The Power of the Underutilized and Neglected Medicinal Plants and Herbs of the Middle East

The Middle east and North Africa harbour many native species with pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential. Since the beginning of history, food and herbal medicinal plants have been an essential part of human lives and the traditional Middle Eastern healthcare system. The notable medicinal plants that have been mentioned in the Bible, which are common in West Asia and some regions of North Africa, are Aloe vera, anise, balm, cassia, cinnamon, cumin, flax, and fig. Chemical components of Aloe vera are aloin, sinapinic acid, catechin, chromone, myricetin, quercitrin and syringic acid. Anethole, safrole, and estragole are the main chemical components of anise. The chemical components of cassia are coumarin, emodin, cinnamyl alcohol, and cinnamaldehyde. The major chemical ingredients of cumin are terpinene, cuminaldehyde, sabinene, thujene, and thymoquinone. The goal of this article is to review the considerable health benefits and pharmaceutical benefits of medicinal herbs and plants that have been neglected and underutilized in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as to promote their utilization. On the basis of the results, the experimented neglected medicinal plant can offer various advantages when used together with conventional medicinal treatments for various health conditions, such as palliative care in managing the side effects of conventional treatments, access to a wider range of treatments, increased patient satisfaction, and improved emotional and mental well-being. Moreover, consuming medicinal plants may help to manage and prevent diabetes, cancer, and heart disease with notable anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The Golden Spice for Life: Turmeric with the Pharmacological Benefits of Curcuminoids Components, Including Curcumin, Bisdemethoxycurcumin, and Demethoxycurcumins

BACKGROUND

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, is a perennial rhizomatous plant of tropical and subtropical regions. The three major chemical components responsible for the biological activities of turmeric are curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.

METHODS

The literature search included review articles, analytical studies, randomized control experiments, and observations, which have been gathered from various sources, such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. A review of the literature was carried out using the keywords: turmeric, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Iranian medicine, traditional Indian medicine, curcumin, curcuminoids, pharmaceutical benefits, turmerone, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin. The main components of the rhizome of the leaf are α-turmerone, β-turmerone, and arturmerone.

RESULTS

The notable health benefits of turmeric are antioxidant activity, gastrointestinal effects, anticancer effects, cardiovascular and antidiabetic effects, antimicrobial activity, photoprotector activity, hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects, and appropriate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and inflammatory and edematic disorders.

DISCUSSION

Curcuminoids are phenolic compounds usually used as pigment spices with many health benefits, such as antiviral, antitumour, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, anticancer, and antifungal effects. Curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin are the major active and stable bioactive constituents of curcuminoids. Curcumin, which is a hydroponic polyphenol, and the main coloring agent in the rhizomes of turmeric, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anticarcinogenic activities, as well as beneficial effects for infectious diseases and Alzheimer's disease. Bisdemethoxycurcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-metastasis activities. Demethoxycurcumin, which is another major component, has anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and anti-cancer activities and is the appropriate candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

CONCLUSION

The goal of this review is to highlight the health benefits of turmeric in both traditional and modern pharmaceutical sciences by considering the important roles of curcuminoids and other major chemical constituents of turmeric.

The Importance of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Intervention and Treatment of HIV while Considering its Safety and Efficacy

Natural products have been considered a potential resource for the development of novel therapeutic agents, since time immemorial. It is an opportunity to discover cost-effective and safe drugs at the earliest, with the goal to hit specific targets in the HIV life cycle. Natural products with inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus are terpenes, coumarins, flavonoids, curcumin, proteins, such as lectins, laccases, bromotyrosines, and ribosome-inactivating proteins. Terpenes inhibit virus fusion, lectins and flavonoids have an inhibitory impact on viral binding, curcumin and flavonoids inhibit viral DNA integration. The most important medicinal plants which have been used in traditional Chinese medicinal sciences with anti-HIV properties are Convallaria majalis, Digitalis lanata, Cassia fistula, Croton macrostachyus, Dodonaea angustifolia, Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes versicolor, Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Morus alba, Scutellaria baicalensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Platycodon grandiflorus, Fritillaria thunbergii, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Trichosanthes kirilowii, Citrus reticulata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Rheum officinale, Poria cocos, Rheum palmatum, Astragalus membranaceus, Morinda citrifolia, Potentilla kleiniana, Artemisia capillaris, Sargassum fusiforme, Piperis longi fructus, Stellera chamaejasme, Curcumae rhizoma, Dalbergia odorifera lignum, Arisaematis Rhizoma preparatum, and Phellodendron amurense. The information provided is gathered from randomized control experiments, review articles, and analytical studies and observations, which are obtained from different literature sources, such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct from July 2000 to August 2023. The aim of this review article is to survey and introduce important medicinal plants and herbs that have been used for the treatment of HIV, especially the medicinal plants that are common in traditional Chinese medicine, as research to date is limited, and more evidence is required to confirm TCM,s efficacy.

A Candidate for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Treatment: Common Rue (Ruta graveolens L.), an Important Medicinal Plant in Traditional Medicine

BACKGROUND

Ruta graveolens L. belongs to Rutaceae; it is a semi-wood perennial or a small evergreen sub-shrub, which is native to Southern Europe, West Asia and Northern Africa.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this manuscript was to outline the most notable traditional and modern advantages and pharmaceutical benefits of common rue.

METHODS

The manuscript covers review articles, randomized control experiments, analytical studies and observations, which have been gathered from different sources, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct and PubMed. A review of the literature was carried out using the keywords rutin, Ruta graveolens L., rue, common rune, coumarin, natural products and pharmaceutical benefits.

RESULTS

Rue contains quinoline alkaloids, such as graveoline and graveolinine, acridone alkaloids, such as furacridone and gravacridone, furanoquinoline dictamnine, coumarins, such as gravelliferone, isorutarin, rutacultin, rutaretin, and suberenone, and the furanocoumarins 5-methoxypsoralen (bergapten) and 8-methoxypsoralen (xanthotoxine). Most of its aromatic and medicinal properties are due to the presence of rutin and its essential oil. It has been used in folk medicine as a stimulant, for its antiinflammatory and analgesic properties, anti-androgenic activity, anti-hyperglycemic effects, antihyperlipidemic effects, xanthine oxidase inhibition activity, and anticancer properties.

CONCLUSION

According to pharmacological and phytochemical advantages, pennyroyal shows its importance as a medicinal plant in both modern medicinal science and traditional medicine.

Traditional herbal medicine: overview of research indexed in the scopus database

Traditional herbal medicine has been playing an essential role in primary health care globally. The aim of this work is to present an overview of traditional herbal medicine research productivity over the past years. The data was accessed from the Scopus database (www.scopus.com), while VOSviewer.Var1.6.6, Bibliometrix, and R studio were used for further analysis of the obtained data. The results showed that researches on traditional herbal medicine increased annually after 1990, followed by a corresponding increase in global citations during the period, with a total of 22,071 authors contributing to all the publications. Yiling Wang of Shanghai Institute of Drug Control, Shanghai, China was the most productive author (TNP = 303), while Journal of “Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine”, and “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” were the top ranked journals, respectively. Also, China, Japan, and India were found to be the top Corresponding Author's Countries for researches on traditional herbal medicine, as Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and China Medical University were top affiliations. Moreover, National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, and Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan were top funding agencies, with more than 100 documents. The bibliometric research study has revealed an annual increasing trend in traditional herbal medicine, while also revealing that the topmost ranked authors and funding agencies were from Asia especially China.

The effects of beliefs, knowledge, and attitude on herbal medicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey in Indonesia

Background: Herbal medicines are gaining a greater degree of popularity as complementary and alternative medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there is a lack of data concerning the rationale for and factors influencing their use. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based online study involving 1,621 participants was conducted to explore the effects of magical health beliefs, holistic health beliefs, knowledge, and pro- complementary alternative medicine (CAM) attitudes on herbal medicine use in the Indonesian population. Results: Logistic regression findings showed that knowledge about herbal medicines was independently and positively associated with herbal medicine use to a greater extent than herbal medicine non-use (adjusted odds ratio; AOR = 1.20; 95% confidence interval; CI = 1.16 to 1.24). The participants who used herbal medicines had a greater magical health belief score than herbal medicine non-users, with AOR = 1.03 and 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.06. Moreover, holistic health beliefs and pro-CAM attitudes were also found to be independently associated with herbal medicine use. Conclusion: These findings alert nurses to assess the roles of magical health beliefs, holistic health belief, knowledge, and attitudes toward herbal medicine use.

The effects of beliefs, knowledge, and attitude on herbal medicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey in Indonesia

Background: Herbal medicines are gaining a greater degree of popularity as complementary and alternative medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there is a lack of data concerning the rationale for and factors influencing their use. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based online study involving 1,621 participants was conducted to explore the effects of magical health beliefs, holistic health beliefs, knowledge, and pro- complementary alternative medicine (CAM) attitudes on herbal medicine use in the Indonesian population. Results: Logistic regression findings showed that knowledge about herbal medicines was independently and positively associated with herbal medicine use to a greater extent than herbal medicine non-use (adjusted odds ratio; AOR = 1.20; 95% confidence interval; CI = 1.16 to 1.24). The participants who used herbal medicines had a greater magical health belief score than herbal medicine non-users, with AOR = 1.03 and 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.06. Moreover, holistic health beliefs and pro-CAM attitudes were also found to be independently associated with herbal medicine use. Conclusion: These findings alert nurses to assess the roles of magical health beliefs, holistic health belief, knowledge, and attitudes toward herbal medicine use.

The effects of beliefs, knowledge, and attitude on herbal medicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey in Indonesia

Background: Herbal medicines are gaining a greater degree of popularity as complementary and alternative medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there is a lack of data concerning the rationale for and factors influencing their use. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based online study involving 1,621 participants was conducted to explore the effects of magical health beliefs, holistic health beliefs, knowledge, and pro- complementary alternative medicine (CAM) attitudes on herbal medicine use in the Indonesian population. Results: Logistic regression findings showed that knowledge about herbal medicines was independently and positively associated with herbal medicine use to a greater extent than herbal medicine non-use (adjusted odds ratio; AOR = 1.20; 95% confidence interval; CI = 1.16 to 1.24). The participants who used herbal medicines had a greater magical health belief score than herbal medicine non-users, with AOR = 1.03 and 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.06. Moreover, holistic health beliefs and pro-CAM attitudes were also found to be independently associated with herbal medicine use. Conclusion: Magical health beliefs, holistic health belief, knowledge, and attitudes are key factor in determining the herbal medicine use. Our findings offer crucial implications for health policymakers to encourage the use of herbal medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Herbal Plants Application in Organic Poultry Nutrition and Production

Background:

Medicinal plants and natural feed additives are the most important alternatives in animal production, especially broiler production, due to the ban on the use of certain antibiotics, their cost-effectiveness and harmful residual effects.

Objective:

In this mini-review article, some important medicinal herbs and plants with positive effects on organic broiler production have been highlighted.

Methods:

A literature search was conducted in Science Direct, Google, Google Scholar, Springer, Medline and PubMed.

Results:

Medicinal plants such as ginger, ginkgo, thyme, ponderosa pine, soybean, forsythia, peppermint, Chinese star anise, astragalus, mistletoe, schisandra, cumin, capsicum, garlic, hooker chives, artichoke, Borreria latifolia, zataria, pomegranate, turmeric, lingzhi, Lippia javanica, neem, oriental chaff flower, mulberry leaf, goji berry, Aloe vera, pumpkin, grape, common nettle, marigold, coriandrum, Citrus sinensis, Alisma canaliculatum, Persian hogweed, Eucommiaulmoides, bamboo leaf extract, rosemary, Morina citrifolia, chestnut, green tea, wild mint, clove, sumac, satureja, ashwagandha, Lonicera japonica, Acacia, liquorice, Artemisia annua, milk thistle, cinnamon, black cumin and etc. have positive effects on organic broiler production.

Conclusion:

Herbal medicines lead to increased body weight due to a higher feed intake and a higher feed conversion ratio, and improve antioxidant activity of broiler chickens based on their phenolic compound contents. The combination of medicinal herbal additives also has a positive impact on broiler production. In organic broiler production with the usage of herbal plants, reducing hormones, growth promoters and antibiotics should be organized as well as considering appropriate organic feed management and higher production.

Foliar application of nutrients on medicinal and aromatic plants, the sustainable approaches for higher and better production

Background

The most important advantages of foliar fertilization are to improve plant growth and crop quality, appropriately manage the nutritional status of plants, enhance disease resistance and regulate nutrient deficiencies.

Main body

The aim of this manuscript is to outline and emphasize the importance of foliar application of nutrients in order to increase both quality and yield of medicinal and aromatic plants. The searches focused on publications from 1980 to July 2021 using PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus databases. The current manuscript presented many examples of potential of foliar application for medicinal and aromatic plants production systems. Foliar application of Fe and Zn on Anise; Se on Atractylodes; Zn sulfate on Basil, Costmary, Mint and Fenugreek; Se and Fe on Stevia; S and P on castor bean; Zn and Fe on Chamomile; Cu, Mg and ZnSO4 on Damask rose; N and P on Fennel; Se on water spinach and tea; K+ and Ca2+ on Thyme; Zn and K on Spearmint; Zn on Saffron, Ni on Pot marigold; Fe on peppermint, N and P on Mustard had positive and significant impacts.

Conclusion

Observed impacts of foliar fertilization consisted of significant increase of yield, enhanced resistance to insects, pests and diseases, improved drought tolerance and escalated crop quality.

CYTOTOXIC, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF Peganum harmala L. EXTRACTS

Peganum harmala L., known as ′Harmel′, is a plant widely used in the traditional Algerian medicine. Aim. The purpose of this work is to study the antioxidant, antiproliferative and antimicrobial potential of Peganum harmala extracts. Methods. Colorimetric methods were used to quantify phenolic compounds, while the antioxidant activity was estimated in vitro using DPPH/ABTS radical scavenging assay, ferric reducing power, β-carotene bleaching assay, total antioxidant capacity, and ferrous iron chelating assay. The agar well diffusion and the broth microdilution method were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity and the MTT assay was used to test the cytotoxicity of the extracts. Results. The ethanolic extracts of Peganum harmala L. showed the highest polyphenols content and the potent antioxidant, gave a good activity against Gram + and Gram- bacteria and good antifungal effect and were more cytotoxic to the HeLa cell line. Conclusions. It is concluded that selected plants could be a potential source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative potential. Hence, it is indicated to further investigate this plant in vitro as well as in vivo for new drug discovery.

Nutraceuticals in HIV and COVID-19-Related Neurological Complications: Opportunity to Use Extracellular Vesicles as Drug Delivery Modality

Simple Summary

In this review, we discuss the potential use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to deliver dietary supplements to the brain to reduce brain complications associated with HIV, COVID-19, and other brain disorders. Brain-related complications affect people with HIV and COVID-19 alike. Moreover, since HIV patients are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, their neurological problems can be exacerbated by COVID-19. The use of dietary supplements together with available treatment options has been shown to reduce the severity of infections. However, these treatments are not chemically compatible with the body’s blood–brain barrier defense mechanism. Therefore, a viable delivery method is needed to deliver drugs and nutraceuticals to the brain in HIV and COVID-19 comorbid patients.

Abstract

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are at an increased risk of severe and critical COVID-19 infection. There is a steady increase in neurological complications associated with COVID-19 infection, exacerbating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in PLWHA. Nutraceuticals, such as phytochemicals from medicinal plants and dietary supplements, have been used as adjunct therapies for many disease conditions, including viral infections. Appropriate use of these adjunct therapies with antiviral proprieties may be beneficial in treating and/or prophylaxis of neurological complications associated with these co-infections. However, most of these nutraceuticals have poor bioavailability and cannot cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). To overcome this challenge, extracellular vesicles (EVs), biological nanovesicles, can be used. Due to their intrinsic features of biocompatibility, stability, and their ability to cross BBB, as well as inherent homing capabilities, EVs hold immense promise for therapeutic drug delivery to the brain. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the potential role of different nutraceuticals in reducing HIV- and COVID-19-associated neurological complications and the use of EVs as nutraceutical/drug delivery vehicles to treat HIV, COVID-19, and other brain disorders.

Wonderful Natural Drugs with Surprising Nutritional Values, Rheum Species, Gifts of the Nature

Abstract:

Nutrition therapy on the basis of traditional medicinal plants and herbs is common in many Asian countries, especially Iran and China. Rheum species, especially rhubarbs, belong to plant medicines recognized in 2500 BC. An online search of the literature was carried out at Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and Google scholar, covering all years until April 2021. The following key terms were used, usually in combinations: Rheum species, rhubarb, natural products, pharmaceutical benefits, anthraquinones and anthranone. After performing the literature search, the bibliographies of all articles were checked for cross-references that were not found in the search databases. Articles were selected if they reported any biological effects, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical compounds and botanical description of Rheum species. The most important components of rhubarb are anthraquinones, anthranone, stilbenes, tannins and butyrophenones. Anthraquinones consist of rhein, emodin, aloe-emodin and chrysophanl, and anthranone includes sennosides and rheinosides. The most important health benefits of rhubarb are antioxidant and anticancer activities, antimicrobial activity, wound healing action, hepatoprotective and anti-diabetic effects, and nephroprotective effect, as well as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antibacterial activities. Integration of both traditional pharmaceutical science and modern medicines may promote sustainability, lead to organic life and promote the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Leveraging knowledge of Asian herbal medicine and its active compounds as COVID-19 treatment and prevention

The outbreak of COVID-19 disease has led to a search for effective vaccines or drugs. However, insufficient vaccine supplies to meet global demand and no effective approved prescribed drugs for COVID-19 have led some people to consider the use of alternative or complementary medicines, such as traditional herbal medicine. Medicinal plants have various therapeutic properties that depend on the active compounds they contain. Obviously, herbal medicine has had an essential role in treatment and prevention during COVID-19 outbreak, especially in Asian cultures. Hence, we reviewed the uses of herbal medicine in Asian cultures and described the prominent families and species that are sources of antiviral agents against COVID-19 on the basis of case reports, community surveys, and guidelines available in the literature databases. Antiviral efficacy as determined in laboratory testing was assessed, and several promising active compounds with their molecular targets in cell models against SARS-CoV-2 viral infection will be discussed. Our review findings revealed the highly frequent use of Lamiaceae family members, Zingiber officinale, and Glycyrrhiza spp. as medicinal sources for treatment of COVID-19. In addition, several plant bioactive compounds derived from traditional herbal medicine, including andrographolide, panduratin A, baicalein, digoxin, and digitoxin, have shown potent SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity as compared with some repurposed FDA-approved drugs. These commonly used plants and promising compounds are recommended for further exploration of their safety and efficacy against COVID-19.

Powerful Stress Relieving Medicinal Plants for Anger, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress During Global Pandemic

Consideration and improvement for anxiety and depression are important during a global pandemic. Appropriate healthcare can be obtained by paying more attention to traditional medicinal sciences. The adverse effects of stress with various symptoms can be managed by introducing plants that boost mental health. The most relevant psychological reactions in the general population related to the global pandemic are pervasive anxiety, frustration and boredom, specific and uncontrolled fear, disabling loneliness, significant lifestyle changes, and psychiatric conditions. Ginseng, chamomile, passionflower, herbal tea, lavender, saffron, kava, rose, cardamom, Chinese date, and some chief formula like yokukansan, Dan-zhi-xiao-yao-san, so-ochim-tang-gamiband, and saikokaryukotsuboreito are notable herbal treatments for mental health problems. The most common medicinal plants that have been used in Iran for the cure of stress and anxiety are Viper's-buglosses, Dracocephalum, valerian, chamomile, common hop, hawthorns, and lavender. Medicinal plants and herbs can be used for the treatment and alleviation of the negative effects of stress, anger, and depression during the global pandemic.

Natural Dietary and Medicinal Plants with Anti-Obesity Therapeutics Activities for Treatment and Prevention of Obesity during Lock Down and in Post-COVID-19 Era

Overweight and obesity have become global epidemics, especially during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential of medicinal plants as a better and safe option in treating obesity and overweight has gained attention in recent years. Obesity and overweight has become a major public health concern, and its incidence rising at an alarming rate. Obesity is one of the major types of metabolic syndrome, resulting in various types of problems such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and excess fat accumulation. The current searching was done by the keywords in main indexing systems including Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, the search engine of Google Scholar, and Institute for Scientific Web of Science. The keywords were traditional medicine, health benefits, pharmaceutical science, pomegranate, punicalin, punicalagin, and ellagitannins. Google Scholar was searched manually for possible missing manuscripts, and there was no language restriction in the search. This review was carried out to highlight the importance of medicinal plants which are common in traditional medicinal sciences of different countries, especially Asia to prevent and treatment of obesity and overweight during the global pandemic and the post-COVID-19 era.

Pharmacological Efficacy of Ginseng against Respiratory Tract Infections

Respiratory tract infections are underestimated, as they are mild and generally not incapacitating. In clinical medicine, however, these infections are considered a prevalent problem. By 2030, the third most comprehensive reason for death worldwide will be chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the World Health Organization. The current arsenal of anti-inflammatory drugs shows little or no benefits against COPD. For thousands of years, herbal drugs have been used to cure numerous illnesses; they exhibit promising results and enhance physical performance. Ginseng is one such herbal medicine, known to alleviate pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8) formed by macrophages and epithelial cells. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of ginsenoside are still not fully understood. Various clinical trials of ginseng have exhibited a reduction of repeated colds and the flu. In this review, ginseng’s structural features, the pathogenicity of microbial infections, and the immunomodulatory, antiviral, and anti-bacterial effects of ginseng were discussed. The focus was on the latest animal studies and human clinical trials that corroborate ginseng’s role as a therapy for treating respiratory tract infections. The article concluded with future directions and significant challenges. This review would be a valuable addition to the knowledge base for researchers in understanding the promising role of ginseng in treating respiratory tract infections. Further analysis needs to be re-focused on clinical trials to study ginseng’s efficacy and safety in treating pathogenic infections and in determining ginseng-drug interactions.