf thickness, mesophyll thickness, Kranz tissue, one cell distant count criterion, maximum lateral cell count criterion, vein density and vein distance. Based on these features, these species (B. erecta, B. coccinea and B. repens) were grouped into C4 while B. diffusa was grouped as a C3 plant. In particular, interveinal distance less than 166µm and maximum lateral count ranging 2 to 6 will help in grouping C4 dicotyledons species while those that were greater than these values are useful in grouping C3 and plants

An Appraisal of Antidotes’ Effectiveness: Evidence of the Use of Phyto-Antidotes and Biotechnological Advancements

Poisoning is the greatest source of avoidable death in the world and can result from industrial exhausts, incessant bush burning, drug overdose, accidental toxication or snake envenomation. Since the advent of Albert Calmette’s cobra venom antidote, efforts have been geared towards antidotes development for various poisons to date. While there are resources and facilities to tackle poisoning in urban areas, rural areas and developing countries are challenged with poisoning management due to either the absence of or inadequate facilities and this has paved the way for phyto-antidotes, some of which have been scientifically validated. This review presents the scope of antidotes’ effectiveness in different experimental models and biotechnological advancements in antidote research for future applications. While pockets of evidence of the effectiveness of antidotes exist in vitro and in vivo with ample biotechnological developments, the utilization of analytic assays on existing and newly developed antidotes that have surpassed the proof of concept stage, as well as the inclusion of antidote’s short and long-term risk assessment report, will help in providing the required scientific evidence(s) prior to regulatory authorities’ approval

Studies on Ameliorative Effects of Polyphenolic Extract from Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) on Carbon Tetrachloride - Induced Hepatotoxicity and Oxidative Stress: an in vivo Assessment

The current study investigates the effects of polyphenolic extract from the leaf of Paullinia pinnata against CCl4 – induced oxidative stress and liver damage in female albino rats. Thirty albino rats were randomly distributed into six groups (A-F). Rats in group A were given 1 ml normal saline orally to serve as control. The rats in groups B, C, D, E, and F were respectively induced intraperitoneally with single administration of 1 ml/kg body weight (b. wt) CCl4 dissolved in liquid paraffin (1:1). Thirty minutes after induction, the rats in the respective groups were orally treated with normal saline, 50 mg/kg b. wt. Silymarin, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg b. wt. polyphenolic extract from P. pinnata respectively, once daily for 7 days.  Levels of liver function indices and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were determined. Administration of polyphenolic extract from P. pinnata significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorated CCl4- induced hepatotoxicity with respect to liver function indices, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation parameters. The biochemical changes observed were also consistent with histopathological observations on the rat liver, as architectural degeneration and severe cellular necrosis were restored after the administration of polyphenolic extract from P. pinnata in the treated groups. The study suggests that polyphenolic extract from P. pinnata is a potential hepatoprotective agent against CCl4-mediated hepatic injury through fortification of antioxidant defense mechanisms

Antipsychotic natural products

Psychoactive plants and plant natural products (NPs) were instrumental in early neuroscience research, and recreational or toxic NPs have played major roles in the discovery of virtually all neurotransmitter systems. Here, we review the contribution of NPs to psychosis, a heterogeneous neuropsychiatric condition characterized by conflicting perception of reality, including false believes (delusions) and perceptions that others do not perceive (hallucinations). Although the underlying biochemical mechanisms of psychosis remain insufficiently understood, NPs were found to either trigger or inhibit psychosis via discrete neuropharmacological mechanisms. Psychosis most frequently occurs in patients suffering from schizophrenia, a severe chronic mental disease that affects about 0.3% of the population worldwide. It is noteworthy that the plant alkaloid reserpine from the ancient antihypertensive and antipsychotic botanical drug Rauwolfia serpentina root (Indian snakeroot) was described around the same time as the first synthetic antipsychotic (neuroleptic) agent chlorpromazine in early 1950s. On the other hand, numerous psychoactive NPs like anticholinergic tropane alkaloids, psychostimulants, or classical hallucinogens are known to induce psychosis in some individuals by inhibiting cholinergic signaling, stimulating monoaminergic synapses, or other mechanisms. We discuss the preclinical and clinical evidence of potentially antipsychotic NPs and botanical drugs. Because prevention of psychosis is an unmet medical need, given its severity and impact in society, the conceivable effects of dietary NPs or botanical drugs as emerging modifiers of anxiety, paranoia and psychosis deserve attention beyond drug discovery