Endangered Medicinal Plants of Temperate Regions: Conservation and Maintenance
Amit Baran Sharangi, K. V. Peter in Medicinal Plants, 2023
Although the economic value of this herb is reportedly unknown to the local people until the recent past, the herb has now been widely known for its market potential. Thus, the exploitation of this valuable plant is in increasing trend leading to its rapid decline from its natural habitat, without knowing the better agronomic and cultivation aspects. The collection and, more recently, marketing of these plants has provided an important source of income for communities living in mountain areas (Mukherjee et al., 2009). Valerian is a well-known and frequently used medicinal herb that has a long and proven history of efficacy (Mukherjee et al., 2015). It is employed as a nervine and sedative. In high mountain range of Himalaya, it is used to treat insomnia and hysteria along with nausea, pimples, and rheumatism. It is noted especially for its effect as a tranquilizer and nervine, particularly for those people suffering from nervous overstrain (Singh et al., 2006). The root is antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, hypnotic, powerfully nervine, sedative, and stimulant (Prakash, 1999). The roots of 2-year-old plants are harvested in the autumn once the leaves have died down and are used fresh or dried (Mukherjee et al., 2014). A dried rhizome is used as incense. This plant is relatively new to researchers and local people as well as far as the cultivation aspects are concerned. Because of scanty literature and limited extension programs, most of the hill people are unaware of these valuable treasures.
Traditional Medicines for Mental Health
Abhai Kumar, Debasis Bagchi in Antioxidants and Functional Foods for Neurodegenerative Disorders, 2021
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral factors. These factors combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with fear, worry, or uneasiness. Without an identifiable triggering stimulus, anxiety is a generalized mood state. In fact, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an external threat. As such, anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable, whereas fear is related to the specific behaviors of avoidance and escape (Martin et al., 2009). The treatment includes an extract of Albizia lebbeck, which belongs to Mimosaceae family, containing budmunchiamine alkaloids saponins; the seed powder is used for treating anxiety. No evidence was published of clinical trials or randomized controlled study. Other plants used for sleeplessness are Withania somnifera (roots), Centella asiatica (leaves), Piper longum (roots), Glycyrrhiza glabra (roots), and Terminalia bellirica (fruits). The traditional medicine kava (Piper methysticum) reduces symptoms while conducting randomized control trials (Sarris et al., 2013). Traditional medicines such as valerian root extract (Valeriana officinalis) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) extract combined in low doses reduced the state of anxiety in healthy young adults, in a crossover study. Open-label study in children with restlessness and dyssomnia showed an improvement in symptoms (Müller et al., 2006).
Catalog of Herbs
James A. Duke in Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2018
An oil in the subepidermal layers of the root contains acetic, formic and valeric acids, borneol, bornyl formate, bornyl acetate, bornyl butyrate, bornyl isovalerianate, camphene, pinene, and two alkaloids called chatinine and valerianine.16 The important active compounds are iridoid compounds called valepotriates (valtrate, valtrate isovaleroxyhydrin, acevaltrate, valechlorine, etc.), didrovaltrates (didrovaltrate, homodidrovaltrate, deoxydodidrovaltrate, homodeoxydodidrovaltrate, isovaleroxyhydroxydidrovaltrate, etc.), and isovaltrates (iso-valtrate, 7-epideacetylisovaltrate, etc.); valtrate and didrovaltrate are the major valepotriates. Also, contains valerosidatum (an iridoid ester glycoside) and a volatile oil (0.5 to 2%) containing, e.g., bornyl acetate and isovalerate (major compounds), caryophyllene, alpha-and beta-pinenes, valeranone, beta-ionone, eugenyl isovalerate, isoeugenyl isovalerate, patchouli alcohol, valerianol, borneol, camphene, beta-bisabolene, ledol, isovaleric acid, terpinolene, etc. Valerian also contains the alkaloids actinidine, valerianine, valerine, chatinine, etc. Other constituents include choline (circa 3%), methyl 2-pyrrolyl ketone, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid; beta-sitosterol; tannins; gums; etc.29 One anonymous writer describes valeric acid as a very potent tranquilizer.51 Dry seeds contain 19.4 to 19.9% protein and 30.0 to 34.4% fat.21
Effect of a Multi-Ingredient Supplement Designed to Regulate Mood on Physiological and Psychological Outcomes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2023
Ann F. Brown, Clarissa M. E. Richardson, Nathan Newby, Sydney Pulsipher, Talje Hoene
Alternatives to professional help and prescriptions to alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression vary greatly and have been supplemented in many ways (4–7). Botanicals preparations such as Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm extract) have been previously reported to improve cognitive performance and mood as well as reduce stress in a human population with mild to moderate anxiety disorders (4). Griffonia seed extract (99%-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)) and L-Tryptophan have also been used as a natural alternative to traditional drugs used to manage depression because they are intermediate metabolites for serotonin synthesis (8). A popular herbal medicine used for the treatment of anxiety and sleep disturbances is Valeriana officinalis (valerian root extract). Although findings in the literature are inconclusive regarding appropriate botanical extract dosage recommendations, valerian root extract may improve quality of sleep with minimal negative side effects (9). The efficacy of many of these botanical extract supplements are assessed individually, however it is common for these products to be sold as multi-ingredient supplements.
Protective effect of valerian extract capsule (VEC) on ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric mucosa injury and ameliorative effect of VEC on gastrointestinal motility disorder
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Yuan Feng, Wan Dai, Junyu Ke, Yong Cui, Shuang Li, Jingjing Ma, Wenfeng Guo, Gang Chen, Ning Li, Yanwu Li
Available antiulcer drugs and motility-modifying drugs, chemical drugs are common but have various side effects. Thus, it is necessary to develop novel drugs that are safer, effective, and readily accessible in the treatment of gastric ulcers and GI motility disorder. Valeriana officinalis L. (Caprifoliaceae), also called valerian, native to Europe and Asia, is commonly used as a medicinal plant to treat anxiety, sleep disorder, depression, and GI hyperactivity (Houghton 1999; Poyares et al. 2002; Muller et al. 2003; Taavoni et al. 2011; Mineo et al. 2017; Tammadon et al. 2021). Prior work indicates that the extract of V. officinalis has antioxidant and antispasmodic effects (Malva et al. 2004; Circosta et al. 2007; Sudati et al. 2009). However, most existing research results associated with valerian are related to insomnia, few investigations about valerian or its extracts in treating gastric mucosa damage were reported.
Advances in research on the protective mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Jiexin Zhang, Yonghe Hu, Han Wang, Jun Hou, Wenjing Xiao, Xudong Wen, Tingting Wang, Pan Long, Hezhong Jiang, Zhanhao Wang, Huawei Liu, Xin Chen
Reductions in cytokine levels are major anti-inflammatory effects of TCMs in the treatment of MI/R injury (Nos. 2 and 3 in Figure 1). As shown in Table 1, 13 species of Chinese herbs exert cardioprotective effects by regulating the levels of intracellular cytokines, including Rosa rugosa Thunb. (Rosaceae) (Hou et al. 2016), Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright (Dioscoreaceae) (Ebrahimi et al. 2014) and others. Among them, plumbagin extracted from Plumbago zeylanica L. (Plumbaginaceae) was used to prevent heart diseases in ancient times (Luo et al. 2010; Sheeja et al. 2010). Plumbagin induces activation of Nrf2 and reduces the expression of cytokines (MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) to return inflammation markers to normal levels (Wang et al. 2016). Valerian extract from Valeriana officinalis L. (Valerianaceae) (Xue et al. 1988) causes central sedation, exerts anti-arrhythmia effects, increases coronary blood flow, and reduces the scope of MI. Valerian extract can inhibit TNF-α production by monocytes/macrophages, reducing the expression of neutrophil (polymorphonuclear neutrophil, PMN) adhesion molecules, and thereby reducing the accumulation of PMNs in ischaemic regions in rabbits (Yin et al. 2000).
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