Harnessing and bioprospecting botanical-based herbal medicines against potential drug targets for COVID-19: a review coupled molecular docking studies.

Since the end of February 2020, the world has come to a standstill due to the virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Since then, the global scientific community has explored various remedies and treatments against this virus, including natural products that have always been a choice because of their many benefits. Various known phytochemicals are well documented for their antiviral properties. Research is being carried out to discover new natural plant products or existing ones as a treatment measure for this disease. The three important targets in this regard are-papain like protease (PLpro), spike protein, and 3 chymotrypsin like proteases (3CLpro). Various docking studies are also being elucidated to identify the phytochemicals that modulate crucial proteins of the virus. The paper is simultaneously a comprehensive review that covers recent advances in the domain of the effect of various botanically derived natural products as an alternative treatment approach against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Furthermore, the docking analyses revealed that rutin (inhibitor of the major protease of SARS-CoV-2), gallocatechin (e.g., interacting with 03 hydrogen bonds with a spike-like protein), lycorine (showing the best binding affinity with amino acids GLN498, THR500 and GLY446 of the spike-like protein), and quercetrin (inhabiting at its residues ASP216, PHE219, and ILE259) are promising inhibitors of SARS­CoV­2.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Ethnodermatological use of medicinal plants in India: From ayurvedic formulations to clinical perspectives - A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional knowledge is a particular form of practice or skill set that was developed in ancient times and was sustained through generations via the passing of knowledge, essentially confined within a specific tribe, local people, or family lineages. Ethnodermatological use of medicinal plants in India is still a subject to conduct more studies to see if there is chemical, microbiological, and/or clinical evidence, from a scientific perspective, of their effectiveness for those skin disorders. Thus, this review can be the basis for further studies and may provide targets for drug development. AIM OF THE STUDY: We compile and emphasize the most important part of ethnodermatology, namely, traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their applications for several skin diseases in India. We also include a brief review and explanation on dermatology in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. We review the pharmacological activity of extracts derived from some of the most cited plants against problem skin diseases as well. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different kinds of key phrases such as "Indian traditional ethnodermatology", "ethnodermatology", "ethnobotany", "skin diseases", "Ayurveda dermatology", "pharmacological activity" were searched in online search servers/databases such as Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/), ResearchGate (https://www.researchgate.net/), PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository (NOPR) (http://nopr.niscair.res.in/). Based upon the analyses of data obtained from 178 articles, we formulated several important findings which are a summary shown in Tables. Tables. A total of 119 records of plants' uses have been found across India against 39 skin diseases. These are depicted with their localities of report, parts used, and preparation and administration methods against particular skin diseases. RESULTS: The knowledge and utilisation of herbal medicine in the Indian subcontinent has great potential to treat different kinds of human skin disorders. The administration of extracts from most of the plant species used is topical and few only are administrated orally. We also investigated the pharmacological activity of the extracts of the most cited plants against mice, bacterial and fungal pathogens, and human cells. CONCLUSIONS: Complementary therapy for dermatological problems and treatment remains the main option for millions of people in the Indian subcontinent. This review on the practices of ethnobotanical dermatology in India confirms the belief that their analysis will accelerate the discovery of new, effective therapeutic agents for skin diseases. However, more studies and clinical evidence are still required to determine if the identified species may contribute to skin condition treatment, particularly in atopic eczema. Today, ethnodermatology is a well-accepted international discipline and many new practices have been initiated in numerous countries. We hope this article will further accelerate the development of this area to identify a new generation of natural human skin treatments that will help meet the growing consumer demand for safe, sustainable, and natural treatments. In this context, research on plants utilised in ethnodermatology in India and elsewhere should be intensified.

Potential Therapeutic Targets and Vaccine Development for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Pandemic Management: A Review on the Recent Update.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly pathogenic novel virus that has caused a massive pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. Wuhan, a city in China became the epicenter of the outbreak of COVID-19 in December 2019. The disease was declared a pandemic globally by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. SARS-CoV-2 is a beta CoV of the Coronaviridae family which usually causes respiratory symptoms that resemble common cold. Multiple countries have experienced multiple waves of the disease and scientific experts are consistently working to find answers to several unresolved questions, with the aim to find the most suitable ways to contain the virus. Furthermore, potential therapeutic strategies and vaccine development for COVID-19 management are also considered. Currently, substantial efforts have been made to develop successful and safe treatments and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Some vaccines, such as inactivated vaccines, nucleic acid-based, and vector-based vaccines, have entered phase 3 clinical trials. Additionally, diverse small molecule drugs, peptides and antibodies are being developed to treat COVID-19. We present here an overview of the virus interaction with the host and environment and anti-CoV therapeutic strategies; including vaccines and other methodologies, designed for prophylaxis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection with the hope that this integrative analysis could help develop novel therapeutic approaches against COVID-19.

Bacosides from Bacopa monnieri extract: An overview of the effects on neurological disorders.

From ancient history, complementary and alternative medicines have played a significant role as holistic therapeutic treatments of various human diseases including cancer, diabetes, neurological diseases, and skin problems. One Indian medicinal plant (herb), Bacopa monnieri has been used in many parts of the world as such medicine, particularly for the treatment of various neurological disorders. It is well known as a potent "tonic for the human brain," which serves as a memory enhancer. Multiple studies proved that this herb contains a plethora of potential bioactive, phytochemical compounds with synergistic properties. The main purpose of the present review is to shed light on the use of Bacopa monnieri and its active principles (bacosides) in the management of neurological disorders. Furthermore, the signaling pathways modulated by bacosides have been critically discussed in this review. Moreover, we have critically summarized the present knowledge of this perennial creeping herb based upon the literature mining from different scientific engines.

Pharmacological properties, therapeutic potential, and legal status of Cannabis sativa L.: An overview.

Marijuana, or Cannabis sativa L., is a common psychoactive plant used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. In many countries, cannabis-based medicines have been legalized under certain conditions because of their immense prospects in medicinal applications. With a comprehensive insight into the prospects and challenges associated with the pharmacological use and global trade of C. sativa, this mini-review focuses on the medicinal importance of the plant and its legal status worldwide; the pharmacological compounds and its therapeutic potential along with the underlying public health concerns and future perspective are herein discussed. The existence of major compounds including Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC), cannabidiol, cannabinol, and cannabichromene contributes to the medicinal effects of the cannabis plant. These compounds are also involved in the treatment of various types of cancer, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease displaying several mechanisms of action. Cannabis sativa is a plant with significant pharmacological potential. However, several aspects of the plant need an in-depth understanding of the drug mechanism and its interaction with other drugs. Only after addressing these health concerns, legalization of cannabis could be utilized to its full potential as a future medicine.

Phytotherapy and food applications from Brassica genus.

Plants of the genus Brassica occupy the top place among vegetables in the world. This genus, which contains a group of six related species of a global economic significance, three of which are diploid: Brassica nigra (L.) K. Koch, Brassica oleracea L., and Brassica rapa L. and three are amphidiploid species: Brassica carinata A. Braun, Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., and Brassica napus L. These varieties are divided into oily, fodder, spice, and vegetable based on their morphological structure, chemical composition, and usefulness of plant organs. The present review provides information about habitat, phytochemical composition, and the bioactive potential of Brassica plants, mainly antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activities, and clinical studies in human. Brassica vegetables are of great economic importance around the world. At present, Brassica plants are grown together with cereals and form the basis of global food supplies. They are distinguished by high nutritional properties from other vegetable plants, such as low fat and protein content and high value of vitamins, fibers along with minerals. In addition, they possess several phenolic compounds and have a unique type of compounds namely glucosinolates that differentiate these crops from other vegetables. These compounds are also responsible for numerous biological activities to the genus Brassica as described in this review.