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Khanna K, Kohli SK, Kaur R, Bhardwaj A, Bhardwaj V, Ohri P, Sharma A, Ahmad A, Bhardwaj R, Ahmad P. Herbal immune-boosters: Substantial warriors of pandemic Covid-19 battle. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 85:153361. [PMID: 33485605 PMCID: PMC7532351 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2020.153361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Current scenario depicts that world has been clenched by COVID-19 pandemic. Inevitably, public health and safety measures could be undertaken in order to dwindle the infection threat and mortality. Moreover, to overcome the global menace and drawing out world from moribund stage, there is an exigency for social distancing and quarantines. Since December, 2019, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) have came into existence and up till now world is still in the state of shock.At this point of time, COVID-19 has entered perilous phase, creating havoc among individuals, and this has been directly implied due to enhanced globalisation and ability of the virus to acclimatize at all conditions. The unabated transmission is due to lack of drugs, vaccines and therapeutics against this viral outbreak. But research is still underway to formulate the vaccines or drugs by this means, as scientific communities are continuously working to unravel the pharmacologically active compounds that might offer a new insight for curbing infections and pandemics. Therefore, the topical COVID-19 situation highlights an immediate need for effective therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2. Towards this effort, the present review discusses the vital concepts related to COVID-19, in terms of its origin, transmission, clinical aspects and diagnosis. However, here, we have formulated the novel concept hitherto, ancient means of traditional medicines or herbal plants to beat this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanika Khanna
- Plant Stress Biology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Sukhmeen Kaur Kohli
- Plant Stress Biology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Ravdeep Kaur
- Plant Stress Biology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Abhay Bhardwaj
- Department of Bio-organic and Biological Chemistry, Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv 61000, Ukraine
| | - Vinay Bhardwaj
- Department of Bio-organic and Biological Chemistry, Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv 61000, Ukraine
| | - Puja Ohri
- Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India
| | - Anket Sharma
- Plant Stress Biology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Ajaz Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Renu Bhardwaj
- Plant Stress Biology Lab, Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India.
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Stryamets N, Mattalia G, Pieroni A, Khomyn I, Sõukand R. Dining Tables Divided by a Border: The Effect of Socio-Political Scenarios on Local Ecological Knowledge of Romanians Living in Ukrainian and Romanian Bukovina. Foods 2021; 10:foods10010126. [PMID: 33430148 PMCID: PMC7827627 DOI: 10.3390/foods10010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Local cuisine is an important reservoir of local ecological knowledge shaped by a variety of socio-cultural, economic, and ecological factors. The aim was to document and compare the current use of wild and semi-cultivated plant food taxa by Romanians living in Romania and Ukraine. These two groups share similar ecological conditions and historically belonged to the same province, but were divided in the 1940s by the creation of a state border. We conducted 60 semi-structured interviews with rural residents. The contemporary use of 46 taxa (plus 5 cultivated taxa with uncommon uses), belonging to 20 families, for food consumption were recorded. Romanians in Romanian Bukovina used 27 taxa belonging to 15 families, while in Ukraine they used 40 taxa belonging to 18 families. Jams, sarmale, homemade beer, and the homemade alcoholic drink "socată" are used more by Romanians in Southern Bukovina, while tea, soups, and birch sap are used more in Northern Bukovina. We discuss the strong influence of socio-political scenarios on the use of wild food plants. Cross-ethnic marriages, as well as markets and women's networks, i.e., "neighbors do so", may have had a great impact on changes in wild food use. In addition, rapid changes in lifestyle (open work market and social migration) are other explanations for the abandonment of wild edible plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya Stryamets
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; (G.M.); (R.S.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +38-097-960-3016
| | - Giulia Mattalia
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; (G.M.); (R.S.)
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Bra, Italy;
- Medical Analysis Department, Tishk International University, Erbil 44001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Ihor Khomyn
- Nature Reserve “Roztochya”, Sitchovuh Strilciv 7, 81070 Ivano-Frankove, Ukraine;
| | - Renata Sõukand
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; (G.M.); (R.S.)
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Use of medicinal plants in complementary treatment of the common cold and influenza – Perception of pharmacy customers in Moldova and Romania. J Herb Med 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2020.100346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Grosu E, Ichim MC. Turning Meadow Weeds Into Valuable Species for the Romanian Ethnomedicine While Complying With the Environmentally Friendly Farming Requirements of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:529. [PMID: 32390852 PMCID: PMC7191034 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The cross-compliance mechanism of the European Union (EU)'s common agricultural policy (CAP) makes the approval of the direct payments to the European farmers subject to compliance with the requirement to maintain the land in good agricultural and environmental condition. One of the obligations of the Romanian land owners and farmers is to avoid the installation of unwanted vegetation on their land plots. This vegetation is represented by some species of herbaceous or woody plants, annual or perennial, that spontaneously invade the agricultural lands, diminishing the production capacity of the cultivated plants. Included in this category are 10 meadow weeds, without fodder value or even toxic to animals: Arctium lappa L., Carduus nutans L., Conium maculatum L., Eryngium campestre L., Euphorbia cyparissias L., Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn, Rumex acetosella L., Veratrum album L., Xanthium spinosum L., and Xanthium strumarium L. Various and multiple uses in traditional medicine of these meadow weed species have been reported for Romania and other nine neighboring East European countries, i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Kosovo, Russia, Turkey, Serbia, and Ukraine. For A. lappa were recorded the highest number of ethnomedicinal uses, in the largest number of East European countries, including Romania. C. maculatum and V. album are not recommended for human consumption but can be further investigated as potential sources of pharmaceutically active compounds. Once removed by landowners and farmers from their land, the raw plant material of these 10 species become readily and easily available to the Romanian local communities and the industry of herbal food supplements, while the biodiversity of the agro-ecosystems is maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Grosu
- "Stejarul" Research Centre for Biological Sciences, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Piatra Neamt, Romania
| | - Mihael Cristin Ichim
- "Stejarul" Research Centre for Biological Sciences, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Piatra Neamt, Romania
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Vári Á, Arany I, Kalóczkai Á, Kelemen K, Papp J, Czúcz B. Berries, greens, and medicinal herbs-mapping and assessing wild plants as an ecosystem service in Transylvania (Romania). JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2020; 16:13. [PMID: 32131856 PMCID: PMC7057653 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-0360-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wild edible plants as well as medicinal herbs are still widely used natural resources in Eastern Europe that are frequently accessed by the local population. Ethnobotanical studies rarely give insight to the specific ecosystems in which wild food and medicinal plants grow in a spatially explicit way. The present work assesses the potential of different ecosystems to provide wild plants for food and medicinal use based on 37 selected plant species, gives an estimate on the actual use of wild plants, and allows insights into the motivation of local people to collect wild plants. METHODS A number of interdisciplinary methods were used: participatory stakeholder workshops with experts scoring the provisioning capacity of ecosystem types, GIS for representing results (capacity maps), basic data statistics for actual use assessment, and interviews for analysing motivations. RESULTS Capacity to provide wild edible plants was assessed highest in broad-leaved forests and wetlands, while for medicinal herbs, orchards were rated best. We could find a multitude of motivations for gathering that could be grouped along four main lines corresponding to major dimensions of well-being (health, habit/tradition, nutrition/income, pleasure/emotional), with health reasons dominating very clearly the range (59% of answers), which can be interpreted as a combination of modern "green" values with a traditional lifestyle. We detected some distinct patterns of motivations between the different social groups analysed with more fundamental needs associated with lower level socio-ecological background. CONCLUSION This case study provides an example on the importance of wild plants for locals from several points of view. We emphasize the relevance of these local stakeholder views to be included in decision-making and ecosystem management, which can be achieved by the presented workflow for mapping and assessment of ecosystem services which is also compatible with EU-suggested Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágnes Vári
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary.
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Ildikó Arany
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Kalóczkai
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Katalin Kelemen
- Milvus Group Association, Crinului Str. 22, 540343, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | - Judith Papp
- Milvus Group Association, Crinului Str. 22, 540343, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | - Bálint Czúcz
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
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Loko LEY, Toffa J, Adjatin A, Akpo AJ, Orobiyi A, Dansi A. Folk taxonomy and traditional uses of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces by the sociolinguistic groups in the central region of the Republic of Benin. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2018; 14:52. [PMID: 30064456 PMCID: PMC6066935 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-018-0251-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important grain legume crop grown in the central region of the Republic of Benin. However, its production declined in recent years to the extent that its diversity is being threatened with extinction. Understanding the folk nomenclature and taxonomy, as well as use values that allow its maintenance in Beninese agricultural system, is a prerequisite to develop efficient strategies for its conservation. Knowing that each sociolinguistic group develop various uses and traditional knowledge for their crop genetic resources, we hypothesized that enhancement of farmers' livelihood, thanks to the use values of common bean landraces, differ from one sociolinguistic group to another and contribute to their conservation in the traditional agriculture of central Benin. METHODS Hundred and one common bean producers belonging to seven sociolinguistic groups selected through 23 villages of the region under study were surveyed. Data were collected through participatory research appraisal tools and techniques (individual interviews and direct observation) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Folk nomenclature and taxonomy of common bean, local uses, and factors affecting them were investigated. RESULTS Across the seven sociolinguistic groups surveyed in the study area, five common bean generic names and 26 folk varieties corresponding to 12 landraces have been recorded. Folk nomenclature and taxonomy were mainly based on seeds' coat color. The present study has revealed five common bean use values in the study area (food, medicinal, commercial, fodder, and mystic-religious), which are influenced by sociolinguistic groups. Leaves, roots, and seeds of three common bean folk varieties are used by surveyed farmers for disease treatment. Nine common bean folk varieties are considered by farmers as magical plants which have supernatural properties while several taboos for deities' followers regarding Séssé landrace are inventoried across sociolinguistic groups. Level of education and age of respondents influence positively and significantly medicine and mystical-religious uses of common bean respectively while commercial use is positively influenced by age and negatively by gender. CONCLUSIONS Traditional values associated with common bean landraces in the central region of the Republic of Benin increase their chance of survival in the farming systems. Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents which influence common bean use values must be taken into account in future programs of conservation. However, an assessment of diversity and analysis of distribution of extend of common bean landraces in the study area is a necessity for the development of an efficient strategy of conservation of this genetic resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Estelle Yêyinou Loko
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa (FAST-Dassa), National University of Sciences Technologies Engineering and Mathematics of Abomey (UNSTIM), BP 14, Dassa, Benin
| | - Joelle Toffa
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa (FAST-Dassa), National University of Sciences Technologies Engineering and Mathematics of Abomey (UNSTIM), BP 14, Dassa, Benin
| | - Arlette Adjatin
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), FAST-Dassa, UNSTIM, BP 14, Dassa, Benin
| | - Ahouélété Joel Akpo
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa (FAST-Dassa), National University of Sciences Technologies Engineering and Mathematics of Abomey (UNSTIM), BP 14, Dassa, Benin
| | - Azize Orobiyi
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Dassa (FAST-Dassa), National University of Sciences Technologies Engineering and Mathematics of Abomey (UNSTIM), BP 14, Dassa, Benin
| | - Alexandre Dansi
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources and Plant and Animal Breeding (BIORAVE), FAST-Dassa, UNSTIM, BP 14, Dassa, Benin
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Woźniak M, Michalak B, Wyszomierska J, Dudek MK, Kiss AK. Effects of Phytochemically Characterized Extracts From Syringa vulgaris and Isolated Secoiridoids on Mediators of Inflammation in a Human Neutrophil Model. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:349. [PMID: 29695965 PMCID: PMC5904404 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim of the study: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of phytochemically characterized extracts connected with the traditional use (infusions and ethanolic extracts) of different parts of Syringa vulgaris (common lilac) on the pro-inflammatory functions of neutrophils. Active compounds were isolated from the most promising extract(s) using bioassay-guided fractionation, and their activity and molecular mechanisms of action were determined. Methods: The extracts were characterized using a HPLC-DAD- MSn method. The effects on ROS, MMP-9, TNF-α, IL-8, and MCP-1 production by neutrophils were measured using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. The effects on p38MAPK, ERK1/2, JNK phosphorylation, and NF-kB p65 translocation were determined using western blots. Results: The major compounds detected in the extracts and infusions belong to structural groups, including caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids, and iridoids. All extracts and infusions were able to significantly reduce ROS and IL-8 production. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of the following secoiridoids: 2″-epiframeroside, oleonuezhenide, oleuropein, ligstroside, neooleuropein, hydroxyframoside, and framoside. Neooleuropein appeared to be the most active compound in the inhibition of cytokine production by attenuating the MAP kinase pathways. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that common lilac, which is a traditionally used medicinal plant in Europe, is a valuable source of active compounds, especially neooleuropein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Woźniak
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Michalak
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Wyszomierska
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta K Dudek
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodz, Poland
| | - Anna K Kiss
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Vallejo JR, Santos-Fita D, González JA. The therapeutic use of the dog in Spain: a review from a historical and cross-cultural perspective of a change in the human-dog relationship. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2017; 13:47. [PMID: 28835259 PMCID: PMC5569528 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0175-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In Spain, studies about traditional knowledge related to biodiversity have focused on vascular plants. For this reason, our review concentrates on the identification and inventory of zootherapeutic resources, particularly those involving the dog (Canis lupus familiaris Linnaeus, 1758) throughout the twentieth century to the present. A qualitative systematic review in the fields of ethnomedicine, ethnozoology and folklore was made. Automated searches in the most important databases and digital libraries were performed. All related works were examined thoroughly and information was obtained from 55 documentary sources. We have listed a total of 63 remedies to treat and/or prevent 49 human illnesses and conditions. In 20 of the documented reports the whole animal was used and the use of pups was recommended in 12 cases. Saliva was the healing element in 10 remedies, and faeces were the therapeutic basis for nine, while bitch's milk was for seven of them. Skin, fur and meat were next in significance. Currently, healing remedies based on the use of the dog are not part of Spanish ethnomedicine and considering them so would be ahistorical. Indeed, the custom of allowing a dog to lick one's wounds to assist in their healing and cicatrisation has survived in only a few groups of people. However, we can state that the ethnomedical use of the dog exists and has been transferred to "animal-assisted therapy".
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ramón Vallejo
- Área de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales, Equipo de Historia de la Ciencia y Antropología de la Salud, Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Extremadura, E-06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Dídac Santos-Fita
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Avda. Instituto Literario 100, Colonia Centro, CP 50000 Toluca, Estado de México Mexico
| | - José Antonio González
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37071 Salamanca, Spain
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Dudek MK, Michalak B, Woźniak M, Czerwińska ME, Filipek A, Granica S, Kiss AK. Hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives and secoiridoid glycoside derivatives from Syringa vulgaris flowers and their effects on the pro-inflammatory responses of human neutrophils. Fitoterapia 2017; 121:194-205. [PMID: 28728914 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Thirteen new compounds including caffeoyl-glucaric and p-coumaroyl-altraric acid derivatives, one monoterpenoid glucoside, four secoiridoid glycosides, and three hydroxycinnamoyl phenylpropanoid glycosides esterified with an oleoside 11-methyl ester along with fifteen known compounds were isolated from flowers of Syringa vulgaris L. (Oleaceae). Their structures were elucidated by high-resolution spectroscopic methods. The tested compounds were able to decrease the production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, oleoechinacoside (13), demethylhydroxyoleonuezhenide (14), demethyloleonuezhenide (15), syringaoleoacteoside (25) and oleoacteoside (26) at the concentration of 50μM, moderately suppressed the LPS-stimulated release of pro-inflammatory chemokine IL-8 and TNF-α from human neutrophils. Moreover, oleonuezhenide (12), oleoside 11-methyl ester (16) and oleoacteoside (26) at the concentration of 50μM were able to induce the surface expression of interleukin 10 receptor, which is suppressed by the incubation of monocyte/macrophage cells with LPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Dudek
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland
| | - B Michalak
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Woźniak
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - M E Czerwińska
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - A Filipek
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - S Granica
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - A K Kiss
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
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González JA, Amich F, Postigo-Mota S, Vallejo JR. The use of wild vertebrates in contemporary Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2016; 191:135-151. [PMID: 27288756 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE This review documents the wide and varied repertoire of traditional practices based on the use of wild vertebrates in Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) from the early 20th century to the present. Empirical practices, both ritual and magical, are recorded, and these EVM data are compared with those of other countries in the Mediterranean Region and Latin America. The data collected here could form a scientific foundation for future inventories of traditional knowledge and help in the discovery of new drugs for livestock. MATERIALS AND METHODS A qualitative systematic review of international and national databases in the fields of ethnobiology, ethnoveterinary medicine, folklore and ethnography was made. Information was obtained from more than 60 documentary sources. RESULTS We recorded the use of 30 wild vertebrates and a total of 84 empirical remedies based on the use of a single species. The two most relevant zoological groups are reptiles and mammals. A wide diversity of body parts or products have been and are used. The meat and skin of snakes are the animal products most commonly used. These zootherapeutic resources have been and are used to treat or prevent ca. 50 animal diseases or conditions, in particular digestive and reproductive ailments, together with some infectious diseases. Sheep, cattle and equines form the group of domestic animals in which the greatest number of useful species are employed. In addition, many remedies and practices of the magical type are documented. In comparison with other culturally related areas, this is a rich heritage. CONCLUSIONS Contemporary Spanish EVM practices amass a great richness of wild animal-based remedies. A diversity of animal parts or products have been used, offering a cultural heritage that could be a fundamental step in the discovery of new and low-cost drugs for treating livestock and alternative materials for pharmaceutical purposes. This overview contributes to the inventory of some uses and rituals seriously threatened by the progressive loss of local veterinary knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A González
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca E-37071, Spain.
| | - Francisco Amich
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca E-37071, Spain.
| | - Salvador Postigo-Mota
- Equipo de Antropología Social y Cultural, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-06006, Spain.
| | - José Ramón Vallejo
- Departamento de Terapéutica Médico-Quirúrgica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz E-06006, Spain.
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González JA, Amich F, Postigo-Mota S, Vallejo JR. Therapeutic and prophylactic uses of invertebrates in contemporary Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2016; 12:36. [PMID: 27595672 PMCID: PMC5011348 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-016-0111-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Zootherapeutic practices in ethnoveterinary medicine are important in many socio-cultural environments around the world, particularly in developing countries, and they have recently started to be inventoried and studied in Europe. In light of this, the purpose of this review is to describe the local knowledge and folk remedies based on the use of invertebrates and their derivative products in contemporary Spanish ethnoveterinary medicine. An overview in the fields of ethnozoology, ethnoveterinary medicine and folklore was made. Automated searches in the most important databases were performed. All related works were examined thoroughly and use-reports were obtained from 53 documentary sources. The traditional use of 18 invertebrate species and five ethnotaxa and a total of 86 empirical remedies based on the use of a single species was recorded. The two most relevant zoological groups were found to be insects and molluscs. A broad diversity of body parts or derivative products have been and are used to treat or prevent ca. 50 animal diseases or conditions, in particular diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, different infectious livestock diseases, and disorders of the eye and adnexa. Cattle, sheep and equines form the group of domestic animals in which the greatest number of remedies are mentioned. In addition, seven magical remedies and practices are documented. In comparison with other culturally related areas, this is a rich heritage. The use-reports included here will help in the search for new and low-cost drugs for treating livestock and alternative materials for pharmaceutical purposes, future research addressing the validation of the effects and the development of organic farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio González
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Francisco Amich
- Grupo de Investigación de Recursos Etnobiológicos del Duero-Douro (GRIRED), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Salvador Postigo-Mota
- Equipo de Antropología Social y Cultural, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - José Ramón Vallejo
- Departamento de Terapéutica Médico-Quirúrgica (Facultad de Medicina) – Departamento de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales y de las Matemáticas (Facultad de Educación), Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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Bartha SG, Quave CL, Balogh L, Papp N. Ethnoveterinary practices of Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2015; 11:35. [PMID: 25943542 PMCID: PMC4449595 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0020-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethnoveterinary medicine is a topic of growing interest among ethnobiologists, and is integral to the agricultural practices of many ethnic groups across the globe. The ethnoveterinary pharmacopoeia is often composed of ingredients available in the local environment, and may include plants, animals and minerals, or combinations thereof, for use in treating various ailments in reared animals. The aim of this study was to survey the current day ethnoveterinary practices of ethnic Hungarian (Székely) settlements situated in the Erdővidék commune (Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania) and to compare them with earlier works on this topic in Romania and other European countries. METHODS Data concerning ethnoveterinary practices were collected through semi-structured interviews and direct observation in 12 villages from 2010 to 2014. The cited plant species were collected, identified, dried and deposited in a herbarium. The use of other materials (e.g. animals, minerals and other substances) were also documented. Data were compared to earlier reports of ethnoveterinary knowledge in Transylvania and other European countries using various databases. RESULTS In total, 26 wild and cultivated plants, 2 animals, and 17 other substances were documented to treat 11 ailments of cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep. The majority of applications were for the treatment of mastitis and skin ailments, while only a few data were reported for the treatment of cataracts, post-partum ailments and parasites. The traditional uses of Armoracia rusticana, Rumex spp., powdered sugar and glass were reported in each village. The use of some plant taxa, such as Allium sativum, Aristolochia clematitis, and Euphorbia amygdaloides was similar to earlier reports from other Transylvanian regions. CONCLUSIONS Although permanent veterinary and medical services are available in some of the villages, elderly people preferred the use of wild and cultivated plants, animals and other materials in ethnoveterinary medicine. Some traditional ethnoveterinary practices are no longer in use, but rather persist only in the memories of the eldest subset of the population. A decline in the vertical transmission of ethnoveterinary knowledge was evident and loss of practice is likely compounded by market availability of ready-made pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cassandra L Quave
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, CNR Bldg., Room 5035, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Lajos Balogh
- Department of Natural History, Savaria Museum, Pf. 14, Szombathely, 9701, Hungary.
| | - Nóra Papp
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Pécs, Rókus 2, Pécs, 7624, Hungary.
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13
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Dogan Y, Nedelcheva A, Łuczaj Ł, Drăgulescu C, Stefkov G, Maglajlić A, Ferrier J, Papp N, Hajdari A, Mustafa B, Dajić-Stevanović Z, Pieroni A. Of the importance of a leaf: the ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2015; 11:26. [PMID: 25890379 PMCID: PMC4428097 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0002-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants – represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes of the Middle Eastern and South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage and grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, the use of alternative plant leaves remains largely unexplored. The aim of this research was to document all of the botanical taxa whose leaves are used for preparing sarma in the folk cuisines of Turkey and the Balkans. Methods Field studies were conducted during broader ethnobotanical surveys, as well as during ad-hoc investigations between the years 2011 and 2014 that included diverse rural communities in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Primary ethnobotanical and folkloric literatures in each country were also considered. Results Eighty-seven botanical taxa, mainly wild, belonging to 50 genera and 27 families, were found to represent the bio-cultural heritage of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans. The greatest plant biodiversity in sarma was found in Turkey and, to less extent, in Bulgaria and Romania. The most commonly used leaves for preparing sarma were those of cabbage (both fresh and lacto-fermented), grape vine, beet, dock, sorrel, horseradish, lime tree, bean, and spinach. In a few cases, the leaves of endemic species (Centaurea haradjianii, Rumex gracilescens, and R. olympicus in Turkey) were recorded. Other uncommon sarma preparations were based on lightly toxic taxa, such as potato leaves in NE Albania, leaves of Arum, Convolvulus, and Smilax species in Turkey, of Phytolacca americana in Macedonia, and of Tussilago farfara in diverse countries. Moreover, the use of leaves of the introduced species Reynoutria japonica in Romania, Colocasia esculenta in Turkey, and Phytolacca americana in Macedonia shows the dynamic nature of folk cuisines. Conclusion The rich ethnobotanical diversity of sarma confirms the urgent need to record folk culinary plant knowledge. The results presented here can be implemented into initiatives aimed at re-evaluating folk cuisines and niche food markets based on local neglected ingredients, and possibly also to foster trajectories of the avant-garde cuisines inspired by ethnobotanical knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Dogan
- Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul University, 35150, Buca, Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Anely Nedelcheva
- Department of Botany, University of Sofia, Blvd. Dragan Tzankov, 1164, Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Łukasz Łuczaj
- Department of Botany, Institute of Applied Biotechnology and Basic Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Werynia 502, 36-100, Kolbuszowa, Poland.
| | - Constantin Drăgulescu
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Lucian Blaga University, Dr. Ioan Raţiu St. 5-7, Sibiu, Romania.
| | - Gjoshe Stefkov
- Department for Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia.
| | | | - Jonathan Ferrier
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8 M5, Canada. .,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Chronic Disease Program, Ottawa, K1Y 4E9, Canada.
| | - Nora Papp
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Pécs, Rókus 2, 7624, Pécs, Hungary.
| | - Avni Hajdari
- Institute for Biological and Environmental Research, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Mother Teresa Str., 10 000, Prishtinë, Republic of Kosovo.
| | - Behxhet Mustafa
- Institute for Biological and Environmental Research, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Mother Teresa Str., 10 000, Prishtinë, Republic of Kosovo.
| | - Zora Dajić-Stevanović
- Department of Agrobotany, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080, Zemun, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12060, Bra/Pollenzo, Italy.
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