Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, and Cinnamon cassia), the eternal tree of tropical medicine, belongs to the Lauraceae family. Cinnamon is one of the most important spices used daily by people all over the world. Cinnamon primarily contains vital oils and other derivatives, such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate. In addition to being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, lipid-lowering, and cardiovascular-disease-lowering compound, cinnamon has also been reported to have activities against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. This review illustrates the pharmacological prospective of cinnamon and its use in daily life.

Inflammatory diseases are major health concerns affecting millions of people worldwide. Aspilia africana has been used for centuries by many African communities in the treatment of a wide range of health conditions, including inflammatory diseases, osteoporosis, rheumatic pains, and wounds. Analysis of the phytochemical composition of A. africana indicated that the plant is rich in a broad range of secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, sterols, phenolic compounds, and glycosides. This explains the efficacy of the plant in treating inflammation-related diseases, as well as several other health conditions affecting different African communities. The mechanisms of action of the anti-inflammatory phytochemical compounds in A. africana include inhibition of a number of physiological processes involved in the inflammatory process and synthesis or action of proinflammatory enzymes. The phytochemicals enhance anti-inflammatory biological responses such as inhibition of a number of chemical mediators including histamine, prostanoids and kinins, 5-lipoxygenase. and cyclooxygenase and activation of phosphodiesterase and transcriptase. Currently used anti-inflammatory medications are associated with several disadvantages such as drug toxicity and iatrogenic reactions, thereby complicating the treatment process. The adverse effects related to the use of these conventional synthetic drugs have been the driving force behind consideration of natural remedies, and efforts are being made toward the development of anti-inflammatory agents based on natural extracts. A. africana is rich in secondary metabolites, and its use as a traditional medicine for treating inflammatory diseases has been validated through in vitro and in vivo studies. Therefore, the plant could be further explored for potential development of novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

This paper presents a review of relevant antidiarrhoeal medicinal plants based on the fundamental knowledge accumulated by indigenous people of Ethiopia. The review includes an inventory carried out on the phytochemical and pharmacological analysis of plant species used in the treatments of diarrhoeal diseases. This study is based on a review of the literature published in scientific journals, books, theses, proceedings, and reports. A total of 132 medicinal plants used by local people of Ethiopia are reported in the reviewed literature. Herbs (43.6%) were the primary source of medicinal plants, followed by trees (27%). Some findings include the predominance of leaf material used (78%), as well as the frequent use of crushing of the plant parts (38%) as a mode of preparation. This study demonstrates the importance of traditional medicines in the treatment of basic human ailments such as diarrhoeal diseases in Ethiopia. Baseline information gaps were observed in different regions of Ethiopia. Thus, documentation of the knowledge held by other regions of Ethiopia that have so far received less attention and urban ethnobotany is recommended for future ethnobotanical studies. In addition, phytochemical studies are recommended mainly on frequently utilized medicinal plants for treatment of diarrhoeal diseases which can serve as a basis for future investigation of modern drug development. Although societies in Ethiopia have long used medicinal plants for diarrhoeal diseases treatment, it is also a good practice to perform toxicological tests.

Rubus liebmannii is an endemic species from Mexico used in traditional medicine primarily to treat dysentery and cough. The in vitro activity against Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica that produces the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant led us to expand the pharmacological and phytochemical research of this species. Gastrointestinal disorders including amebiasis remain one of the health problems that need to be addressed and it is of interest to find alternatives that improve their treatment. Also, it is important to emphasize that R. liebmannii grows wild in the country and is not found in abundance; therefore, alternatives that avoid overexploitation of the natural resource are mandatory. Ongoing with the evaluation of the potentialities that R. liebmannii possesses for treating infectious gastrointestinal diseases, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological effects and the chemical composition of the micropropagated plant.

Lepidium meyenii (maca) is a Peruvian plant of the Brassicaceae family cultivated for more than 2000 years, which grows exclusively in the central Andes between 4000 and 4500 m altitude. Maca is used as a food supplement and also for its medicinal properties described traditionally. Since the 90s of the XX century, an increasing interest in products from maca has been observed in many parts of the world. In the last decade, exportation of maca from Peru has increased from 1,415,000 USD in 2001 to USD 6,170,000 USD in 2010. Experimental scientific evidence showed that maca has nutritional, energizer, and fertility-enhancer properties, and it acts on sexual dysfunctions, osteoporosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, memory and learning, and protects skin against ultraviolet radiation. Clinical trials showed efficacy of maca on sexual dysfunctions as well as increasing sperm count and motility. Maca is a plant with great potential as an adaptogen and appears to be promising as a nutraceutical in the prevention of several diseases.

Dodonaea viscosa is a medicinal plant which is being used to treat various diseases in humans. The available safety data suggest that the plant does not produce any side effects, or toxicity, in tested adult experimental animals. However, the influence of D. viscosa on fetus or embryonic development is largely not known. This study was conducted in order to find out the reproductive toxicity of D. viscosa in experimental animals. Zebrafish embryos were used as the in vivo developmental toxicity animal model. Methanolic crude extract, hexane, chloroform, and butanol fractions were prepared from the leaves of D. viscosa. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to serial dilution of crude extract and other fractions. The crude extract and hexane fraction induced higher level of toxicity in zebrafish embryos as compared to chloroform and butanol fractions. The phenol and flavonoid estimation revealed that crude leaves extract and hexane fractions had lower content of phenol and flavonoid. Two major compounds, phytol and methyl ester, of hexadecanoic acid were identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis. More detailed studies are needed to check the toxicity of D. viscosa in pregnant experimental animals; however, the results from this study have shown that D. viscosa possesses reproductive toxicity and its use and doses must be carefully monitored in pregnant patients.

The use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is a common practice in developing countries. However, this unregulated or poorly rational use may present a dose-dependent risk of toxicity to humans. This study aimed to explore the phytochemical and toxicological characteristics of ten (10) plant species used in the traditional treatment of infectious diarrhea in Benin. The acute toxicity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of Khaya senegalensis, Daniellia oliveri, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Vernonia amygdalina, Manihot esculenta, Ocimum gratissimum, Senna italica, Diospyros mespiliformis, Pterocarpus erinaceus, and Anacardium occidentale was evaluated following the OECD 423 protocol at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg. This safety test was complemented by a larval cytotoxicity test. Hematological and biochemical examinations, as well as a histological study of the liver and kidneys, were performed. Larval cytotoxicity was assessed by the sensitivity of Artemia salina larvae to different concentrations of the plant extracts studied. Testing for chemical compounds was performed on the basis of differential staining and precipitation reactions. The mean lethal concentration (LC50) was determined by the probit method. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the plants studied revealed the presence of catechic tannins, gallic tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and sterol-terpenes, alkaloids, saponosides, and reducing compounds. This composition varied according to the plants studied. Acute toxicity data indicated that there was no mortality and no structural and functional alterations of the liver and kidneys of treated animals. Larval cytotoxicity data suggest that the plants studied are not cytotoxic (LC50 ≥ 0.1 mg/mL). These observations reflect the safety of these plants and justify their use in traditional medicine in the treatment of many diseases including diarrheal diseases.

Aspilia africana has been used for generations to treat many diseases in Africa. Its biological activities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential, are attributed to a number of secondary metabolites, including alkaloids and polyphenolics. The antioxidant activities of A. africana callus (CA), juvenile in vitro leaf (IL) and root (IR), ex vitro root (SR) and leaf (SL), and wild leaf (WL) dried samples were assessed based on their diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging abilities. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of different plant samples was compared. Further, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to quantitatively determine chlorogenic acid content in the A. africana plant samples. Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) analysis was also carried out to compare the antioxidant phytochemical content in the A. africana plant tissues. Among the samples, IR, with the highest total phenolic content (167.84 ± 1.057 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid content (135.06 ± 0.786 mg RUE/g), and chlorogenic acid (5.23 ± 0.298 mg/g) content, had the most potent antioxidant activity (IC50 = 27.25 ± 5.028 μg/mL), followed by WL. The lowest polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity were observed in SR. The antioxidant activities of A. africana tissues were positively correlated with the total phenolic and flavonoid content in the samples. The differences in antioxidant activities of A. africana tissues could be attributed to the difference in their polyphenolic content. Our study reports, for the first time, the antioxidant activities of A. africana callus and roots (in vitro and ex vitro). The A. africana samples IR, CA, and WL could be valuable natural sources of antioxidants that could be further exploited for the development of useful pharmaceutical products.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is an endogenously produced protein with the capacity to induce central nervous system (CNS) neuronal differentiation and repair. NGF signaling involves its binding to tropomyosin-related kinase (Trk) receptors, internalization, and initiation of phosphorylation cascades which cause microtubule reorganization and neuronal outgrowth. Because NGF cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, its therapeutic use is limited. Synthetic peptides that can act as NGF receptor agonists (NGF mimetics) are known to attenuate neurodegenerative pathologies in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease; however, the existence of plant-based NGF mimetics is uncertain. For this reason, we recently completed a high throughput screening of over 1100 nutraceuticals (vitamins, herbal plant parts, polyphenolics, teas, fruits, and vegetables) to identify neuritogenic factor using a PC-12 cell model. Remarkably we found only one, commonly known as the seed of Gac plant (Momordica cochinchinensis) (MCS). In the current study, we further investigated this seed for its neuritogenic effect using bioactivity-guided chemical separations. The data show no biological neuritogenic activity in any chemical solvent fraction, where activity was exclusive to the crude protein. MSC crude proteins were then separated by 1D electrophoresis, where the active neuritogenic activity was confirmed to have a molecular mass of approximately 17 kDa. Subsequently, the 17kDa band was excised, digested, and run on a UPLC-MS/MS with a Q Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer with data evaluated diverse tools such as X! Tandem, OMS, and K-score algorithms. Proteomic evaluation of the 17kDa band confirmed evidence for 11S globulin subunit beta, napin, oleosin, Momordica trypsin inhibitors (TI) MCoTI-I /II, and many isoforms of Two Inhibitor Peptide Topologies (TIPTOPs). While all peptides identified correspond to the genus/species, Momordica cochinchinensis and Cucumis Sativus, a significant limitation of the analysis is the nonexistence of full annotation for the Momordica cochinchinensis proteome. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that there is a stable protein within MCS having a mass of 17kDa with the capacity to induce neurite outgrowth. Future work will be required to establish the therapeutic value of the MCS for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Emerging viral infections are among the major global public health concerns. The pandemic COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory and vascular disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There are no medicines that can treat SARS-CoV-2 except the vaccines. Therefore, searching for plant-originated therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 is required. Consequently, reviewing medicinal plants used to treat different viral infections is mandatory. This review article aims to review the ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants traditionally used to treat different viral diseases by the Ethiopian people and suggests those plants as candidates to fight COVID-19.

Elephantorrhiza elephantina is used in southern Africa as traditional remedy for a wide range of human diseases and ailments including dermatological diseases, gastrointestinal system disorders, sexual dysfunction, sexually transmitted infections, and wounds. The rhizome decoction of E. elephantina is widely used by small-scale farmers in Botswana and South Africa as ethnoveterinary medicine for cattle, goats, horses, pigs, poultry, and sheep. Several classes of phytochemical compounds including anthocyanidins, anthraquinones, esters, fatty acids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, glycosides, polysterols, saponins, sugars, tannins, and triterpenoids have been isolated from E. elephantina. Scientific studies on E. elephantina indicate that it has a wide range of biological activities including anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive, antiplasmodial, antioxidant, antibabesial, and antirickettsial activities. Elephantorrhiza elephantina is a valuable source of traditional medicine in southern Africa that it is worth additional research attention because of its wide ethnomedicinal applications and promising biological activities. However, the current health-related information on E. elephantina is not sufficiently explored as diverse studies on its chemical and pharmacological activities are required to understand its mechanism of action and to characterize the metabolites responsible for these activities.

A variety of traditional medicinal plants has been widely used by different indigenous people in Ethiopia for many human and livestock ailments. This study was conducted to investigate and document the use of medicinal plants in the Sedie Muja district. Sixteen key informants were selected purposively and 72 informants were selected randomly from 5 wards. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, group discussions, and field observation. Besides descriptive statistics, the data were analyzed using some ethnobotanical analysis tools like preference ranking, paired comparison, direct matrix ranking, informant consensus factor, and fidelity level index. A total of 89 species of medicinal plants were identified and collected with 82 genera and 44 families. Out of these, 60 species (67.42%) were used against human ailments, 10 species (11.24%) were used against livestock ailments, and 19 species (21.34%) were used to treat both human and livestock ailments. Herbs constituted the largest growth habit (40 species) followed by shrubs (33 species). The most frequently used plant part was leaves (39.9%), followed by roots (23.83%), and the condition of preparation was fresh plant materials (70.98%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing (22.8%) followed by crushing-squeezing (11.39%). The most common route of administration was oral (49.74%) followed by dermal (30.05%). Ruta chalepensis was the predominant medicinal plant cited by most of the informants 62 (70%) followed by Ocimum lamiifolium 59 (67%). The disease category with the highest ICF value (0.90) was the evil eye. There was a high preference for Euphorbia abyssinica to treat stomachache. Ocimum lamiifolium was the most preferred species for the treatment of febrile illness. Anthropogenic factors are the major threats to medicinal plants. In general, the study area is rich in medicinal plants that have a significant role in the management of various human and livestock diseases.

Traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants is in danger of extinction because of different changes taking place all over the world including Ethiopia, and thus, there is a need for its immediate documentation for the purpose of conservation, sustainable utilization, and development. Thus, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in Ambo District, Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia, to document and analyze local knowledge on medicinal plants used for the treatment of animal diseases. Data were collected between November 2017 and April 2018 mainly through semi-interviews conducted with purposively selected informants. Data collected mainly included demographic information of respondents, local names of medicinal plants, plant parts used, preparation methods, mode of applications, diseases treated, and habit and habitat of the reported plants. Based on data obtained through interviews, informant consensus factor (ICF) values were computed. A total of 55 medicinal plants used to manage livestock ailment were reported by informants in the Ambo District. Herbs were commonly used in the preparation of remedies. Leaf was the most frequently utilized plant part accounting for 49.1% of the total reported medicinal plants. The majority (69.0%) of the medicinal plants used in the study district were uncultivated ones mainly harvested from edges of forests and bushlands, roadsides, riverbanks, and grasslands. High ICF values were obtained for ophthalmological (0.82), dermatological (0.79), febrile (0.77), and gastrointestinal ailments (0.77). The current study shows that there is still rich traditional knowledge on the use of plants to control various animal diseases in the study district. However, such a claim needs to be scientifically verified with priority given to medicinal plants used in the treatment of ailment categories with high ICF values as such plants are considered to be good candidates for further pharmacological evaluation.

Many Bangladeshi medicinal plants have been used to treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the anticholinesterase effects of eight selected Bangladeshi medicinal plant species were investigated. Species were selected based on the traditional uses against CNS-related diseases. Extracts were prepared using a gentle cold extraction method. In vitro cholinesterase inhibitory effects were measured by Ellman's method in 96-well microplates. Blumea lacera (Compositae) and Cyclea barbata (Menispermaceae) were found to have the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (IC50, 150 ± 11 and 176 ± 14 µg/mL, respectively) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory effect (IC50, 297 ± 13 and 124 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively). Cyclea barbata demonstrated competitive inhibition, where Blumea lacera showed an uncompetitive inhibition mode for acetylcholinesterase. Smilax guianensis (Smilacaceae) and Byttneria pilosa (Malvaceae) were also found to show moderate AChE inhibition (IC50, 205 ± 31 and 221 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively), although no significant BChE inhibitory effect was observed for extracts from these plant species. Among others, Thunbergia grandiflora (Acanthaceae) and Mikania micrantha (Compositae) were found to display noticeable AChE (IC50, 252 ± 22 µg/mL) and BChE (IC50, 314 ± 15 µg/mL) inhibitory effects, respectively. Molecular docking experiment suggested that compounds 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (BL4) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1⟶6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (BL5) from Blumea lacera bound stably to the binding groove of the AChE and BChE by hydrogen-bond interactions, respectively. Therefore, these compounds could be candidates for cholinesterase inhibitors. The present findings demonstrated that Blumea lacera and Cyclea barbata are interesting objects for further studies aiming at future therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.

Hypercholesterolemia is a dominant risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, the putative antihypercholesterolemic and antioxidative properties of an ethanolic extract of Piper betle and of its active constituent, eugenol, were evaluated in experimental hypercholesterolemia induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Triton WR-1339 (300 mg/kg b.wt) in Wistar rats. Saline-treated hypercholesterolemic rats revealed significantly higher mean blood/serum levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and of serum hepatic marker enzymes; in addition, significantly lower mean serum levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and significantly lower mean activities of enzymatic antioxidants and nonenzymatic antioxidants were noted in hepatic tissue samples from saline-treated hypercholesterolemic rats, compared to controls. However, in hypercholesterolemic rats receiving the Piper betle extract (500 mg/kg b.wt) or eugenol (5 mg/kg b.wt) for seven days orally, all these parameters were significantly better than those in saline-treated hypercholesterolemic rats. The hypercholesterolemia-ameliorating effect was better defined in eugenol-treated than in Piper betle extract-treated rats, being as effective as that of the standard lipid-lowering drug, lovastatin (10 mg/kg b.wt). These results suggest that eugenol, an active constituent of the Piper betle extract, possesses antihypercholesterolemic and other activities in experimental hypercholesterolemic Wistar rats.

The use of medicinal plants is an important source of therapeutic resources in rural communities and the wide versatility of some species may attract interest for prospecting studies. The aim of this study was to record and analyze local knowledge and the use of medicinal plants in the rural community of Malícia, municipality of Araçagi, Paraíba State, Northeastern Brazil, applying quantitative methods to calculate the Relative Importance (RI) and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 46 heads of households. The interviews addressed questions about the used parts of the plants, therapeutic indications, and form of use. Therapeutic indications were classified into categories of body systems. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated to verify the species versatility, and the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was calculated to verify the consensus of use among informants regarding the body systems. A total of 111 plant species were recorded, inside 101 genera and 47 families. Fabaceae (16 spp.), Lamiaceae, and Myrtaceae (each one with 7 spp.) were the most representative families. Mentha arvensis, Aloe vera, and Myracrodruon urundeuva had the highest RI. A high consensus of use was observed among the informants for neoplasms, nervous system diseases, and infectious and parasitic diseases. Leaves were the part most cited for medicinal use. Regarding the method of preparation, the decoction and the oral administration route stood out. Neoplasms and respiratory system diseases had the highest ICF values. The results indicate a diversified knowledge of the local pharmacopeia and the need for in-depth studies to corroborate the effectiveness of medicinal plants and to understand the dynamics of local knowledge.

Nephritis or kidney inflammation is characterized as one of the most common renal disorders leading to serious damage to the kidneys. Nephritis, especially lupus nephritis (LN), has remained as the main cause of chronic renal failure which needs serious therapeutic approaches such as dialysis and kidney transplant. Heredity, infection, high blood pressure, inflammatory diseases such as lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease, and drug-related side effects are known as the main causes of the disease. According to Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), infectious diseases and fever are the main reasons of nephritis, which is called "Varam-e-Kolye" (VK).

Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary is a complex riverine ecosystem and is unique because of the presence of river Chenab, various seasonal streams, lakes, and Head Marala barrage. These ecogeographic conditions provide diverse natural habitats for various plant and animal species to grow uninterrupted and have undocumented ethnopharmacologically important medicinal flora. The present study involves the first-ever extensive investigation to document the ethnopharmacological knowledge on medicinal plants of local healers and inhabitants of the Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary to treat ailments. The unstructured and semistructured interviews of the local healers and inhabitants were conducted that included 130 individuals. The ethnomedicinal formulations, their method of preparation, mode of administration, parts of the plant used, diseases cured, and their categorization along with species use report (UR) were analyzed. The ethnopharmacological study led to the enlisting of 114 medicinal plant species belonging to 97 genera and distributed among 47 plant families. 2029 URs were collected with 42 general disease categories. Each plant species was reported 18 times to cure various diseases (∼18 UR), while ∼48 URs were collected on each disease category by local informants. Digestive issues (290 URs, ∼14.29%) and skin infections (279 URs, ∼13.75%) were found most commonly among the occupants of the area. The oral administration (69%) of herbal drugs and the preparation of plant extracts (32%) were the most common ethnopharmacological strategies. Inhabitants of the area were well aware of the limited use of poisonous plants. 8 (∼7%) out of the total 114 medicinal plant species were listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern, while Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. was enlisted as near-threatened. The results of the present investigation show that the occupants of the Bajwat have sound information about the ethnopharmacological consumption of medicinal plants, and some of the novel ethnomedicinal formulations were reported which provide the basic data for further pharmacological research.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall effects of herbal mouthwashes as supplements to daily oral hygiene on plaque and inflammation control compared with placebos and chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwashes in the treatment of gingivitis.

Nigella sativa seeds (NS) has been used traditionally for various illnesses. The most abundant and active component of NS is thymoquinone (TQ). Animal studies have shown that NS and TQ may be used for the treatment of diabetes-induced osteoporosis and for the promotion of fracture healing. The mechanism involved is unclear, but it was postulated that the antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities may play some roles in the treatment of osteoporosis as this bone disease has been linked to oxidative stress and inflammation. This paper highlights studies on the antiosteoporotic effects of NS and TQ, the mechanisms behind these effects and their safety profiles. NS and TQ were shown to inhibit inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and 6 and the transcription factor, nuclear factor κB. NS and TQ were found to be safe at the current dosage for supplementation in human with precautions in children and pregnant women. Both NS and TQ have shown potential as antiosteoporotic agent but more animal and clinical studies are required to further assess their antiosteoporotic efficacies.