Quantitative ethnomedicinal study and conservation status of medicinal flora used by the indigenous peoples of Sultan Khail valley, Dir Upper, Pakistan.

The present study was conducted to explore the ethnomedicinal uses, quantitative analysis and conservation status of medicinal flora of Sultan Khail valley, Dir Upper, Pakistan. The data was collected during 2017-2019 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Ethnomedicinal uses of plant species were determined and the plant species were classified based on habits, parts used, and method of preparation of remedies. Frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and family importance values (FIV) were calculated. The plant species were assessed for their conservation status as per IUCN standard criteria. The inhabitants of the Sultan Khail valley use 88 plant species belonging to 57 families for the treatment of different human diseases. Lamiaceae was the dominant family represented with 8 medicinal species (9%) followed by Rosaceae (5 species, 6%). The most commonly used plant parts were leaves (33.1%) followed by fruits (16.1%), while the main method of remedy preparation was decoctions (33.3%). The highest RFC value was recorded for Geranium wallichianum (0.47), followed by Berberis lycium (0.44). Lamiaceae was the most cited family (FIV, 231), followed by Polygonaceae (73). Five plant species were found to be endangered, 39 species were vulnerable, 32 species were rare, and 12 species were found to be infrequent. The medicinal flora of the area is under severe biotic pressure and needs proper conservation; otherwise, they will be lost in the near future.

Preclinical profile of bacopasides from Bacopa monnieri (BM) as an emerging class of therapeutics for management of chronic pains.

Chronic pains management costs billions of dollars in medical exchequer to the world population. Additionally, 77% of people with chronic pains also have a degree of medically treatable depression. Opioids have a narrower safety index due to their side effects associated with its tolerance, hyperalgesia and subsequent dependence. Likewise, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticonvulsants, also have limited safety and tolerability profile in the management of chronic pains. Bacopa monnieri, a renowned ayurvedic medicine has a strong antidepressant effect and significant antinociceptive effect, which is comparable to the effect of morphine via adenosinergic, opioidergic, and adrenergic mechanisms. BM has been also reported to be effective in neuropathic pains. Additionally, it has a strong anti-inflammatory effect mediated via COX-2 inhibitory mechanism. Apart from its effect of augmenting morphine analgesia, BM also inhibits opioid-withdrawal induced hyperalgesia, and acquisition and expression of morphine tolerance. BM is reported to have a strong protective effect against toxic effects of opiates on major organs like brain, kidneys and heart. BM is well documented to be safe and well tolerated herbal therapy in multiple clinical trials including various age groups. This minireview evaluated the preclinical data that highlights potential of BM as a future candidate for clinical management of chronic pains.

Antagonism of antinociceptive effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Hypericum perforatum Linn. by a non selective opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone.

Hydro-ethanolic crude extract of Hypericum perforatum Linn. family hypericaceae (St. John's Wort) aerial parts (Hp. Cr) was studied for its possible antinociceptive effect against acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction assay in mice. Hp. Cr (10-20 mg kg(-1)), opium (10-30 mg kg(-1)), morphine (0.75-3.0 mg kg(-1)) and aspirin (50-100 mg kg(-1)) showed dose-dependent antinociceptive effect. In animals treated with naloxone (0.5 mg kg(-1)), the antinociceptive effect of Hp. Cr was significantly reduced similar to that of opium, while effect of aspirin remained unchanged. These results suggest that the antinociceptive effect of Hypericum perforatum may be mediated through activation of opioid receptors.