Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that causes respiratory illnesses with a start of flu like symptoms. This disease is fatal and is spread all over the world. The Scientist are working day and night to find vaccine or a cure. World Health Organisation has declared COVID-19 as pandemic [1]. In the view of the pandemic many treatments are being tried on the patients and various treatment modalities are being followed, the traditional medicine has shown a major role to manage this disease. The traditional medicines include the use of herbs, nutrition and spices that are freely available in Asian countries. These are used in day to day life by Asian population [2]. In this paper we have compiled and reviewed the role of various herbs and spices such as Oregano, Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Basil, Sage, Curcumin, Fenugreek, Ginger and Garlic in building immunity and also in curing pathogenic invasions based on evidence based researches. As there is no cure available for COVID-19 till now so supportive therapy is playing a major role for the patients to fight with this pandemic. The AYUSH ministry has also promoted the use of above herbs for a patient suffering from this disease. The corona virus is present in respiratory system as shown by different studies and it has different strains. The guidelines laid by the ICMR and WHO shows that use of herbs, spices and nutrients can be helpful to manage this virus by increasing the immunity in patients. Hence we are not claiming any cures but the herbs and spices used in day to day life are very much effective in management of COVID-19. World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised the use of alternative and traditional medicine in the management of COVID-19 but the herbs should be used in prescribed amounts and overdose of them can be harmful for health [1,3]. Therefore the present article will enlighten the readers about the role of herbs, spices and nutrients in improving the conditions in COVID-19.

Metabolic syndrome is a growing global health problem. Evidence suggests that diets rich in phytochemical-containing herbs and spices can contribute to reduced risk of chronic disease. This review assesses the scope of evidence supporting the use of herbs and spices in the diet for prevention or treatment of metabolic syndrome and associated health conditions. A search of PubMed and Scopus databases was carried out to assess the available clinical or cohort evidence for culinary doses of commonly used herbs and spices. Trials that were measuring health factors related to metabolic disorders or the health of individuals with metabolic syndrome or associated diseases were included. Out of a total of 1742 papers identified, there were 146 relevant studies on black pepper, chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, Nigella seed, rosemary, sage and turmeric. No relevant research was found for cloves, mint, oregano, parsley or thyme. Cinnamon, fenugreek and ginger were the herbs/spices with the most published trials on them and showed promise for glycaemic control. Cardamom appears to have potential to reduce inflammatory markers, and cinnamon, ginger and turmeric for blood lipids. Patients with type 2 diabetes were the population most likely to be included in studies, but the preventative benefits of herbs/spices in healthy populations were also investigated, particularly for chilli, ginger and cinnamon. There is evidence for the beneficial effect of culinary doses of many common herbs/spices in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome and associated disorders.

Chronic joint inflammatory disorders such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have in common an upsurge of inflammation, and oxidative stress, resulting in progressive histological alterations and disabling symptoms. Currently used conventional medication (ranging from pain-killers to biological agents) is potent, but frequently associated with serious, even life-threatening side effects. Used for millennia in traditional herbalism, medicinal plants are a promising alternative, with lower rate of adverse events and an efficiency frequently comparable with that of conventional drugs. Nevertheless, their mechanism of action is in many cases elusive and/or uncertain. Even many of them have been proved effective in studies done in vitro or on animal models, there is a scarcity of human clinical evidence. The purpose of this review is to summarise the available scientific information on these joint-friendly medicinal plants, which have been already tested in human studies: Arnica montana, Boswelliaspp., Curcuma spp., Equisetum arvense, Harpagophytumprocumbens, Salix spp., Sesamumindicum, Symphytumofficinalis, Zingiberofficinalis, Panaxnotoginseng, Whitaniasomnifera.

In the present study, the physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of three medicinal plants - thyme, cotton thistle and hawthorn fruit from the Western Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria were investigated. In the first stage, the physicochemical characteristics (moisture, ash, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamin C) of the three herbs were determined. In the second stage, four types of extracts (aqueous, oil, methanolic and ethanolic) from them were prepared and the total phenolic content, presence of phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids), antioxidant activity and their antimicrobial properties were determined. Thyme was characterized by the highest ash, proteins and vitamin C contents. The hawthorn fruit was characterized by the highest moisture and carbohydrate contents. The 70% ethanolic extracts of the three herbs exhibited the highest levels of phenolics and consequently a pronounced antioxidant activity, compared to the other three types of extracts. The flavonoid quercetin-3-ß-glucoside was in highest concentration in the thyme and hawthorn fruit, while myricetin dominated in the cotton thistle. The phenolic acid content analysis showed a prevalence of rosmaric acid in thyme, whereas chlorogenic acid was detected in highest concentration in hawthorn fruit and cotton thistle. High antimicrobial potential of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts was observed.

The main obstacle affecting the natural and herbal products industry is the infringement of trade patents. This resulted in losing the opportunity to compete with others in this business. Creating additional value to this business is, therefore, a way of leading to patenting for trade protection for entrepreneurs. This study was conducted to develop the structural equation modeling of guidelines for creating additional value for Thai herbs to support trade patent. The study comprises a mixed method with three parts. In the first part, data comes from interviews with selected 9 specialists. The second part was supported by interviews to create the questionnaire and distributed it to 500 entrepreneurs, the next step was the data analysis using structural equation modeling (SEM). The third part used data from the SEM model to discussion focused on developing the conceptual model by 7 experts. The analysis of the developed model passed the criteria for evaluating consistency and empirical data. All hypotheses proposed in this study were supported, the findings revealed that all factors had a direct effect at a statistically significant level of 0.001. Furthermore, this investigation allows knowing the Brand Identity factor were practically important for creating value of Thai herbs leading to patent protection.

Background: Alzheimer’s disease affecting about 24 million people world-wide. The socio-economic burden on world-economies costing more than 172 billion US $ annually for the US alone. Objectives: To prepare aqueous extract of T. foenum graecum seeds (FSE) to explore the possible treatment for cognitive deficit in experimental animals. Materials and methods: FSE was subjected to preliminary phytochemical evaluation and antioxidant effect using free radical scavenging method (DPPH). All the animal behavior was video recorded with no human intervention during observation and animal groupings were blinded to avoid investigator bias. Different doses of FSE (5%, 10% and 20%), control, standard (Piracetam, 200 mg/kg, IP.) were given for male albino mice a period of 15 days followed by cognitive assessment in elevated plus maze and novel objection recognition tests. Ttransfer latencies and time exploring novel and familiar objects were recorded in respective tests. Retention of this learned-task was examined again 24 h later and inflexion ratio (IR) and discriminative index (DI) were calculated respectively. Next in the second set of experiment same groups and treatments were continued but scopolamine was administered to all the groups except normal control one hour after the last dose and examined similarly. Results: FSE showed potential antioxidant effect and a dose dependent increase in transfer latency and improved DI indicating a nootropic effect. FSE at 20% showed significant reversal of scopolamine induced dementia in the second set of experiment. Conclusion: FSE improved memory as well as reversed the chemically induced memory deficits in experimental mice.

As the demand for aromatic and medicinal herbs increases, so does the pressure to intensify production, increasing the risk of overexploitation of these natural resources. Sustainability corresponds to the preservation of something that exists in the present and must be maintained in the future, implying accountability and obligation. However, in order to maintain the conditions and essential goods for the survival of future generations, consumers and businesses must commit to sustainable practices. The circular economy is considered one of the solutions to promote a sustainable system and can be defined as a transition from a linear model, where resources are transformed, used and discarded, to a circular (regenerative) model, where materials are reused whenever possible. An ecologically correct approach to waste reuse avoids the negative impacts associated with improper disposal of agro-industrial wastes, such as mass proliferation of microorganisms, production of greenhouse gases, loss of energy potential, and other negative impacts on the environment or human health. The objective of this study is to provide a compilation of good agricultural practices that promote sustainability in the production of medicinal and aromatic herbs, particularly in the areas of cultivation, harvesting, drying, extraction, and packaging, and to highlight the potential for evaluating processing residues in medicinal and aromatic herbs.

Culinary herbs and spices are widely used in daily diets. Pakistan flora is enriched with phytochemicals due to a diverse range of land. Phytochemicals, including volatile and non-volatile compounds, have captured much interest due to their numerous health advantages and significance in daily diet. The present study aimed to conduct in-depth metabolomic profiling of Pakistani-grown fenugreek leaves (Trigonella foenum-graecum), fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare), mint leaves (Mentha royleana), coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) and basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The first study was conducted to optimize extraction using different solvents (methanol, ethanol, chloroform, acetone, and water). Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total condensed tannins (TCT) were quantified along with the antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities. The highest TPC (125.42 ± 10.89 mg GAE/g) and the highest antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential were quantified in mint. Seventy-one phytochemical metabolites were identified using LC-MS/MS, while forty-nine volatile constituents were identified using the GC-MS. A positive correlation was identified between phenolic contents and their biological activities. Furthermore, molecular docking helped to find drug molecules with more excellent anti-diabetic activity based on their binding affinities. This study suggests that selected medicinal herbs from Pakistan have significant nutraceutical and phytopharmaceutical potential. This study could further help in drug discovery.

The aim of this study was to examine whether H2O2, generated in such beverages as tea and coffee, is formed also in infusions of medicinal herbs and propose the possible mechanism of its formation. Infusions of sixteen herbs were studied and the presence of H2O2 was found in all cases. The highest concentrations of H2O2, exceeding 50 µM, were found in the infusions of leaves of Betula and Polygonum, and of the inflorescence of Tilia. These low amounts of H2O2 should not have a harmful effect and may even exert beneficial action, perhaps contributing to the health effects of the herbs. Generation of semiquinone and superoxide radicals was detected in herbal infusions, indicating that oxidation of phenolic compounds is the main source of H2O2 in these infusions. Herbal infusions were cytotoxic to human ovary cancer SKOV-3 and PEO1 cells; this cytotoxicity was compromised by catalase added to the growth medium, demonstrating the contribution of hydrogen peroxide to the cytotoxic action of herbal extracts.

Background: Given the increasing request for natural pharmacological molecules, this study assessed the antimicrobial capacity of Pistacia lentiscus L. essential oil (PLL-EO) obtained from the leaves of wild plants growing in North Sardinia (Italy), toward a wide range of periodontal bacteria and Candida including laboratory and clinical isolates sp., together with its anti-inflammatory activity and safety; Methods: PLL-EO was screened by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. The anti-inflammatory activity was measured by cyclooxygenase (COX 1/2) and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition while the antioxidant capacity was determined electro-chemically and by the MTT assay. The WST-1 assay was used to ascertain cytotoxicity toward four line of oral cells; Results: According to the concentrations of terpens, PLL-EO is a pharmacologically active phytocomplex. MICs against periodontal bacteria ranged between 3.13 and 12.5 µg/ml, while against Candida sp. were between 6.25 and 12.5 µg/ml. Oxidation by COX 1/2 and LOX was inhibited by 80% and 20% µg/mL of the oil respectively. Antioxidant activity seemed negligible, and no cytotoxicity arose; Conclusions: PLL-EO exhibits a broad-spectrum activity against periodontal bacteria and Candida, with an interesting dual inhibitory capacity toward COX2 and LOX inflammatory enzymes and without side effects against oral cells.

Incident rates of neurodegenerative diseases have steadily increased globally, but there is no therapeutic access available. We newly prescribed medicinal herbal remedy including five different herbal plants called, Chen-Ma-Dan-Sam-Ga-Mi-Bang (CMST), purposed to prove for pharmacological properties and corresponded actions on hippocampus neuronal cell injury by hypoxia-induced mice model. Mice were adapted to normoxia or hypoxia with or without CMST for 5 days. We gathered pharmacological effects of CMST on cell injury by enhancement of dihydroethidium and 4-hydroxynonenal signals which were correlated with abnormal redox status in the protein or gene expression levels (abnormal elevations of nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and deteriorations of total glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, and activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase) due to hypoxia. CMST also notably exerted to attenuates molecules for neuronal cell injury markers such as p-tau, cleaved caspase-3 due to DNA oxidations (53bp1and phosphor-histone H2AX), inflammatory cytokines, and hemeoxigenase-1. We further figured out the underlying actions of CMST by in vitro experiment through inactivation of microglial cell which can mediate neuronal cell injury. Collectively, CMST prevented from hippocampal neuronal cells via inactivation of microglial cell with normalization of redox status on hypoxia-induced hippocampus neuronal cell injury.

Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss (Apiaceae), popularly known as parsley, is a ubiquitous aromatic herb used for culinary and medicinal purposes worldwide. Besides the richness in nutrients, sev-eral bioactive secondary metabolites, especially the flavone apigenin and its glycosides, have been described in the species. Parsley has already been shown to have several health-promoting activi-ties, such as antithrombotic, antihypertensive, and hypolipidemic. The multiple studies conducted in animal models so far suggest the species is a potential source of cardioprotective agents. This review provides up to date information and perspectives on the potential of parsley and its bioac-tive compounds for the development of nutraceutical products and drugs for the promotion of cardiovascular health. It includes not only a discussion on reported bioactivities, but also the knowledge of supplements and food additives developed as innovative parsley-based products.

Different nutraceuticals are often considered by parents of infants and children with abdominal pain and disorders of the gut-brain interaction. Herb extracts and natural compounds have long been used in traditional medicine, but clinical pediatric trials are very limited. This narrative review based on relevant studies identified through Pubmed-Medline literature search updated to October 2023, focused on the effect of nutraceuticals in infantile colic, functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in children and adolescents. Significant reduction of colic episodes and crying time was reported in two studies on fennel (seeds oil or tea), in three studies on different multiple herbal extracts (all including fennel), in one study on Mentha piperita, and in at least two double-blind randomized controlled studies on Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (108 CFU/day for at least 21 days) in breast-fed infants. Compared to placebo, in children with functional abdominal pain or irritable bowel syndrome a significant reduction of pain was reported in two studies supplementing peppermint oil capsules or psyllium fibers, in one study on corn fiber cookies or partial hydrolysed guar gum or a specific multiple herbal extract (STW-5) or vitamin D supplementation. To date, there is a moderate certainty of evidence with a weak grade of recommendation for Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (108 CFU/day) for reducing pain intensity in children with functional abdominal pain and for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (1-3 x109 CFU twice daily) for reducing pain frequency and intensity in children with IBS. Further large and well-designed pediatric studies are needed to prove efficacy and safety of different herbal extracts and prolonged use of studied products in infants and children with pain disorders of the gut-brain interaction.

Nowadays, the high demand for healthy foods and sustainable products, has led the food industry to explore innovative food technologies, such as fortification with bioactive compounds like antioxidants and polyphenols, that may be sourced from herbs or by-products. The aim of the present study was to explore the enrichment of refined olive oils with natural bioactive compounds such as the herbs rosemary (salvia rosmarinus), basil (ocimum basil), sage (salvia officinalis), lemon balm (melissa oficinallis), st. john’s wort (hypericum perforatum), pink savory (Thymbra satureja), dittany (origanum dictamnus), and by-products such as pomace from olives, olive leaves (olea europaea tree), orange peel (citrus sinensis), lemon peel (citrus limon), pomegranate peel (punica granatum) and mandarin peel (citrus reticulate). The fortification of the refined olive oils was performed with the use of different methodologies such as Conventional maceration (CM), Incubation shaking maceration (ISM), and Ultrasound assisted maceration (UAM). Their phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were measured with Folin–Ciocalteu assay and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay respectively. All methods demonstrated that different parameters such as time of maceration, temperature and sample concentration, play an important role in the fortification process of the refined olive oils. The predicyed bioavailability of the antioxidant and phenolic compounds in the fortified oils was determined with in vitro digestion and ranged from 4.84% to 53.11%. Furthermore, the refined olive oils fortified with pomace, basil, st. john's wort, and pomegranate peel presented the highest antioxidant and phenolic predicted bioavailability indices during the in vitro process compared to the control refined olive oil. Finally, fortification with natural herbs or by-products can be considered an innovative method for the improvement of the nutritional value of refined olive oils.

As a complementary and alternative medicine in the western countries for decades, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for more than 2000 years in China. Because of the characteristics of the philosophical style and the unknown mechanism of action, TCM sometimes has been biasedly described as "fraught with pseudoscience". From the scientific basis of the systems biology, here we promoted a novel medical model called the entropic systems medicine which could be applied to scientize TCM in future. In entropic systems medicine, TCM and Western modern biomedicine target the different variables of the entropic system. For instance, while Western modern biomedicine directly targets the phenotypes and its SOCs of macrostates, TCM differently targets the microstates, entropy and entropic force to generate SOTFs gradually causing the differentiated syndromes to be slowly rearranged. The prerequisites to modernize TCM are the entropic systems biology having been well established so that the variables could be precisely monitored and mathematically calculated.