Perceptions of safety and efficacy of traditional medicines by community members in Botswana

The persistence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus imposed vaccination passports for traveling in most countries. We investigated psychological factors that predict the intention to vaccinate for travel. In a cross-sectional study, we examined how demographic variables, vaccination status, perceived risk of infection and severity of disease contracted at travel destination, safety and effectiveness of vaccines against contracting COVID-19 during travel, and conspiracy beliefs are related to intention to vaccinate for travel. Further analyses involved differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in a Romanian sample regarding conspiracy beliefs, attitudes about vaccines, and self-efficacy of controlling COVID-19 infection. Results showed that the intention to vaccinate for travel reasons is best predicted by vaccination status and perceptions of safety and efficacy of vaccines against COVID-19. Thus, vaccinated individuals believing that vaccines are safe and effective most probably will take another vaccine booster if it will allow them to travel. Positive relationships of the intention to vaccinate for travel reasons were found with age, vaccination status, conspiracy beliefs, perceptions of safety and effectiveness of vaccines, intention to travel, and a more cautious approach to travel. No significant relationships were found between perceptions of risk for self or for transmitting the disease to others, severity of disease, and the intention to vaccinate for travel. We also found significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated participants, as unvaccinated participants showed higher levels of conspiracy beliefs and less trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines. We conclude that campaigns focused on promoting information on the safety and efficacy of vaccines is the most important direction for promoting vaccination in young travelers.

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Recent Herbal Proprietary Preparations for Liver Diseases: A Comparative Study

International Journal of Research and Review ◽

10.52403/ijrr.20211025 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 202-207

Author(s):

Manish S. Yadav ◽

Praveen Buram

Keyword(s):

Liver Disease ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Hepatic Injury ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Single Drug ◽

Disease Mortality ◽

The World ◽

Total Death ◽

Herbal Formulations

Liver is considered to be one of the most vital organs that functions as a centre of metabolism and excretion of waste metabolites. A number of risk factors predispose an individual to hepatic injury and thus liver diseases. Total death worldwide due to liver diseases raised by 50 million per year over two decades, according first ever WHO Study of Liver Disease Mortality. In recent years Indian Traditional Medicines like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani have gained importance and popularity because of their safety and efficacy in liver diseases. Several Ayurvedic proprietary liver preparations are being extensively used in Ayurveda for the management of liver diseases. About 600 commercial herbal formulations with claimed hepato protective activity are being sold all over the world. In India more than 93 medicinal plants are used in different combinations in the preparation of 40 patented herbal formulations in the form of liquid and tablet. But very little is known when and how these formulations are to be used in present practice. Out of this easily available most commonly used liver preparations Adliv, Amlicure DS, Arkaliv, Ayuliv, Hepjaun, Kamilari, Kamilari plus, Liv Aid, Livercure, Livergen, Liv 52, Livobell, Livokin, Livomyn, Livpar, Nirocil, Stimuliv, Strongliv, Terfoliv and Vasuliv are taken for the study. These preparations are classified on various basis like available market form, Herbo-Herbomineral preparations etc. Kutaki is most commonly used single drug in maximum number of preparations followed by Bhringraj, Bhui Aamalaki, and Kalmegh. Individual drugs of the preparations are studied according to Rasa, Virya and Vipaka. Uses of individual drugs as well as of liver preparations are also studied in relations with liver diseases. Present study will definitely give a clue for standard herbal formulations based on physiopathology of liver disease which is a need of a day Keywords: Liver, Hepato protective, Herbal, Formulations.

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Recent Approaches of Repositioning and Traditional Drugs for the Treatment of COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak

Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1389557520666201124141103 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Author(s):

Nitin Tandon ◽

Vijay Luxami ◽

Runjhun Tandon ◽

Kamaldeep Paul

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

Global Health ◽

Phase I ◽

Small Molecules ◽

Human Body ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Therapeutic Uses ◽

Recent Emergence ◽

Large Populations

: The recent emergence of novel, pathogenic COVID-19 disease associated with SARS-CoV-2 virus in China and its rapid national and international spread pose a global health emergency. The development of a new drug is tedious and may take decades to develop and involves multiple steps like development of prototypes and phase I to III human trials which involve the study on small to large populations to examine the safety and side effects associated with drug under trials. Due to continue increasing the confirmed cases and deaths, there is an urgent need to develop a drug that is effective to kill SARS-CoV-2 virus with fewer side effects to human body. Therefore, this review focus on the latest advances in the development for the treatment of COVID-19 disease associated with SARS-CoV-2 with repositioning of already marketed drug with small molecules, as well as Chinese traditional medicines with established safety and efficacy which are being used for different therapeutic uses.

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Treatments of Eye Diseases in Malay Medical Manuscript Ramuan Obat EAP153/9/4

Journal of Al-Tamaddun ◽

10.22452/jat.vol16no1.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 27-45

Author(s):

Mohd Affendi Mohd Shafri

Keyword(s):

Data Extraction ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Eye Diseases ◽

Eye Disease ◽

Medical Culture ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Materia Medica ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Different Types ◽

Riau Archipelago

The Malay medical manuscript Ramuan Obat EAP153/9/4 is a Malay medical manuscript from Riau Archipelago in today’s Indonesia. It appears to focus on eye diseases and treatments. This study aims to evaluate if the traditional medicines and interventions in the manuscript can be supported scientifically. Critical transliteration and data extraction were performed by applying philological method in identifying and categorising the diseases and interventions. The materia medica was analysed by comparing scientific reports presented in PubMed and Google Scholar, and matching each ingredient to the intended purpose as indicated in the manuscript. The manuscript contains both physical and spiritual interventions amounting to 28 formulations for 7 different types of eye disease. Half of the materia medica and their use in Ramuan Obat EAP153/9/4 could be supported by contemporary scientific evidence. The lack of contemporary scientific evidence for other materia medica, on the other hand, could be attributed to the lack of scientific research on them rather and not necessarily a deficiency in effectiveness. More scientific studies would need to be carried out to validate the safety and efficacy of formulations contained in Malay medical manuscripts as the content could potentially lead to new drug discovery. Apart from scientific gains, the study could also contribute to the preservation of Malay medical culture and heritage.

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Exploring indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used to treat COVID-19 related symptoms

Technium Social Sciences Journal ◽

10.47577/tssj.v25i1.4938 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 798-806

Author(s):

Sejabaledi A. Rankoana

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Medicinal Plants ◽

Infectious Diseases ◽

Preventive Medicine ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Ethnobotanical Study ◽

Community Members ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Form Part ◽

Indigenous Plant

The purpose of this study was to describe the indigenous plant-derived medicine used to treat symptoms related to four of the most common symptoms of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data presented in this study form part of a medical ethnobotanical study conducted in Limpopo Province, South Africa between 2012 and 2019. The study recorded 89 plant species identified as sources of medicine. Of these plants, 13 species belonging to 9 botanical families were used as sources of medicine to cure influenza, cough, sore throat and fever, while 5 species belonging to 5 botanical families were sources of preventive medicine. The treatment of the four symptoms is accomplished through the administration of oral decoctions, steaming and infusions, while preventive medicine is in the form of infusion, decoction, chew or charm, which is used to prevent susceptibility to infectious diseases such as influenza and cough. Knowledge of these medicines rests with ordinary community members who offer treatment after observations of the symptoms on their family members. The indigenous plant-derived medicines identified in this study may be tested for their safety and efficacy to discover new local, affordable and culture-specific drugs that could be used in the modern phytotherapy for conditions such as COVID-19.

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Advancing the Regulation of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Products: A Comparison of Five Regulatory Systems on Traditional Medicines with a Long History of Use

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/5833945 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Zuanji Liang ◽

Hao Hu ◽

Junlei Li ◽

Dongning Yao ◽

Yitao Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Complementary Medicine ◽

Regulatory System ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Technical Requirements ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Comparison Results ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Use

Background. An appropriate regulatory system to ensure and promote the quality, safety, and efficacy of the products of traditional medicine (TM) and complementary medicine (CM) is critical to not only public health but also economic growth. The regulatory approach and evaluation standards for TM/CM products featured with a long history of use are yet to be developed. This study aims to investigate and compare the existing regulatory approaches for TM/CM products with a long history of use. Method. A mixed approach of documentary analysis involving official and legal documents from official websites, as well as a scoping review of scholarly work in scientific databases about regulatory systems of TM/CM products in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, was employed in this study and used for comparison. Results. For registration purposes, all five regulatory systems recognized the history of use as part of the totality of evidence when evaluating the safety and efficacy of TM/CM products with a long history of use. Generally, the list of classic formulas is predefined and bound to the formulas recommended in the prescribed list of ancient medical textbooks. Expedited pathways are usually in place and scientific data of nonclinical and clinical studies may be exempted. At the same time, additional restrictions with the scope of products constitute a comprehensive approach in the regulation. Quality assurance and postmarketing safety surveillance were found to be the major focus across the regulatory schemes investigated in this study. Conclusion. The regulatory systems investigated in this study allow less stringent registration requirements for TM/CM products featured with a long history of use, assuming safety and efficacy to be plausible based on historic use. Considering the safety and efficacy of these products, regulatory standards should emphasize the technical requirements for quality control and postmarket surveillance.

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