Search Results (11)

Early medical traditions include those of ancient Babylonia, China, Egypt, and India. The roots of modern Western medicine, however, go back to ancient Greece. During the Renaissance, physicians increasingly relied on observation and experimentation to understand the human body and develop new techniques for diagnosis and treatment. The discovery of antibiotics, antiseptics, and other drugs in the 19th century accelerated the development of modern medicine, the latter being fueled further by advances in technology, research, a better understanding of the human body, and, most recently, the introduction of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The EBM model de-emphasized intuition, unsystematic clinical experience, and pathophysiologic rationale as sufficient grounds for clinical decision-making and stressed the examination of evidence from clinical research. A later EBM model additionally incorporated clinical expertise and the latest model of EBM patients’ preferences and actions. In this review article, we argue that in the era of precision medicine, major EBM principles must be based on (a) the systematic identification, analysis, and utility of big data using artificial intelligence; (b) the magnifying effect of medical interventions by means of the physician–patient interaction, the latter being guided by the physician’s expertise, intuition, and philosophical beliefs; and (c) the patient preferences, since, in healthcare under precision medicine, the patient will be a central stakeholder contributing data and actively participating in shared decision-making. Full article

As far as history tells, people have set efforts both to improve the conditions and to change the visual outfit of the skin, nails, and hair. The first information on nail cosmetics is found in ancient China and Egypt, where various nature-derived compositions were used for changing the colour of the nails. Nowadays more mechanically and chemically durable systems for nail polishes are elaborated. This review focuses on the latest achievements in the field of UV-curable nail polishes. Herein, the polymerization mechanisms of various systems (acrylates, as well as epoxides and thiols) occurring in nail polishes are described. Besides plausible side reactions of the polymerization process are characterized. Thus, the main drawbacks for forming a uniform, perfect layer are illuminated. For effective curing, the choice of photoinitiators may be crucial; thus, various types of photoinitiators as well as their main advantages and disadvantages are characterized. Ensuring effective adhesion between the substrate (human nail) and the polymer film is one of the challenges for the nail polish industry—thus the plausible interactions between the adhesion promoters and the keratin are described. Regarding the film-forming agents, a comprehensive overview of the composition of the traditional UV-curing nail polishes is provided, but the main emphasis is devoted to alternative, nature-derived film-forming agents that could introduce renewable resources into nail cosmetics. Additionally, this review gives short insight into the latest innovations in UV-curing nail cosmetics, like (1) nail polishes with improved pealability, (2) covalently polymer-bonded dyes and photoinitiators, thus reducing the release of the low-molecular compounds or their degradation products, and (3) UV-curing nail polishes as delivery systems for nail treatment medicine. Full article

This study investigates the phylogenetic and geographical distribution of wild food plants (WFPs) across 30 Mediterranean and North African (MENA) regions, focusing on the intersection of evolutionary lineage, ecological adaptation, and cultural utilization. A phylogenetic analysis of 111 genera of WFPs used in traditional diets reveals clusters reflecting shared ancestry, functional adaptations, and ecological resilience. Key regions such as Lebanon and Ikaria stand out as potential centers for the diversity of wild food plant use, suggesting that the Eastern Mediterranean may be a primary origin area, especially for species adapted to semi-arid climates. Major plant families including Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, and Fabaceae form distinct clusters that underscore their common ancestry and adaptability, making them foundational to traditional diets and medicinal applications across various environments. Geographical analysis indicates historical connections, such as those between Malta and Egypt, supporting the hypothesis that ancient trade routes influenced the spread and cultural exchange of wild food plant use across the Mediterranean. The study emphasizes the integration of phylogenetic and ethnobotanical perspectives, shedding light on how biodiversity, ecological adaptation, and cultural practices intersect in these regions. This research demonstrates that WFPs serve as both ecological and cultural assets, crucial for preserving traditional diets and supporting biodiversity conservation amid environmental changes. Integrating evolutionary and cultural knowledge can enrich ecological understanding and contribute to the sustainable use of plant resources in the MENA regions. Full article

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a variety of ancient therapies with origins in cultures such as those of China, Egypt, Greece, Iran, India, and Rome. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies these integrative therapies into five categories: (1) mind–body therapies, (2) biological practices, (3) manipulative and body practices, (4) energy medicine, and (5) whole medical systems, including traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. This review explores the role of biological practices utilizing aromatic plants, particularly through inhalation aromatherapy and massage with essential oils, as effective complementary strategies within health systems. The review compiles information on the most commonly used plants and essential oils for holistic health maintenance from a complementary and alternative perspective. Given their accessibility and relative safety compared to conventional treatments, these therapies have gained popularity worldwide. Furthermore, the integration of essential oils has been shown to alleviate various psychological and physiological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disorders, neuropathic pain, nausea, and menopausal symptoms. Among the studied plants, lavender has emerged as being particularly notable due to its broad spectrum of therapeutic effects and its designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “Generally Recognized as Safe”. Other essential oils under investigation include eucalyptus, damask rose, sandalwood, vetiver, calamus, frankincense, chamomile, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, orange, sage, rosemary, garlic, and black pepper. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of these aromatic plants in enhancing patient well-being. Additionally, it underscores the importance of conducting further research to ensure the safety and efficacy of these therapies. Full article

Arthritis has a high global prevalence. During the early ancient human era, bee (Apis) venom therapy was employed in Egypt, Greece, and China to alleviate ailments such as arthritis and neuralgia. In addition, bee venom has long been used as a traditional medicine for immune-related diseases in Korea. Wasp (Vespa) venom is a folk medicine of the Jingpo people in Yunnan, China, and has been widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. In spite of this, the underlying mechanisms of bee and wasp venoms for the treatment of arthritis are yet to be fully understood. In recent years, researchers have investigated the potential anti-arthritic properties of bee and wasp venoms. Studies have shown that both bee and wasp venom can improve swelling, pain, and inflammation caused by arthritis. The difference is that bee venom reduces arthritis damage to bone and cartilage by inhibiting the IRAK2/TAK1/NF-κB signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, and JAK/STAT signaling pathway, as well as decreasing osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting the RANKL/RANK signaling pathway. Wasp venom, on the other hand, regulates synovial cell apoptosis via the Bax/Bcl-2 signaling pathway, inhibits the JAK/STAT signaling pathway to reduce inflammation production, and also ameliorates joint inflammation by regulating redox balance and iron death in synovial cells. This review provides a detailed overview of the various types of arthritis and their current therapeutic approaches; additionally, it comprehensively analyzes the therapeutic properties of bee venom, wasp venom, or venom components used as anti-arthritic drugs and explores their mechanisms of action in anti-arthritic therapy. Full article

The art of the Achaemenid Empire flourished in Ancient Persia from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE, and featured stone-carved monumental structures adorned with recurring zoological and floral patterns. Such representations clearly had a symbolic meaning intimately connected to religious expression and the will of deities. Considering the lack of any comprehensive analysis of botanical features, we investigate the recurring plant patterns and the variety of plants depicted. An analysis of the documentation referring mainly to monuments in the two main capitals of Darius I, Persepolis and Susa, showed the presence of certain repetitive elements, such as the so-called rosettes (composed variously of Asteraceae capitula and Nymphaea flowers), palms (Phoenix dactylifera, the tree of life), pines, flowers or bunches and metamorphic elements. Some plants are described in this paper for the first time in the context of Persian iconography, such as Mandragora officinalis in offering scenes as a symbol of fertility and protection against evil spirits, Pinus brutia var. eldarica as a symbol of immortality and elevation to the gods, and the capitula of Matricaria/Leucanthemum as solar symbols. Further interesting elements include cf. Myrtus communis in some crowns and probably cf. Ephedra sp. in offering scenes. Achaemenid art was deeply influenced by the Zoroastrian religion of ancient Persia with its great attention to nature as well as by the nearby civilizations of the Mesopotamian area and Egypt. Most elements were also associated with psychotropic or medicinal attributes, which contributed to their position as symbols of power. Full article

Honey is a natural substance that has existed alongside humanity since the time of antiquity, acting then as a source of nutrition, as well as a source of medicinal aid for people. Ancient civilizations from multiple nations of the world, from ancient China to ancient Greece and Egypt, utilized the supposed healing properties of honey to treat lacerations and wounds, as well as for internal pathologies such as intestinal disease. At present, honey has entered the modern scientific research program in search of novel antibiotics. In recent research, honey has demonstrated its potential use for static and/or cidal effects on microbial strains which are becoming resistant to chemical antibiotics. Additionally, the use of honey as an agent of treatment for more severe infections, namely blood infections pertaining to septicemia, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2, as well as parasitic infections such as malaria, have also been investigated in recent years. In this article, the literature has been reviewed on some of the therapeutic properties of natural nutraceutical honey, where it has been observed to act as a potential ameliorating agent; reducing the severity of such conditions that may amplify a disease, as well as reducing the progression of the disease and its symptoms. Full article

Tuberculosis is a contagious disease that has been a concern for humanity throughout history, being recognized and referred to as the white plague. Since ancient times, starting with Hippocrates and Galen of Pergamon, doctors and scientists have attempted to understand the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and its manifestations in the brain. If, in the medieval period, it was believed that only the touch of a king could cure the disease, it was only in the early 17th and 18th centuries that the first descriptions of tuberculous meningitis and the first clinico-pathological correlations began to emerge. While the understanding of neurotuberculosis progressed slowly, it was only after the discovery of the pathogenic agent in the late 19th century that there was an upward curve in the occurrence of treatment methods. This review aims to embark on an odyssey through the centuries, from ancient Egypt to the modern era, and explore the key moments that have contributed to the emergence of a new era of hope in the history of neurotuberculosis. Understanding the history of treatment methods against this disease, from empirical and primitive ones to the emergence of new drugs used in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis, leads us, once again, to realize the significant contribution of science and medicine in treating a disease that was considered incurable not long ago. Full article

Matricaria chamomilla L. (MC) and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. (CN) are two varieties of Chamomile. These herbs have been used for thousands of years in Greece, Rome and ancient Egypt. Chamomile has been used for the treatment of stomach problems, cramps, dermatitis, and minor infections. The purpose of this study was to introduce the botanical characteristics and geographical distribution, traditional uses, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, toxicity studies and quality control studies, and lay a theoretical foundation for the rational development and utilization of chamomile. This review powered that chemical constituents include flavonoids, coumarins, volatile oils, terpenes, organic acids, polysaccharides, and others. These compounds possess anticancer, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, antioxidant, hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, antihypertensive, antidepressant, neuroprotective activities, among others. Chamomile is a widely used herb in traditional medicine. It brings great economic value due to its numerous pharmacological effects and traditional uses. However, more toxicity tests should be carried out to confirm its safety. There is need for further research to provide concrete scientific evidence and validate its medicinal properties. Full article

Aim: This historical medical literature review aims at understanding the evolution of the medical existence of oral cancer over times, particularly better comprehending if the apparent lower prevalence of this type of cancer in antiquity is a real value due to the absence of modern environmental and lifestyle factors or it is linked to a misinterpretation of ancient foreign terms found in ancient medical texts regarding oral neoplasms. Methods: The databases MedLne, PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier’s EMBASE.com, Cochrane Review, National Library of Greece (Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens) and the Library of the School of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) were extensively searched for relevant studies published during the past century on the history of oral cancer and its treatment from antiquity to modern times, in addition to the WHO website to analyse the latest epidemiological data. In addition, we included historical books on the topic of interest and original sources. Results: Historical references reveal that the cradle of the oral oncology was in ancient Egypt, the Asian continent and Greece and cancer management was confined to an approximate surgical practice, in order to remove abnormal masses and avoid bleeding with cauterization. In the Medieval Age, little progress occurred in medicine in general, oral cancers management included. It is only from the Renaissance to modern times that knowledge about its pathophysiological mechanisms and histopathology and its surgical and pharmacological treatment approaches became increasingly deep all over the world, evolving to the actual integrated treatment. Despite the abundant literature exploring oncology in past civilizations, the real prevalence of oral cancer in antiquity is much less known; but a literature analysis cannot exclude a consistent prevalence of this cancer in past populations, probably with a likely lower incidence than today, because many descriptions of its aggressiveness were found in ancient medical texts, but it is still difficult to be sure that each single description of oral masses could be associated to cancer, particularly for what concerns the period before the Middle Ages. Conclusions: Modern oncologists and oral surgeons must learn a lot from their historic counterparts in order to avoid past unsuccessful efforts to treatment oral malignancies. Several descriptions of oral cancers in the antiquity that we found let us think that this disease might be linked to mechanisms not strictly dependent on environmental risk factors, and this might guide future research on oral cavity treatments towards strategical cellular and molecular techniques. Full article

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are enzymes that deadenylate nucleic acids and are broadly distributed in the plant kingdom. Many plants that contain RIPs are listed in the pharmacopoeias of folk medicine all over the world, mostly because of their toxicity. This review analyses the position occupied in traditional medicine by plants from which RIPs have been isolated. The overview starts from the antique age of the Mediterranean area with ancient Egypt, followed by the Greek and Roman classic period. Then, the ancient oriental civilizations of China and India are evaluated. More recently, Unani medicine and European folk medicine are examined. Finally, the African and American folk medicines are taken into consideration. In conclusion, a list of RIP-expressing plants, which have been used in folk medicine, is provided with the geographical distribution and the prescriptions that are recommended by traditional healers. Some final considerations are provided on the present utilization of such herbal treatments, both in developing and developed countries, often in the absence of scientific validation. The most promising prospect for the medicinal use of RIP-expressing plants is the conjugation of purified RIPs to antibodies that recognise tumour antigens for cancer therapy. Full article