scholarly journals Medicinal Plants Used for Treating Mild Covid-19 Symptoms Among Thai Karen and Hmong

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Methee Phumthum ◽  
Varangrat Nguanchoo ◽  
Henrik Balslev

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is causing many severe problems globally, and it is not known for how long it will last. The only hope we have for dealing with the problem is to produce sufficient vaccines and administer them efficiently. However, the current demand for vaccines greatly exceeds the supply, and many people will suffer from the disease for still some time. Moreover, the period for immunity obtained by the vaccines remains unknown, and we cannot predict how long the world will suffer the COVID-19 infections. Therefore, there will be a continued demand for treatments of its symptoms. An alternative solution for providing such treatment is the use of traditional medicinal plants.Aims: To document medicinal plants used by Hmong and Karen in Thailand to treat mild symptoms of COVID-19.Methods: Traditional knowledge about ethnomedicinal plants used by Hmong and Karen in Thailand for treating mild symptoms listed by WHO as associated with COVID 19, was collected in field interviews and extracted from the literature.Results: We identified 491 plant species used medicinally by both ethnic groups to treat fever, cough, diarrhea, muscle pain and ache, rash, headache, sore throat, and conjunctivitis. Of the 491 species 60 were mentioned at least five times in the literature or in our field data. Of these 60 species, we propose the most commonly used ones for treatments of mild COVID-19 symptoms. Ten of these most commonly mentioned species were used for treatments of fever, nine for treatment of cough, four for treatment of diarrhea, two for treatment of rash, and a single species was used to treat muscle pain and headache.Conclusion: This study suggests alternative treatments for mild symptoms of COVID-19 with medicinal plants that are traditionally used by the ethnic minority groups of the Hmong and Karen in Thailand. Although COVID-19 is a new disease, its mild symptoms are shared with many other diseases. Traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used by the Thai Karen and Hmong could help in the treatments of these symptoms associated with COVID-19. Many of the proposed plants were used abundantly by both ethnic groups, and other studies on biological activities support their efficacy in such treatments.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 740
Author(s):  
Manjula D. Nugawela ◽  
Sarega Gurudas ◽  
Andrew Toby Prevost ◽  
Rohini Mathur ◽  
John Robson ◽  
...  

There is little data on ethnic differences in incidence of DR and sight threatening DR (STDR) in the United Kingdom. We aimed to determine ethnic differences in the development of DR and STDR and to identify risk factors of DR and STDR in people with incident or prevalent type II diabetes (T2DM). We used electronic primary care medical records of people registered with 134 general practices in East London during the period from January 2007–January 2017. There were 58,216 people with T2DM eligible to be included in the study. Among people with newly diagnosed T2DM, Indian, Pakistani and African ethnic groups showed an increased risk of DR with Africans having highest risk of STDR compared to White ethnic groups (HR: 1.36 95% CI 1.02–1.83). Among those with prevalent T2DM, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Caribbean ethnic groups showed increased risk of DR and STDR with Indian having the highest risk of any DR (HR: 1.24 95% CI 1.16–1.32) and STDR (HR: 1.38 95% CI 1.17–1.63) compared with Whites after adjusting for all covariates considered. It is important to optimise prevention, screening and treatment options in these ethnic minority groups to avoid health inequalities in diabetes eye care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cruz-Pérez Alejandra Lucía ◽  
Barrera-Ramos Jacqueline ◽  
Bernal-Ramírez Luis Alberto ◽  
Bravo-Avilez David ◽  
Rendón-Aguilar Beatriz

Abstract Background Oaxaca is one of the most diverse states in Mexico from biological and cultural points of view. Different ethnic groups living there maintain deep and ancestral traditional knowledge of medicinal plants as well as traditional practices and beliefs about diseases/illnesses and cures. Previous ethnobotanical research in this state has helped document this knowledge, but with the addition of more studies, more records appear. We updated the inventory of medicinal knowledge between the different ethnic groups that inhabit the Oaxacan territory. Methods A database was constructed from two sources: (1) original data from a 3-year project in 84 municipalities of Oaxaca inhabited by eight ethnic groups and (2) different electronic databases. Results Records of 1032 medicinal plants were obtained; 164 families were registered, with Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Rubiaceae being the most commonly used. A total of 770 species were reported in 14 vegetation types; the most important species came from temperate forests. Only 144 species corresponded to introduced species, and 272 were listed in a risk category. Illnesses of the digestive and genitourinary systems as well as culture-bound syndromes were treated with high numbers of medicinal plants. The Mestizo, Mixe, Mixtec, and Zapotec ethnic groups exhibited the greatest number of recorded medicinal plants. The 17 species that were used among almost all ethnic groups in Oaxaca were also used to cure the highest number of diseases. Discussion Inventories of medicinal plants confirm the persistence of traditional knowledge and reflect the need to recognize and respect this cosmovision. Many species are gathered in wild environments. The most important illnesses or diseases recorded in the present inventory are also mentioned in different studies, suggesting that they are common health problems in the rural communities of Mexico. Conclusions Medicinal plants are essential for ethnic groups in Oaxaca. It is necessary to recognize and understand the complex ancestral processes involved in the human-nature interaction and the role of these processes in the conservation of biodiversity and in the survivorship of ethnic groups that have persisted for centuries. Finally, this study serves as a wake-up call to respect those worldviews.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e039091
Author(s):  
Renee Bolijn ◽  
C Cato ter Haar ◽  
Ralf E Harskamp ◽  
Hanno L Tan ◽  
Jan A Kors ◽  
...  

ObjectivesMajor ECG abnormalities have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in asymptomatic populations. However, sex differences in occurrence of major ECG abnormalities have been poorly studied, particularly across ethnic groups. The objectives were to investigate (1) sex differences in the prevalence of major and, as a secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities, (2) whether patterns of sex differences varied across ethnic groups, by age and (3) to what extent conventional cardiovascular risk factors contributed to observed sex differences.DesignCross-sectional analysis of population-based study.SettingMulti-ethnic, population-based Healthy Life in an Urban Setting cohort, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Participants8089 men and 11 369 women of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin aged 18–70 years without CVD.Outcome measuresAge-adjusted and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to study sex differences in prevalence of major and, as secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities in the overall population, across ethnic groups and by age-groups (18–35, 36–50 and >50 years).ResultsMajor and minor ECG abnormalities were less prevalent in women than men (4.6% vs 6.6% and 23.8% vs 39.8%, respectively). After adjustment for conventional risk factors, sex differences in major abnormalities were smaller in ethnic minority groups (OR ranged from 0.61 in Moroccans to 1.32 in South-Asian Surinamese) than in the Dutch (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.65). Only in South-Asian Surinamese, women did not have a lower odds than men (OR 1.32; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.84). The pattern of smaller sex differences in ethnic minority groups was more pronounced in older than in younger age-groups.ConclusionsThe prevalence of major ECG abnormalities was lower in women than men. However, sex differences were less apparent in ethnic minority groups. Conventional risk factors did not contribute substantially to observed sex differences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchira R. Sutar ◽  
◽  
Subhash B. Gaikwad ◽  
Sachin V. Mapari ◽  
Bhaskar C. Behera ◽  
...  

Lichens are a stable symbiotic association between photobiont (algae and/or cyanobacteria) and mycobiont (fungi). They are utilized in traditional medicine for ages and documented in various pharmacopeia throughout the world. India is having a rich diversity of lichen species represented by about 2400 species. The tribal inhabitant around forests and other difficult terrains acquired unique knowledge about the use of much wide flora and fauna. Most of these are either lesser known or unknown to the outside world. The treasure of traditional knowledge if subjected to scientific scrutiny could benefit humankind in many ways. They produce unique secondary metabolites through various metabolic pathways and are known to exhibit a wide array of bioactivities. We have reviewed the literature for traditional knowledge of the lichen species and biological activities reported to study its inter-relationship. It was observed that that still a major percentage of lichens have remained unexplored. These lichens may have immense potential; and if analysed could be used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic industries, and many more.


2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 05004
Author(s):  
Thanh Hang Pham ◽  
Ekaterina Nikolaeva

India is a country with diverse ethnic groups. To ensure special rights and benefits for ethnic minority groups aim at the sustainable development of the ethnic groups, the Indian Government has regulations on preferential treatment in terms of policies, capital provision, education and employment opportunities included in its Constitution. In addition to providing legal protection to minorities in the Constitution, the Government also implements national projects to promote socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas, establishing various agencies to manage issues of the groups. These are useful recommendations for Vietnam in ensuring the rights of ethnic minorities. In this article, the author will focus on clarifying the basic contents of Indian Government for ensuring the rights of ethnic minority groups and drawing some policy suggestions for Vietnam.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-232
Author(s):  
M. Singhadiya ◽  
Isha Pandey ◽  
Vinod Maina ◽  
R. Pandey ◽  
Peddy Harikrishna

The present study deals with 26 ethnomedicinal plant species belonging to 17 families used as antipsoriatic by the indigenous people in Rajasthan. The study also deals with types of Psoriasis, plant name, local name, family name, plant parts and mode in the treatment of psoriasis. The present study also gathered important information about traditional knowledge and the need to document, research and development of new drugs to fight against Psoriasis disease in Rajasthan in particular and India as a whole.


2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1369-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. CRAWFORD ◽  
U. NUR ◽  
K. McKENZIE ◽  
P. TYRER

Background. Socio-cultural factors impact on the extent of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide but the relative importance of these factors among people from different ethnic groups in Britain has not been explored. We examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation, the incidence of attempted suicide, and the extent of service utilization following attempted suicide among representative samples of White, Irish, Black Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani individuals living in England.Method. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the EMPIRIC study, a cross-sectional survey of 4281 adults aged 16–74 years, living in private households in England.Results. Lifetime suicidal ideation was generally lower in ethnic minority groups but higher among those born in the UK than those who migrated to England as adults. Risk factors for suicidal ideation have much in common across different ethnic groups; current symptoms of mental distress being the most important. White British and Irish respondents were twice as likely to receive medical attention following attempted suicide than those from other ethnic groups.Conclusions. Services need to adapt in order to ensure that people from ethnic minorities receive appropriate psychological and medical care following attempted suicide.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104398622110279
Author(s):  
Chelsea Gray ◽  
Kirstine Hansen

We examine whether Covid-19, which is widely believed to have originated in China, negatively affected the environment for Chinese people in London leading to an increase in hate crimes toward this group relative to others. With data from the Metropolitan Police for the whole of the Metropolitan area of London, we use a difference-in-differences approach to examine what happened to hate crimes against Chinese people in London in the months before (October to December 2019) and the months after the Covid-19 pandemic (January to March 2020) relative to other ethnic groups, to other crimes, and to other time periods. Our methodology utilizes the fact that Covid-19 came as an unexpected shock, which very quickly changed the environment for crime, and did so differentially across ethnicities. We argue that this shock is likely to negatively affect attitudes and behaviors toward Chinese people, but has no effect on other ethnicities. Our results show that in the months after Covid-19, there was an increase in hate crimes against Chinese people, but this increase was not seen among the other ethnic groups, other non hate crimes, or in any other time period. This leads us to conclude that Covid-19 led to an increase in hate crimes against Chinese people in London. That Covid-19 changed behavior toward Chinese people highlights an intrinsic link between Covid-19 and racism. Unfortunately, the rise in hate crime that we identify adds to a growing list of ways in which ethnic minority groups disproportionately suffered, and continue to do so, during the pandemic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Spl-1-SARS-CoV-2) ◽  
pp. S126-S138
Author(s):  
Shikha Tiwari ◽  
◽  
N. K. Dubey ◽  

Outbreak of novel corona virus (Covid-19) or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS CoV-2) was noticed in China at the end of 2019 and has now become one of the major global health threat. Although, Covid-19 virus imposes detrimental effects to all groups of persons irrespective of their age, sex, race and body physic. Immuno-compromised people are reported to be severely affected in comparison to immunocompetent persons, suggesting immunity as a major player against SARS CoV-2. Despite of great efforts and intensive researches carried all over the world, so far there are no clinically approved vaccines or specific therapeutic drugs available for Covid-19. In this regard, different traditional medicinal plants, which are vast reservoir of bioactive compounds with broad therapeutic and immunomodulatory properties, have been emerged as boon to combat with Covid-19. Along with pharmacological properties and easily availability, safety paradigm of ethnomedicinal plants makes them highly preferable immediate remedy to enhance immunity and compete with novel corona virus. Use of traditional Indian spices has been also realized as effective and safer strategy in order to boost immunity and deal with highly terrible current Covid-19 situation. Hence, there is need to boost the efficacy of the traditionally used plant based immunomodulators against Covid-19 pandemic incorporating modern biotechnological and pharmacological tools so as to enhance bioavailability and practical applicability. The present article deals with general feature of SARS CoV-2 along with recent reports on efficacy of traditional medicinal plants as well as Indian spices as an effective immunomodulator for Covid-19.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document