Special issue: Health promoting activities of phytochemicals

German Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials

The skin is the body's largest organ. The epidermis and dermis make up the skin, and their primary purpose is to defend the body from adverse environmental factors like chemicals, allergens, toxins, and bacteria. Many different types of natural products have shown promise in the treatment of skin disorders. Multiple synthetic chemicals and environmental pollution have an impact on modern human existence. Therefore, nature has provided several essential ingredients for boosting skin health and shielding skin from environmental damage. The most significant in vivo and in vitro studies on the use of different natural products in inflammatory, cancerous, and skin infection disorders and their mechanisms of action were summarised in this review. The study also highlights the potential photoprotective effects of numerous herbal ingredients. Sunburn is caused primarily by the sun's ultraviolet rays, which can also cause cancer of the skin. Herbal ingredients with sunblocking properties can prevent the penetration of harmful ultraviolet radiation. Compared to their synthetic counterparts, herbal remedies have fewer adverse effects and are just as effective in treating chronic conditions. Flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids (Lycopene, carotene), and phenolic acids found in herbs rich in vitamins (A, C, and E) have antioxidant properties that increase photoprotection.

Antioxidants are phytochemicals, vitamins and other nutrients that protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that antioxidants help prevent the free radical damage that is associated with cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants can be found in most fruits and vegetables but also culinary herbs and medicinal herbs can contain high levels of antioxidants. Carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbates, lipoic acids and polyphenols are strong natural antioxidants with free radical scavenging activity. Endogenous antioxidants enzymes like super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, minerals like Se, Mn, Cu, Zn, vitamins A, C and E. Phytochemicals are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties. They play a crucial role in maintaining optimal immune response, such that deficient or excessive intakes can have negative impact on health. Dietary intake of phytochemicals may promote health benefits, protecting against chronic degenerative disorders, such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. protection against numerous diseases or disorders such as cancers, coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, microbial, viral and parasitic infections, psychotic diseases, spasmodic conditions, ulcers, osteoporosis and associated disorders. They are non-essential nutrients, meaning that they are not required by the human body for sustaining life. It is well-known that plant produce these chemicals to protect themselves but recent research demonstrate that they can also protect humans against diseases. There are more than thousand known phytochemicals. Some of the well-known phytochemicals are lycopene in tomatoes, isoflavones in soy.

Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets, 2020

Human skin considered as the first line of defense and barrier against the majority of infections caused through the skin that are affecting human populations. Healthy skin, promotes healthy body that can achieve with the usage of modern , allopathic and natural remedies. Major skin ailments affecting human populations are skin cancers, eczema, herpes infection , fungal infection, anti-aging, itching, insect bites, pemphigus vulgaris, trauma, psoriasis, athlete's foot infections, rashes, skin pigmentation, acne, major and minor wound infections that are slowly becoming a burden on health care. Skin infections can be treated from sources that originate from animals and plants. In spite of advancement in science and technology the emergence of natural herbal remedy for managing Skin disorders become a pivotal and essential contributor for treating skin infections due to increased demand of herbals and their lower price and continued adverse effect of modern medicines. In the recent era, herbal extracts and their phytomedicines make a vital contribution to human health care. Herbal products now days are considered as a single line of treatment for many diseases like Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disorders and brain disorders that create awareness regarding purity, efficacy and safety of Herbal medicine for health care management. Many therapeutically active natural herbal resources like Aloe, Neem, Liquorice, Tulsi, Amla, Papaya, Ginger and Eucalyptus are potent and safe in the treatment of dermatological infections. This review article summarizes the signifi-cances of herbal plants for protecting, treating and minimizing skin Infections through the utility of herbal pharmaceuticals like creams, Decocted extracts, poultice, paste and lotions that aid in the treatment of skin infections and diseases at relatively lower cost with lesser side effects as compared to modern and allopathic medicines.

In recent years, the increasing incidence of autoimmune diseases such as cancer and viral diseases including COVID-19 poses a serious problem in terms of prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Various kinds of active immunomodulatory ingredients are one of the main components of the continuous breakthroughs of pharmaceuticals until recent research. Flavonoids are significant phytochemicals that are thought to be principally responsible for plants' immunomodulation function. These phytochemicals can also serve as a model for the creation of safe and effective immunomodulators as potential treatments for the prevention and treatment of various immune-related disorders. Leafy vegetables give stronger support for human health due to their overlapping nutritional and therapeutic advantages. The goal of the present review was to profile the immunomodulatory flavonoids from the leafy vegetables of West Bengal to support the prevalent immune-related disorders worldwide. The majority of the leafy vegetables with significant immunomodulatory action are outlined, along with their potential mechanisms and quantity of the response flavonoids. The present work will pick the interest of researchers and promote additional studies on these leafy vegetables-based immunomodulation agents as prospective therapies for the treatment the various immune-suppressed disorders in future days.

Journal of Human Environment and Health Promotion, 2024

Background: Plants produce a diverse array of natural compounds including primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites, such as those involved in photosynthesis, contribute to plant growth development. Secondary metabolites, on the other hand, play crucial roles in plant defense, signaling, and the production of medically important compounds. These secondary metabolites not only contribute to the aromatic properties of plants but also possess therapeutic potential. Furthermore, they play a multifaceted role in the plant's adaptation to various environmental stresses. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review to guide future clinical research on the medicinal applications of plant-derived compounds. Methods: We conducted a detailed review of 38 articles and provided a thorough summary of our findings in this section. Results: The utilization of medicinal plants has evolved over time. Initially, they were used solely for their medicinal properties, but subsequently, they have become the subject of extensive clinical research for the treatment of various diseases using their extracted compounds. Conclusion: We suggest that researchers conduct clinical studies on the synergistic effect of natural plant compounds and explore the development of recombinant drugs for the treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2003

Plant-based therapeutic preparations are cyclically returning to complement dermatologic therapy. They serve as therapeutic alternatives, safer choices, or in some cases, as the only effective treatment. Folk medicine tradition provides different indicators for use than the medical disease model. Advantages of multiple synergistic components of crude extracts are discussed, as well as herbs already used in dermatology. Bitter digestive stimulants are used for vitiligo. Bioflavinoids from buckwheat and horse chestnut are used for varicose veins, and silymarin is used for liver protection. Gotu kola and sarsaparilla are used for inflammatory skin conditions. Oregon grape root has synergistic antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and bile-stimulating properties which make the crude extract useful in acne. Philosophical differences in herbology compared to medicine exist in the application of science toward improving elimination and strengthening the host as opposed to destroying the vector or manifestation of the disease.

International Journal of Membrane Science and Technology

Humans have relied on herbal medicines in health care and the treatment of numerous diseases since the very early stages of civilization. Herbal medicines or phytomedicines not only treat sickness but also guard against its complications simultaneously. The continuous use of synthetic medications is not safe for health because of their extreme negative impacts. So now a days, we can estimate that in some developing countries, such as the USA and England, herbal drugs make up to 25% of all consumption; on the other hand, in a few nations that are rapidly developing, like India and China, it comprises up to 80%. All over the world, more than ten thousand medicinal species are present. India is a well known producer of herbal plants that have a history of being used medicinally. As per the data of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), there are 50000-80000 types of flowering plants that have medicinal value globally. Because...

2015

The present review summarizes the wide use of various plant extracts and herbal fed additives in a specific dose during the scheduled vaccination regimen may be helpful in obtaining higher protective antibody against different infections including production and development of more effective cell mediate immune response for protection against various bacterial, viral and other diseases. Herbal formulation may be therefore recommended for use as positive immunomodulator in normal and immunocompromized susceptible animals and birds. However, more sufficient researches are in demand to be carried out to establish the medicinal facts of the mentioned indigenous plants and fruits. In infants, use of neem oil is fatal. Some disadvantages of neem includes miscarriages, abortions and infertility. Although, American Cancer Society recommends the centella herb for having anticancerous properties, but research in this regard are in progress. Preliminary experimental animal researches have proved that the papaya seeds have potential contraceptive and abortifacient effect, but is non-teratogenic for the presence of phytochemicals in it. Many herbal plant preparations are prescribed to strengthen host resistance. Many useful plants fall under this category. They exhibit immunomodulatory activities. One such plant, Tinospora cordifolia, commonly called 'Guduchi' has been examined for its immunomodulatory properties. Guduchi means to rejuvenate dead cells. It is widely used in veterinary folk medicine and has also been claimed to be beneficial according to 'Ayurveda' for the cure of jaundice, skin diseases, diabetes, anemia, emaciations and various infections for its anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic and anti-allergic properties. It has also been reported that it improves the phagocytic and bactericidal activities in patients suffering from polymorphism in surgical jaundice.

Nutraceuticals are food product that provides health as well as medical benefits; including the prevention and treatment of disease. Few nutraceuticals are being used as pharmaceutical and a number of other being used and purchased by the general public as self-medication. Such products may range from dietary supplements to genetically engineered foods, herbal products and processed foods. Phytochemicals of nutraceuticals importance are bioactive constituentsthat sustain or promote health and occurs at the intersection of food andpharmaceutical industries. Such substances may range from isolatednutrients, dietary supplements and specific diets to geneticallyengineered designer foods, herbal products, processed foods andbeverages. Phytochemicals are broadly described as polyphenols,flavonoids, isoflavonoids, anthocyanidins, terpenoids etc,. Theyhave tremendous impact on the health care system and mayprovidemedical health benefits including the prevention and/ or treatment ofdiseases and physiological disorders. Majority of foods, such as wholegrains, beans, fruits, vegetables and herbs contain phytochemicals.Amongst these, fruits and vegetables contribute to the significantsources of phytochemicals. These phytochemicals, either alone and/orin combination, have tremendous therapeutic potential in curing variousailments. The respective health benefits are based on science andethics, for health claims, for functional foods, and presence of certainphytochemicals. They play certain pharmacological effects in humanhealth as antioxidants, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic,antispasmodic, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective,hypolipidemic, neuroprotective, hypotensive, prevent aging, diabetes,osteoporosis, DNA damage, cancer and heart diseases, induceapoptosis, diuretic, CNS stimulant, analgesic, protects from UV inducedcarcinogenesis, prevent, immuno-modulator and carminative.