Search results for "herbal"
showing 10 items of 66 documents
Natural Products Derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine as Novel Inhibitors of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor
2010
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has become an important molecular target in cancer therapy. Various small molecules and therapeutic antibodies targeting EGFR family members have been developed during recent years and are established in clinical oncology. However, increasing clinical application of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors has resulted in the development of resistance to EGFR-targeting drugs due to the selection of EGFR-mutated variants. This phenomenon forced the search for novel EGFR inhibitors with activity towards EGFR-mutant tumors. This review describes recent achievements in natural products derived from medicinal plants as novel EGFR inhibitors.
Alternative and complementary therapies in osteoarthritis and cartilage repair
2020
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint condition and, with a burgeoning ageing population, is due to increase in prevalence. Beyond conventional medical and surgical interventions, there are an increasing number of ‘alternative’ therapies. These alternative therapies may have a limited evidence base and, for this reason, are often only afforded brief reference (or completely excluded) from current OA guidelines. Thus, the aim of this review was to synthesize the current evidence regarding autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), vitamin D and other alternative therapies. The majority of studies were in knee OA or chond…
Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) for molecular targeted therapies of tumours.
2009
Scientific progress in genetics, cell and molecular biology has greatly ameliorated our comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of neoplastic transformation and progression. The rapidly advancing identification of molecular targets in human cancers during the last decade has provided an excellent starting point for the development of novel therapeutics. A huge variety of potential molecular targets have been identified, many of which are already in the market for therapeutic purposes. It is now becoming possible to target pathways and/or molecules that are crucial in maintaining the malignant phenotype. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often considered as alternative or…
Screening and authentication of tea varieties based on microextraction-assisted voltammetry of microparticles
2015
Abstract A simple electrochemical methodology for screening and authentication of green, black and red tea varieties is proposed. It is based on the record of the voltammetric response of microparticulate films of antioxidant compounds resulting from an ethanolic micro-extraction of commercial tea herbal preparations in contact with aqueous buffers. The obtained voltammetric responses led us to differentiate between diverse tea varieties upon application of bivariant and multivariant chemometric techniques, including discrimination of mixtures of teas with sensitivity estimated of 5.0 μA mg −1 with a detection limit of 0.01 mg of tea sample. Under the proposed conditions 100% discrimination…
Herbal hepatotoxicity: a hidden epidemic
2011
Complementary and alternative therapies, including herbal products, have become increasingly popular in the general population and among patients and physicians. Regulations and pharmacovigilance regarding herbal drugs are still incomplete and need to be improved. In fact, herbals are commonly marketed on the Internet, and in many countries they are sold as food supplements, which are beyond the control of drug regulatory agencies. In Europe and the U.S., reports of hepatotoxicity from these products, including those advertised for liver diseases, are accumulating. Many herbal drugs are also commonly used in children, and in women during pregnancy and lactation, because they are believed to…
Enhanced extraction of astragalosides from Radix Astragali by negative pressure cavitation-accelerated enzyme pretreatment.
2010
The optimal conditions for extraction of astragalosides III and IV (AGs III and IV) in Radix Astragali by negative pressure cavitation-accelerated enzyme pretreatment were studied on the basis of a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. Experimental results showed that negative pressure, amount of enzyme and incubation temperature were the main factors governing the enzyme pretreatment of Radix Astragali. The optimum parameters were obtained as follows: negative pressure -0.08 Mpa, amount of enzyme 1.48% (w/w of materials) and incubation temperature 45 degrees C. Under the optimal conditions, the maximal extraction yields of AGs III and IV were 0.103 and 0.325 mg/g, which were…
Medicinal plants and their uses recorded in the Archives of Latvian Folklore from the 19th century.
2020
Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance The records of folk medicine present historical evidence of medicinal plant usage in the territory of Latvia and describe native and imported plants and plant products that were used as medicine. Aim of the study To collect and analyse the ethnobotanical knowledge found in records of Latvian folk medicine available in the Archives of Latvian Folklore. Materials and methods Following the International Classification of Primary Care, plant uses were grouped into one of the 17 categories based on the body systems and psychological and social problems. Each plant was identified by its scientific name according to The Plant List website. Additionally, the …
An integrated strategy between food chemistry, biology, nutrition, pharmacology, and statistics in the development of functional foods: A proposal
2017
Abstract Background Much research has been conducted to attest that different food and herbal extracts display functional properties in humans when consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet. However, most studies only relate one or some in vitro and/or in vivo functionalities of these extracts, without performing clinical trials to attest the alleged functionality. For instance, while some studies focus on the existence of statistical correlation between antioxidant activity and antidiabetic properties and the phenolic composition of a certain herb, others aim to assess the effects of different extraction methods ( i.e., pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, and supercritical fluid extrac…
Herbalists, traditional healers and pharmacists: a view of the tuberculosis in Ghana
2014
This paper is the result of a visit by Brazilian researchers to Ghana, with the aim of improving understanding of the relationship between traditional healers and conventional health practices, specifically in relation to tuberculosis. Through this exploratory visit, this group of researchers promoted by the Edital Pro Africa (CNPq) had an opportunity to learn about, reflect on, and discuss the different social, economic and cultural realities and contexts that have led to the different health conditions and forms of healthcare in Ghana. Besides the direct relationship between the social and economic conditions of the country and the health of its population, it was also concluded that ther…