Mini-review on the phyto-chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of Cola nitida (Vent.) Schott & Endl. (Malvaceae): A medically interesting bio-resource of multiple purposes in Africa

The purpose of this mini-review was to summarize and update knowledge on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of <i>Cola nitida</i>, with the view of providing baseline data for herbal drug formulation. In January 2021, a non-exhaustive online search of relevant articles was carried out on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of <i>C. nitida</i> from scientifically well-established databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SciELO. The plant's scientific name as well as phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, bioactivity and toxicology were used as keywords. The chemical structures of the compounds isolated from this plant were drawn using ChemBioDraw Ultra 12.0 software. A literature survey has revealed that <i>C. nitida</i> is highly appreciated by African populations in various cultures, especially in West Africa. Phytochemical analyses showed that <i>C. nitida</i> contains interesting compounds like catechin, caffeine, epicatechin, polyphenols, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, bromelain, cardenolides, proanthocyanidins, triterpenes, glycosides, flavonoids, anthraquinones, steroids, anthocyanins, glycosides, alkaloids, etc. The presence of these phyto-compounds in the investigated plant species justifies its used as an antimicrobial, anti-malarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-coagulant agent. Thus, <i>C. nitida</i> could be used as a raw material for manufacturing efficient medication against various diseases, including sickle cell disease.

3D bioprinting of complex tissues in vitro: state-of-the-art and future perspectives

The pharmacology and toxicology of a broad variety of therapies and chemicals have significantly improved with the aid of the increasing in vitro models of complex human tissues. Offering versatile and precise control over the cell population, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, dynamic microenvironment, and sophisticated microarchitecture, which is desired for the in vitro modeling of complex tissues, 3D bio-printing is a rapidly growing technology to be employed in the field. In this review, we will discuss the recent advancement of printing techniques and bio-ink sources, which have been spurred on by the increasing demand for modeling tactics and have facilitated the development of the refined tissue models as well as the modeling strategies, followed by a state-of-the-art update on the specialized work on cancer, heart, muscle and liver. In the end, the toxicological modeling strategies, substantial challenges, and future perspectives for 3D printed tissue models were explored.

Pharmacy, the continuously expanding field of science

Originating from the traditional herbal formulations, nowadays, Pharmacy covers all the disciplines focusing on the behavior of complex pharmaceutical forms, drug-releasing systems, and active compounds in the human body. Masters of pharmaceutical sciences must know the basics of pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, biotechnology, biology, physiology, pharmacology, and toxicology.

THE GENUS ONOSMA L.: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

In medicinal plant field ethnopharmacological knowledge aggrandizes legibility for prioritizing species selection for future research opportunities. Many plant species representing the genus Onosma have been documented to be important in communities world-wide as evidenced by the numerous records on traditional medicinal and ethno-botanical information. Various species of the genus are used in the traditional medicinal systems in Europe and Asian countries especially in India, China, Turky and Pakistan. The literature on the species distribution and their characterization was compiled from different regional floras, regional revisions and databases. The information related to traditional uses, pharmacological activities and phytochemistry was systematically collected from the scientific databases including reference books, SciFinder, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar. Absence of comprehensive literature review on genus Onosma species led to design present study and dig the recorded documents to comparatively gauge magnitude of studies on each of the Onosma species through an exhaustive bibliographic evaluation of scientifically studied species of genus Onosma that are also taxonomically identified and are valued as traditional medicinal remedy for diseases in their countries of origin. The study hinted about lack of scientific literature on most of the species. A comprehensive bibliographic review on the geographical distribution, identification, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of the genus Onosma is attempted here to give insights into promising future drug discovery strategies. KEYWORDS: Onosma, Distribution, Traditional uses, Phyto-Pharmacology

Review on Medicinal Properties of Jatropha gossypiifolia L.

Jatropha gossypiifolia L. broadly addressed as bellyache bush, refers to therapeutic plant utilized all through Asian countries. A few human and veterinary utilizations in conventional medication are portrayed for various specifics and arrangements dependent on aforementioned plant. This paper give a cutting-edge review of conventional uses, pharmacology, and toxicology of J. gossypiifolia species, taking into account examination of its therapeutic worth and potential application in integral and elective medication. Pharmacological examinations have exhibited noteworthy activity of various concentrates elements as anti-microbial, mitigating, anti-diarrheal, anti-hypertensive, and anti-cancerous specialists, among different, supporting a portion of famous employments. No clinical preliminary was distinguished to date. Moreover investigations are important to test significant society utilizations, just as to discover naive bioactive atoms with pharmacological pertinence dependent on the well-known cases. Toxicological investigations related with phytochemical examination are critical to comprehend the possible lethal impacts that could lessen its restorative worth. The current review gives bits of knowledge to future research focusing on both ethnopharmacological approval of its famous use and its investigation as another wellspring of home grown medications and additionally bioactive characteristic items.

Kaempferia galanga L.: Progresses in Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Ethnomedicinal Uses

K. galanga is an aromatic medicinal herb. It is locally to India and distributed in China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. K. galanga is a Traditional Chinese Herb Medicine (TCHM), which has been applied to treat cold, dry cough, toothaches, rheumatism, hypertension and so on. In addition, it has been used widely as spices since its highly aromas. The aim of this review is to compile and update the current progresses of ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of K. galanga. All the data on K. galanga were based on different classical literary works, multiple electronic databases including SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, etc. The results showed that ninety-seven compounds have been identified from rhizome of K. galanga, including terpenoids, phenolics, cyclic dipeptides, flavonoids, diarylheptanoids, fatty acids and esters. Modern pharmacology studies revealed that extracts or secondary metabolites of the herb possessed anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-tumorous, anti-bacterial, and anti-angiogenesis effects, which were closely related to its abundant ethnomedicinal uses. In conclusion, although previous research works have provided various information of K. galanga, more in-depth studies are still necessary to systemically evaluate phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, toxicity and quality control of this herb.

Principles of dose-setting in toxicology studies: the importance of kinetics for ensuring human safety

Regulatory toxicology seeks to ensure that exposures to chemicals encountered in the environment, in the workplace, or in products pose no significant hazards and produce no harm to humans or other organisms, i.e., that chemicals are used safely. The most practical and direct means of ensuring that hazards and harms are avoided is to identify the doses and conditions under which chemical toxicity does not occur so that chemical concentrations and exposures can be appropriately limited. Modern advancements in pharmacology and toxicology have revealed that the rates and mechanisms by which organisms absorb, distribute, metabolize and eliminate chemicals—i.e., the field of kinetics—often determine the doses and conditions under which hazard, and harm, are absent, i.e., the safe dose range. Since kinetics, like chemical hazard and toxicity, are extensive properties that depend on the amount of the chemical encountered, it is possible to identify the maximum dose under which organisms can efficiently metabolize and eliminate the chemicals to which they are exposed, a dose that has been referred to as the kinetic maximum dose, or KMD. This review explains the rationale that compels regulatory toxicology to embrace the advancements made possible by kinetics, why understanding the kinetic relationship between the blood level produced and the administered dose of a chemical is essential for identifying the safe dose range, and why dose-setting in regulatory toxicology studies should be informed by estimates of the KMD rather than rely on the flawed concept of maximum-tolerated toxic dose, or MTD.