An Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico

GC-MS AND Chemometric Analysis of the Essential Oils Obtained from Mexican Commercial Chamomilla Recutita Teas

The essential oils prepared by hydrodistillation of twenty-one brands of German chamomile (S1-S21) commercialized in Mexico were analyzed by GS-MS. Altogether, twenty-four different compounds were identified in the analyzed samples, varying from 77 to 100 % of the total composition. Multivariate analyses were applied to explore similarity/dissimilarity and correlation between all samples; the results revealed a strong correlation among samples S4, S5, and S7-S21 due to the presence of (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether [(Z)-tonghaosu], α-bisabolol, β-farnesene, β-eudesmol, and xanthoxylin. The samples S1-S3 and S6 were clustered separately. Samples S1, S3, and S6 were characterized by their higher content of bisabolol oxide A (38.78 %, 51.84 %, and 70.46 %, respectively) as most known chemotypes of German chamomile, but only S1 and S3 contained chamazulene. Finally, S2 differed from the others because of its high content of (E)-anethole (62.28 %), suggesting a case of adulteration or substitution of the crude drug employed for manufacturing the product.

Medicinal Plants Used for Eye Conditions in Mexico-A Review

Medicinal plants have been historically significant for treating common human diseases in Mexico. Although some ethnobotanical research exists, limited ethnomedicinal data has documented medicinal plants employed for eye health. This review focuses on ethnomedicinal information and preclinical and clinical studies regarding medicinal plants used in Mexico for treating symptoms associated with eye conditions. An electronic database search was conducted by consulting scientific articles, books about Mexican herbal medicine, and academic theses. This work recorded 69 plant species belonging to 26 plant families, especially plants from the Crassulaceae family, which are used as remedies for irritation and infections in the eye. Eight of these medicinal plants have been the subject of preclinical studies using ocular models, and one medicinal plant has been tested in clinical trials. The evidence of pharmacological effects indicates the promising therapeutic potential of these medicinal plants for developing new treatments for eye conditions. However, toxicological studies are necessary to ensure safe application to the eye, particularly as traditional medicine continues to be relied upon worldwide. In addition, this review highlights the need to perform ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies in Mexico regarding the medicinal flora used as remedies for eye conditions.

Mexican traditional medicines for women's reproductive health

Like China, Mexico has a traditional system of medicine dating back almost 5000 years that incorporates the healing practices of pre-Columbian civilizations, including the Maya and Aztec. Mexican Traditional Medicine (MTM) women depend on MTM practices and herbal medicines for their primary healthcare needs as limited access and high costs of Western medicine is a significant problem. The aims of this work were to determine the medicinal plants more commonly used in MTM for women's reproductive health issues and assess the clinical data supporting their use. Data from multiple sources was compiled and information on plants commonly used by women in Mexico MTM for the treatment of fertility and menstruation issues, pregnancy, and menopause was analyzed. Analysis of the data show that 185 species of plants representing > 60 families were used for a wide range of reproductive health issues. Some of these plants have been used in MTM for fertility regulation in women of which 35 species were used as emmenagogues and abortifacients. Approximate 40 species were used for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual bleeding, and dysmenorrhea. In terms of pregnancy, 35 species were used for postpartum care and to facilitate breastfeeding, 16 species were used as oxytocic agents to induce labor and speed birth, and six plant species were used to prevent miscarriage. Fourteen plant species were reported to treat infertility or promote fertility, and seven species were used to treat uterine prolapse. Three plants species were reported to treat menopause and two plants were used for osteoporosis. Analysis of the clinical data for commonly used medicinal plants showed some clinical support for the use of these plants in MTM. In Mexico, women use medicinal plants for almost every aspect of reproductive health. While some plants have clinical data, most medicinal plants used in MTM have no safety or efficacy data available and could serve as the basis of future investigations.

Medicinal Plants and Plant-Based Remedies in Grande-Terre: An Ethnopharmacological Approach

The island of Grande-Terre is a French overseas region that belongs to the Guadeloupean archipelago, a biodiversity hotspot with unique flora. Herbal medicine is widely used in the island for therapeutical purposes; however, there is a significant knowledge gap in the records relating to medicinal plants and their associated uses. Ethnobotanical survey methodology using quantitative parameters (informant consensus factor, species use value, relative frequency of citation, frequency use of a treatment and plant for an ailment) provided insights into the traditional medicinal use of a given plant. Ninety-six different plant species distributed among 56 families were identified and 523 remedies were documented in the survey. After data filtering, 22 plants species were associated with 182 remedies. The most frequent plant families were Poaceae, Myrtaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Rubiaceae. Aerial parts of these plants were the most common parts of the plant used for the remedies and the most frequent mode of administration was oral ingestion. This study highlights a valuable traditional knowledge of folklore medicine and helps to document and preserve the association of a plant with-and its use frequency for-a given ailment. These findings might be the starting point for the identification of biologically active phytocompounds to fight common health debilities.

Genus Rauvolfia: A review of its ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, quality control/quality assurance, pharmacological activities and clinical evidence

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The plants are from the genus Rauvolfia Plum. ex L. (Apocynaceae), which is represented by 74 species with many synonyms, and distributed worldwide, especially in the Asian, and African continents. Traditionally, some of them are used for the treatment of various disorders related to the central nervous system (CNS), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and as an antidote due to the presence of monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) such as ajmaline (144), ajmalicine (164) serpentine (182), yohimbine (190) and reserpine (214).

AIM

The present review provides comprehensive summarization and critical analysis of the traditional to modern applications of Rauvolfia species, and the major focus was to include traditional uses, phytochemistry, quality control, pharmacological properties, as well as clinical evidence that may be useful in the drug discovery process.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Information related to traditional uses, chemical constituents, separation techniques/analytical methods, and pharmacological properties of the genus Rauvolfia were obtained using electronic databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, SciFinder, PubMed, PubChem, ChemSpider, and Google Scholar between the years 1949-2021. The scientific name of the species and its synonyms were checked with the information of The Plant List.

RESULTS

A total of seventeen Rauvolfia species have been traditionally explored for various therapeutic applications, out of which the roots of R. serpentina and R. vomitoria are used most commonly for the treatment of many diseases. About 287 alkaloids, seven terpenoids, nine flavonoids, and four phenolic acids have been reported in different parts of the forty-three species. Quality control (QC)/quality assurance (QA) of extracts/herbal formulations of Rauvolfia species was analyzed by qualitative and quantitative methods based on the major MIAs such as compounds 144, 164, 182, 190, and 214 using HPTLC, HPLC, and HPLC-MS. The various extracts of different plant parts of thirteen Rauvolfia species are explored for their pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiprotozoal, antitrypanosomal, antipsychotic, cardioprotective, cholinesterase inhibitory, and hepatoprotective. Of which, clinical trials of herbal formulations/extracts of R. serpentina and MIAs have been reported for CVD, CNS, antihypertensive therapy, antidiabetic effects, and psoriasis therapy, while the extracts and phytoconstituents of remaining Rauvolfia species are predominantly significant, owning them to be additional attention for further investigation under clinical trials and QC/QA.

CONCLUSION

The present communication has provided a comprehensive, systematic, and critically analyzed vision into the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and modern therapeutic applications of the genus Rauvolfia are validated by scientific evidence. In addition, different plant parts from this genus, especially raw and finished herbal products of the roots of R. serpentina have been demonstrated for the QC/QA.

Medicinal Plants from Latin America with Wound Healing Activity: Ethnomedicine, Phytochemistry, Preclinical and Clinical Studies—A Review

Latin America is a multicultural region with ancient traditional medicine. There is extensive knowledge of the use of medicinal plants for wound healing in this region. Nevertheless, many of these medicinal plants lack pharmacological, toxicological, and chemical studies. This review focuses on the ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, and pharmacological (preclinical and clinical) studies of medicinal plants with wound healing activity, from Latin America. An electronic database search was conducted by consulting scientific articles and books. A total of 305 plant species with wound healing activity were recorded, based on traditional medicine. Most medicinal plants used in wound healing in Latin America are topically administered; their methods of preparation are mainly by water infusion from aerial parts. Only thirty-five percent of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine for wound healing have been experimentally validated for their pharmacological effects, and the wound healing activity of five medicinal plants has been studied in clinical trials. In all, 25 compounds (mostly terpenes and flavonoids) have been isolated from medicinal plants with wound healing activity; therefore, extensive work is necessary for a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate the wound healing effects of medicinal plants in Latin America. The mechanism of action of medicinal plants, their toxicological actions on the skin, and their bioactive compounds, have yet to be investigated. This review on the ethnomedicinal, phytochemical, and pharmacological studies, of medicinal plants from Latin America with wound healing activity, offers promising data for further studies, as well as providing new insights into their possible role in wound care.

A Complete Review of Mexican Plants with Teratogenic Effects

In Mexico, the use of medicinal plants is the first alternative to treat the diseases of the most economically vulnerable population. Therefore, this review offers a list of Mexican plants (native and introduced) with teratogenic effects and describes their main alterations, teratogenic compounds, and the models and doses used. Our results identified 63 species with teratogenic effects (19 native) and the main alterations that were found in the nervous system and axial skeleton, induced by compounds such as alkaloids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Additionally, a group of hallucinogenic plants rich in alkaloids employed by indigenous groups without teratogenic studies were identified. Our conclusion shows that several of the identified species are employed in Mexican traditional medicine and that the teratogenic species most distributed in Mexico are Astragalus mollissimus, Astragalus lentiginosus, and Lupinus formosus. Considering the total number of plants in Mexico (≈29,000 total vascular plants), to date, existing research in the area shows that Mexican plants with teratogenic effects represent ≈0.22% of the total species of these in the country. This indicates a clear need to intensify the evaluation of the teratogenic effect of Mexican plants.

The traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.): A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae), commonly called Spearmint, is wildly cultivated worldwide for its remarkable aroma and commercial value. In addition to traditional foods flavouring agent, M. spicata is well known for its traditional medicinal uses, particularly for the treatment of cold, cough, asthma, fever, obesity, jaundice and digestive problems.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

This review aims to critically appraise scientific literature regarding the traditional uses, bioactive chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of M. spicata.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A review of the literature information on M. spicata was searched from scientific electronic search databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, ACS, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, Wiley, Springer and SCOPUS. Structures for secondary metabolites were confirmed using PubChem and ChemSpider.

RESULTS

The studies conducted on either crude extracts, essential oil or isolated pure compounds from M. spicata had reported a varied range of biological effects including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, larvicidal activity, antigenotoxic potential and antiandrogenic activities. Phytochemical analysis of various parts of M. spicata revealed 35 chemical constituents, belonging to phenolic acids, flavonoids and lignans.

CONCLUSION

The review finding indicates that the pharmacological properties of M. spicata supported its traditional uses. The essential oils and extracts showed remarkable antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities. However, more studies, especially in vivo experiments and clinical trials of the human to evaluate cellular and molecular mechanisms based pharmacological, bioactive effectiveness and safety investigation, should be undertaken in the future to provide stronger scientific proof for their traditional medicinal properties.

Advancing urban ethnopharmacology: a modern concept of sustainability, conservation and cross-cultural adaptations of medicinal plant lore in the urban environment

The discipline 'urban ethnopharmacology' emerged as a collection of traditional knowledge, ancient civilizations, history and folklore being circulated since generations, usage of botanical products, palaeobotany and agronomy. Non-traditional botanical knowledge increases the availability of healthcare and other essential products to the underprivileged masses. Intercultural medicine essentially involves 'practices in healthcare that bridge indigenous medicine and western medicine, where both are considered as complementary'. A unique aspect of urban ethnopharmacology is its pluricultural character. Plant medicine blossomed due to intercultural interactions and has its roots in major anthropological events of the past. Unani medicine was developed by Khalif Harun Al Rashid and Khalif Al Mansur by translating Greek and Sanskrit works. Similarly, Indo-Aryan migration led to the development of Vedic culture, which product is Ayurveda. Greek medicine reached its summit when it travelled to Egypt. In the past few decades, ethnobotanical field studies proliferated, especially in the developed countries to cope with the increasing demands of population expansion. At the same time, sacred groves continued to be an important method of conservation across several cultures even in the urban aspect. Lack of scientific research, validating the efficiency, messy applications, biopiracy and slower results are the main constrains to limit its acceptability. Access to resources and benefit sharing may be considered as a potential solution. Indigenous communities can copyright their traditional formulations and then can collaborate with companies, who have to provide the original inventors with a fair share of the profits since a significant portion of the health economy is generated by herbal medicine. Search string included the terms 'Urban' + 'Ethnopharmacology', which was searched in Google Scholar to retrieve the relevant literature. The present review aims to critically analyse the global concept of urban ethnopharmacology with the inherent plurality of the cross-cultural adaptations of medicinal plant use by urban people across the world.

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used for Management of Cancer in Karonga District, Northern Malawi

BACKGROUND

In Malawi, cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. This has led to increased use of herbal medicines for cancer management.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at identifying medicinal plants that are used for the management of cancer in the southern area of Karonga district, Northern Malawi.

METHODS

Semi-structured individual questionnaire interviews were used to collect ethnobotanical data from traditional herbal practitioners in the study area.

RESULTS

A total of twenty-six (26) plant species from seventeen (17) botanical families were reported by Traditional Herbal Practitioners to be effective in the management of cancer. The botanical families with the representation of more than one plant species were Fabaceae with five species, followed by Combretaceae and Anacardiaceae with tree species each and Meliaceaewith two species. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) showed that Senna singueana (RFC = 0.833), Lannea discolour (RFC = 0.833), Melia azedarach (RFC = 0.667), and Moringa oleifera (RFC = 0.667) were the medicinal plant species that were frequently mentioned and used in the study. The recipes could be a mixture of plant species or plant parts such as the leaves, barks, roots, rhizomes, seeds, flowers, and fruits.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that a potential cancer management drug could be developed from the medicinal plant species found in the area. The results of this study could provide baseline information on medicinal plant species for further phytochemical studies and other studies to validate their use.

Ethnochemometric of plants traditionally utilised as local detergents in the forest dependent culture

The purpose of this study is to access the existing awareness of nearly forgotten Thai detergent plants by the use of chemometrics tool. A Northern Thai forest dependent community was chosen as it played vital role on knowledge retaining of plant utilisations. For initial perception, ethnobotanical survey was conducted to determine usage of plants by the community. Then the utilised plant parts were screened for phytochemicals and their relationships with the defined cleansing terms (viz., shampoo, scrub, detergent, soap, scent and spiritual) were analysed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). From the results, the most cited plants as known, used and found were Acacia concinna, Clitoria ternetea, Oryza sativa and Citrus hystrix. Biometric analyses advised that knowledge of detergent plant utilisation was well preserved at all age ranges and it was not variable with genders. Cluster analysis described that term 'spiritual' was not narrated with cleansing properties. For phytochemical analysis, plant extracts showed positive variable of bioactive ingredients and the main compounds in the extracts was saponins. These findings confirmed that the knowledge of indigenous plant utilisation was reserved by the forest dependent community and the information is beneficial toward local plant conservation movement.

Cactus: Chemical, nutraceutical composition and potential bio-pharmacological properties

Cactus species are plants that grow in the arid and semiarid regions of the world. They have long fascinated the attention of the scientific community due to their unusual biology. Cactus species are used for a variety of purposes, such as food, fodder, ornamental, and as medicinal plants. In the last regard, they have been used in traditional medicine for eras by the ancient people to cure several diseases. Recent scientific investigations suggest that cactus materials may be used as a source of naturally-occurring products, such as mucilage, fiber, pigments, and antioxidants. For this reason, numerous species under this family are becoming endangered and extinct. This review provides an overview of the habitat, classification, phytochemistry, chemical constituents, extraction and isolation of bioactive compounds, nutritional and pharmacological potential with pre-clinical and clinical studies of different Cactus species. Furthermore, conservation strategies for the ornamental and endangered species have also been discussed.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Tengger tribe in Ngadisari village, Indonesia

The people of Tengger, Indonesia have used plants as traditional medicine for a long time. However, this local knowledge has not been well documented until recently. Our study aims to understand the utilization of plants in traditional medicine by the people of Tengger, who inhabit the Ngadisari village, Sukapura District, Probolinggo Regency, Indonesia. We conducted semi-structured and structured interviews with a total of 52 informants that represented 10% of the total family units in the village. The parameters observed in this study include species use value (SUV), family use value (FUV), plant part use (PPU), and the relative frequency of citation that was calculated based on fidelity level (FL). We successfully identified 30 species belonging to 28 genera and 20 families that have been used as a traditional medicine to treat 20 diseases. We clustered all the diseases into seven distinct categories. Among the recorded plant families, Poaceae and Zingiberaceae were the most abundant. Plant species within those families were used to treat internal medical diseases, respiratory-nose, ear, oral/dental, and throat problems. The plant species with the highest SUV was Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (1.01), whereas the Aloaceae family (0.86) had the highest FUV. Acorus calamus L. (80%) had the highest FL percentage. The leaves were identified as the most used plant part and decoction was the dominant mode of a medicinal preparation. Out of the plants and their uses documented in our study, 26.7% of the medicinal plants and 71.8% of the uses were novel. In conclusion, the diversity of medicinal plant uses in the Ngadisari village could contribute to the development of new plant-based drugs and improve the collective revenue of the local society.