Self-medication practices with conventional and herbal drugs among ear, nose, and throat patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the self-practices with conventional and herbal drug use among ear, nose, and throat outpatients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out among all ear, nose, and throat outpatients on their first visit to the otorhinolaryngology department at a tertiary care hospital. The survey comprised a total of 14 questions with 4 different sections, including demographic characteristics, self-medication of conventional medicines, herbal medication usage, and perception regarding herbal medicines. RESULTS: Overall, 255 questionnaires were distributed among patients, of which 183 completed the questionnaire (response rate=71.7%). Respondents reported self-medication (44.8%) with conventional drugs before visiting a hospital. The most commonly used medicine was analgesics (31.7%) and antibiotics (21.9%). Nearly half of the patients (49.2%) used at least one herbal drug. The most commonly used herbal medications were Tilia cordata (78.8%), Zingiber officinale (62.2%), and Camellia sinensis (45.5%). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, most of the medicinal herbs were considered as data deficient/least concern. About 36.6% of the participants perceived that herbal drugs are effective for ear, nose, and throat problems. Moreover, 22.9% of the patients did not know about herbal-drug interaction with other medications. CONCLUSIONS: This study observed a considerable prevalence of self-based practices with conventional and herbal medications. Strict national regulations on conventional and herbal medication access and long-term actions should be implemented to discourage inappropriate drug use.

Self-medication practices with conventional and herbal drugs among ear, nose, and throat patients

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the self-practices with conventional and herbal drug use among ear, nose, and throat outpatients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out among all ear, nose, and throat outpatients on their first visit to the otorhinolaryngology department at a tertiary care hospital. The survey comprised a total of 14 questions with 4 different sections, including demographic characteristics, self-medication of conventional medicines, herbal medication usage, and perception regarding herbal medicines. RESULTS: Overall, 255 questionnaires were distributed among patients, of which 183 completed the questionnaire (response rate=71.7%). Respondents reported self-medication (44.8%) with conventional drugs before visiting a hospital. The most commonly used medicine was analgesics (31.7%) and antibiotics (21.9%). Nearly half of the patients (49.2%) used at least one herbal drug. The most commonly used herbal medications were Tilia cordata (78.8%), Zingiber officinale (62.2%), and Camellia sinensis (45.5%). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, most of the medicinal herbs were considered as data deficient/least concern. About 36.6% of the participants perceived that herbal drugs are effective for ear, nose, and throat problems. Moreover, 22.9% of the patients did not know about herbal-drug interaction with other medications. CONCLUSIONS: This study observed a considerable prevalence of self-based practices with conventional and herbal medications. Strict national regulations on conventional and herbal medication access and long-term actions should be implemented to discourage inappropriate drug use.

Traditional and complementary medicine use and beliefs during COVID-19 outbreak: A cross-sectional survey among the general population in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a universal psychosocial impact, with many individuals exposed to threats preferring to try self-care interventions and non-conventional approaches such as traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) for preventive purposes. This study was conducted to determine the use of and beliefs about T&CM among a subset of the general Turkish population during the COVID-19 outbreak. METHOD: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among the general population (aged ≥ 18 years) of Adana, Turkey during the strict lockdown period (April 11 to April 30, 2020). The survey instrument included details about sociodemographic characteristics, general information, T&CM use and beliefs. It was distributed among eligible participants via social media channels (Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook accounts). RESULTS: Out of a total 389 participants, 39.3% (n = 153) used T&CM and 60.7% were non-T&CM users during COVID-19. Of those using T&CM, 61 (39.8%) reported the usage of more than one form of T&CM, mostly herbal medicine (30.8%), followed by nutritional supplements/vitamins (23.8%). 33.9% (n = 52) of participants using T&CM did not report T&CM use to theirmedical physicians. A statistically significant difference was observed between T&CM users and non-T&CM users in gender, age, marital status, level of education, income, and prior use of T&CM (p < 0.05). Social media (n = 204; 52.4%) was the primary source of information for T&CM use. Overall, 33.7%, 54.8% and 39% of participants in this stduy believed that T&CM therapies are effective, have fever side-effects/safe and should be use for COVID-19, respectively. CONCLUSION: During the outbreak of COVID-19, a significant proportion of the population reported the use of T&CM, with different beliefs about T&CM being observed. Better-structured T&CM-specific educational programs, enhanced physician-patient communication and access to reliable information are needed to ensure appropriate T&CM use during pandemics in Turkey.

Alkanna tinctoria leaves extracts: a prospective remedy against multidrug resistant human pathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Plants are rich source of chemical compounds that are used to accomplish biological activity. Indigenously crude extracts of plants are widely used as herbal medicine for the treatment of infections by people of different ethnic groups. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the biological potential of Alkanna tinctoria leaves extract from district Charsadda, Pakistan against multidrug resistant human pathogenic bacteria including Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. METHODS: Anti-multi-drug resistant bacterial activity of aqueous, chloroform, ethanol and hexane extracts of Alkanna tinctoria leaves were evaluated by well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of different extracts were determined. Moreover qualitative phytochemicals screening of the studied extracts was performed. RESULTS: All four selected bacteria including A. baumannii, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were categorized as multi-drug resistant (MDR) as they were found to be resistant to 13, 10, 19 and 22 antibiotics belonging to different groups respectively. All the four extract showed potential activity against S. aureus as compare to positive control antibiotic (Imipenem). Similarly among the four extracts of Alkanna tinctoria leaves, aqueous extract showed best activity against A. baumannii (10±03 mm), P. aeruginosa (12±0.5 mm), and S. aureus (14±0.5 mm) as compare to Imipenem. The MICs and MBCs results also showed quantitative concentration of plant extracts to inhibit or kill MDR bacteria. When phytochemicals analysis was performed it was observed that aqueous and ethanol extracts showed phytochemicals with large number as well as volume, especially Alkaloides, Flavonoides and Charbohydrates. CONCLUSION: The undertaken study demonstrated that all the four extracts of Alkanna tinctoria leaves exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against MDR isolates. Finding from the current study will be helpful for further elucidation of lead molecules from Alkanna tinctoria leaves for future therapeutic use against MDR pathogens.

Nutritional and therapeutic potential of Spirulina.

Spirulina, a filamentous cyanobacterium, possesses diverse biological activities and nutritional significance due to high concentration of natural nutrients, having bio-modulatory and immuno-modulatory functions. Different Spirulina preparations influence immune system viz. increase phagocytic activity of macrophages, stimulating the production of antibodies and cytokines, increase accumulation of NK cells into tissue and activation and mobilization of T and B cells. Spirulina have also shown to perform regulatory role on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism by exhibiting glucose and lipid profile correcting activity in experimental animals and in diabetic patients. Preparations have been found to be active against several enveloped viruses including herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, influenza virus and HIV. They are capable to inhibit carcinogenesis due to anti-oxidant properties that protect tissues and also reduce toxicity of liver, kidney and testes.

Indian herb 'Sanjeevani' (Selaginella bryopteris) can promote growth and protect against heat shock and apoptotic activities of ultra violet and oxidative stress.

Selaginella bryopteris is a lithophyte with remarkable ressurection capabilities. It is full of medicinal properties, hence also known as 'Sanjeevani' (one that infuses life). For lack of credible scientific evidence the plant is not in active use as a medicinal herb. We provide scientific evidence for why S. bryopteris is known as 'Sanjeevani'. The aqueous extract of S. bryopteris possesses growth-promoting activity as well as protective action against stress-induced cell death in a number of experimental cell systems including mammalian cells. Treatment of the cells in culture with 10% aqueous extract enhanced cell growth by about 41% in Sf9 cells and 78% in mammalian cells. Pre-treatment of cells with the Selaginella extract (SE) (1-2.5%) protected against oxidative stress (H2O2) -induced cell death. The killing potential of ultra violet (UV) was also significantly reduced when the cells were pre-treated with SE for 1 h. Thermal radiation suppressed cell growth by about 50%. Pre-treatment of cells with SE for 1 h afforded complete protection against heat-induced growth suppression. SE may possess anti-stress and antioxidant activities that could be responsible for the observed effects. Chemical analysis shows that SE contains hexoses and proteins. Taken together, S. bryopteris extract may help in stress-induced complications including those due to heat shock.