Natural Products Journal, The - Volume 14, Issue 1, 2024

Since time immemorial, people have been trying to influence different aspects of their sexuality. They seek ways to increase sexual activity or sexual desire in themselves and their partners. In addition to resorting to all sorts of mystical rituals, people were looking for various effects from the use of natural raw materials. Some plant, animal, or fungal products have been shown to affect libido, sexual arousal, erectile function, orgasm or erogenous zone sensitivity. Such substances have been called "aphrodisiacs" in honor of the ancient Greek goddess of love - Aphrodite. Most often, aphrodisiacs were taken orally, but some were smoked while others applied to the genitals. In modern clinical practice, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are used. These are substances, which enhance erection and prevent detumescence in the presence of sexual arousal. Another group of drugs is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which reduce sexual arousal and sexual afferent from the genitals, thus preventing the premature onset of orgasm in men and prolonging sexual intercourse. However, drugs from other pharmacological groups have not found widespread clinical application. Another issue now is a trend among people taking drugs of natural origin, therefore, all kinds of traditional aphrodisiacs are actively used to the present day. Very little is known about almost all of them. Clinical trials are in most cases limited to a few, often not randomized, studies. In this regard, it is very difficult to evaluate the adequate therapeutic and toxic doses of remedies. The situation is complicated by the fact that those few clinical studies were based on questionnaires, that is, the indicators taken into statistical calculations were extremely subjective. Moreover, it was uncertain whether all patients could adequately assess their dynamics in terms of parameters such as sexual satisfaction, or clearly distinguish between libido and sexual arousal. Since the majority of the studies were not blinded, a psychogenic influence on the results of the investigations could not be eliminated, which in the sexual area may be huge. It is worth emphasizing the toxicity of many traditional aphrodisiacs. Of course, there is a serious deficit in the spectrum of pharmacotherapy for sexual disorders. Perhaps further large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials would add some of the traditional aphrodisiacs or their modifications to the arsenal of the clinical specialist.

Since ancient times, traditional herbs have been widely used around the world for health promotion and therapy. Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder and is becoming a mammoth problem that adversely affects an individual’s quality of life. Conventional therapy for the management of obesity mainly involves the use of synthetic moiety and bariatric surgical procedures which has severe side effects and patient non-compliance. To circumvent these limitations, plant-derived medicines are utilized which are safe, effective, economic, and easily available. The advancement of nanotechnology enables the development of novel strategies that could potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of the phytoconstituents with minimal toxic effects and promotes the controlled release of the plant bioactive compounds. Moreover, great efforts have been made through targeted nanotechnology-based herbal treatment, where novel nanocarriers are employed as herbal drug delivery vehicles to improve the pharmacokinetics of antiobesity drugs. The recent advancement in phytonanotechnology have opened an avenue to explore novel carriers to utilize bioactive compounds in biomedical and therapeutic applications. In the current review, an extensive search is conducted for the existing original research articles using databases i.e., Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Baidu, etc. Further, painstaking efforts are made to compile and update the novel herbal nanocarriers such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, etc. which are widely used for the treatment of obesity. This article portrays a comprehensive survey of the novel strategies employed by the innovators working exclusively on herbal drug delivery systems. The recent development of nanotechnology-based herbal drug delivery has a wide range of biomedical applications and has provided an unprecedented opportunity to improve the treatment of obesity and obesity-related comorbidities. Furthermore, the advancement of phytopharmacological science has led to several novel strategies with improved nanotherapeutics for the management of obesity. Scientific research is still being carried out in the field of nanotechnology for a better perspective on herbal drug delivery for obesity treatment over conventional therapy.

Herbal medicines have long been used in therapeutic medicine owing to their minimal side effects. However, contamination, inadequate purification, and adulteration can lead to adverse outcomes upon intake. Several forensic case studies have reported that these compounds can be overdosed, leading to serious effects and death. Furthermore, their interactions with pharmacological agents are poorly studied. In forensic settings, mass spectrometry along with liquid chromatography is the most practiced method to detect and quantity these agents.

Lithospermic acid is a phenylpropanoid oligomer isolated from an aqueous extract of dried roots of various Lamiaceae and Boraginaceae plants and used as a folk medicine to treat cardiovascular disease and to improve body functions. The manuscript has been written to provide valuable insights into naturally occurring phytocomponent, Lithospermic acid, and even explore its therapeutic potential. The data have been gathered from books and web sources, including Science Direct, Publons, Web of Science, and Scopus of the latest year. Lithospermic acid is a conjugate of rosmarinic and caffeic acid with a dihydro benzofuran nucleus and possesses a high antioxidant potential and prevents the production of superoxide radicals and lipid peroxidation and protects the tissue from deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species. In addition, it also possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, including reducing atherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-viral, HIV-1 integrase, and hyaluronidase inhibition, aldose reductase inhibition and improvement in uremic symptoms guanidino succinic acid level. Due to its anti-HIV activity, LA has gained much attention among the scientific community. Moreover, it is widely distributed to all the peripheral tissue in rats, and its metabolites undergo enterohepatic circulation and are excreted through biliary excretion. In this review, we concluded LA with its phytochemistry, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacological activities.

Natural polymers, such as chitosan (CH) and gelatine (GE), have a wide range of uses in biological environments. This is primarily attributed to their biocompatibility and the body’s recognition of them being as “self” as opposed to “foreign”. These polymers provide a dynamic and cell-friendly interaction environment which is a crucial factor for tissue repair and regeneration. Bone regeneration is a highly intricate multistep process involving a plethora of biomolecules, signalling pathways, and stages in cellular activity. Critically-sized bone defects do not regenerate without an implant due to the cessation of the cellular stimulus associated with new bone formation. Therefore, natural polymers have been combined with bioactive glasses (BGs) to provide a biocompatible delivery matrix and to stimulate bone formation via the release of osteogenic ions from the BG particles. The addition of BG particles in natural polymers has been shown not only to result in an osteogenic response at a cellular level but also result in per se formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) on implant surfaces and regeneration of new bone in vivo. This review discusses the recent trends over the last decade in this field, keeping a focus on the chemistry and properties of CH and GE composites containing a bioactive glass additive.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS/PCOD) indicates a common, multifactorial endocrine condition marked by polycystic ovaries, chronic anovulation, and hyperandrogenism, resulting in asymmetric menstrual periods, hirsutism, acne, and infertility. Standard treatment for PCOS is often accompanied by adverse effects, and is ineffective in certain situations, refutation-based medical guidance accented an integrative progress. Furthermore, women suffering from PCOS may benefit from alternative treatments. Herbal treatment includes herbs that have a phytoestrogenic and non-estrogenic nature, including Mentha spicata, Panax ginseng, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Aloe barbadensis, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Matricaria chamomilla, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Linum usitatissimum, and Zingiber officinale, which are effective and safe. This review focuses on the reproductive endocrine effects of phytomedicine as a choice treatment so as to PCOD and accompanying oligo/amenorrhoea, acne, hirsutism, and infertility.

Acute kidney injury is described as a loss of renal excretory function that occurs suddenly. AKI is one of several ailments grouped together as acute kidney diseases and disorders (AKD), in which progressive degradation of kidney function or persistent renal dysfunction is associated with irreversible loss of kidney cells and nephrons, potentially leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The prevalence and incidence of KDs are assessed in light of population disparities in the prevalence of risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. However, the presence of these associated illnesses does not fully explain the increased rate of progression of chronic renal disease in high-risk patients (CKD). The development of renal disease is accompanied by a decline in renal function, which eventually leads to renal failure. The current status of diagnostic testing does not allow for accurate early disease diagnosis, prognosis, or therapy efficacy monitoring. Despite significant advances in care and understanding of the causes of acute renal failure (ARF), many aspects of ARF remain controversial, confusing, and uncertain. Accurate information on the disease's prevalence, genesis, and clinical manifestations is required to successfully advocate for enough funding and resources to manage the disease. Herbal components for the treatment of a variety of kidney disorders, and the page includes a list of plants that are good for kidney treatment. This review focuses on several herbal products used to treat renal problems. It is clear from this study that medicinal plants play an important role in the fight against many different diseases. Several different plants and plant extracts have been shown to have beneficial effects in treating renal disease. These medications have great promise for use in treating kidney damage because of their nephroprotective, cytoprotective, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and reducing effects on oxidative stress, renal hypertension, and blood toxins such as urea, creatinine, and others. Therefore, India's traditional medicine offers a wide variety of medications that can be utilized in renal illnesses due to their effectiveness in both treating the ailment and restoring normal kidney function. Therefore, it is suggested that additional research be conducted to learn many aspects and mechanisms of medications.

The genus Securidaca (Polygalaceae) comprises 49 taxonomically accepted species distributed in Asia and Africa. The roots, barks, and leaves of Securidaca species are famous for medicinal purposes, especially in Africa and Asia. In this paper, we review the xanthones isolated from S. inappendiculata and S. longepedunculata, the two main species that have been investigated and the bioactivities of these compounds to evaluate the traditional use of these plant species and future development. The references regarding Securidaca species were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and SciFinder between 1990 and 2022. Chemical structures of more than 70 xanthones isolated mainly from the stems and roots of S. inappendiculata and S. longepedunculata are presented. These xanthones might be responsible for the ethnomedicinal uses reported in the literature based on the exhibited biological properties such as cytotoxic, antidiabetic, antiviral, and erectile dysfunction of these compounds. Reviewing the research progress made on the isolated xanthones from the genus Securidaca lays a foundation for the future utilization and development of this genus.

Background: Unconjugated nanoparticles used in the treatment of cancer and various metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders exhibit extended blood circulation time, inhibition of enzymatic degradation, and increased chemical stability of the encapsulated therapeutic molecules. However, the unconjugated nanoparticles often show off-target effects and lack of specificity, which limit their applications in the healthcare system. Objective: Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound known for its proficiency to scavenge reactive oxygen species attributed to antioxidant activity and anticancer effects associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, is one of the most effective therapeutic agents. Therefore, with respect to chemotherapeutic strategies, the development of mitochondrial targeting curcumin nanoparticles for target-specific drug delivery has been extensively studied. Conclusion: The present review has focused on diverse curcumin-loaded nanoparticles targeting mitochondria along with their improved delivery potential, enhanced localization and biodistribution profile.

Background: The pumpkin, a very well-edible plant that is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, has long been utilised as a functional food and an herbal remedy. Pumpkins include a wealth of phytoestrogens, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin E in their seeds that may have medicinal, nutritional, and cosmetic benefits. In recent years, knowledge of the nutritional benefits and medicinal uses of pumpkin seeds has grown significantly. An abundant source of nutrients and a well-known multipurpose food, pumpkin has recently given scientists fresh insights. Primary and secondary metabolites, such as carbohydrates, proteins, monounsaturated fatty acids, poly saturated fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols, tryptophan, delta-7-sterols, & numerous other phytochemicals, are abundant in the pumpkin fruit, including the meat, seed, and peel. Objective: In this review, the nutraceutical importance of pumpkin's seed anti-diabetic, hypoglycemic, cardiovascular preventive and anti-cancer effects are explored along with the nutraceutical effects of antidepressants, anti-helminthic and anti-oxidants effects are involved. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of the literature search was conducted. A number of databases have been searched using the common terms "pumpkin,", "pumpkin seeds", "cucurbita,", "functional food", "phenolic compounds", "minerals,", and "phytochemicals" using PubMed and Google Scholar as search engines. The content was based on information from publications like Bentham Science, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Nature, Plos One, etc. We have focused on the review and research papers published between 2000 and 2023. Result: Meanwhile, some research gaps on the biological activities of pumpkin seeds and their potential as a functional food element have been discovered in the current literature. The pharmacokinetics of Pumpkin seeds bioactives and the characterization and identification of functional molecules have received very little attention in the literature. It is necessary to conduct more studies to connect the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of Pumpkin seeds. Conclusion: The therapeutic benefits of pumpkin seeds & the potential disease-preventing mechanisms are updated in this review article, also on the chemical make-up, nutritional value, phytochemical research, pharmacological characteristics, bioavailability, food use, & industrial applications of pumpkin.