Journal of herbal pharmacotherapy最新文献

An evidence-based systematic review including written and statistical analysis of scientific literature, expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology and dosing.

In the present work, selected plants were screened for their potential antibacterial activity. For evaluating antibacterial activity, both aqueous and organic solvent methanol was used. The plants screened were Ocimum sanctum, Jatropha gossypifolia, Boerhavia diffusa, Azadirachta indica, Solidago virgaurea, and Commelina benghalensis. The antibacterial activity was assessed against six bacterial strains--Pseudomonas testosteroni, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus morganii, Micrococcus flavus. Agar disc diffusion method and Agar ditch diffusion method were used to study the antibacterial activity of all these plants. Ps. testosteroni and K. pneumoniae were the most resistant bacterial strains. A. indica showed strong activity against tested bacterial strains. Therefore, we conclude that A. indica may prove to be a promising agent, and further exploration into this compound should be performed to determine its full therapeutic potential. In addition, its leaf extract can also be used as a lead molecule in combating the diseases caused by the studied bacterial strains.

This study was carried out to evaluate the herb usage among patients attending secondary health facilities in Southwestern Nigeria. Data including allergies to drug and herbs, use of social drugs, and herbs and their perceived efficacy to herbs was collected from 265 patients (inpatients n = 65; outpatients n = 200) using structured questionnaire and patients' drug charts. A total of 15.4% of inpatients were found to be using herbs that may be potentially harmful due to drug-drug/drug-herb interactions. Nine percent experienced adverse effects with the use of herbs, whereas 2% experienced adverse reactions on coadministration with prescribed drugs. A high percent of outpatients, 38%, were using alcoholic beverages for extracting the plant materials themselves. The study showed that the use of herbs with drugs is widely practiced among patients attending secondary health care facilities in Nigeria, usually without the doctor or pharmacist's knowledge.

Suspensions of the powdered leaf of Datura metel L. and Datura stramonium L. (Solanaceae) were administered by intubation at different doses: 0.125 mg/kg, 0.250 mg/kg, 0.500 mg/kg, 1.000 mg/kg, 1.224 mg/kg and 1.400 mg/kg to virgin female albino mice and were observed daily. After two weeks, the mice were sacrificed and the liver, kidney and intestine were removed, preserved in 10% formalin solution and embedded in paraffin wax. Tissues from these organs were stained for assessment of tissue morphology. Pathological changes observed at 1.224 mg/kg and 1.400 mg/kg (LD100) were irreversible. At all other dose levels, there were reversible changes in the liver, kidney and intestine. Generally, D. metel-treated mice showed less anatomical abnormalities than D. stramonium-treated mice. Hence, D. metel could serve as a substitute for D. stramonium in drug development.

The petroleum ether extract from the flower heads of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. was found to be effective in increasing phagocytic activity, hemagglutination antibody titer and delayed type hypersensitivity when tested in mice. Activity of the petroleum extract was tested at five different dosing levels to establish a dose-response relationship. It was found that 200 mg/kg dose was the optimum dose, and at higher doses the activity was either reduced or showed no further increase. The present study, therefore, reveals that the drug shows good promise as an immunomodulatory agent, which acts by stimulating both humoral and cellular immunity as well as phagocytic function.

Background: With the removal of stimulant herb ephedra from the market, dietary supplement manufacturers are coming out with many ephedra-free products. Some of these products appear to simply replace ephedra with stimulants by another name.

Objective: To determine the stimulant content of dietary supplements marketed as ephedra-free.

Design: Survey of the ingredients of dietary supplements that are stated as "ephedra-free" in the label or promotional material.

Results: Out of 36 products marketed as ephedra-free, 32 (89%) contained a methylxanthine such as caffeine or theobromine, 21 (58%) contained the stimulant synephrine, and 20 (56%) contained both a methylxanthine and synephrine.

Limitations: The results of this evaluation pertain only to products discovered through Internet and database searching.

Conclusions: Most dietary supplement makers have substituted stimulants by a different name for ephedra in their "ephedra-free" products. Patients need to be advised that ephedra-free products are not necessarily stimulant free and may present a significant risk.

Next to dose concerns, the subject of preparation may be the most misinterpreted area of modem botanical medicine. Yet it is one of the most important issues in clinical practice. In traditional medicine systems, any given herb would have been discovered to be effective in specific preparations. The "ideal" form and preparation varies from herb to herb, as well as from person to person. The most desirable preparation is usually defined as the way to get the most active ingredient out of the herb. However, in some cases, the proper preparation may be the only way to safely use the herb. The proper preparation may be dictated by the solubility of the constituents and may also be defined according to how the patient is practicably able to consume it. In today's market, most herbs can be found in most preparations, but that does not mean that every preparation will contain active constituents. The author makes the case that using traditional preparations from the ethnic system of the herb origin will be the most effective clinical course of action.