Review Article: Characterization, Phytochemical Investigation, and Biological Effects and Medicinal Purposes of Different Species and the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
In recent years, many people have been searching for more natural ways of obtaining treatments wither it be for common ailments or serious injuries. This form of healing became more acclaimed and even got its own name, Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) is used to describe treatments or products that arenât a part of standard medicine. Included is the use natural products. The article focuses on different aspects of contemporary and alternative medicine that ultimately contribute to the multitude of information needed to produce affective medicinal treatments of a number of species By researching clinical studies and by-product valorization, this information has given evidence of several plants having properties that can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other areas of interest. The objective is to generalize information from scientific journal articles, as well as common knowledge about each plant to display the medicinal usages and treatments conducted within the last few years. The plant included are Passiflora incarnata, Passiflora edulis, Equisetum giganteum L., Copaifera reticulate Ducke, and Xylopia langsdoffiana. Information about traditional uses are gathered to get an understanding of how the plant is used by those native to using it. Another purpose is to highlight the potential treatment from the extracts or the entire plant itself which can be used in treatments in the field of contemporary and alternative medicine. As well as distinguishing between species, methods of research, and discussion on further research.
Keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine, herbal medicine, medicinal benefits, natural products, health services
3. Chemical Components of Species
References (for references contact author Ashley Harrington)Â
With the advancement of science and technology the need to produce more synthetically created medication arose quickly due to the ability to alter it in a way that is the most beneficial to whomever is using it. But, in the recent years many doctors as well as patients have been looking at medicine in a different light. Before humans could create its own medication, many cultures have found treatments through elements in the natural world. The rise of a more natural lifestyle has arisen in the 21st century with the diet trends on the West Coast. For the cultures, familiar to the natural treatments this sort of natural way of healing is called traditional medicine but in the Western, culture the use of natural products as treatment or using a natural product along with another form of medication is called Contemporary and Alternative medicine. This term can also be abbreviated CAM. Complementary refers to non-traditional medicine working together with conventional methods while alternative refers to a replacement for convention medicine. In most cases, many people use nonconventional methods with conventional methods. Traditional medicine is a relatively older term but is a valid descriptor considering many of the natural products used, are studied from their traditional uses from cultures around the world. CAM methods range from using natural products to mind and body practices. They offer a less invasive, low-risk way of treatment but it is always noted that some of these are not for everyone. The use of natural products has been growing as more people look for ways to treat their ailments without having to suffer life altering side effects. Findings show that the use of CAM becomes more likely when people are restricted from traditional health care methods. Between 1990 and 2002 the use of CAM practices increased in the United States.
Passiflora is a genus of flowering plants that can include shrubs and vines that are distinguished by the type and or color of its flower. Typically, they are found in tropical climates such as Brazil but can also be found cultivated in our native areas. Two species specifically P. incarnata and P. edulis. The âpassionflowerâ they are speaking about the Passiflora incarnata which is one of the 500 species in the Passiflora genus. This species is well-known for its uses in traditional medicine. The Passiflora has long been used in Europe as a treatment for anxiety and insomnia and in America in tea as a mild sedative. Cherokee were known to use the plant for skin irritations and inflammation. With the research done so far, the extracts are mildly sedative and can also lower blood pressure. It has been used to treat anxiety, insomnia, neuralgia, spasmodic asthma, ADHD, hypertension, and sexual dysfunction. (Foster and Duke 2014 ). Equisetum giganteum and Copaifera reticulate Ducke plants traditionally used by Tacana women in the Bolivian Amazons for feminine hygiene and infection/inflammation. Lastly, Xylopia langsdoffi essential oil extract is used to display its antitumor and the efficiency of its ability to be useful but not harmful with low toxicity.
Many research studies are started from the inquiring knowledge of neighboring indigenous uses for the local plants. Â It is best to see which plants are fit to even be evaluated and typically the plants are known from traditional uses found from cultures that have been using a specific plant for an extensive period. Evaluating the behavioral and neurochemical effects of long term oral administration of plants such as P. incarnata. Â Allow us to see from the several tests conducted after seven weeks of treatment. The objective is to measure spatial memory in a water maze test as well to measure levels of amino acids, and other metabolites evaluated by measuring specific brain regions by high performance liquid chromatography. The premise of this entire study is based upon its anxiolytic and sedative remedies found in traditional medicine. When speaking about CAM, it is helpful to understand not only how the knowledge of these plants is obtained but why patients seek out the need to find other alternatives to manmade or more invasive treatments. From a historical standpoint, the term âcontemporary and alternativeâ medicine is new but the idea of finding a more natural way of treatment is an old ideology. The term can be interchanged with contemporary therapies but this is a broad range of treatments including yoga, acupuncture, massage, meditation but one specifically is somewhat hard to grasp due to it being a more involved practice. It should be noted the use of herbal and or traditional medicine is prevalent for reasons such as the inability to obtain mainstream health services, cultural significance in certain populations, as well as poor treatment with prior physicians can lead to thinking this as a plausible option. For instance, the use of traditional medicine among African women is as high as 80% and traditional medicines were common for treatments for pregnancy related symptoms. Frequently those who used herbal medicine were low income or did not have easy access to public health facilities and the lack of mainstream maternity care was a major factor in determining the womenâs decision. With this study, it shows that traditional medicine was not more so for the patients searching for better alternative for maternal and reproductive health treatments but for the sake of their lifestyle. The lack of local health facilities or lack of income can strongly influence a patientâs ability to accept natural products as an alternative. For some it may be the only option. Taking rural communities into account can signify the use of medicinal plants a real and vital source to those who use it. (Shewamene, Dune and Smith 2017 ). The Western idea of traditional medicine is influenced greatly by the indigenous treatments of cultures of other counties. Ethnobotanical knowledge is a key factor in understanding the plants potential for medicinal uses. Obtaining knowledge of the local people, those acquire the information can help with preventative health care. Ethnobotany refers to the study of an areaâs plants through the uses by the knowledge of native and or local people. The use of this knowledge in CAM medicine is increasing in acceptance due to its possibility being a low cost and reliable source of healthcare alternative (Rankoana, Nel and Mothibi 2015)
The need to develop and research the use of herbal medicine in CAM is still difficult to support publically but there are many practitioners that are in small privately funded areas. Herbal medicines include the use of natural products as treatment and there is controversy over the uses of this for treatment due to lack of ability to obtain research patients, lack of regulation of medicinal herbs as well as lack of diversity in practitioners or the ability to find a creditable source to speak on treatments and administer dosages. For western societies, herbal medicine is not a widely-accepted practice but worldwide 80% of people see herbal medicine and natural products as a primary source of treatment but there are important challenges that arise, the safety of using plants as medicine (Ekor 2014). But the lack complete knowledge of the plant being used can lead to life threatening effects so the beneficial solution is to understand not only the plant by its cultural references but scientific studies as well. Some common methods to test a plantâs chemical properties from extraction of oils and other byproducts.
3. Chemical Components of Species
Many of the medicines used today have plants as the main ingredients. But people have sought for a natural and less invasive form of treatment. The passionflower is one of the most known plants with medicinal uses. Originating in South America it is also found cultivated as well as wild in the southern United States. The Passiflora incarnata specifically is one of the most used. It has been recognized as being a key ingredient in plant based medicines for anxiety disorders. Other drugs that have been tested for generalized anxiety are Piper methysticum, and Galphimia (Sarris, McIntyre and Camfield 2013). Â
The P. incarnata extract specifically affects anxiety, spatial learning, and neurotransmission in rats. A significant difference was recorded in the stress level in memory test between the control and the three groups that were administered different levels of dosages (30, 100, or 300 mg/kg) these effects are based upon dose dependence as well as the body weight of the rat and the day (Jawna-ZboiĹska, Blecharz-Klin and Joniec-Maciejak 2016). Another method of research, conducted to recover extractions from two the by-products of this plant of P. edulis sp. also known as passion fruit. The by-products tested were the passion fruit seed and the seed cake. From the four types of extractions the cake extracts were tested based on total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant as well as antimicrobial activities. It is noted in this study that the seed cake of this plantâs potential for other alternative high value byproducts. Extraction methods include maceration, ultrasound- assisted leaching extraction, supercritical fluid extraction. To evaluate the antimicrobial activities specifically the extracts evaluated against two bacteria strains: Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua. The study concludes that the passion fruit seed oil provides a high process yield as well as the passion fruit seed cake. The seed oil can ultimately provide a food or pharmaceutical uses in the future. The TPC and antioxidant activities were not affected by the extraction temperature or pressures. The lipid extracts showed low antioxidant and TPC values due to the polarity of the compounds and when testing microbial activities the extracts that are effective against L.innocua. With it should be also noted that this is observed in three other studies for extracts from other raw materials. The purpose of this was to successfully display that extraction from passion fruit seeds and a second extraction from the cake can result in obtaining a highly bioactive extract which is high in TPC, antioxidants, and antimicrobials. This extract can possibly be used in pharmaceuticals, food, and even cosmetics (Oliveira, Angonesea and Gomesb 2016).
The extracts of Equisetum giganteum L. and Copaifera reticulate Ducke were tested on their ability to block genital viral infections by herpes simplex virus 2. The extracts were tested for anti-viral activities in vitro and in vivo models to the reaction on both sides. The samples were collected from the Amazon. The Amazon happens to hold many of the worlds known medicinal plants. Â The results concluded that both efficiently blocked HSV2 virus, and these studies show antiviral activities comparable with two previously studied plants. With the knowledge from the indigenous people, the plants used by the Tacana tribe could be explored further to help develop many new antiviral treatments for diseases. In this study, specifically the writer suggests that the extract from Copaifera reticulate Ducke can be used for more than its antiviral activities (MP, K. and Stevenson 2017).
Lastly, Xylopia langsdoffiâs essential oils were tested for antitumor activity but another important measurement here is toxicity. This is an important factor to watch out for especially if the essential oils will be used for treating cancerous tumors. By finding if this has low or high toxicity we can compare with other anticancer drugs that can be potentially be harmful to whomever getting treatment. Methods of research included extraction of essential oils from fresh fruit which was tested with hydro distillation, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the chemical composition of the extract. To test the antitumor activity and toxicity tests were done in vitro and in vivo to ensure no bias and to obtain a better breadth of research. The results concluded that that in both cases: in vivo and in vitro the essential oils from Xylopia langsdoffi displayed low toxicity and antitumor activity. This is very important to note due to cancer treatments being so detrimental to some patientâs body. The anti-proliferate and doxorubicin like activities show that with further pharmacological research this can be a contender for treating different types of cancers without hurting the patient (Ana Paula Gomes Moura 2016). Extraction of the plantâs essential oils can allow for topical or aromatherapy uses as well. This typically has a low toxicity and the deliverance of treatment can be accompanied with a carrier oil so the essential oils do not come into direct contact with the skin.
In conclusion, while this information provided that states the benefits of medicinal plants from different areas, no recommendations are instructed for people to use this information to self-medicate. The goal is to investigate the possible alternatives to the man-made medicine that is given out every day. The use of ethnobotany as a guide to finding and sustaining medical plants is vital as using these plants as resource to create a resourceful way of treating those who are interested in Contemporary and Alternative medicine. All the byproducts and extracts of plants above, Passiflora edulis sp., Passiflora incarnata, Equisetum giganteum L., Copaifera reticulate Ducke, and Xylopia langsdoffiana, have shown to be beneficial for human use and nonhuman use for many ways that just don't include pharmaceutical or medicinal uses. With the growing popularity, of CAM this information is useful in validating the traditional uses so therefore we can keep taking steps further to develop more natural treatments and drugs for patients with less risk of damaging their health. The main point of CAM is finding more natural ways of treatment to allow the patient to feel good and get well at the same time.