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da Silva AM, Horsth AL, Timóteo ÉDS, Faria RJ, Bazoni PS, Meira EF, Dos Santos JBR, da Silva MRR. Use of medicinal plants during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16558. [PMID: 37783716 PMCID: PMC10545667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43673-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Medicinal plants are an integrative and complementary health practice widely used by the population. However, its use is not without risks. This study assessed the profile and associated factors with the traditional use of medicinal plants. To this end, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted in a southeastern Brazilian city. Descriptive analysis was performed by frequency distribution and median and interquartile range. Associated factors with the use of medicinal plants were analyzed using Poisson regression with robust variance. A total of 641 people were interviewed, of whom 258 (40.2%) reported using medicinal plants. A total of 79 distinct plants were identified, of whom Melissa officinalis (31.0%), Peumus boldus (24.4%), Mentha spicata (20.9%), Matricaria recutita L. (18.2%), Rosmarinus officinalis (17.0%), and Foeniculum vulgare (14.7%) were the most used. There were no reports of medicinal plants used to treat COVID-19. However, anxiety was the most frequently cited indication for using medicinal plants, a health condition exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the use of medicinal plants for treating respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms similar to those in COVID-19 has been identified. There was an association between the use of medicinal plants and females, non-white, lower schooling, higher income, and comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alciellen Mendes da Silva
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Luísa Horsth
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Élida da Silva Timóteo
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo José Faria
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Services, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Silva Bazoni
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Services, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Frizzera Meira
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil
| | | | - Michael Ruberson Ribeiro da Silva
- Health Evaluation, Technology, and Economics Group, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil.
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Services, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, 29500-000, Brazil.
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Nguyen PAT, Khang DT, Nguyen PTT, Do HDK. The complete chloroplast genome of Elephantopus scaber L. (Vernonioideae, Asteraceae), a useful ethnomedicinal plant in asia. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2023; 8:936-941. [PMID: 37674912 PMCID: PMC10478624 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2023.2252944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Elephantopus scaber L. is a useful medicinal plant and has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases in Asia. In this study, we completed and characterized the chloroplast genome of E. scaber of which the length was 152,375 bp. This circular genome had a large-single copy (LSC, 83,520 bp), a small-single copy (SSC, 18,523 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (IR, 25,166 bp). There were 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes in the chloroplast genome of E. scaber. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from 80 protein-coding regions revealed a close relationship between E. scaber and Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob. and a sister relationship between Vernonioideae and Cichorioideae subfamilies. The genomic data of E. scaber provide useful information to explore the molecular evolution of not only Elephantopus genus but also the Asteraceae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham Anh Thi Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Food and Biotechnology, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam
| | - Do Tan Khang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Food and Biotechnology, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam
| | - Pham Thien Trang Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Food and Biotechnology, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam
| | - Hoang Dang Khoa Do
- NTT Hi-Tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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Senghor AS, Mbaye MS, Diop R, Tosam MJ, Kabou P, Niang A, Okoye G. Towards a transactional medicine approach to combating global emerging pathogens: the case of COVID-19. Glob Public Health 2023; 18:2272710. [PMID: 37917803 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2272710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and China reported the first case to the World Health Organization in December 2019, there was no evidence-based treatment to combat it. With the catastrophic situation that followed, materialised by a considerable number of deaths, researchers, doctors, traditional healers, and governments of all nations committed themselves to find therapeutic solutions, including preventive and curative. There are effective treatments offered both by modern medicine and traditional medicine for COVID-19 today. However, other therapeutic proposals have not been approved due to the lack of effectiveness and scientific rigour during their development process. Proponents of modern medicine prefer biomedical therapies while in some countries, traditional treatments are used regularly because of their availability, affordability and satisfaction they bring to the population. In this paper, we propose a transactional medicine approach where the interaction between traditional and modern medicine produces a change. With this approach, the promoters of traditional medicine and those of modern medicine will be able to acquire knowledge through the experience produced by their encounters. Transactional medicine aims to be a model for decolonising medicine and recognising the value of both traditional and modern medicine in the fight against COVID-19 and other global emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdou Simon Senghor
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research (P-SHOR), University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mame Salah Mbaye
- Department sociétés, territoires et développement, chaire de recherche du Canada en Innovation sociale et développement du territoire, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
| | - Rougui Diop
- Department of Sociology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mbih Jerome Tosam
- Department of Philosophy, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon
| | - Patrick Kabou
- Department of Law, University of Toulouse 1 Capitole, Toulouse, France
| | - Abdoulaye Niang
- Department of Sociology, Gaston Berger University, Saint-Louis, Senegal
| | - Godwin Okoye
- Department of Practice, Sciences, and Health Outcomes Research (P-SHOR), University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Al-Hatamleh MAI, Hatmal MM, Mustafa SHF, Alzu’bi M, AlSou’b AF, Abughanam SNS, Olaimat AN, Kateeb ET, Mohamud R. Experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination among Palestinian refugees in Jerash camp and Jordanian citizens: a comparative cross-sectional study by face-to-face interviews. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:123. [PMID: 36510264 PMCID: PMC9744667 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01047-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 vaccination, the access to vaccines has been unequal among countries and individuals, for example low-income countries displayed significant low levels of vaccination. Furthermore, most refugees are living in developing low-income countries which struggling to access the essential health-care services including vaccination. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp compared to resident Jordanian citizens. METHODS A face-to-face interview-based comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp located in northern Jordan and Jordanian citizens from different cities in Jordan from October, 2021 to March, 2022. A Chi-square test was used to determine the differences in the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination between Palestinian refugees and resident Jordanian citizens. Logistic regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with the beliefs, barriers and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines. RESULTS The total number of participants was 992, with 501 (50.5%) Palestinian refugees and 491 (49.5%) Jordanian citizens. Most participants (64.1%) who have never been tested for COVID-19 were from the refugees (P < 0.001), whereas about 80.3% of the participants tested for COVID-19 at private healthcare institutions were citizens (P < 0.001). While 70.0% of the participants who tested positive for COVID-19 (n = 303) were from the refugees (P < 0.001). Compared to the citizens, the refugees had significantly lower levels of beliefs about the safety (P = 0.008) and efficiency (P < 0.001) of COVID-19 vaccines. They also had lower rates of vaccine hesitancy (P = 0.002) and vaccine uptake (P < 0.001), and a higher rate of facing difficulties during registration for COVID-19 vaccination (P < 0.001). Furthermore, refugees have more negative attitudes toward the importance and implementation of COVID-19 precautionary activities, including wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and following proper prevention hygiene compared to citizens (P < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that gender (P < 0.001), age (P < 0.001) and level of education (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Also, being a refugee (P < 0.001) and being a male (P = 0.012) were significantly associated with facing more difficulties upon the registration to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that, compared to citizens, refugees had lower attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 infection and vaccination. They also had and a lower rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake with limited access to vaccines. Government sectors and non-government organizations should implement policies and regulations to raise the awareness of refugees towards COVID-19 infection, testing, preventive measures, and the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad A. I. Al-Hatamleh
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, 16150 Malaysia
| | - Ma’mon M. Hatmal
- grid.33801.390000 0004 0528 1681Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, 13133 Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Sulaf H. F. Mustafa
- grid.9670.80000 0001 2174 4509Faculty of Medicine, The University of Jordan, 11942 Amman, Jordan
| | - Mohammad Alzu’bi
- grid.33801.390000 0004 0528 1681Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, 13133 P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Ali F. AlSou’b
- grid.443749.90000 0004 0623 1491Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, 19117 Al-Salt, Jordan
| | - Shahed N. S. Abughanam
- grid.440897.60000 0001 0686 6540Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, 61710 Karak, Jordan
| | - Amin N. Olaimat
- grid.33801.390000 0004 0528 1681Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, 13133 Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Elham T. Kateeb
- grid.16662.350000 0001 2298 706XOral Health Research and Promotion Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Quds University, P.O. Box 51000 Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Rohimah Mohamud
- grid.11875.3a0000 0001 2294 3534Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, 16150 Malaysia
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Nasir Ahmed M, Hughes K. Role of ethno-phytomedicine knowledge in healthcare of COVID-19: advances in traditional phytomedicine perspective. BENI-SUEF UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES 2022; 11:96. [PMID: 35966214 PMCID: PMC9362587 DOI: 10.1186/s43088-022-00277-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, ethnomedicinal plants have been used in diverse geographical locations for their purported prophylactic and pharmacological effects. Medicinal plants have been relied on by people around the globe for centuries, as 80% of the world’s population rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs, according to the World Health Organization.
Main body This review portrays advances in traditional phytomedicine by bridging the knowledge of ethno-phytomedicine and COVID-19 healthcare. Ethnomedicinal plants have been used for symptoms related to COVID-19 as antiviral, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antipyretic, and lung–gut immune boosters. Traditionally used medicinal plants have the ability to inhibit virus entry and viral assembly, bind to spike proteins, membrane proteins, and block viral replications and enzymes. The efficacy of traditional medicinal plants in the terms of COVID-19 management can be evaluated by in vitro, in vivo as well as different in silico techniques (molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, machine learning, etc.) which have been applied extensively to the quest and design of effective biotherapeutics rapidly. Other advances in traditional phytomedicines against COVID-19 are controlled clinical trials, and notably the roles in the gut microbiome. Targeting the gut microbiome via medicinal plants as prebiotics is also found to be an alternative and potential strategy in the search for a COVID-19 combat strategy. Conclusions Since medicinal plants are the sources of modern biotherapeutics development, it is essential to build collaborations among ethnobotanists, scientists, and technologists toward developing the most efficient and the safest adjuvant therapeutics against the pandemic of the twenty-first century, COVID-19.
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Cordero CS, Meve U, Alejandro GJD. Ethnobotanical Documentation of Medicinal Plants Used by the Indigenous Panay Bukidnon in Lambunao, Iloilo, Philippines. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:790567. [PMID: 35082673 PMCID: PMC8784692 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.790567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Panay Bukidnon is a group of indigenous peoples living in the interior highlands of Panay Island in Western Visayas, Philippines. Little is known about their ethnobotanical knowledge due to limited written records, and no recent research has been conducted on the medicinal plants they used in ethnomedicine. This study aims to document the medicinal plants used by the indigenous Panay Bukidnon in Lambunao, Iloilo, Panay Island. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 75 key informants from June 2020 to September 2021 to determine the therapeutic use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine. A total of 131 medicinal plant species distributed in 121 genera and 57 families were used to address 91 diseases in 16 different uses or disease categories. The family Fabaceae was best represented with 13 species, followed by Lamiaceae with nine species and Poaceae with eight species. The leaf was the most frequently used plant part and decoction was the most preferred form of preparation. To evaluate the plant importance, use value (UV), relative frequency citation (RFC), relative important index (RI), informant consensus factor (ICF), and fidelity level (FL) were used. Curcuma longa L. had the highest UV (0.79), Artemisia vulgaris L. had the highest RFC value (0.57), and Annona muricata L. had the highest RI value (0.88). Diseases and symptoms or signs involving the respiratory system and injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes recorded the highest ICF value (0.80). Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC. and Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob were the most relevant and agreed species for the former and latter disease categories, respectively. C. odorata had the highest FL value (100%) and was the most preferred medicinal plant used for cuts and wounds. The results of this study serve as a medium for preserving cultural heritage, ethnopharmacological bases for further drug research and discovery, and preserving biological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Salugta Cordero
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.,Biology Department, School of Health Science Professions, St. Dominic College of Asia, City of Bacoor, Philippines
| | - Ulrich Meve
- Department of Plant Systematics, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Grecebio Jonathan Duran Alejandro
- The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.,College of Science and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
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