Journal of Ethnopharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lotus corniculatus L. (Fabaceae) traditionally used in Persian folk medicine to heal peritoneal inflammation and back pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the antinociceptive (acute pain) and anti-neuropathic (chronic pain) activities of Lotus corniculatus leaves essential oil (LCEO) in addition to uncovering the possible mechanisms of antinociception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LCEO as well as the pure oleanolic acid (OA) compound, were assayed for their effects on acute (formalin induced paw licking test or FIPT) and chronic (cervical contusion injury models on the fifth cervical vertebra or CCS; 14-day intervals) pain...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Excessive secretion of airway mucus may be an important pathological factor of air pollution-induced acute asthma attacks. Treatment of airway mucus hypersecretion improves asthma aggravated by air pollutants. Qufeng Xuanbi Formula (QFXBF) has been used to treat asthma for more than 30 years. However, whether QFXBF inhibits asthmatic mucus secretion exacerbated by air pollutants has not yet been established. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of QFXBF on airway mucus secretion and the mechanism of action in an air pollutant benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-induced mouse model of aggravated asthma...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Musk, a traditional Chinese medicine, is broadly used in inducing resuscitation and refreshing the mind, activating blood and alleviating pain. It is commonly used for the treatment of ischemic stroke, and muscone is its core medicinal component. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to explore whether muscone ameliorates neuronal damage through cholinergic signaling of muscarinic receptors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of muscone were tested in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) as well as injured neurons induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in PC12 cells...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Fungal pathogens can cause deadly invasive infections and have become a major global public health challenge. There is an urgent need to find new treatment options beyond established antifungal agents, as well as new drug targets that can be used to develop novel antifungal agents. Cinnamomum cassia is a tropical aromatic plant that has a wide range of applications in traditional Chinese medicine, especially in the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Aloe vera), is a homology of medicine and food plant, widely applied in functional food, cosmetics, and medicine. Aloe vera whole leaf extract, one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), is mainly used in China to treat functional constipation. AIM OF THE STUDY: To elucidate the active constituents of Aloe vera for treating functional constipation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prototype constituents and metabolites in rat plasma and excreta after oral administration of Aloe vera whole leaf extract were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS, and the pharmacokinetics (PK) properties of its key anti-constipation constituents speculated by network pharmacology were investigated via the established UFLC-MS/MS method...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Banxia baizhu tianma decoction (BBTD) originated from the Qing Dynasty Chinese medicine book "Medical Xinwu", which has a clinical application history of more than 300 years. It's a classic prescription for expelling phlegm, extinguishing wind, strengthening the spleen (traditional Chinese medicine, ie, TCM, refers to the spleen channel) and dissipating excessive fluid based on TCM theory. BBTD is particularly effective in the treatment of excessive phlegm-dampness hypertension...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The traditional medicinal application of Lycium barbarum is centered on the improvement of eyesight, as well as the nourishment of liver and kidney functions. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP), serving as the principal active constituent of Lycium barbarum, has been identified as the main contributor to these beneficial effects. Previous studies have indicated that Lycium barbarum polysaccharide exhibits a renoprotective effect against lead-induced injury, but its mechanism and efficacy remain unclear...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (G. pentaphyllum) can be used for both medicinal and tea and has lipid-lowering properties. Modern research has shown that its main bioactive components are flavonoids and saponins. It has many beneficial effects such as hypolipidemic, anticancer, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory. AIMS OF THE REVIEW: This review aimed to summarize its anti-glycolipid metabolic models and mechanisms are reviewed to facilitate a deeper understanding of the mechanism in lowering lipids...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Astragalus mongholicus (AM) is a Qi-tonifying and immune-regulating herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is increasingly regarded as a profound complementary medication in the treatment of fibrosis disease. Astragaloside (AS), astragaloside flavonoids (AF) and astragaloside polysaccharides (APS) are the main active ingredients of Astragalus Mongholicus (AM) that have a significant therapeutic effect on liver fibrosis. AIM OF THE STUDY: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects and possible mechanisms of the main active ingredients of AM including astragaloside (AS), astragalus flavone (AF) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS) in animal models of liver fibrosis...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ruyong Formula (RYF) is a famous Chinese herbal formula composed of 10 traditional Chinese herbs. It has been used as a therapeutic agent for breast cancer patients with depressive symptoms in China. However, its underlying pharmacological mechanism remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of RYF on the changes of thymus immune function in breast cancer body under mood disorders such as depression/anxiety...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability. The only FDA-approved therapy for treating stroke is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), exhibiting a short therapeutic window. Due to this reason, only a small number of patients can be benefitted in this critical period. In addition, the use of endovascular interventions may reverse vessel occlusion more effectively and thus help further improve outcomes in experimental stroke. During recovery of blood flow after ischemia, patients experience cognitive, behavioral, affective, emotional, and electrophysiological changes...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second neurodegenerative disease that lacks effective treatments. Buddlejasaponin IVb (BJP-IVb) is the main bioactive component of herbs in genus Clinopodium which display antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, the role of BJP-IVb in PD still remains unknown. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of BJP-IVb on dopaminergic neurodegeneration in PD and clarified the underlying mechanisms from the aspect of iron overload-mediated ferroptosis...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gleditsiae sinensis fructus Pills (GF) is a famous classical prescription, that is regularly combined with Jujubae fructus (JF) for the treatment of chronic bronchitis (CB) in the clinic. While the clinical efficacy of this combination prescription is clearly established, the active ingredients and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: To elucidate the mechanisms of action of Gleditsiae sinensis fructus Pills combined with Jujubae fructus (GF&JF) against CB based on network pharmacology and experimental verification...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Yuanzhi Powder (YZP) is a classical Chinese medicine prescription, which is suitable for the treatment of dementia by "dispelling phlegm and opening orifice". The therapeutic efficacy of YZP on Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been previously reported in our work. However, it remains unclear whether the neuroprotective effect of YZP is linked to β-amyloid(Aβ) clearance through cerebral lymphatic drainage. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim was to determine the protective efficacy of YZP against AD and investigate the potential mechanism for eliminating excessive Aβ deposition...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn is used as a folk medicine in many Asian countries due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and several other health-promoting properties. It is also prescribed to improve neurocognitive functions and alleviate inflammatory conditions. AIM OF THE STUDY: Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in neurodegenerative conditions. Hence, based on the ethnomedical claims, the present study investigated the neuroprotective efficacy of seed extract (ft-ext) of Fagopyrum tataricum against ACR-induced neurotoxicity...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gardenia Fructus (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, Zhizi) and Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., Chuanxiong) are both traditional Chinese medicines with vascular protective effects, which help detoxify and activate blood, and are clinically used to treat atherosclerosis (AS). Previously, Zhizi-Chuanxiong showed good efficacy in attenuating AS progression in rabbits. However, its potential mechanism is yet unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of the Zhizi-Chuanxiong herb pair (ZCHP) in attenuating AS progression from the perspective of DNA methylation...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen has been a popular traditional Chinese medicine with long history for treating low back pain. Its main active ingredient, Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), can be found in several Chinese patent medicines that are frequently used to treat blood stasis type low back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the most common cause of back pain, and the injection of PNS has been used to relieve IDD-induced back pain in clinical practice...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Guben Xiezhuo Decoction (GBXZD) is an herbal compound used to treat chronic kidney disease (CKD) under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Its main components are Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Cuscuta chinensis Lam., and Rheum palmatum L. Clinical studies have shown that it can relieve fatigue, nausea and other symptoms and improve kidney function in patients; however, its specific mechanism of action requires further study...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: SiJunZi decoction (SJZD), one of the traditional Chinese medicine formulas, has been clinically and traditionally used to improve glucose and lipid metabolism and promote bone remodeling. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the actions and mechanisms of SJZD on bone remodeling in a type 2 diabetes mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetic mice generated with a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) were subjected to SJZD treatment for 8 weeks...

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen, a valuable Chinese herb medicine, shows a characteristic bi-directional regulation of hemostasis and activating blood circulation with ginsenosides as the predominant bioactive compounds and is a typical representative of "processing triggered heteropotency". AIM OF THE STUDY: Processing triggered heteropotency, one of the unique theories and practices in traditional Chinese medicine, refers to that the processing will lead to change in physical and chemical properties, and eventually disparate efficacy of the crude drugs, yet the optimum process and underlying mechanism remains unclear...