Thrombolytic effect of Siddha herbal formulation Sikkanjar Manapagu using in-Silico model

Background: Thromboembolic disorders are one of the important causes leading to death. In the Siddha system of medicine, many drugs have been mentioned in the literature and their thrombolytic potential needs to be scientifically evaluated. Aim: The study aims to perform the In Silico computational studies of Phytoconstituents of Siddha formulation Sikkanjar Manapagu (SM) to evaluate its thrombolytic potential. Methods: Autodock program was used for the molecular docking studies of the retrieved phytoconstituents such as Zingiberene, Gingerenone-A, 6 Gingerol of Zingiber officinale, Menthol, Luteolin, Citronellol of Mentha arvensis, Eugenol, Limonene, Myrcene, and Linalool of Citrus aurantium against target protein Human Plasminogen Activation Loop Peptide - PDB 4DCB. Results: A total of ten compounds were screened, of these Zingiberene, Menthol, Citronellol, Eugenol, Limonene, Myrcene, and Linalool showed high binding against active amino acid residue 195. Conclusion: Based on further experiments and clinical trials, the formulation Sikkanjar Manapagu could be proved to be effective in thrombolytic treatment.

Qingre Huoxue Decoction, A Traditional Chinese Herbal Formulation, Impacts Angiogenesis in Psoriasis-Like Skin Through the HIF-1α/Flt-1/VEGF Pathway

Background: Qingre Huoxue Decoction (QHD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation, could alleviate psoriasis in our previous studies. The present work aimed to assess QHD’s effects on psoriasis and the underpinning mechanism in cultured cells and experimental animals.Methods: The CCK-8 assay was carried out for cell viability assessment. HUVEC migration was assessed by transwell and wound healing assays. QHD-induced suppression of capillary tube formation in HUVECs was detected by tube formation assay. In addition, the imiquimod (IMQ)-induced male BALB/c mouse model of psoriasis was established to examine the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) after QHD administration. HIF-1α, Flt-1 and VEGF expression levels in vivo were assessed by immunoblot, qPCR and immunofluorescence. Results: The results showed that QHD dose-dependently reduced viability in HUVECs. In addition, QHD suppressed tube formation in HUVECs at levels below those needed to inhibit HUVECs. Upon QHD administration, HUVEC migration was markedly decreased; QHD effectively prevented the migratory ability of HUVECs, as determined by wound areas at 0h, 12h and 24h, respectively. Finally, QHD starkly downregulated HIF-1α, Flt-1 and VEGF in the IMQ-induced mouse model, at the protein and mRNA levels.Conclusions: In summary, QHD inhibits angiogenesis in cultured cells and mice. HIF-1α/Flt-1/VEGF signaling is important in angiogenesis and psoriasis development. These findings provide a rationale for developing QHD for clinical use against psoriasis.

Pharmacopeial Testing of Poly-Herbal Formulation for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a global cause of morbidity and mortality. There is a continuous rise in the patients of diabetes in Pakistan. Many conventional and natural origin medicines are available for maintaining optimum blood sugar level. There is a need to carry out standardization of the natural origin medicine to authenticate their efficacy and safety. The objective of this research work was to carry out preliminary pharmacognostic, phytochemical, biological, pharmacological studies on poly-herbal formulation. The poly-herbal preparation was prepared and evaluated for the standard pharmacopeial tests. The results of the tests performed were found to be adequate to evaluate the poly-herbal formulation and may be used as reference standards in future for further studies.

Comparison of Topical Herbal Cream and 1% Clindamycin Gel for Treatment of Mild-to-moderate Acne: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Acne is the most common chronic skin disease affecting young adults and adolescents worldwide. A characteristic of this disease is the chronic inflammation of sebaceous glands leading to comedones, papules, pustules, nodules, and cysts. Topical and systemic uses of medicines are common approaches to treat acne. However, these medicines are associated with some adverse effects and increased microbial resistance. Objectives: We aimed to prepare and apply an herbal formulation containing several herbs with different effects on mechanisms associated with acne formation. Methods: In this study, 66 patients with mild-to-moderate acne randomly received a packet containing herbal medicine or clindamycin gel. The treatment period was two months, and the total acne lesions and acne severity index were measured every four weeks. After eight weeks of treatment and follow-up, the physician examined clinical outcomes and possible complications. Results: Decreases in total acne lesions and acne severity index were significantly different in both treatment groups (P < 0.05 in both groups). Although the herbal cream provided better improvement than clindamycin, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The use of the herbal cream could be recommended for treating acne lesions due to few complications, greater patient satisfaction, and avoiding microbial resistance to chemical antimicrobials.

Role of Unani Herbal Formulation of Sumbul-Ut-teeb (Nardostachys jatamansi) & Khulanjan (Alpinia galangal) in the Management of Tashhamul kabid (Fatty Liver) in a Clinical Study

sumbul-ut-teeb (Nardostachys jatamansi) & khulanjan (Alpinia galanga)are extensively used drugs by our ancient Unani physicians for the management of Gastro hepatic diseases due to cold temperament such as gastritis,metabolic disorders, tashhamul kabid (fatty liver)

A randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a herbal formulation (GlycaCare-II) for the management of type 2 diabetes in comparison with metformin

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health concern with growing prevalence with multiple debilitating complications. GlycaCare-II is a proprietary herbal formulation supplement for T2DM containing extracts of Cinnamomum cassia, Momordica charantia, Pterocarpus marsupium, Gymnema sylvestre, Salacia reticulata, Eugenia jambolana, and a bioavailability enhancer piperine from Piper nigrum. Objective The antihyperglycemic potential of GlycaCare-II was compared against metformin in a double-blind study. Design It was a randomized, two-arm design on prediabetic (N = 29; 12 in metformin and 17 in GlycaCare-II arm, respectively) and newly diagnosed diabetic (N = 40; 16 in metformin and 24 in GlycaCare-II) patients for 120 days. Outcome measures Changes in diabetic panel glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), and postprandial blood sugar (PBS) were the primary endpoints. Lipid profile, liver profile, thyroid-stimulating hormone, bilirubin and creatinine were the secondary endpoints. Result Twice a day treatment for 120 days with GlycaCare-II led to a statistically significant change in HbA1c (p < 0.001), FBS (p < 0.001), PBS (p < 0.001) on both prediabetic and newly diagnosed diabetic patients. GlycaCare-II showed a similar potential as metformin in the treatment of T2DM. In the prediabetic group, both GlycaCare-II and metformin were comparable for all the hyperglycemic index parameters. In the case of newly diagnosed diabetic patients, GlycaCare-II showed a significantly better reduction for PBS (p = 0.026) as compared to metformin, while all other parameters in the diabetic panel were comparable. No adverse events were reported throughout the trial period. Conclusion These results suggest that GlycaCare-II is effective in managing T2DM in both newly diagnosed diabetic and prediabetic patients.