A Systems-Pharmacology Analysis of Herbal Medicines Used in Health Improvement Treatment: Predicting Potential New Drugs and Targets

For thousands of years, tonic herbs have been successfully used all around the world to improve health, energy, and vitality. However, their underlying mechanisms of action in molecular/systems levels are still a mystery. In this work, two sets of tonic herbs, so called Qi-enriching herbs (QEH) and Blood-tonifying herbs (BTH) in TCM, were selected to elucidate why they can restore proper balance and harmony inside body, organ and energy system. Firstly, a pattern recognition model based on artificial neural network and discriminant analysis for assessing the molecular difference between QEH and BTH was developed. It is indicated that QEH compounds have high lipophilicity while BTH compounds possess high chemical reactivity. Secondly, a systematic investigation integrating ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) prediction, target fishing and network analysis was performed and validated on these herbs to obtain the compound-target associations for reconstructing the biologically-meaningful networks. The results suggest QEH enhance physical strength, immune system and normal well-being, acting as adjuvant therapy for chronic disorders while BTH stimulate hematopoiesis function in body. As an emerging approach, the systems pharmacology model might facilitate to understand the mechanisms of action of the tonic herbs, which brings about new development for complementary and alternative medicine.

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Systems Pharmacology Dissection of Multi-Scale Mechanisms of Action for Herbal Medicines in Stroke Treatment and Prevention

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0102506 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e102506 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jingxiao Zhang ◽

Yan Li ◽

Xuetong Chen ◽

Yanqiu Pan ◽

Shuwei Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Herbal Medicines ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Systems Pharmacology ◽

Stroke Treatment ◽

Multi Scale ◽

Treatment And Prevention

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Substantial effect of phytochemical constituents against the pandemic disease influenza—a review

Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.1186/s43094-021-00269-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

A. Brindha Devi ◽

R. Sarala

Keyword(s):

Influenza A ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Substantial Effect ◽

Acute Respiratory Tract Infection ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

New Drugs ◽

Main Body ◽

Primary And Secondary Metabolites ◽

Pharmaceutical Industries ◽

Phytochemical Constituents

Abstract Background Influenza is an acute respiratory tract infection caused by the influenza virus. Vaccination and antiviral drugs are the two methods opted to control the disease. Besides their efficiency, they also cause adverse side effects. Hence, scientists turned their attention to powerful herbal medicines. This review put focus on various proven, scientifically validated anti-influenza compounds produced by the plants suggested for the production of newer drugs for the better treatment of influenza and its related antiviral diseases too. Main body In this review, fifty medicinal herb phytochemical constituents and their anti-influenza activities have been documented. Specifically, this review brings out the accurate and substantiates mechanisms of action of these constituents. This study categorizes the phytochemical constituents into primary and secondary metabolites which provide a source for synthesizing and developing new drugs. Conclusion This article provides a summary of the actions of the herbal constituents. Since the mechanisms of action of the components are elucidated, the pandemic situation arising due to influenza and similar antiviral diseases can be handled promisingly with greater efficiency. However, clinical trials are in great demand. The formulation of usage may be a single drug compound or multi-herbal combination. These, in turn, open up a new arena for the pharmaceutical industries to develop innovative drugs.

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Systems Pharmacology Dissection of Multiscale Mechanisms of Action for Herbal Medicines in Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

Molecular Pharmaceutics ◽

10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b00505 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (9) ◽

pp. 3201-3217 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Jinghui Wang ◽

Yan Li ◽

Yinfeng Yang ◽

Jian Du ◽

Miaoqing Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Systems Pharmacology

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Herbal Medicine: Clinical Perspective & Regulatory Status

Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening ◽

10.2174/1386207323999201110192942 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

Author(s):

Md Abul Barkat ◽

Anjali Goyal ◽

Harshita Abul Barkat ◽

Mohammad Salauddin ◽

Faheem Hyder Pottoo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Herbal Medicine ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

New Drugs ◽

Herbal Drugs ◽

Clinical Perspective ◽

Regulatory Status ◽

Novel Drugs ◽

History Of ◽

Pros And Cons ◽

Health Complications

Abstract:: Herbal medicines pays an important in treating the vaious diseases mainly due to the their potentially high therapeutic values and also due to the better acceptance of vaioruspatient under different health complications. The herbal medicine practice involves use of part of plant, entire plant or the selectctive isolated phytomedicineand the use and practices based on these has its pros and cons and has been greatly affected during the dawn. The search of new drugs during scientific era revives the interest in discovery of herbal drugs from different natural resources during 20th century. The present modern healthcare system invovlves utilization drugs and 50% of them are of ofnaural origin. Herbal drug disocovery found to be highly costly affair with low success rate and it hinders the further progress in utilizting the phytomedicine in treating the various deseases. But in recent years there is an increase in the search interest of herbal drugs mainly by the pharmaceutical industry and those invoves in the search of novel drugs from the herbs. Discovery of such new novel phytomedicines has to overcomes various challenges in indentification of active extracts and their toxicity, advereffects, herb drug interaction and importantly their regulatory requirments. The present review mainly focused on the history of herbal medicine, current clinical perspective, pharmaceutical, and regulatory challenges as well as its clinical presentation. Moreover, problems encountered in drug discovery from herbal resources and its possible solutions are delineated.

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Antimicrobial Peptides and their Multiple Effects at Sub-Inhibitory Concentrations

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1568026620666200427090912 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (14) ◽

pp. 1264-1273 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bruno Casciaro ◽

Floriana Cappiello ◽

Walter Verrusio ◽

Mauro Cacciafesta ◽

Maria Luisa Mangoni

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Peptides ◽

Inhibitory Concentration ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

New Drugs ◽

Lead Compounds ◽

Bacterial Pathogenicity ◽

Growth Inhibitory ◽

Resistant Strains ◽

Conventional Antibiotics

The frequent occurrence of multidrug-resistant strains to conventional antimicrobials has led to a clear decline in antibiotic therapies. Therefore, new molecules with different mechanisms of action are extremely necessary. Due to their unique properties, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a valid alternative to conventional antibiotics and many of them have been characterized for their activity and cytotoxicity. However, the effects that these peptides cause at concentrations below the minimum growth inhibitory concentration (MIC) have yet to be fully analyzed along with the underlying molecular mechanism. In this mini-review, the ability of AMPs to synergize with different antibiotic classes or different natural compounds is examined. Furthermore, data on microbial resistance induction are reported to highlight the importance of antibiotic resistance in the fight against infections. Finally, the effects that sub-MIC levels of AMPs can have on the bacterial pathogenicity are summarized while showing how signaling pathways can be valid therapeutic targets for the treatment of infectious diseases. All these aspects support the high potential of AMPs as lead compounds for the development of new drugs with antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities.

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DRUG REGULATORY PROCEDURES IN TANZANIA: A GLIMPSE

International Journal of Drug Regulatory Affairs ◽

10.22270/ijdra.v3i2.12 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Achin Jain ◽

M P Venkatesh M P ◽

Pramod T.M. Kumar

Keyword(s):

Quality Control ◽

Medical Devices ◽

Emerging Market ◽

Well Being ◽

New Drugs ◽

Regulatory Body ◽

Herbal Drugs ◽

Drug Products ◽

Set Up

In Tanzania, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), is a regulatory body responsible for controlling the quality,safety and effectiveness of food, drugs, herbal drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. The Authority has been ensuringsafety, efficacy and quality of medicines by quality control tests; in addition to other quality assessment mechanisms.The guidelines laid by TFDA have also emanated from commitment to democracy and gives strong emphasis to thefulfilment of the needs of the less privileged rural population.Tanzania is an emerging market; the pharmaceutical market is valued at over US$250 million, and is growing at anannual rate of around 16.5% and is expected to reach approximately US$550 billion in 2020. Currently, the market ishighly dependent on imports, which account for around 75% of the total pharmaceutical market.The procedures and approval requirements of new drugs, variations, import, export and disposal have been set up bythe TFDA, which help in maintaining quality of the drug products that are imported as well being produced locally

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Herbal Remedies and Their Possible Effect on the GABAergic System and Sleep

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020530 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 530

Author(s):

Oliviero Bruni ◽

Luigi Ferini-Strambi ◽

Elena Giacomoni ◽

Paolo Pellegrino

Keyword(s):

Gaba Receptors ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Well Being ◽

Herbal Remedies ◽

Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽

Systematic Analysis ◽

Inhibitory Neurotransmitter ◽

Alternative Medicines ◽

Molecular Components ◽

The Brain

Sleep is an essential component of physical and emotional well-being, and lack, or disruption, of sleep due to insomnia is a highly prevalent problem. The interest in complementary and alternative medicines for treating or preventing insomnia has increased recently. Centuries-old herbal treatments, popular for their safety and effectiveness, include valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, lavender, and Californian poppy. These herbal medicines have been shown to reduce sleep latency and increase subjective and objective measures of sleep quality. Research into their molecular components revealed that their sedative and sleep-promoting properties rely on interactions with various neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a major role in controlling different vigilance states. GABA receptors are the targets of many pharmacological treatments for insomnia, such as benzodiazepines. Here, we perform a systematic analysis of studies assessing the mechanisms of action of various herbal medicines on different subtypes of GABA receptors in the context of sleep control. Currently available evidence suggests that herbal extracts may exert some of their hypnotic and anxiolytic activity through interacting with GABA receptors and modulating GABAergic signaling in the brain, but their mechanism of action in the treatment of insomnia is not completely understood.

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Risks and risk management in modern multiple sclerosis immunotherapeutic treatment

Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders ◽

10.1177/1756286419836571 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 175628641983657 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Luisa Klotz ◽

Joachim Havla ◽

Nicholas Schwab ◽

Reinhard Hohlfeld ◽

Michael Barnett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Side Effect ◽

Paradigm Shift ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Optimal Choice ◽

New Drugs ◽

Comprehensive Overview ◽

Disease Modifying Drugs ◽

Practical Recommendations ◽

Target Effects

In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) owing to the approval of a number of new drugs with very distinct mechanisms of action. All approved disease-modifying drugs primarily work directly on the immune system. However, the identification of an ‘optimal choice’ for individual patients with regard to treatment efficacy, treatment adherence and side-effect profile has become increasingly complex including conceptual as well as practical considerations. Similarly, there are peculiarities and specific requirements with regard to treatment monitoring, especially in relation to immunosuppression, the development of secondary immune-related complications, as well as the existence of drug-specific on- and off-target effects. Both classical immunosuppression and selective immune interventions generate a spectrum of potential therapy-related complications. This article provides a comprehensive overview of available immunotherapeutics for MS and their risks, detailing individual mechanisms of action and side-effect profiles. Furthermore, practical recommendations for patients treated with modern MS immunotherapeutics are provided.

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Is empowerment a route to improving mental health and wellbeing in an urban regeneration (UR) context?

Urban Studies ◽

10.1177/0042098016632435 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (7) ◽

pp. 1619-1637 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Camilla Baba ◽

Ade Kearns ◽

Emma McIntosh ◽

Carol Tannahill ◽

James Lewsey

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Urban Regeneration ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Empowerment ◽

Health Improvement ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Health Gains

Urban regeneration (UR) programmes are recognised as a type of Population Health Intervention (PHI), addressing social and health inequalities. Policy recommends programmes involve communities through engagement and empowerment. Whilst the literature has started to link empowerment with health improvement, this has not been within an UR context. As part of broader research on the economic evaluation of community empowerment activities, this paper examines how health gains can be generated through promoting empowerment as well as identifying whether feelings of empowerment are associated with residents personal characteristics or perceptions of their neighbourhood. Using 2011 Community Health and Wellbeing Survey (GoWell) cross-sectional data, ordinal logistic regression and simple linear regression analysis of 15 Glasgow neighbourhoods undergoing regeneration with 4302 adult householders (≥16 years old) was completed. Analyses identified strong associations ( P≥ 0.05) between empowerment and the mental health subscale of the SF12v2 and with several items of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) scale. Furthermore, residents’ who felt more empowered reported more positive attitudes towards their surroundings and housing providers. This concurs with recent evidence of the importance of residents’ psychological investments in their neighbourhood influencing their sense of place attachment. Such analyses present initial evidence of the value of investing resources within UR programmes to activities geared towards increasing residents’ empowerment as a means of producing those health gains often sought by more costly aspects of the programmes.

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