scholarly journals Medicinal plants and phytotherapy in Iran: Glorious history, current status and future prospects

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-111
Author(s):  
Mohammad Sadegh Amiri ◽  
Mohammad Ehsan Taghavizadeh Yazdi ◽  
Mostafa Rahnama
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Product Authenticity ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Silk Road

This study is an endeavour to analyse the status of medicinal plants research in Iran. Because of its exceptional phytogeography, Iran has a unique and diverse flora. It is estimated that, 8167 species of vascular plants are present in Iran of which about 2075 have medicinal importance. Situated at the heart of the Silk Road, Iran enjoys a mix of cultures providing a rich backbone for the development of traditional herbal medicine practices. Notwithstanding the brilliant history in traditional medicine and success of investigation to produce herbal medicines, attempts in recent decades, face many challenges. Many text and paper about these concerns were never translated in English. Strong need was felt to record such data of medicinal plants of Iran, their conservation status and related information. The scattered literature over medicinal plants of Iran were collected, analysed and presented in this review, highlighting not only their therapeutic potential but also concerns about product authenticity, quality, safety and efficacy. This will provide ways for future scientific research in this area. Awareness of critical issues in traditional medicinal herbs can play a pivotal role in the discovery and development of plant based drugs and to sustain consumer confidence.

scholarly journals An Overview of Some Plant Based Products With Hepatoprotective Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Sonali Dnyaneshwar Labhade ◽  
Swapnil Sharma ◽  
Sarvesh Paliwal ◽  
Shivani Desai
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Folk Medicine ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Repeated Administration ◽  
Hepatoprotective Activity ◽  
Hepatoprotective Effect ◽  
Quality Trait ◽  
Liver Disorders ◽  
Current Review

In folk medicine there are various medicinal amalgamation possessing hepatoprotective activity. This activity is of significance because several toxins cause liver injury. Hence, many pharmaceutical companies are targeting herbal medicines for the treatment of liver abnormalities and towards evolving a safe and effective formulation with desired route of administration. In current review we have focused on the studies showing hepatoprotective effect using marine compounds and plant derived compounds. Liver disorder, a global health problem, usually include acute or chronic hepatitis, heptoses, and cirrhosis. It may be due to toxic chemicals and certain antibiotics. Uncontrolled consumption of alcohol also affects liver in an unhealthy way. To cure liver disorders several formulations of medicinal plants are being used. It is observed that hepatoprotective effect of plant is mostly due to flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, and glycoside. A single drug cannot be useful for all the types of liver disorders. Several plant extracts for liver illness results from poisonous chemicals, viruses, extra alcohol consumption, and repeated administration of medication. By using standards of protection and efficacy, manufacture of plant products need to be ruled out. Current review provides an understanding of ethnopharmocology, toxicology of several medicinal plants manifesting hepatoprotective potential. Despite of varied database analysis new discoveries and their probabilities, evidences on viral hepatitis treatment or liver cirrhosis is inadequate.  Further information about phytotherapy, toxicology, quality control studies shall be endorsed. Further in depth studies are required to discover quality trait like SAR, MOA, safety and toxicity and therapeutic potential of phytoconstituents in clinical settings.

scholarly journals Overview of Viral Pneumonia Associated With Influenza Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Coronavirus, and Therapeutics Based on Natural Products of Medicinal Plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziwei Hu ◽  
Jinhong Lin ◽  
Jintao Chen ◽  
Tengxi Cai ◽  
Lixin Xia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Respiratory Virus ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Viral Pneumonia ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Syncytial Virus

Viral pneumonia has been a serious threat to global health, especially now we have dramatic challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately six million cases of community-acquired pneumonia occur every year, and over 20% of which need hospital admission. Influenza virus, respiratory virus, and coronavirus are the noteworthy causative agents to be investigated based on recent clinical research. Currently, anaphylactic reaction and inflammation induced by antiviral immunity can be incriminated as causative factors for clinicopathological symptoms of viral pneumonia. In this article, we illustrate the structure and related infection mechanisms of these viruses and the current status of antiviral therapies. Owing to a set of antiviral regiments with unsatisfactory clinical effects resulting from side effects, genetic mutation, and growing incidence of resistance, much attention has been paid on medicinal plants as a natural source of antiviral agents. Previous research mainly referred to herbal medicines and plant extracts with curative effects on viral infection models of influenza virus, respiratory virus, and coronavirus. This review summarizes the results of antiviral activities of various medicinal plants and their isolated substances, exclusively focusing on natural products for the treatment of the three types of pathogens that elicit pneumonia. Furthermore, we have introduced several useful screening tools to develop antiviral lead compounds.

Therapeutic Potential of Medicinal Plant Proteins: Present Status and Future Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-487
Author(s):  
Snober Shabeer Wani ◽  
Parvaiz A. Dar ◽  
Sajad M. Zargar ◽  
Tanveer A. Dar
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Medicinal Plant ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Human Diseases ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Mistletoe Lectin ◽  
Plant Proteins ◽  
Drug Candidates

Biologically active molecules obtained from plant sources, mostly including secondary metabolites, have been considered to be of immense value with respect to the treatment of various human diseases. However, some inevitable limitations associated with these secondary metabolites like high cytotoxicity, low bioavailability, poor absorption, low abundance, improper metabolism, etc., have forced the scientific community to explore medicinal plants for alternate biologically active molecules. In this context, therapeutically active proteins/peptides from medicinal plants have been promoted as a promising therapeutic intervention for various human diseases. A large number of proteins isolated from the medicinal plants have been shown to exhibit anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-HIV, anticancerous, ribosome-inactivating and neuro-modulatory activities. Moreover, with advanced technological developments in the medicinal plant research, medicinal plant proteins such as Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor and Mistletoe Lectin-I are presently under clinical trials against prostate cancer, oral carcinomas and malignant melanoma. Despite these developments and proteins being potential drug candidates, to date, not a single systematic review article has documented the therapeutical potential of the available biologically active medicinal plant proteome. The present article was therefore designed to describe the current status of the therapeutically active medicinal plant proteins/peptides vis-à-vis their potential as future protein-based drugs for various human diseases. Future insights in this direction have also been highlighted.

scholarly journals The Current Status and a New Approach for Chinese Doctors to Obtain Medical Knowledge Using Social Media: A Study of WeChat

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Liu ◽  
Kunyan Wei ◽  
Xingting Zhang ◽  
Dong Wen ◽  
Li Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Mobile Environment ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Related Information ◽  
The Status

Background. WeChat is the most widely and frequently used mobile social media in China and has profoundly integrated into the daily life of many Chinese people. A variety of medicine-related information may be found on WeChat. As users of WeChat, doctors often access health-related information and even provide a variety of medical services or participate in various types of mobile communication with patients. Objective. This study is the first attempt to quantitatively explore the approaches by doctors of acquiring medical knowledge using Internet resources especially social media such as WeChat to access knowledge. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was designed, distributed, collected, and analyzed utilizing the online survey tool Sojump. WeChat was adopted to randomly release the questionnaires using snowball sampling and collect the results after a certain amount of time. Results. 292 valid questionnaires out of 314 questionnaires by clinical doctors were analyzed. Regarding the current status of accessing medical knowledge among doctors, more than 60% of the doctors regularly used the Internet to search for medical knowledge, 19.86% used WeChat as a channel to acquire medical knowledge, and only 23.97% were satisfied with acquiring medical knowledge through the Internet. Regarding the frequency of WeChat usage, nearly 40% of the doctors accessed WeChat more than 20 times per day and over 70% used WeChat for over half an hour every day. Regarding the status of accessing medical knowledge through WeChat, nearly half (47.26%) of the doctors stated that they often read professional medical articles on WeChat and the most common channel is friends’ moment sharing and public account subscriptions, with selection rates of 59.93% and 60.27%, respectively. The most desirable mode of acquiring medical knowledge through WeChat was the following: “professional medical knowledge from peers, with a reminder.” Conclusion. WeChat has become a nonnegligible means of acquiring medical knowledge for busy Chinese physicians in a mobile environment. Further evaluation and improvement of the quality of medical knowledge on WeChat are needed. The recommendation of individualized articles through social media may become another contributing factor for doctors to acquire medical knowledge effectively and efficiently.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES IN BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE GAP IN AFRICA

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-83
Author(s):  
Iddi W. Juma ◽  
Justus Wamukoya ◽  
Caroline Wekullo
Keyword(s):  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Knowledge Gap ◽  
Knowledge Resources ◽  
Knowledge Deficit ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
The Status ◽  
Access To Knowledge

Digital libraries have a huge potential towards offsetting the knowledge deficit in many parts of the world and Africa in particular. This article reports on a study aimed at exploring the status of digital libraries and the contributions they have made towards bridging the knowledge gap in Africa. The study examined the origin, growth and current status of digital libraries; identified critical issues surrounding their existence; and investigated the level to which they had helped to reduce disparities in access to knowledge and promote the quality of education and research in Africa. It also explored the challenges met in the development, management and use of these libraries with a view to improving them. Data collection and analysis was largely based on a review of the extant literature as well as an analysis of the statistical data collected from a number of organisations and websites. The key finding was that although there had been some efforts in Africa to harness opportunities created by the Internet and digital libraries through research initiatives, the continent still trailed the rest of the world in the actual use of these resources. It was recommended that African governments and higher education institutions (HEIs) create an environment that is conducive for further development of these libraries and facilitate them to contribute more effectively to information and cultural content. There was also a need to increase investments in the digital technologies to reduce the existing disparities and barriers to universal access to the knowledge resources.

scholarly journals A checklist and conservation status of the medicinal plants of Mount Arayat National Park, Pampanga, Philippines

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1034-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARLON DL SUBA ◽  
AXEL H ARRIOLA ◽  
GRECEBIO JONATHAN D ALEJANDRO
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
National Park ◽  
Digestive System ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Parasitic Diseases ◽  
Vulnerable Species ◽  
Natural Area ◽  
International Union

A checklist of medicinal plants in a natural area is fundamental not only it provides an updated reference but also it gives the current status of biodiversity.  In this study, available medicinal plants in Mt. Arayat National Park (MANP) was documented.  Existing and comprehensive references on Philippine medicinal plants were used to assess the medicinal values.  To determine their conservation status, the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and list from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Philippines were accessed.  Results indicated a total of 60 species under 27 families were recorded in MANP.  Out of the 27 families, Leguminosae represented the highest number of medicinal plants and the genus Ficus has the most number of species.  Based on literature, most of the plants were used to treat infectious and parasitic diseases and diseases of the digestive system.  In terms of the conservation status, IUCN has assessed 6 vulnerable and 5 least concern species while DENR has listed 1 vulnerable species and the rest of the medicinal plants were marked as not evaluated.  This checklist provides data of various medicinal plants which aims to emphasize their uses and the need of conservation.

scholarly journals The Current Status of the World’s Primates: Mapping Threats to Understand Priorities for Primate Conservation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Fernández ◽  
Daphne Kerhoas ◽  
Andrea Dempsey ◽  
Josephine Billany ◽  
Gráinne McCabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Red List ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact

AbstractOver the past decades, primate populations have been declining. Four years ago, >60% of species were listed as threatened. As the rate of loss accelerates and new IUCN assessments are being published, we used IUCN Red List assessments and peer-reviewed literature published within the last 5 yr to evaluate the status of primates globally, by region and by taxonomic group. We also examined the main factors affecting a species’ conservation status to determine if we could predict the status of understudied species. We found that 65% of species are in the top three IUCN Red List categories (Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered). Globally, the main threats to primates are Biological Resource Use, including Hunting & Logging, and Agriculture. The impact of these threats varied by region and taxon. Our model showed that Malagasy and Asian primates, and those affected by Agriculture, Human Disturbance, and Climate Change were more likely to be considered at risk of extinction. The model’s predictive probability, however, was low. Our literature analysis showed that some threats, especially climate change and disease, affected more species than indicated by the IUCN Red List. As we move into the next decade, we must continue tackling hunting and agricultural expansion but also be vigilant about emerging threats. We must also aim to regularly test the effectiveness of mitigation strategies, evaluating their long-term adoption and their impact on primates; as well as to increase communication between researchers and applied conservationists to ensure IUCN assessments include current and emerging threats.

Global population status of shy albatross and an assessment of colony-specific trends and drivers

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 672 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Alderman ◽  
R. Gales ◽  
G. N. Tuck ◽  
J. D. Lebreton
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Fishing Effort ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Island Population ◽  
Juvenile Survival ◽  
The Status ◽  
By Catch

Context Monitoring the status of albatross populations and identifying the factors driving observed trends remain international conservation and management priorities. The shy albatross is endemic to Australia and breeds only on three Tasmanian islands. Aims To provide a reliable total population estimate for shy albatross, including an assessment of demographic trends for each of the three populations where possible. We consider also key drivers of population trends for each population, particularly the potential role of fisheries by-catch, with an overall aim of determining the status of the species. Methods Aerial photography and ground surveys were used to estimate the number of annual breeding pairs and trends in adult and juvenile survival rates were calculated using mark–recapture methods. At-sea distribution data was used to identify population specific trends in the overlap of shy albatross and fisheries to evaluate the potential influence of fisheries by-catch on the populations. Key Results The Albatross Island population increased post-harvesting but has recently stabilised at around 5200 breeding pairs, less than half its estimated historic size. This trajectory change appears driven by a decrease in juvenile survival. The small (170 breeding pairs) Pedra Branca population has recently declined, probably due to reduced breeding success associated with the increasing population of Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) on the island. The largest population (on Mewstone) comprises at least 9500 breeding pairs. Trends for this population are unknown. However, this paper demonstrates that these birds have greater overlap with trawl and longline fishing effort and are consequently at higher risk of fishing-related mortality. Conclusions Given the extent of fisheries overlap, survival rates for Mewstone individuals are likely to be lower than the Albatross Island population. Combined with recent trends on Pedra Branca and Albatross Island, we suggest that the current status of the shy albatross is likely to be stable at best and quite possibly decreasing. Implications The concerns raised about the conservation status of shy albatross reinforce the importance of continued population monitoring focussed particularly on establishing the trend of Mewstone. A thorough assessment of interactions with trawl fishing operations also is a management priority for this species.

scholarly journals The role of Garo tribes of Meghalaya (India) in the conservation and management of medicinal plants diversity used in treating livestock diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-162
Author(s):  
Dingsmit B Sangma ◽  
Manohara TN
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Medicinal Plant ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Endangered Medicinal Plant

The Garo tribe of Meghalaya, India have rich local health traditions and large numbers of traditional healers have been practicing herbal medicines for many years. The present study aims at quantifying the plant species used for ethno-veterinary purposes and to identify their conservation status. Out of 90 informants 22 were traditional healers and 68 were farmers. A total of 75 ethnoveterinary medicinal plant species belonging to 71 genera and 49 families were documented and identified for treating 24 different livestock ailment. Most of the medicinal plants (83%) were collected from the wild and leaves were the most frequently used (58%) parts for formulation of drugs; oral application is most frequently employed (56%), followed by the dermal application which accounts for 31%. The medicinal plants collected are mostly trees (31%), followed by herbs (25%). The study indicates that some species are rare or endangered and their use is therefore unsustainable. The strategies for effective conservation of endangered medicinal plant are discussed here.

The current status of British mayflies and stoneflies

Zoosymposia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 89-100
Author(s):  
CRAIG R. MACADAM
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Threat Status ◽  
Previous Review ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Status ◽  
Data Book ◽  
The Uk

It is more than 25 years since the last review of the status of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the United Kingdom (UK). The previous review used the British Red Data Book criteria to assign conservation status to five mayfly and seven stonefly species. The criteria used for assigning the threat status in these publications had the categories Endangered, Vulnerable and Rare, which were defined rather loosely and without quantitative thresholds. The application of these categories was largely a matter of judgment, and it was not easy to apply them consistently within a taxonomic group or to make comparisons between groups of different organisms. The present review has been undertaken to provide an up to date assessment of the status of mayfly and stonefly species in the UK. The IUCN Guidelines have been revised and subsequently updated, and new information on distribution and trends is now available, making it timely to revise the status of all mayfly and stonefly species. Over 275,000 distribution records covering 51 mayfly and 34 stonefly species were analysed and new status assessments provided for these species. This process resulted in one species of stonefly and two species of mayfly being listed as extinct in the UK and a further seven species listed as being at risk of extinction, compared with five species in the previous review. A further 10 species did not have sufficient information to confidently assess their status. Twentysix species were highlighted as being either Nationally Rare or Nationally Scarce. This represents a significant increase upon the previous review when only nine species were highlighted as being Nationally Rare/Scarce.

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