Ethnomedicinal values of Boerhaavia diffusa L. as a panacea against multiple human ailments: a state of art review

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Therapeutic botanicals (plants and derivatives) are in use since antiquity for various health ailments. The ethnic community is the repository of the information, the multifactorial therapeutic applications of which may often need scientific validation. The spreading hogweed or Boerhaavia diffusa L., also known as Punarnava, is a reassuring medicinal herb with diverse pharmacological benefits. It is used in Ayurveda in Asia and Africa as a rejuvenator or "Rasayan" for its excellent antiaging and antioxidant properties. Aim: The study aimed at compiling the state-of-art knowledge of the medicinal benefits of Boerhaavia diffusa L. and unraveling the unexplored commercially useful bioactive constituents by establishing their possible pharmacological benefits. Methods: The data from published literature, confined to pharmacological manifestations of various phytocomponents of Boerhaavia diffusa L. or its parts like root, leaf and stem were extracted from scientific databases, Google, Science Direct, PubMed, etc. using its antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, renoprotective, antifertility benefits and molecular docking study as search strings and keywords. Further, the reported in silico studies for bioactivity and bioavailability are detailed. Results: The botanicals possess numerous bioactive compounds, the most widely reported ones being phenolic (punarnavoside, trans-caftaric acid, boerhavic acid), rotenoid (boeravinones A-J), flavonoid (borhaavone, quercetin, kaempferol), isoflavonoid (2'-O-methyl abronisoflavone), alkaloid (punarnavine), steroid (boerhavisterol, β-Ecdysone), anthracenes and lignans (liriodendrin, syringaresinol mono-β-D-glucoside). Some of the reported reassuring benefits of their purified forms or even the crude extracts are antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, cardioprotective, antifertility, etc. Conclusion: The article provides an extensive study on such pharmacological utility to support the ethnomedicinal use of Boerhaavia diffusa L. and propose possible mechanism of the various bioactive compounds in optimising metabolic dysfunctions, healing and protecting vital body organs, often related to the magnificent antioxidant property of this ayurvedic panacea. Further, establishing specific roles of its yet-to-explore bioactive constituents for diverse pharmacological applications is suggested.

Herbal Arsenal against Skin Ailments: A Review Supported by In Silico Molecular Docking Studies

Maintaining healthy skin is important for a healthy body. At present, skin diseases are numerous, representing a major health problem affecting all ages from neonates to the elderly worldwide. Many people may develop diseases that affect the skin, including cancer, herpes, and cellulitis. Long-term conventional treatment creates complicated disorders in vital organs of the body. It also imposes socioeconomic burdens on patients. Natural treatment is cheap and claimed to be safe. The use of plants is as old as mankind. Many medicinal plants and their parts are frequently used to treat these diseases, and they are also suitable raw materials for the production of new synthetic agents. A review of some plant families, viz., Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, etc., used in the treatment of skin diseases is provided with their most common compounds and in silico studies that summarize the recent data that have been collected in this area.

Protective effects of summer savory (Satureja hortensis) oil on growth, biochemical, and immune system performance of common carp exposed to pretilachlor herbicide

There are many reports on the deleterious effects of herbicides on aquatic organisms which lead to tremendous biological, environmental and economical damage. In this regard, in the present study, the protective effect of summer savory (Satureja hortensis) essential oil (SEO) against pretilachlor, one of the most used herbicides was investigated in common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The fish assigned to six treatment groups (T₁: control treatment; T₂: 25% LC₅₀ pretilachlor herbicide; T₃: 50% LC₅₀ pretilachlor herbicide; T₄: 1% SEO; T₅: 25% LC₅₀ pretilachlor herbicide + 1% SEO; and T₆: 25% LC₅₀ pretilachlor herbicide + 1% SEO) for 21 days. The results showed that the SEO-containing treatments significantly increased the survival rate (SR) (P < 0.05). The highest final weight (FW), specific growth rate (SGR), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were observed in the T₄ treatment (P < 0.05). There was a significant increase in glucose (GLU) level in pretilachlor treatments and a significant decrease in SEO-containing treatments compared to the control (P < 0.05). The significantly highest total protein (TP) content was observed in T₄ treatment containing SEO. Cholesterol (CHOL) and triglyceride (TRIG) levels decreased in SEO-containing treatments with the lowest level in T₄ treatment (P < 0.05). Alternative complement pathway activity (ACH₅₀), activity levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GP_X) showed an increasing trend in SEO-containing treatments with the highest level in T₄ treatment (P < 0.05). The activity of liver enzymes showed a significantly lowest level in T₄ treatment. To conclude, our findings revealed that the use of SEO in fish exposed to pretilachlor herbicide could improve growth, strengthen the immune system and exert a protective effect on common carp.

Prospective Asian plants with corroborated antiviral potentials: Position standing in recent years

Viral diseases are extremely widespread infections caused by viruses. Amongst numerous other illnesses, viral infections have challenged human existence severely. Over the history of mankind, new viruses have emerged and presented us with new tests. The range of viral infections varies from familiar infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu, and warts to severe ailments such as AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19. The world has been racing to find an effective cure for the newly evolving viruses. Toxic effects, non-selectivity, drug resistance, and high price are the most common complications of conventional treatment procedures. Nature is a marvelous source of phytoconstituents with incredible varieties of biological activities. By tradition, medicinal plants have been utilized for the treatment of countless infectious diseases worldwide, some of which contain a broad spectrum of activities. Modern drug discovery and development techniques offer highly efficient separation techniques, inauguration of vector-based schemes where the original infectious virus is cloned to the non-infectious one for antiviral screening targets. The objective of the review was to gather available data on 20 both cultivated and native plants of Asia giving antiviral activities and provide comprehensive information on the phytochemical analysis of the plants and potential antiviral compounds isolated from these plants.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases in northern Pakistan

Background

Skin diseases are a major health concern especially in association with human immune deficiency syndrome and acquired an immune deficiency. The aim of this study was to document the ethnomedicinal information of plants used to treat skin diseases in Northern Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of therapeutic herbs utilized by the indigenous people of Northern Pakistan for skin diseases.

Methods

Interviews were taken to obtain information from 180 participants. Quantitative methods including fidelity level (FL), Frequency of citation (FC), Use-value (UV), Jaccard indices (JI), Family importance value (FIV), Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Chi-square test were applied. Medicinal plants uses are also compared with 50 national and international publications.

Results

In this study, we recorded 106 plant species belonged to 56 floral families for treatment of skin ailments. The dominant life form reported was herb while the preferred method of utilization was powder, along with leaf as the most used plant part. RFC ranges from 0.07 to 0.25% whereas the highest FIV was recorded for family Pteridaceae. FL values range from 36.8 to 100%. The study reported 88% of new plant reports for the treatment of skin diseases.

Conclusion

The present study revealed the importance of several plants used to treat skin diseases by the local communities of Northern Pakistan. The available literature supported the evidence of plant dermatological properties. Plants having high UV and RFC can be considered for further scientific analysis. There is dire need to create awareness among local, government and scientific communities for the preservation of medicinal species and ethnomedicinal knowledge in Northern Pakistan.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12906-019-2605-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Safety against nephrotoxicity in paclitaxel treatment: Oral nanocarrier as an effective tool in preclinical evaluation with marked in vivo antitumor activity

Oral paclitaxel (PTXL) formulations freed from cremophor^® EL (CrEL) is always in utmost demand by the cancerous patients due to toxicities associated with the currently marketed formulation. In our previous investigation [Int. J. Pharm. 2014; 460:131], we have developed an oral oil based nanocarrier for the lipophilic drug, PTXL to target bioavailability issue and patient compliance. Here, we report in vivo antitumor activity and 28-day sub-chronic toxicity of the developed PTXL nanoemulsion. It was observed that the apoptotic potential of oral PTXL nanoemulsion significantly inhibited the growth of solid tumor (59.2 ± 7.17%; p < 0.001) without causing any explicit toxicity. The 6.5 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg oral PTXL nanoemulsion dose did not cause any notable alteration in haematological, biochemical/structural characteristics during 28-day sub-chronic toxicity studies in the experimental mice. Whereas, the toxicity of 12.8 mg/kg body weight dose showed decrease in RBC, haemoglobin and neutrophil counts. In contrast, marketed PTXL (Taxol^®) was found to be comparatively more toxic to the experimental animals. Taxol^® treatment resulted glomerulonephritis in histopathological examination, which could be correlated with increased level of creatinine and associated nephrotoxicity. This investigations conclude that the developed oral nanoemulsion presents a viable therapeutics bio-system to step towards clinical application as well as substitute CrEL based PTXL formulations.

Attenuation of oxidative stress and artificial wound closure in C2C12 myoblasts induced by sequential extracts of Boerhavia diffusa

OBJECTIVES

Whole plants of Boerhavia diffusa L. are widely used medicine in Ghana and other tropical countries, for the treatment of wounds and other ailments. The aim of the study was to determine the ability of sequential extracts of B. diffusa to influence oxidation and wound closure in myoblast cells in vitro.

METHODS

Sequential extracts were prepared from the whole plant using four solvents of increasing polarity (hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water). Cytotoxicity was determined using the sulforhodamine B staining assay, phase-contrast microscopy, plasDIC microscopy and live-dead staining. Extracts were tested for their ability to reduce 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced oxidation and mediate cell migration after artificial wound generation in C2C12 myoblast cells using the scratch wound assay.

KEY FINDINGS

All extracts indicated negligible cytotoxicity (IC₅₀  > 100 μg/ml), and microscopic evaluation showed no difference from negative controls. AAPH induced a 2.87-fold increase in reactive oxygen species compared to the negative control. Pretreatment with 100 μg/ml of the extracts reduced AAPH-induced oxidation to 1.70-fold of the untreated controls (P < 0.001). Wound closures in the methanol and water extract treatments were 18.08% and 20.76% higher than the negative control, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that the hexane, methanol and water extracts of B. diffusa whole plant promote artificial wound healing and protection against oxidation in vitro and therefore warrant further research into its mechanisms of wound healing.

Toxicological Effects of Aqueous Extract From African Walnut ( Tetracarpidium conophorum) Leaves in Rats

Tetracarpidium conophorum leaves are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of male infertility, without considering its toxicity and side effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of T conophorum leaves on some biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, and uric acid. Histology of the liver and kidney were also assessed. The result revealed that the alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels of the control group were not significantly different from the experimental groups. There was no significant difference in the albumin and bilirubin levels of the control and experimental groups. Similarly, the uric acid and creatinine levels of the experimental rats were not significantly different from the control. The examination of liver and kidney sections did not show any morphological changes and inflammatory cell infiltrations. These findings suggest that the leaves did not induce any pathological changes at the doses tested.

Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of the genus Boerhavia

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The genus Boerhavia is widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of the world including Mexico, America, Africa, Asia, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands and Australia. The genus Boerhavia is extensively used by local peoples and medicinal practitioners for treatments of hepatitis, urinary disorders, gastro intestinal diseases, inflammations, skin problems, infectious diseases and asthma. Present review focused on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Boerhavia genus to support potential scope for advance ethnopharmacological study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Information on the Boerhavia species was collected from classical books on medicinal plants, pharmacopoeias and scientific databases like PubMed, Scopus, GoogleScholar, Web of Science and others. Also scientific literatures based on ethnomedicinal surveys, Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations, published papers from Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, ACS as well as Wiley publishers and reports by government bodies and documentations were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 180 compounds from Boerhavia genus were isolated of which B. diffusa alone shared around 131 compounds and for most of which it is currently an exclusive source. In the genus, phenolic glycosides and flavonoids contribute approximately 97 compounds. These includes eupalitin, rotenoids like boeravinones, coccineons, alkaloid i.e. betanin and punarnavine etc., showing vital pharmaceutical activities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory.

CONCLUSION

Boerhavia is an important genus with wide range of medicinal uses. However, most of the available scientific literatures have lacked relevant doses, duration and positive controls for examining bioefficacy of extracts and its active compounds. In some studies, taxonomic errors were encountered. Moreover, there is need for accurate methods in testing the safety and ethnomedicinal validity of Boerhavia species.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro bioactivities of the extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the bioactivities of crude n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of aerial part of Boerhavia diffusa Linn. (B. diffusa) and its phytochemical analysis.

METHODS

The identification of phytoconstituents and assay of antioxidant, thrombolytic, cytotoxic, antimicrobial activities were conducted using specific standard in vitro procedures.

RESULTS

The results showed that the plant extracts were a rich source of phytoconstituents. Methanol extract showed higher antioxidant, thrombolytic activity and less cytotoxic activity than those of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of B. diffusa. Among the bioactivities, antioxidant activity was the most notable compared to the positive control and thus could be a potential rich source of natural antioxidant. In case of antimicrobial screening, crude extracts of the plant showed remarkable antibacterial activity against tested microorganisms. All the extracts showed significant inhibitory activity against Candida albicuns, at a concentration of 1000 µg/disc.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings suggest that, the plant widely available in Bangladesh, could be a prominent source of medicinally important natural compounds.

A review of hepatoprotective plants used in saudi traditional medicine

Liver disease is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality across the world. According to WHO estimates, about 500 million people are living with chronic hepatitis infections resulting in the death of over one million people annually. Medicinal plants serve as a vital source of potentially useful new compounds for the development of effective therapy to combat liver problems. Moreover herbal products have the advantage of better affordability and acceptability, better compatibility with the human body, and minimal side effects and is easier to store. In this review attempt has been made to summarize the scientific data published on hepatoprotective plants used in Saudi Arabian traditional medicine. The information includes medicinal uses of the plants, distribution in Saudi Arabia, ethnopharmacological profile, possible mechanism of action, chemical constituents, and toxicity data. Comprehensive scientific studies on safety and efficacy of these plants can revitalise the treatment of liver diseases.

Ethnomedicinal plants used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community of district Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tharu community is the largest primitive indigenous community of the Uttarakhand, India. In this article we have scientifically enumerated medicinal plants and herbal preparations used by the Tharu community to treat various skin diseases, and discussed dermatological properties of these plants in the light of previous ethnomedicinal, microbiological, pharmacological, toxicological, phytochemical and clinical studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethnomedicinal survey was conducted in different villages of Tharu community located in district Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India. Ethnomedicinal information on plants used to treat various skin diseases was collected from 122 individuals (93 males and 29 females), including 35 experienced herbal practitioners and 87 local villagers. For each of the recorded plant species the use value (UV) and fidelity level (FL) was calculated. The informant consensus factor (Fic) was also calculated to find out the homogeneity in the information given by the informants.

RESULTS

A total of 90 plant species belonging to 86 genera and 48 families were used by the Tharu community to treat various skin diseases viz., wounds (38 spp.), boils (32 spp.), cuts (18 spp.), leprosy (11 spp.), eczema (10 spp.), itching (7 spp.), ringworm (5 spp.), burns (4 spp.), leucoderma (4 spp.), cracked heels (2 spp.), dandruff (3 spp.), body infection (2 spp.), chilblains (2 spp.), hair fall (2 spp.) and toes infection (2 spp.). Information on botanical name, family, vernacular name, ailments treated, mode and dose of herbal preparations, UV and FL values are provided for each of the recorded species. According to UV value most preferred plant species used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community was Ricinus communis L. followed by Tridax procumbens (L.) L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Ageratum conyzoides and Allium cepa L.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study has revealed significant information on various medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community. Literature review has confirmed most of the claims made by the Tharu community regarding treatment of various skin diseases by the reported plants. The literature review has also revealed that products from very few of the reported plants are available in market, while most of the reported plants are still under preclinical or clinical trials. There are various known phytochemicals, and antibiotic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents present in these plants which may be synthesized or transformed to make pharmaceuticals. Some of the reported plants have shown promising results in preclinical trails and there is a need of clinical trials to see their safety and efficacy in treating various skin diseases. These plants may be targeted for development of new medicines, ointments or drugs for the treatment of skin diseases. However further toxicological, preclinical and clinical studies are needed to validate claims about little worked out plant species reported in the present study viz., Sida cordata (Burm. F.) Borss. Waalk., Millettia extensa (Benth.) Baker, Caesulia axillaris Roxb., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Vanda tessellate (Roxb.) Hook. Ex G.Don. and Eualaliopsis binata (Retz.) C.E. Hubb. Further studies on these plants are recommended to assess their potential in development of new skin care products.

Safety assessment of the methanol extract of the stem bark of Amphimas pterocarpoides Harms: Acute and subchronic oral toxicity studies in Wistar rats

Amphimas pterocarpoides Harms (Leguminosae) is widely used traditionally in Central and West Africa for the treatment of various ailments. However, no data regarding its safety have been published until now. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the potential toxicity of the methanol extract of the stem bark of Amphimas pterocarpoides (AP) in Wistar rats following the OECD guidelines. In acute oral toxicity, female rats received a single dose of 2000 mg/kg of AP and were observed for 14 days. In subchronic toxicity, doses of 150, 300, 600 mg/kg/day of AP were given per os to rats (males and females) for 28 days. No death and abnormal behaviors were observed in acute toxicity and the LD₅₀ was estimated higher than 5000 mg/kg. In the subchronic study, AP induced no significant variation in body weight and relative weight of organs, whereas a delayed decrease of white blood cell count and granulocytes was observed. Inconsistent increase of the total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein was observed at 600 mg/kg in males. Such variation (not dose dependent) and without biological relevance indicate a wide margin of safety for the traditional use of AP.

Evaluation of Acute and Chronic Toxicities of the Water Extract from Ziziphus attopensis Pierre

We studied an acute and chronic oral toxicity of the extract from Ziziphus attopensis (ZA) in male and female SD rats according to the OECD guidelines. After a single oral administration of ZA 5 g/kg body weight, measurement of the body and organs, necropsy, and health monitoring were performed. The body and organ weights and behavior were not changed relative to the control rats indicating that ZA does not produce acute toxicity. The chronic toxicity was determined by oral feeding both male and female rats daily with ZA at the doses of 1, 2, 4, and 8 g/kg body weight for 180 days. Body weight changes, hematological and biochemical parameters, organ weights, gross finding, and histopathology examination were monitored during the experimental period. The results did not show any differences from the control groups. Analyses of these results with the information of signs, behavior, and health monitoring can lead to a conclusion that the long-term oral administration of ZA for 180 days does not cause chronic toxicity.

Acute and subchronic oral toxicity assessment of the aqueous extract from the stem bark of Erythrina senegalensis DC (Fabaceae) in rodents

AIM OF THE STUDY

The decoction of the stem bark of Erythrina senegalensis (EAES) is traditionally used in the Western region of Cameroon against liver disorders. The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of this decoction after acute and sub-chronic administration in rodents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In acute study, a single administration of EAES was given orally to mice at doses ranging from 1.25 to 12.5 g/kg. General behaviour, adverse effects and mortality were determined for up to 14 days post treatment. In the sub-chronic study, EAES was given orally as a single administration to Wistar rats at doses of 300, 600 and 1,200 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Animal body weight was observed throughout the experimental period while haematological and biochemical parameters of blood and urine, as well as kidney and liver tissues histology were evaluated at the end of the experiment.

RESULTS

In the acute study in mice, none of the doses used induced mortality or significant behavioural changes. In the sub-chronic study in rats, daily oral administration of EAES at the dose of 600 mg/kg resulted in a significant increase in the relative body weight at the last week of treatment. The relative weights of organs were not affected by the treatment. No haematological changes were observed a part of a significant increase in WBC count at the dose of 600 mg/kg. Serum AST, ALT, ALP, total protein, total cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly while total and conjugated bilirubin significantly increased. Renal function indices assay in blood showed significant modification in all the treated groups compared to control while, in urine, only urea excretion markedly reduced at a dose of 1,200 mg/kg. Histological analysis did no show any liver or kidney alteration.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrated that there is a wide margin of safety for the therapeutic use of EAES and further corroborated the traditional use of this extract as a hepatoprotective agent.

Phytochemical and toxicological studies of aqueous leaves extracts of Erythrophleum africanum

The leaves of Erythrophleum africanum is known in the arid land of tropical Africa to posses toxicological properties. Phytochemical, acute and sub-acute evaluation of the possible toxicity risk of E. africanum aqueous leaves extracts were investigated in this study. Phytochemical constituents detected in the leaves extracts were saponins (1.16% w/v), cardiac glycosides, tannins (0.17 true tannins and 0.23% w/v pseudotannins), flavonoid glycosides, free flavonoids and alkaloids (4.34% w/v). The Lethal Dose (LD50) of the aqueous leaves extracts was greater than 3000 mg kg(-1) per os (orally) in albino rats. Sub-acute administration of the extract for 28 days resulted in significant (p<0.05) changes in some renal and liver indices at 3000 and 2000-3000 mg kg(-1) body weight, respectively. Histopathological lesions of the kidney and liver in form of moderate and marked infiltration with necrosis and perivascular lymphocytic cuff were observed. The observed lesions could be due to roles played by liver and kidneys in metabolism of xenobiotics and their elimination from the body. These investigations thus seem to indicate the toxic effects of the aqueous leaves extracts of E. africanum at 2000-3000 mg kg(-1). These could be attributed to the combined toxicity of the phytochemical constituents such as tannins, saponins, glycosides and alkaloids.