Contemporary Phytomedicines

The term phytomedicine was coined by French physician Henri Leclerc in 1913. Till recently phytomedicine has remained in the background. But due to emerging challenges to the conventional pharmaceutical industry (cost effectiveness and potency of the drugs), phytomedicine has made a dramatic comeback. Phytomedicine has witnessed several changes and several new concepts have been introduced. Phytomedicine, although, a separate discipline, is strongly linked to Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology. As the title suggests the book is an attempt to bridge the gap between fundamental and emerging concepts in this field of medicine. The book has been divided into two parts. Part A deals with core issues of the phyto-pharmaceutical drug industry. The book begins with an introductory chapter dealing with basic definitions with phytomedicine. Chapters 2-5 narrate emerging subjects such as Phytopharmacovigilance, Phytopharmacoeconomics, Phytopharmacoepidemiology and Phytopharmacogenomics. Chapter 6 discusses ethical issues in phytomedicine. Chapter 7 covers recent advances in drug delivery systems in phytomedicine whereas Chapter 8 is about application of nanotechnology in the field of phytomedicine. The further chapters cover metabolomics, regulatory and legal aspects of the phyto-pharmaceutical drug industry. The chapter on herbal bioavailability enhancing agents is the salient feature of Part-A. Part B is related to applied research in the field of phytomedicine. Experimental findings on phyto-bioactive agents such as withanolides, steroidal alkaloids, phytosteroids and phytocannabinoids have been elaborated. Nine annexures related to herbal drug registration are included.

Phytomedicine utilizes plants, plant parts or plant derived phytochemical for their medical qualities to prevent or treat various diseases. Natural compounds have been the principle source of lead compounds historically and recently. Plant derived compounds have demonstrated significant activities against a range of diseases including the most deadly diseases such as cancer. Certain compounds possess antimicrobial activities such as chloroform extract of Drosera binate. The extract was found to be bactericidal in in vitro cultures against both planktonic forms and biofilms. The extract acted synergistically with silver nanoparticles resulting in enhancement of antibacterial activity, indi¬cating that the extract alongwith nanoparticles can provide effective alternative to commonly used antibiotics. Coadministering of the leaf extract from Hedera helix L., with existing anti-influenza drug oseltamivir increased the anti-viral activity of oseltamivir at suboptimal doses. The leaf extract which contained hedrasaponin F in highest amount, in combination with oseltamivir decreased pulmonary inflammation in PR8-infected mice, and reduced TNF-alpha and chemokine ligand 2 which are inflammatory cytokine and chemokine. The combination also reduced infiltration of bronchial alveolar of infected mice by CD11b+Ly6G+ and CD11b+Ly6Cint.Natural compounds reportedly have wound healing activity. Liposome formu¬lation of Ligusticum chuanxiong Essential Oil reduced hypertrophic scars on rabbit ears when applied at 2.5, 5 and 10% dosage to the scars for 28 days. Apoptotic markers caspase -3 and -9 levels were significantly increased in the scar tissue, while there was marked decrease in the levels of TGF-β1, MMP-1, collagen I, and collagen III along with the the scar elevation index (SEI). Etha¬nol extract of Mallotus philippinensis bark induces migration of mesenchymal stem cells and improved wound healing in a mouse model and its major compo¬nent cinnamtannin B-1 also augmented migration of mesenchymal cells in vivo and improved wound healing in mice. Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignane diastereomers found in Silybum mari¬anum extract. Silymarin induces insulin resistance in normal rats at a dose of 200mg/kg and enhanced insulin resistance in rats fed with fructose rich chow. The results indicated that Silymarin may be used for type-2 diabetic patients as it disrupted insulin signaling through increased PTEN expression.A number of extracts have been found to be effective against cancer cell lines in vitro and also in xenograft models. Hydroethanolic Iberis amara extract (IAE) was found to demonstrate anticancerogenic activity against HT-29 and T84 co¬lon carcinoma cells with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 6 and 9 μg/ml respectively and against PC3 prostate cancer and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. An anti-fungal eugenol, which is derived from the buds of Syzygium aromati¬cum, was demonstrated to interfere with Tat1p and Gap1p permeases which are involved in transport of aromatic and branched chain amino-acids in the yeast cytoplasmic membrane, which may also contribute to amino acid starvation of the cells and maybe used for cancer therapy. Eruthrodiol and Uvaol, naturally occurring triterpenoid alcohols, reduced cell proliferation and affected the cell cycle phases of 1321N astrocytomas (brain cancer cells), along with induction of cell death. Exposure of the cancer cells to Eruthrodiol and Uvaol caused pro¬duction of reactive oxygen species and resulted in loss of mitochondrial trans¬membrane potential and activated the c-jun-N-terminal kinases. Crude extract of Withania somnifera roots when tested against human malignant melanoma A375 cells reduced cell viability, caused nuclear blebbing and DNA fragmenta¬tion indicating its cytotoxic effects on the malignant cells. Certain plant extracts have been demonstrated to have hepatoprotective proper¬ties. Pre-administration of Polydatin, one of the main compounds in Polygo¬num cuspidatum, for 5 days reversed carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury. The effect was evidenced by reversal in the increased serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatic malo¬ndialdehyde (MDA) and expression of hepatic tumor necrosis factor-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclearfactor-kappa B (NF-κB). These results confirmed hepatoprotective activity of Polydatin and indicate that it may be used as a candidate for oxidative stress and inflammatory diseases treatment. Plant extract or their derivatives are known to have immune-modulatory prop¬erties. Oenothein B, a polyphenol isolated from Epilobium angustifolium, was demonstrated to stimulate innate and anti-tumor immunity by increasing the production of IFNγ alone or along with interleukin-18 in both bovine and hu¬man natural killer cells.

This timely and original handbook paves the way to success in plant-based drug development, systematically addressing the issues facing a pharmaceutical scientist who wants to turn a plant compound into a safe and effective drug. Plant pharmacologists from around the world demonstrate the potentials and pitfalls involved, with many of the studies and experiments reported here published for the first time. The result is a valuable source of information unavailable elsewhere.

Phytomedicine has become more important and gained constant improvement today for the betterment of health. Herbal medicine plays a significant role in the development of new drugs, contrary to the modern medicinal systems. For more than a decade, there has been a drastic improvement in phytomedicine across the world. This growth has reached a higher level in development by pharmaceutical industries everywhere. People have drifted toward herbal medication and practices for their food and health care. Therefore, in order to create abundant interest in the research of phytosciences, this book is one of the better reference tools. The bioactive compounds in plants need to be explored to know the scientific value and therapeutic properties of the medicinal plants against many diseases. This book contains chapters that are relevant to the advanced research in herbal medicines and will enlighten readers to the importance of medicinal plants as daily sources of nutrition and cures for diseases. This book highlights the unique features of the plants that have not been studied so far for their therapeutic potential. To prove the efficacy of medicinal plants, they have to be studied, examined, and scientifically verified. Hence, this book will better serve the researchers working under different aspects of phytomedicine. Features * The information provided through scientific validation is useful to study the pharmacological activity of herbals and their administration in the modern era. * The readers can find clear understanding in the research and development of phytopharmaceutical drugs. * The ideas incorporated in each chapter reveal the knowledge gained in studying the biological activities of the compounds present in the plant, which are indeed most worthy for the development of drugs. * The harvesting of new ideology toward modern scientific technologies that are employed in the field of pharmacological research.

New Look to Phytomedicine: Advancements in Herbal Products as Novel Drug Leads is a compilation of in-depth information on the phytopharmaceuticals used in modern medicine for the cure and management of difficult-to-treat and challenging diseases. Readers will find cutting-edge knowledge on the use of plant products with scientific validation, along with updates on advanced herbal medicine in pharmacokinetics and drug delivery. This authoritative book is a comprehensive collection of research based, scientific validations of bioactivities of plant products, such as anti-infective, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, immune-modulatory and metabolic disorders presented by experts from across the globe. Step-by-step information is presented on chemistry, bioactivity and the functional aspects of biologically active compounds. In addition, the pharmacognosy of plant products with mechanistic descriptions of their actions, including pathogenicity is updated with information on the use of nanotechnology and molecular tools in relation to herbal drug research. Compiles up-to-date information on the chemotherapeutics used in the treatment of infective and metabolic disorders Presents advancements in the discovery of new drugs from plants using molecular and nanotechnology tools Examines detailed information on the use of herbals agents in cancer, HIV and other ailments, including diabetes, malaria and neurological disorders

The prime aim of the book is to provide scientific information on Phytomedicine. "Modern Methods in Phytomedicine" is a compilation of recent trends in herbal medicine and explores the hidden medicinal potentials of significant plants. This book covers 26 research and review articles encompassing the valuable works of eminent academicians and research scientists on different aspects of the subject. Researches pertaining to the fields of plant tissue culture, plant diversity, DNA barcoding, microbiology, cancer biology and investigations of plants possessing medicinal properties like antioxidant, antimicrobial activities are included in this book in a simple and clear way so as to help in easy understanding by students, researchers, scientists and industrialists.

Phytomedicine: A Treasure of Pharmacologically Active Products from Plants aims to present updated knowledge of plant-based medicines in terms of their research and development, production, and utilization, from the viewpoint of sustainability and by using the latest technologies. The book explores different phytometabolites on a mass scale, coupled with the efficacy, performance and applicability on target organisms to treat curable and fatal diseases. Readers will find a coherent package of phytotherapeutic information regarding inclusive assortment of research based, scientific amplitude of metabolites from the plant world encompassing various action plans. Information is presented sequentially regarding phytochemistry, biological activity and the serviceable aspects of bioactive compounds. The book also addresses various advancements and achievements of novel drugs from plants using molecular and enzymatic activities, and various technological tools in an ecofriendly fashion. Discusses phytotherapeutic properties for a wide range of medical conditions, including anti-pyretic, anti-infective, anti-malarial, Anti-AIDS, anti-diabetic, anti-cancerous, immune-modulatory applications Includes a discussion of synergistic effects of formulations and antagonistic drug interactions Addresses advancements and achievements of novel plant-based drugs using molecular, enzymatic activities and various technological tools in an eco-friendly fashion