The records of folk medicine present historical evidence of medicinal plant usage in the territory of Latvia and describe native and imported plants and plant products that were used as medicine.
To ...collect and analyse the ethnobotanical knowledge found in records of Latvian folk medicine available in the Archives of Latvian Folklore.
Following the International Classification of Primary Care, plant uses were grouped into one of the 17 categories based on the body systems and psychological and social problems. Each plant was identified by its scientific name according to The Plant List website. Additionally, the plant parts used, dosage forms of herbal medicines and routes of administration were analysed.
In total, 211 genera belonging to 71 families were mentioned in the analysed materials. The most common health conditions were digestive system disorders, respiratory system disorders and skin disorders. The plant families with the largest number of taxa were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, and Apiaceae. The most frequently mentioned native plant taxa were Achillea millefolium L., Matricaria chamomilla L., Allium cepa L., Artemisia absinthium L., and Plantago sp. L. Leaves and flowers were the most commonly used parts, and herbal tea was the most common dosage form. Only 59 out of 211 taxa mentioned in this study are included in the official herbal monographs of the European Medicines Agency.
One hundred and fifty-two plant taxa mentioned in the records of Latvian folk medicine are not included in the European Union herbal monographs providing scientific information on the safety and efficacy and deserve further exploration as traditional herbal medicines.
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Brazil has the most incredible biodiversity globally and has a vast storehouse of molecules to be discovered. However, there are no pharmacological and phytochemical studies on most native plants. ...Parts of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler, a tree from the Anacardiaceae family, are used by several traditional communities to treat injuries and health problems. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the pharmacological information about S. brasiliensis, from ethnobotanical to phytochemical and biological studies. Data collection concerning the geographical distribution of S. brasiliensis specimens was achieved through the Reflora Virtual Herbarium. The study’s protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search strategy used the keyword “Schinopsis brasiliensis” in the databases: PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Web of Science, SciFinder, and SciELO. Rayyan was used for the selection of eligible studies. In total, 35 studies were included in the paper. The most recurrent therapeutic indications were for general pain, flu and inflammation. The bark was the most studied part of the plant. The most used preparation method was decoction and infusion, followed by syrup. Phytochemical investigations indicate the presence of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, and polyphenols. Most of the substances were found in the plant’s leaf and bark. Important biological activities were reported, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. S. brasiliensis is used mainly by communities in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil to treat several diseases. Pharmacological and phytochemical studies together provide scientific support for the popular knowledge of the medicinal use of S. brasiliensis. In vitro and in vivo analyses reported antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, cytotoxic, photoprotective, preservative, molluscicidal, larvicidal, and pupicidal effects. It is essential to highlight the need for future studies that elucidate the mechanisms of action of these phytocompounds.
The main objective of this study is to optimize and analyze the bioactive substances of functional tea prepared from Ficus carica L. leaves according to the traditional practices in Kabylia regions ...(Tipaza and Tizi-Ouzou). The optimal extraction conditions of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), tannin content (TC), and total chlorophyll content (TCC) were determined using the response surface methodology (RSM). The main results show that the optimum extraction conditions were 18.36 min at 41.15 °C with a particle size of 52.27 µm. Other therapeutic effects have to be revealed and demonstrated. The prepared tea characterized by a high TPC value of about 203.713 g GAE/100 g d.b.
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Mushrooms are popular folk medicines that have attracted considerable attention because of their efficient antitumor activities. This review covers existing research achievements on ...the mechanisms of isolated mushroom polysaccharides, particularly (1→3)-β-D-glucans. Our review also describes the function in modulating the immune system and potential tumor-inhibitory effects of polysaccharides. The antitumor mechanisms of mushroom polysaccharides are mediated by stimulated T cells or other immune cells. These polysaccharides are able to trigger various cellular responses, such as the expression of cytokines and nitric oxide. Most polysaccharides could bind other conjugate molecules, such as polypeptides and proteins, whose conjugation always possess strong antitumor activities. The purpose of this review is to summarize available information, and to reflect the present situation of polysaccharide research filed with a view for future direction.
Approximately 80% of the population residing in sub-Saharan Africa relies on Traditional Medicine (TM). However, literature on factors motivating the use of TM for children under the age of five in ...these settings is limited. Such information can guide policy formulation for integration of TM into mainstream health care services. This study aimed to describe the motivation on use of TM among caregivers of children residing in rural and urban communities in western Kenya. The socio-behavioral sciences (SBS) arm of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program in western Kenya, conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study in Manyatta-an urban informal settlement located in Kisumu town and Karemo-a rural setting in Siaya County. We performed 29 in-depth interviews, 5 focus group discussions and 11 semi-structured interviews with community representatives (n = 53), health workers (n = 17), and community leaders (n = 18). All the participants were purposively sampled. We performed thematic analysis using both inductive and deductive approaches. Data management was completed on Nvivo 11.0 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). Our findings reveal that some caregivers prefer TM to treat some childhood diseases. Use of TM was informed by illness beliefs about etiology of disease. We observed an appreciation from the study participants that malaria can effectively be treated by Conventional Medicine (CM) while TM was preferred to treat measles and diseases believed to be associated with supernatural etiology such as witchcraft, evil spirit or breaching cultural taboos. TM was also used in instances where CM failed to provide a diagnosis or when CM was 'slow'. TM in such cases was used as a last resort. We observed varied beliefs that motivate caregivers' choice of TM use among children in western Kenya. It is therefore crucial to consider perceptions and socio-cultural beliefs about illnesses when formulating interventions that are geared towards child health.
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