4 research outputs found
Medical uses of Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower): a comprehensive review from Traditional Medicine to Modern Medicine
Background: Carthamus tinctorius L., known as Kafesheh (Persian) and safflower (English) is vastly utilized in
Traditional Medicine for various medical conditions, namely dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal
pain and mass, trauma and pain of joints. It is largely used for flavoring and coloring purposes among the local
population. Recent reviews have addressed the uses of the plant in various ethnomedical systems.
Objective: This review was an update to provide a summary on the botanical features, uses in Iranian folklore
and modern medical applications of safflower.
Methods: A main database containing important early published texts written in Persian, together with electronic
papers was established on ethnopharmacology and modern pharmacology of C. tinctorius. Literature review was
performed on the years from 1937 to 2016 in Web of Science, PubMed, Scientific Information Database, Google
Scholar, and Scopus for the terms "Kafesheh", "safflower", "Carthamus tinctorius", and so forth.
Results: Safflower is an indispensable element of Iranian folklore medicine, with a variety of applications due to
laxative effects. Also, it was recommended as treatment for rheumatism and paralysis, vitiligo and black spots,
psoriasis, mouth ulcers, phlegm humor, poisoning, numb limbs, melancholy humor, and the like. According to
the modern pharmacological and clinical examinations, safflower provides promising opportunities for the
amelioration of myocardial ischemia, coagulation, thrombosis, inflammation, toxicity, cancer, and so forth.
However, there have been some reports on its undesirable effects on male and female fertility. Most of these
beneficial therapeutic effects were correlated to hydroxysafflor yellow A.
Conclusion: More attention should be drawn to the lack of a thorough phytochemical investigation. The potential
implications of safflower based on Persian traditional medicine, such as the treatment of rheumatism and
paralysis, vitiligo and black spots, psoriasis, mouth ulcers, phlegm humor, poisoning, numb limbs, and
melancholy humor warrant further consideratio
Recommended from our members
Call to Action: SARS-CoV-2 and Cerebrovascular DisordErs (CASCADE)
Background and purposeThe novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), now named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may change the risk of stroke through an enhanced systemic inflammatory response, hypercoagulable state, and endothelial damage in the cerebrovascular system. Moreover, due to the current pandemic, some countries have prioritized health resources towards COVID-19 management, making it more challenging to appropriately care for other potentially disabling and fatal diseases such as stroke. The aim of this study is to identify and describe changes in stroke epidemiological trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis is an international, multicenter, hospital-based study on stroke incidence and outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will describe patterns in stroke management, stroke hospitalization rate, and stroke severity, subtype (ischemic/hemorrhagic), and outcomes (including in-hospital mortality) in 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic, comparing them with the corresponding data from 2018 and 2019, and subsequently 2021. We will also use an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the change in stroke hospitalization rates before, during, and after COVID-19, in each participating center.ConclusionThe proposed study will potentially enable us to better understand the changes in stroke care protocols, differential hospitalization rate, and severity of stroke, as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, this will help guide clinical-based policies surrounding COVID-19 and other similar global pandemics to ensure that management of cerebrovascular comorbidity is appropriately prioritized during the global crisis. It will also guide public health guidelines for at-risk populations to reduce risks of complications from such comorbidities