Journal of ethnopharmacology
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Hypericum species have been used traditionally as astringent, antipyretic, diuretic, antiphlogistic, analgesic, and antidepressant in Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. One of the most extensively investigated medicinal herbs, H. perforatum L. (St. John's wort), is widely used in many countries to treat mild to moderate mental depression. Hypericum species are abundant throughout China, including 30 used as ethnomedicines. There are limited publications describing the ethnobotanical uses and biological activities associated with Hypericum species in China. Some reported activities include the treatment of wounds and bruises, irregular menstruation, dysentery, hepatitis, mastitis, jaundice, hemoptysis, and epistaxis. ⋯ There is a rich traditional knowledge regarding the ethnomedicinal uses of Hypericum species in China. Through phytochemical and pharmacological studies, several medicinal Hypericum from China have yielded many bioactive phytochemicals, possessing antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective properties. Hypericum species from China are potential sources of drugs to fight cancer and other chronic diseases. Remarkably, nearly half of Hypericum species in China have rarely been studied, and their ethnomedicinal potential have not been scientifically evaluated. Thus, in vitro mechanistic studies, in vivo pharmacology, and clinical efficacy are all needed, prioritizing those studies that relate most closely with their traditional uses. In addition, a comprehensive plant-resource evaluation, quality control, and toxicology studies are needed.
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Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. ex Schult. (Apocynaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine in the different parts of the Indian subcontinent due to the various biological activities attributed to its different parts, especially the roots. It has traditionally been used for treating snakebites, scorpion stings, diabetes, urinary diseases, dyspnea, menorrhagia, oligospermia, anorexia, fever, abdominal colic and pain, dysentery, diarrhea, cough, rheumatism, headache, inflammation, pyrosis, skin diseases, leprosy, sexually transmitted diseases and cancer. In Ayurveda, the plant is used in the treatment of bone-loss, low body weight, fever, stress, topical wound and psoriasis. Besides, Ayurvedic literature also depicts its use as anti-atherogenic, anti-spasmodic, memory enhancing, immunopotentiating and anti-inflammatory agents. ⋯ The study presents an exhaustive and updated review on the traditional, pharmacological and phytochemical aspects of H. indicus with notes on its quality control and toxicological information. Although the crude extracts of H. indicus exhibit an array of pharmacological activities, it is high time to identify more active phyto-constituents by bioactivity-guided isolation besides elucidating their structure-activity relationship. More designed investigations are needed to comprehend the multi-target network pharmacology, to clarify the molecular mode of action and to ascertain the efficacious doses of H. indicus. Moreover, H. indicus is not fully assessed on the basis of its safety and efficacy on human. We hope this review will compile and improve the existing knowledge on the potential utilization of H. indicus in complementary and alternative medicine.
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Atherosclerosis has become a worldwide public health problem that seriously threatens human health. Leech is traditional Chinese medicine that can be utilized to treat cardiovascular disease. Based on the anti-atherosclerosis activity of leech hydrolysate, we separated and purified the leech peptide capable of inhibiting macrophage migration and studied the pathways of the anti-migration leech peptide. ⋯ A sequence peptide was obtained from the hydrolysate of leech Whitmania pigra that inhibits macrophage migration.
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Essential hypertension is a prevalence chronic cardiovascular disease, which is treated by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China. Metabolomics approach has achieved more attention in pharmacology studies of natural products. Tianma Gouteng Decoction (TGD) is effective for the therapeutic of hypertension in China. We aimed to investigate antihypertension effect of TGD on spontaneous hypertension rat (SHR) with live-Yang hyperactivity hypertension (Gan Yang Shang Kang, GYSK) and explore the mechanism by metabolomics method. ⋯ TGD exhibited the antihypertensive activity at the frequency of administration twice a day, which had the association with RAAS system and mediated 15 biomarkers by regulating metabolisms of glycerol phospholipid, sphingomyelin, energy and amino acid.