Search Results (3,060)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide due to late-stage diagnosis, aggressive progression, and limited therapeutic responsiveness. Although herbal-derived bioactive compounds have demonstrated promising anticancer potential, their clinical application is often restricted by poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolic degradation, and insufficient tumor targeting. Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising platform to overcome these limitations through enhanced drug delivery, improved pharmacokinetics, and controlled release capabilities. In recent years, the integration of green nanotechnology with herbal therapeutics has gained increasing attention as a sustainable and biocompatible strategy for PDAC management. Green synthesis approaches utilizing plant extracts, microbial systems, and biopolymers provide environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional physicochemical nanoparticle (NP) fabrication methods while simultaneously enhancing biological functionality. This review aims to explore green nanotechnology-based strategies for improving the therapeutic potential of herbal-derived bioactive compounds in PDAC, with particular emphasis on nanoformulation approaches that enhance solubility, bioavailability, tumor targeting, and anticancer efficacy. In addition, the review discusses the advantages of green synthesis approaches, NP characterization strategies, translational barriers, biosafety considerations, and current clinical challenges. Overall, this review highlights the growing potential of green nanomedicine to improve herbal-based therapeutic strategies against PDAC while emphasizing the key obstacles that must be addressed to facilitate successful clinical translation. Full article

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (L. japonica), an edible medicinal plant that has been widely consumed in East Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Korea, for centuries, has long been regarded as a superior herb in traditional Chinese medicine and is an economically important crop commonly used in beverages, foods, and herbal medicines. Extensive studies have demonstrated that L. japonica possesses a broad spectrum of health-promoting properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, metabolic regulatory, and anti-endotoxin activities. This review comprehensively summarizes the distribution, cultivation, quality evaluation, cultivar identification, bioactive constituents, and health-promoting effects of L. japonica, while also highlighting key scientific questions that warrant further investigation. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the major pharmacological activities of L. japonica flowers—including anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects—are comprehensively discussed. This review provides an up-to-date scientific foundation and valuable insights to facilitate the continued development and diversified applications of L. japonica in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and functional food industries. Full article

Panax ginseng Meyer has been commonly used as a traditional herbal medicine in East Asia for millennia. Ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 are the primary pharmacologically active ingredients and exhibit broad therapeutic efficacy against immunometabolic disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To summarize the protective roles of these ginsenosides and investigate their underlying mechanisms, we integrated literature evidence with network pharmacology and gut microbiota–host gene association analyses. Published experimental studies have identified multiple mechanisms by which Rg1 and Rb1 ameliorate IBD, MASLD, and RA, including modulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathways, as well as direct toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) binding and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-mediated transcriptional regulation. Our network pharmacology analysis predicted target overlap among IBD, MASLD, and RA, prioritizing TNF, NFKB1, PPARG, and MAPK1 as putative hubs. Our gut microbiota–host gene association analysis identified conserved microbial taxa sharing host gene targets with Rg1 and Rb1, such as Akkermansia and Faecalibacterium. Integrating these computational findings with published evidence, we propose that ginsenoside-associated shifts in these taxa may be linked to modulation of host signaling pathways, though causal relationships require experimental validation. This review summarizes the convergent mechanisms of Rg1 and Rb1 in ameliorating barrier-immunity-metabolism dysfunction across the gut-liver-joint axis. We also highlight the translational gap between preclinical research and clinical practice. This integrated analysis provides a novel research paradigm for understanding Rg1 and Rb1 as multi-target therapeutics for complex immunometabolic diseases. Full article

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, are characterized by progressive and irreversible neuronal loss, whereas current treatments remain largely symptomatic. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death whose execution is defined by iron-enabled phospholipid peroxidation and failure of cellular ferroptosis-defense systems. Mitochondrial metabolism can modify ferroptosis susceptibility, but its contribution varies with cell type and initiating stimulus. Converging evidence implicates ferroptosis in multiple NDs, in which affected regions commonly show iron accumulation, glutathione depletion, and increased lipid peroxidation. With their multi-component and multi-target properties, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) interventions may modulate several nodes in this network. This review summarizes the core execution and defense mechanisms of ferroptosis, evaluates their roles in major NDs, and critically appraises bioactive herbal compounds, compound formulas, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. The reported interventions mainly engage the Nrf2/GPX4 antioxidant axis, TFR1/FPN1/FTH1/NCOA4-mediated iron handling, ACSL4-dependent lipid peroxidation, and GPX4-independent defense systems. Because most studies are preclinical and many infer ferroptosis from non-specific markers, the evidence is graded here as direct, supportive, indirect, mixed, or complementary. Translation will require standardized formulations, causal ferroptosis validation, pharmacokinetic and brain-exposure data, validated human biomarkers, and rigorously designed clinical trials. Full article

Fruits of Eugenia uniflora L. are rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids, highlighting their potential as a source of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical development; however, extraction conditions can substantially influence the chemical composition and biological activity of the resulting extracts. This study evaluated the effects of extraction technique and solvent on the bioactive potential of E. uniflora fruit extracts. Powdered fruits were extracted by maceration, infusion, infusion followed by ethanol precipitation, and high-shear homogenization-assisted extraction (HSH) using water or 70% ethanol. Extracts were evaluated for yield, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS^•+, and FRAP), antimicrobial activity against six species, and chemical composition by UHPLC–MS/MS. HSH with 70% ethanol exhibited the highest DPPH (54.16 µmol Trolox equivalents g⁻¹) and FRAP (96.83 µmol Fe²⁺ g⁻¹) responses, whereas ethanolic maceration showed the highest ABTS^•+ scavenging capacity (170.59 µmol Trolox equivalents g⁻¹). The ethanolic extracts showed greater antibacterial activity, particularly against E. coli (MIC = 6.51 µg mL⁻¹) and S. epidermidis (MIC = 15.63 µg mL⁻¹). UHPLC–MS/MS revealed diverse metabolites, with citric acid, quinic acid, and quercitrin showing prominent chromatographic peak areas, alongside other flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and organic acids. Overall, HSH with 70% ethanol provided the most balanced performance, supporting its potential as an efficient strategy for obtaining E. uniflora extracts with nutraceutical potential. Full article

Background/Objectives: HF33 is a polyherbal formulation developed from Thai folk medicinal knowledge for the management of dyspepsia and gastric ulcer-like symptoms. Its gastroprotective activity and underlying mechanisms have not been systematically investigated. This study aimed to characterize the HF33 formulation and evaluate the gastroprotective activity, possible mechanisms of action, and acute oral toxicity of its ethanolic extract. Methods: HF33 formulation powder was characterized according to the Thai Herbal Pharmacopoeia using pharmacognostic, physicochemical, and HPLC-PDA analyses, and the extract was chemically fingerprinted by compact mass spectrometry. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. Gastroprotective activity of the extract (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated in male Sprague–Dawley rats using restraint water immersion stress-, indomethacin-, and acidified ethanol (EtOH/HCl)-induced gastric ulcer models. Histopathology, MDA and SOD, gastric mucus content, and gastric secretion parameters were assessed. Acute oral toxicity was evaluated in female Sprague–Dawley rats according to OECD Test Guideline 420. Results: Quality characterization established the identity and quality attributes of the HF33 formulation and its extract prior to biological evaluation. The HF33 extract exhibited in vitro antioxidant activity and significantly reduced gastric lesion formation in all three ulcer models. Gastroprotection was associated with preservation of gastric mucosal architecture, increased gastric mucus content, reduced MDA levels, and restored SOD activity, without significant alteration of gastric secretion parameters. No treatment-related toxicity was observed following a single oral administration of 2000 mg/kg. Conclusions: The HF33 ethanolic extract exhibited gastroprotective activity across multiple experimental gastric ulcer models. The protective activity was associated with preservation of mucosal integrity, enhancement of the mucus barrier, and attenuation of oxidative damage without affecting gastric acid secretion. These findings support further preclinical investigation of HF33 as a quality-characterized polyherbal formulation with potential gastroprotective properties. Full article

Background: Healthy lifestyles in Indigenous populations cannot be understood solely based on biomedical categories; they require approaches that consider cultural meanings, material conditions, and community relationships. Objective: This study aimed to understand the lived experiences and perceptions of healthy lifestyles among Kichwa Kayambi Indigenous adults in the community of Pijal, Imbabura, Ecuador. Methods: An interpretative qualitative study was conducted based on 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Indigenous adults (15 women, 5 men; ages 25–72 years). The analysis followed a hybrid thematic approach with double coding and analyst triangulation. Leininger’s Theory of Diversity and Universality of Cultural Care and Pender’s Health Promotion Model were used as sensitizing concepts. Results: Three interrelated categories emerged. First, responsibility for health care is assumed as a daily decision, conditioned by economic barriers and facilitated by community cohesion. Second, life habits (physical activity linked to agricultural work, diet based on local products, rest according to work rhythms, ceremonial uses of tobacco and alcohol) articulate biomedical and traditional knowledge. Third, the Andean worldview integrates health with spirituality, the relationship with Pachamama, the use of medicinal plants, and intergenerational memory. Conclusions: A healthy life in this community is configured within a relational fabric where personal responsibility, daily habits, and the Andean worldview overlap in practices such as cultivating food, walking during work, preparing herbal remedies, and giving thanks for the harvest. A situated understanding of these meanings is essential for developing culturally congruent nursing interventions. Full article

Hmong people fleeing Southeast Asia at the end of the Vietnam War carried with them their knowledge of medicinal plants and healing practices. As the refugees resettled into a global diaspora, this knowledge crossed geopolitical, linguistic, and cultural borders, transforming in each new context where it was practiced. These traditions reinforced the health sovereignty of diasporic Hmong communities while helping them navigate the traumas of war and displacement. Over time, the circulation of plants and knowledge through transnational family networks has helped Hmong herbalism emerge as a global phenomenon. The internet and social media have facilitated knowledge exchange, enabling both the transmission of traditions and the adoption and diffusion of new practices and remedies. The dynamism of healing traditions was showcased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as communities acquired new plants and repurposed existing practices to deal with a novel health threat. The currents of change and conservation in medical practices reflect contrasting aspects of the ongoing process of formulating a transnational Hmong identity. Drawing on fieldwork in the U.S., France, French Guiana, and Thailand, I explore the transformations of Hmong healthcare practices as they have become globalized traditions and analyze their links with community resilience and identity. Full article

Jasmonate-ZIM domain (JAZ) proteins act as core negative regulators of jasmonic acid signaling and mediate plant stress adaptation, developmental progression, and secondary metabolism. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an economically important Asteraceae crop with medicinal, edible oil, and ornamental values; however, the evolutionary characteristics and molecular functions of its TIFY gene family remain poorly characterized. In the present study, we performed a genome-wide identification of the safflower CtTIFY family, followed by systematic analyses of phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distribution, gene synteny, structural features, conserved motifs, and promoter cis-regulatory elements. Transcriptome profiling, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validation under multiple abiotic stresses and methyl jasmonate treatment, and subcellular localization assays were further conducted to explore divergence in transcript expression levels among family members. A total of 14 CtTIFY genes were identified and categorized into three subfamilies: JAZ, TIFY, and ZML. Segmental duplication was the primary driving force for CtTIFY family expansion, and distinct structural and physicochemical divergences were detected among different subfamilies. CtTIFY genes harbor abundant cis-elements responsive to stresses, hormones, and light signals, and exhibit transcriptional correlations with safflower floral development, seed germination, and seed-oil accumulation. Among them, CtJAZ1, CtJAZ6, and CtJAZ7 represent key candidate genes showing transcriptional responses to JA signals and multiple abiotic stresses. Subcellular localization showed that CtTIFY proteins are predominantly nuclear-localized with potential nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. This study systematically characterizes the evolutionary dynamics and divergence in expression levels of the safflower CtTIFY family, identifies candidate genes associated with stress response and quality-related processes, and provides fundamental genetic resources for future safflower molecular-breeding research. Full article

Hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 1 (HLD1), also known as Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease (PMD), is a severe X-linked hereditary hypomyelinating/demyelinating disorder caused primarily by genomic duplications or multiplications that lead to the increased expression of proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1). Aberrant PLP1 expression impairs oligodendrocyte differentiation and disrupts myelin formation in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite decades of research, effective disease-modifying therapies remain unavailable. In the present study, we investigated the potential of Chinpi, the Citrus Unshiu Peel extract commonly utilized in traditional herbal medicine and reported to protect cells from various cellular stresses, using both in vitro cellular and in vivo animal models of PMD. Using an FBD-102b oligodendrocyte precursor model cell line engineered to overexpress PLP1, we demonstrated that treatment with Chinpi significantly ameliorates critical defects in morphological differentiation and successfully restores the expression of major myelin proteins. Furthermore, oral administration of Chinpi to PLP1 transgenic mice improves myelin protein expression in the brain and significantly alleviates progressive motor incoordination, as assessed by behavioral tests. Taken together, these findings suggest that Chinpi exerts protective effects against PLP1-induced morphological differentiation defects and subsequent reductions in myelin protein expression, highlighting its potential as a recovery approach for PMD. Full article

Pipturus albidus (commonly known as māmaki) is an endemic Hawaiian plant traditionally consumed as a medicinal herbal tea; however, its comprehensive potential for phytochemical composition and biological activities remains underexplored. In this study, we present the first comprehensive phytochemical characterization of the ethanol extract of P. albidus, identifying twelve compounds through chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses. The isolated compounds were subjected to a series of antioxidant assays, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Cinchonain Ia (2), vitexin (6), and (7S,8R)-dihydrodehydro diconiferyl alcohol (11) demonstrated strong free radical-scavenging and reducing capacities. Evaluation of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression in TNF-α-stimulated human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) revealed that catechin-(7,8-bc)-4a-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-dihydro-2(3H)-pyranone (3) and trans-ferulic acid (9) significantly increased IL-8 mRNA expression (p < 0.05), indicating potential pro-inflammatory effects of these isolated constituents. In contrast, neither the crude extract (PE) nor vitexin (6) produced a statistically significant difference in IL-8 mRNA levels compared to the TNF-α control (p < 0.05). Quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, and EGCG were below the limit of detection in P. albidus leaf extracts, indicating that P. albidus possesses a phytochemical constituent distinct from that of green tea. In summary, P. albidus leaves contain unique phytochemicals with cell-free antioxidant activity, while cell-based assays indicate potential pro-inflammatory risks for compounds 3 and 9 and no significant anti-inflammatory suppression by PE or vitexin (6). Full article

Herbal medicines (HMs) are chemically complex multi-component systems, yet analytical strategies that systematically connect chemical composition, biological activity, target prioritization, and quantitative analysis remain limited. Here, we established an integrated analytical workflow combining ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS), bioactivity-guided fractionation, network pharmacology, molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and quantitative ¹H NMR (qHNMR) to investigate Fu’an Granules. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS provided a broad constituent-annotation profile of the formulation. Bioactivity-guided fractionation using an LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage model showed that fractions FA3 and FA4 exhibited relatively stronger inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production at the tested screening concentration. Corilagin, rutin, and isochlorogenic acid A were subsequently selected as representative activity-associated constituents according to their distribution in the chromatographic fractions and showed reduced NO production without detectable cytotoxicity under the tested conditions. Network pharmacology, protein–protein interaction analysis, pathway enrichment, and molecular docking prioritized EGFR and PTGS2 as candidate binding targets. SPR further demonstrated concentration-dependent interactions between the three representative constituents and both proteins, providing experimental support for ligand-target binding. An exploratory internal-standard-based qHNMR analysis estimated corilagin content at 5.7% (w/w) of the analyzed sugar-depleted extract. Collectively, this study presents an integrated workflow linking chemical profiling, activity-guided constituent prioritization, computational target analysis, biophysical binding assessment, and complementary quantitative analysis. The results support corilagin as a representative activity-associated quantitative constituent for Fu’an Granules while providing a general analytical framework for activity-oriented quality marker evaluation in complex herbal medicines. Full article

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain syndrome of still unknown etiology, characterized by allodynia and hyperalgesia. It affects between 2% and 8% of the population and is significantly more prevalent in women than in men. It is attributed to physiological, endocrine, immunological, and neurobiological variations that influence both pain development and the response to pharmacological treatments. Limited efficacy and a high incidence of adverse effects of current pharmacological treatments for FM have increased interest in the use of alternative therapies with medicinal plants. Non-polar extracts such as the essential oil of Salvia rosmarinus are included in herbal formulations, suggesting their potential properties against nociplastic pain. However, the evidence regarding the efficacy and mechanisms of action according to sex remains unexplored. The objective in this study was to investigate the efficacy of a non-polar extract of S. rosmarinus, whose GC-MS profile is described, and to explore the involvement of gonadal hormone receptors in an experimental model of FM-like pain in male and female rats. A hexane extract of the aerial parts of S. rosmarinus (10, 30 and 300 mg/kg, i.p.) or gabapentin (30 mg/kg, i.p., as a reference drug) was evaluated 30 min after its administration by using the Von Frey filaments and thermal acetone test for tactile and mechanical allodynia, respectively, and the Randall Sellito test for mechanical hyperalgesia was carried out for a period of 240 min. To determine the involvement of gonadal hormone receptors, reserpinized female rats were pretreated with the selective estrogen receptor β antagonist (ERβ, PHTPP, 25 µg/rat) 24 h before the extract, while male rats received non-steroidal antiandrogen pretreatment with flutamide (10 mg/kg/day) for 14 days, followed by behavioral testing. The extract produced a dose-dependent antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic effects, with greater efficacy in females compared to males, as the effects were significant starting at a dose of 30 mg/kg, while in males only the highest dose was significant. Blockade of ERβ receptors inhibited the extract effects in females, while androgen blockade facilitated the effects in males. The results of this study suggest that non-polar metabolites are involved in the antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic efficacy of S. rosmarinus mediated by sex-dependent gonadal hormonal mechanisms for FM-type pain relief. Full article

Traditional herbal preparations are frequently used alongside prescription and non-prescription medicines, yet conventional medication reconciliation may not preserve the preparation details needed to interpret interaction and safety evidence. We propose the community-contextualized translational ethnopharmacy framework (CTEF) as a testable conceptual architecture for pharmacy practice. Developed through a problem-oriented conceptual synthesis and a targeted, non-systematic comparator mapping, CTEF treats the exact reported preparation as the clinical exposure and embeds it within a review of the patient’s complete medication and clinical context. The revised framework is iterative and comprises five functions: exposure characterization; comprehensive medication and clinical reconciliation; appraisal of the evidence profile and transferability to the reported preparation; consequence-sensitive action selection using patient vulnerability and explicit escalation/de-escalation rules; and culturally responsive communication, documentation, and follow-up. The central hypothesis is that, compared with a prespecified standard medication-reconciliation workflow, CTEF will improve exposure-characterization completeness, inter-rater reproducibility, and concordance with blinded external adjudication without unacceptable increases in consultation burden, unnecessary escalation, or patient-reported communication harm. CTEF is not a scale, treatment guideline, or validated clinical decision rule. Staged co-design, simulation, reliability, feasibility, comparative, and cross-cultural studies are required before clinical adoption. Full article

Cognitive impairment encompasses a clinical spectrum ranging from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and involves interconnected pathological processes including cholinergic dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial impairment, amyloid-β accumulation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and synaptic loss. Herbal medicines have attracted increasing attention because their complex phytochemical composition may provide multi-target neuroprotective effects. This narrative review aimed to summarize current preclinical and clinical evidence on herbal medicines and traditional herbal formulations for cognitive impairment, with emphasis on their mechanisms, therapeutic potential, safety, and translational limitations. Relevant evidence from in vitro studies, animal models, randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses was narratively synthesized. The review considered single herbal medicines, standardized extracts, isolated phytochemicals, and traditional multi-herbal formulations, together with their reported cognitive outcomes and molecular targets. Preclinical studies suggest that selected herbal preparations may modulate pathways implicated in cognitive impairment through acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition, antioxidant and mitochondrial protection, suppression of neuroinflammatory signaling, modulation of amyloidogenic and tau-related pathways, and enhancement of BDNF/TrkB- and CREB-associated neuroplasticit; however, clinical evidence remains limited and heterogeneous. Clinical studies of Bacopa monnieri, Panax ginseng, Crocus sativus, and several traditional Chinese, Korean, and Persian formulations have reported improvements in memory and global cognitive measures, including MMSE, MoCA, and ADAS-cog scores. However, evidence remains constrained by heterogeneity of products, small sample sizes, short treatment periods, inconsistent outcome measures, limited biomarker integration, and incomplete long-term safety assessment. Herbal medicines show potential as preventive, complementary, or adjunctive approaches for cognitive impairment, but they cannot yet be considered established replacements for conventional therapy. Standardized products, rigorous pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluation, disease-relevant models, and adequately powered multicenter trials are required to support evidence-based clinical application. Full article