Yoruba Indigenous Medicine in Search of Justification

Yoruba Indigenous Medicine (YIM) faces the question of empirical justification. This presents a satisfying conditions of the scientific requirements for its significance and recognition. YIM is questioned for lack of empirical justification whereas Orthodox Medicine (OM) takes pride in being justified. This paper argues that if being justified is being empirically verifiable, then science, which is the foundation for OM, is also ultimately unjustified. If YIM is magical because it is not empirically justifiable then OM suffers the same fate. However, the paper further argues that if being justified is defined by being efficacious, then YIM is as justified as OM. The paper intends to show that science is ultimately empirically unjustified. Showing this disqualifies OM from alleging YIM as empirically unjustified. The paper concludes that in matter of empirical justification, both YIM and OM fall whereas in matter of efficacy they stand. Employing philosophical means, the paper holds that YIM shares the same lot with OM. Therefore, OM lacks sufficient grounds to declare YIM as unjustified.

Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis, Dermatophytes, and Syphilis by Indigenous Peoples Prior to 1850

The Iroquoian and Algonquian-speaking Peoples of North America discovered numerous natural treatments to dermatological conditions long prior to European settlement. Anthropological evidence suggests that treatments for atopic dermatitis, dermatophyte infections, and syphilitic lesions were derived from Sassafras albidum, genus Salix trees, and S assafras officinale. Literature suggests these medicinal properties are attributed to the naturally abundant safrole, salicylic acid, and ascorbic acid in these flora. Numerous instances of these natural medicinal discoveries later being implemented into European literature reaffirms the impact of Indigenous medicine on contemporary dermatology.

bonpa indigenous cure system of sowa rigpa or ‘science of healing’ practices

The Tibetan medicinal system is among the oldest known healing traditions practiced in the world. History is witness to the fact that there is a vast treasure trove of indigenous knowledge and practices. It offers a holistic treatment system that is aimed at regulating and maintaining an astute balance of the functional principles defining human existence through mind and body. Indigenous medicine is an integral part of the Tibetan culture and has grown and developed across several centuries and geographical spaces. The origins of Tibetan system that pertain to the Bon religious tenets are apparently very old as aspects of the Tibetan medicine have been traced to ancient cultures over 2,500 years old. Traditionally the Tibetan curative system has been known as Sowa-Rigpa Medicine meaning the ‘Science of Healing’. “It is a centuries old system of treatment that is based on a complex approach to diagnosis, incorporating techniques like taking the pulse and conducting an analysis of bodily fluids besides making an examination of the behavior and dietary intake. The medicines are composed of natural materials (e.g., herbs, minerals, plants, leaves etc) and physical therapies (e.g. Tibetan acupuncture, moxabustion, etc) to treat illness.

Potensi Daun Pacar Air (Impatiens balsamina L.) dalam Menghambat Pertumbuhan Jamur Rhizopus oryzae L.

Pacar air (Impatiens balsamina L.) plant belongs to the Balsaminaceae family and is used as an indigenous medicine in Asia for fingernail inflammation, fractures, and rheumatism treatments. Moreover, the antipruritic, antianaphylactic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antitumor activities of some compounds, especially phenolics and quinones from this plant have been studied extensively. Therefore, this study aims to determine the antifungal activity of Pacar air leaves (Impatiens balsamina L.) methanol extract against Rhizopus oryzae L. and the IC50 value. The results showed that an increase in the concentrations of I. balsamina L. leaves methanol extract significantly raised the fungal growth. Furthermore, the extract inhibition against R. oryzae L. at various concentrations of 0.5; 0.7; 0.9; 1.1; and 1.3% w/v were 10, 21.9, 58.06, 68.06, and 79.72%, respectively, while the IC50 value was 0.896%. Hence, the presence of naphthoquinones and other secondary metabolites are responsible for its antifungal activity. Based on these results, the antifungal potential of I. balsamina L. leaves against soft-rot fungi is useful in the future.

Phytochemicals from Polyalthia Species: Potential and Implication on Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Cancer, and Chemoprevention Activities

Polyalthia belong to the Annonaceae family and are a type of evergreen tree distributed across many tropical and subtropical regions. Polyalthia species have been used long term as indigenous medicine to treat certain diseases, including fever, diabetes, infection, digestive disease, etc. Recent studies have demonstrated that not only crude extracts but also the isolated pure compounds exhibit various pharmacological activities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-tumor, anti-cancer, etc. It is known that the initiation of cancer usually takes several years and is related to unhealthy lifestyle, as well as dietary and environmental factors, such as stress, toxins and smoking. In fact, natural or synthetic substances have been used as cancer chemoprevention to delay, impede, or even stop cancer growing. This review is an attempt to collect current available phytochemicals from Polyalthia species, which exhibit anti-cancer potentials for chemoprevention purposes, providing directions for further research on the interesting agents and possible clinical applications.

VASAKA - A BOON TO THE INDIAN TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Adhatoda vasica (L.) (Acanthaceae) has vital medicinal roles, and it is widely used in the indigenous medicine system in India. One of the important goals of the present study is to make report on the phytochemical and different in-vitro/in-vivo pharmacological activity of plant Adhatoda vasica. This study will help to find specific bioactive compounds of vasaka, and their suitable use for human welfare. The bioactive compound vasicine have been isolated from alcoholic extract of vasica leaves using column chromatography. In this review article covered all the reported pharmacological activities of vasaka plant, and their chemical constituents. In-addition; chemical constituents of vasaka has been found active against many diseases such as antimicrobial activity, hepatoprotective, antitussive, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiulcer, anti-urolithiatic, abortifacient, thrombolytic, radio modulator, cardiovascular protection, hypoglycaemic, antitubercular, antioxidant and anticancer.

Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Effects of Aqueous Extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria (Apocynaceae) Stem Bark in Wistar Rats

Rauwolfia vomitoria is used in Cameroon in indigenous medicine to treat liver diseases. The present study was carried out on the hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of the plant aqueous extract. Liver toxicity was induced by oral route administration of CCl4 two times per week for four weeks. Rats were given concomitantly by oral route, aqueous extract at the doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg or silymarin four days a week for four weeks. By the end, bloods were collected for liver functional parameters analyses. Liver tissues were removed, to assess to oxidative stress parameters and histological analyses. The extract (300 mg/kg) decreased enzyme activity of ALT, AST and the level of TG with the percentage 54.23%, 49.63% and 28.74% respectively while it increased the enzyme activity of SOD, CAT and level of MDA at about 67.16%, 71.42% and 43.80% respectively compared to control animals. These results suggested that aqueous extract has strong hepatoprotective effect on CCl4-induced liver damage and increase antioxidant defense system activity.

Françoise Légey and Childbirth in Morocco

The pioneering French doctor Françoise Entz Légey (1876-1935) devoted her career in Algeria and Morocco to women’s healthcare. Much acclaimed in her lifetime, and remembered today largely for her two books on Moroccan folklore, Légey established in Marrakesh a maternity hospital and a milk dispensary. She also embarked on a plan to instruct “modern” midwives to replace indigenous matrones and sages-femmes, known in Arabic as qablas. While Protectorate policy afforded opportunities to European women physicians like Légey, it simultaneously undermined the authority of indigenous Moroccan women healthcare providers. Efforts by Légey and other European physicians to supplant indigenous medicine with biomedicine ultimately contributed to the landscape of medical pluralism that prevails today. Moreover, European medicine disproportionately attracted the Jewish minority and further contributed to Jewish alienation from the Muslim majority.

Françoise Légey and Childbirth in Morocco

The pioneering French doctor Françoise Entz Légey (1876-1935) devoted her career in Algeria and Morocco to women's healthcare. Much acclaimed in her lifetime, and remembered today largely for her two books on Moroccan folklore, Légey established in Marrakesh a maternity hospital and a milk dispensary. She also embarked on a plan to instruct “modern” midwives to replace indigenous matrones and sages-femmes, known in Arabic as qablas. While Protectorate policy afforded opportunities to European women physicians like Légey, it simultaneously undermined the authority of indigenous Moroccan women healthcare providers. Efforts by Légey and other European physicians to supplant indigenous medicine with biomedicine ultimately contributed to the landscape of medical pluralism that prevails today. Moreover, European medicine disproportionately attracted the Jewish minority and further contributed to Jewish alienation from the Muslim majority.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL OF FLEMINGIA STROBILIFERA R.BR . ROOTS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN RAT MODELS

Flemingia strobilifera R.Br. (Fabaceae), is a perennial plant traditionally used as an indigenous medicine for its pharmacological characteristics. The goal of our experimentation was to study the chloroform extract of F. strobilifera roots for its anti-inflammatory potential through anti-inflammatory models like carrageenan - elicited rat hind paw edema , cotton pellet - elicited granuloma formation, and carrageenan - elicited leucocyte to justify ethno-medicinal use of the plant. Indomethacin, a reference drug, was used to compare anti-inflammatory potential. The extract, administered respectively with a lower dose of 30 mg and 60 mg per kg body weight as higher dose, three hour post treatment, produced a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in the edema of paw and substantial decrease in implanted cotton pellets dry weight. We conclude that the chloroform extract of roots of F. strobilifera possess osedependent, anti-inflammatory activity.