The genus Nepeta: Traditional uses, phytochemicals and pharmacological properties.

Nepeta is a multiregional genus of the "Lamiaceae" (Labiatae or Mint) family. Species of Nepeta are a valuable part of traditional medicine and used extensively, particularly in the Himalayan region of India (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Leh-Ladakh), Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwaand Pakistani Kashmir), Nepal (Baglund district), also in China and hilly regions of Turkey and Iran. Nepeta species are extensively used as a remedy against a variety of ailments and conditions like chicken pox, tuberculosis, malaria, pneumonia, influenza, measles, stomach disorders, eye complaints, respiratory disorders, asthma, colds, coughs etc. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The main aim of this review is to present a comprehensive and detailed study on traditional uses, pharmacology, phytochemistry, toxicology of Nepeta species and suggest future direction on the design and conduct of various preparations, either alone or in blends with prevailing conventional remedies. The review also emphasizes encouraging researchers towards the wide range of pharmaceutical applications of the various species of Nepeta for their better use and exploration in the future. All the relevant data and information on different species of Nepeta were assembled using different databases, such as Science Direct, Springer, PubMed, Taylor and Francis imprints, Chemspider, Google scholar, review and research articles from peer-reviewed journals and unpublished data. Some select 'grey literature' sources viz. ethnobotanical books, chapters, Wikipedia and webpages were also studied. A variety of bioactive secondary metabolites and nutraceuticals has been isolated from various species of Nepeta. These bioactive compounds belong to different classes of secondary metabolites, such as phenolic acids and their glycosides (rosmarinic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid), flavonoids and their glycosides (cirsimaritin, salvigenin, luteolin, apigenin), iridoids (nepetalactones and their derivatives), terpenoids (1,8-cineole, linalool, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, parnapimaro, β-amyrin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid), steroids (β-sitosterol, stigmasterol), lignans, amino acids, carbohydrates, volatile oils, etc. The species of the genus Nepeta possess a variety of pharmacological activities namely anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, anti-alzheimer, anticancer and cytotoxic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, insecticidal and along with other biological activities. The species of the genus Nepeta contains a rich source of various bioactive compounds, which are well tolerated as traditional medicines. In fact, different species of Nepeta are widely used in a variety of traditional medicinal systems all around the world. Owing to the variety of pharmacological properties of Nepeta species, more comprehensive and inclusive clinical trials are necessary for the utilization of different Nepeta species against the treatment of a wide range of ailments. There are also various other uses such as food, cosmetic and agriculture that can be investigated or explored in future. Some of the major domains that can be explored within this genus are the investigation of different species for their unexplored biological potential, isolation and characterization of new bioactive constituents and finally, investigation of new applications and possible commercialization of these bioactive leads. No doubt, there are various viable research domains outside those discussed above, but presently for the purposes of this review we will only emphasize the activities herein.

Sharma A ，Cooper R ，Bhardwaj G ，Cannoo DS ... -  《-》

Plumeria rubra L.- A review on its ethnopharmacological, morphological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies.

Plumeria rubra L. (Apocynaceae) is a deciduous, commonly ornamental, tropical plant grown in home premises, parks, gardens, graveyards, because of its beautiful and attractive flowers of various colours and size. The different parts of the plant are used traditionally to treat various diseases and conditions like leprosy, inflammation, diabetic mellitus, ulcers, wounds, itching, acne, toothache, earache, tongue cleaning, pain, asthma, constipation and antifertility. The main aim of this review is to provide an overview and critically analyze the reported ethnomedical uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and toxicological studies of P. rubra and to identify the remaining gaps and thus supply a basis for further investigations. The review also focuses towards drawing attention of people and researchers about the wide spread pharmaceutical properties of the plant for its better utilization in the coming future. All the relevant data and information on P. rubra was gathered using various databases such as PubMed, Springer, Taylor and Francis imprints, NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), Science direct, Google scholar, Chemspider, SciFinder, research and review articles from peer-reviewed journals and unpublished data such as Phd thesis, etc. Some other 'grey literature' sources such as webpages, ethnobotanical books, chapters, wikipedia were also studied. More than 110 chemical constituents have been isolated from P. rubra including iridoids, terpenoids, flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, alkaloids, glycosides, fatty acid esters, carbohydrates, animo acids, lignan, coumarin, volatile oils, etc. The important chemical constituents responsible for pharmacological activities of the plant are fulvoplumierin, plumieride, rubrinol, lupeol, oleanolic acid, stigmasterol, taraxasteryl acetate, plumieride-p-E-coumarate, rubranonoside, rubrajalellol, plumericin, isoplumericin, etc. The plant possess a wide range of pharmacological activities present namely antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anticancer, anthelmintic, antifertility and many other activities. P. rubra is a valuable medicinal source and further study in this topic can validate the traditional and ethnobotanical use of the plant. However, many aspects of the plant have not been studied yet. The pharmacological activity of active chemical constituent isolated from the plant is proven only for a couple of activities hence, lack of bio-guided isolation strategies is observed. Further studies on bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action and structural activity relationship studies of isolated pure compounds will contribute more in understanding their pharmacological effects. Higher doses of plant extracts are administered to experimental animals, therefore their toxicity and side effects in humans are needed to be thoroughly studied, although no side effect or toxicity is seen or observed in experimental animals. Studies are also essential to investigate the long term in vivo toxicity and clinical efficacy of the plant.

Bihani T 《-》

Phytochemical and biological activities of Pinus halepensis mill., and their ethnomedicinal use.

Pinus halepensis Mill., is a Mediterranean medicinal plant with numerous traditional applications such as anti-scarring, antiseptic, astringent, antifungal, and anti-tuberculosis. It is used against diarrhea, wounds, rheumatism, cough, gastrointestinal illnesses, hypertension, and hemorrhoids. We critically summarized previous reports on the botanical, taxonomical, ecological, geographical distribution, phytochemical, and pharmacological results of P. halepensis Mill. To gather data on P. halepensis Mill., different scientific search engines were consulted such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Wiley Online, Scifinder, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, PubMed. The collected data on P. halepensis Mill., were organised according to ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology. Ethnomedicinal studies indicated that P. halepensis Mill., is used as a protective remedy against respiratory and digestive disorders, arterial hypertension, microbial infections. These medicinal uses vary based on the part used and regions. The extracts and essential oils of P. halepensis Mill., demonstrated several biological effects including antimicrobial, antidiabetic anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, antiparasitic, and hepatoprotective. Traditional uses and biological effects of P. halepensis Mill., were attributed to the numerous molecules that belong to different chemical classes such as terpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids and steroids, aldehydes and ketones. In vitro and in vivo investigations of P. halepensis Mill., extracts and essential oils showed interesting pharmacological activities supporting the traditional use of this species. Previous reports indicated that P. halepensis Mill., extracts and their constituents exhibited potent antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, protective, anticoagulant, anti-hemolytic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Further investigation is needed to reveal the full biological spectra of P. halepensis Mill., extracts and essential oils (using in vivo models) and to validate their industrial applications as a food additive. However, in-depth studies are required to investigate the biological properties and molecular mechanisms of P. halepensis Mill., secondary metabolites in the management of diabetes mellitus and the prevention of the neurodegenerative disorders development such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Studies exploring pharmacological effects of P. halepensis Mill., bioactive components such as the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiparasitic drugs are required to validate the clinical use of these molecules. The safety of P. halepensis Mill., and its bioactive compounds should be also investigated by carrying out further pharmacokinetic and toxicological experiments.

El Omari N ，Ezzahrae Guaouguaou F ，El Menyiy N ，Benali T ，Aanniz T ，Chamkhi I ，Balahbib A ，Taha D ，Shariati MA ，Zengin G ，El-Shazly M ，Bouyahya A ... -  《-》

Tylophora indica (Burm. f.) merr: An insight into phytochemistry and pharmacology.

Tylophora indica (Burm. f.) Merr. commonly known as ananthamool is a climbing perennial plant which is widely used in Indian traditional medicine. T. indica exhibits diverse range of pharmacological activities viz. antiasthmatic, antidiarrheal, anticancer, antiarthritic, antiepileptic, anti-inflammatory etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: Present review aims to grant an up-to-date insight into the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of T. indica, exploring its future research and opportunities. Comprehensive information regarding T. indica was collected using the keywords Tylophora indica or Indian ipecac or ananthamool in various electronic databases ACS, Google Scholar, Pubmed, Science Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science, Springer Link and Wiley. In addition, some books and book chapters were also consulted. T. indica has been traditionally used in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the form of various preparations like powder, decoction, pulp, paste and extract alone or in combination with other herbs against various ailments like skin disorders, inflammation, cough, asthma, diarrhea, cancer, microbial infections etc. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on T. indica revealed its potential as antiasthmatic, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiarrheal agent etc. A diverse range of phytochemical constituents have been isolated and identified from T. indica namely alkaloids (Tylophorine, Tylophorinine, Tylophorinidine), flavonoids (Kaempferol & Quercetin) terpenoids (α-Amyrin & β-Amyrin) and sterols (β-sitosetrol). Amongst which phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids isolated from roots and leaves are largely explored and considered to be the most active constituent of plant. Present review provides an insight into botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of T. indica. As an important traditional Indian medicine, few ethnobotanicals use of T. indica have been supported by modern pharmacological studies, especially in asthma, cancer and inflammation. Among compounds from various phytochemical classes, phenanthoindolizidine alkaloids namely tylophorine and tylophorinidine alkaloids have been considered as bioactive components of the plant and widely investigated. However, further identification, isolation and quantification employing some advanced hyphenated techniques viz. LC-MS/MS, LC-NMR to discover new pharmacologically active phytoconstituents in the management of different diseases. Several investigators have highlighted possible therapeutic roles of T. indica extracts and isolated compounds. Moreover, information about various aspects of T. indica pertaining to phytochemistry, toxicology and quality control are still unresolved. Further in-depth studies are required to discover key features viz. structure activity relationships, mode of action, safety and toxicity and therapeutic potentials T. indica in clinical settings.

Gururani R ，Patel S ，Yaduvanshi N ，Dwivedi J ，Paliwal S ，Sharma S ... -  《-》

Gmelina arborea- an indigenous timber species of India with high medicinal value: A review on its pharmacology, pharmacognosy and phytochemistry.

Gmelina arborea Roxb.ex Smith, a fast-growing deciduous tree belongs to the family Lamiaceae, and is an important plantation species in many tropical areas around the world. The species is naturally distributed in semi-deciduous forests in tropical/subtropical regions of South East Asia. The tree is also an important medicinal plant in the Indian Systems of Medicine. The whole plant is used in medicine. It is astringent, bitter, digestive, cardiotonic, diuretic, laxative and pulmonary and nervine tonic. It improves digestion, memory, helps overcome giddiness and is useful in burning sensation, fever, thirst, emaciation, heart diseases, nervous disorders and piles. The roots are acrid, bitter-sweet in taste, stomachic, tonic, laxative, galactagogue and antihelmintic. The flowers are sweet, refrigerant, bitter, astringent and acrid, and are used in treating leprosy and skin diseases. The fruits are acrid, sour, sweet, refrigerant, bitter, astringent, aphrodisiac, trichogenous, alterant and tonic. Fruits are edible and also used for promoting hair growth and in treating anaemia, leprosy, ulcers, constipation, leucorrhoea and colitis. The leaves are a good fodder also. The major bioactive compounds extracted from different parts of G. arborea are arboreal, verbascoside, tyrosol, iridoids, phenylpropanoid glycoside, premnazole, martynoside, iridoid glycosides, balanophonin, gmelinol, isoarboreol apigenin, umbelliferone etc. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review provides an insight into the medicinal aspects of G. arborea. It provides the latest information on phytochemistry, pharmacological activities and traditional uses of G.arborea. Information on G. arborea was gathered from various sources like textbooks, literature, databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, Taylor and Francis, Scopus, Inflibnet, Sci-Finder and Google Scholar. Sixty-nine phytochemicals which include lignans, acylated iridoid glycosides, acylated rhamnopyranoses, flavonoids, flavones, flavone glycosides have been isolated. Many of them have been characterized for their pharmacological activity. Several researchers have identified bioactive phytochemicals like luteolin, iridoid alkaloids from the leaves, hentriacontanol and lignans such as arboreol, isoarboreol, arborone, gmelanone, gummadiol from the heartwood, flavon glycosides in roots. The extracts are reported to have wound-healing and antidiarrheal properties. Various studies demonstrated that G.arborea and its constituents possess several pharmacological activities like anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, analgesic, anti-nociceptive, anticancer and wound healing activities. G. arborea is a valuable medicinal plant used traditionally in the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM - Ayurveda and Unani) to treat a wide variety of ailments. These phytochemicals are highly bioactive and exhibit various pharmacological activities. However, pharmacological activities of many compounds which have been identified, are yet to be understood.

Warrier RR ，Priya SM ，Kalaiselvi R 《-》