Evaluation of clinical trials of the plants, which have ethnobotanical uses for skin disorders in Turkey: a review

Borago Officinalis L.: A Review Oon Extraction, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Activities

Borago officinalis L., an annual herb belonging to the Boraginaceae family, is used in the traditional medical practices of various countries and for multiple treatments, including respiratory disorders, colds, influenza, diarrhea, cramps, inflammation, palpitation, hypertension menopause, and post-menopausal symptoms. Its pharmacological properties and biological activities - among them antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antigenotoxic, and anti-obesity activity - were demonstrated in vitro and in vivo and are related to its rich content of bioactive compounds (mainly phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, and terpenes) extracted from various parts of B. officinalis including leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots. This review summarizes all updated information on applied extraction processes, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of B. officinalis.

Ethnopharmacology for Skin Diseases and Cosmetics during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lithuania

The documentation of ethnopharmaceutical knowledge has always been important for the preservation of countries’ cultural, social, and economic identity. The COVID-19 pandemic with the collapse of healthcare, which has left the individual health to self-care, has also forced us to look back at ethnopharmacology from a practical point of view. This is the first study in Lithuania, dedicated entirely to ethnopharmaceuticals used for skin diseases and cosmetics, and the first study to analyse ethnopharmacology as a Lithuanian phenomenon during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to collect and evaluate ethnopharmaceutical knowledge regarding skin diseases and cosmetics in Šiauliai District, Lithuania during the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2020 to October 2021. This study surveyed 50 respondents; the survey was conducted using the deep interview method. The respondents mentioned 67 species of medicinal plants from 37 different families used for skin diseases (64.18%), cosmetics (13.44%) and cosmeceuticals (22.38%). Of the 67 plant species, 43 (64%) were not included in the European Medicines Agency monographs and only 14 species (21%) of all included species were used with European Medicines Agency approved medical indications for skin diseases. In terms of public health, the safety of “self-treatment” and recovery rituals for skin diseases are no less important than ethnopharmacological knowledge and its application, this being especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.