In vitro wound healing potential of cyclohexane extract of Onosma dichroantha Boiss. based on bioassay-guided fractionation.

Onosma dichroantha Boiss. is a biennial herb used in traditional medicine in Iran for healing wounds and burns. Our previous study demonstrated that cyclohexane extract of O. dichroantha Boiss. enhanced wound healing in vitro. The aim of the present study was to identify the active fractions and compounds responsible for this effect through bio-guided fractionation followed by three in vitro tests for anti-inflammation, proliferation, and migration (scratch test). Fractionation of the CE extract yielded six fractions (Fr. A to Fr. F). Fr. F showed the most remarkable wound healing activity in three assays. Fr. F was further fractionated into five subfractions (FF-SUB1 to FF-SUB5). FF-SUB1 and FF-SUB2 were selected for further purification based on their wound healing activity. The major components, F. F1 to F. F5, were isolated from these two subfractions and identified as acetylshikonin, deoxyshikonin, ß, ß-dimethylacrylshikonin, ß-hydroxyisovalerylshikonin, and trans-anethole of the active subfractions. Bioassay-guided fractionation revealed that naphthoquinone derivatives, as an active component, are responsible for the wound healing properties of the fractions and subfractions of cyclohexane extract of O. dichroantha roots. The findings indicate that these fractions and subsections, as well as purified compounds, have a high potential for further investigation as an effective therapeutic agent in wound healing using in vivo models.

Efficacy of Persian medicine herbal formulations (capsules and decoction) compared to standard care in patients with COVID-19, a multicenter open-labeled, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Persian medicine has recommended clinical experiences and proper herbal remedies for prevention and treatment of microbial infections and respiratory diseases. An open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter trial was conducted at five hospitals in Tehran and Isfahan provinces of Iran on 358 hospitalized adult patients. A total of 174 patients received standard care and 184 received herbal remedies (polyherbal decoction every 8 hr and two herbal capsules every 12 hr) plus standard care for 7 days. The primary clinical endpoint was the duration of hospital stay, and secondary outcomes were clinical improvement of symptoms based on self-assessment questionnaire. Results demonstrated that these natural decoction and capsules treatment plus routine care significantly decreased duration of hospital dyspnea (3.291 day vs. 6.468 days), accelerated clinical improvement, and decreased symptoms such as dry cough, dyspnea, muscle pain, headache, fatigue, anorexia, chills, runny nose, sputum cough, and vertigo in the treatment group compared with standard-care group. Significant effects of these polyherbal formulations on improving the symptoms of COVID-19 could be incredibly promising for managing this pandemic with acceptable tolerability.