Search

Copyright of World Medical & Health Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores the potential for India to enhance its economy through space exploration and applications. It highlights the growth of the global space economy, which is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2040. The article emphasizes the sustainable approach taken by various space stakeholders and the positive impact of private and entrepreneurial spaceflight activities. Currently contributing 2% to the global space economy, India has the potential to increase its contribution to $44 billion by 2033. The adoption of the New Space Policy in 2023 has encouraged greater involvement of non-governmental entities in India's space industry. While government funding remains dominant, there is a growing interest and investment from the private sector. To further accelerate progress, the article suggests utilizing cost-effective technological innovations, transferable space technologies, and partnerships with non-profit organizations. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the need for comprehensive studies on the role of decreased pesticide stress markers and chromosomal aberration in resistant species of invertebrates in Kerala agroecosystems. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the evolution of pesticide-resistant pests and their ecological impacts through the use of genetic and biochemical/molecular biomarkers. The article also highlights the economic and social impact of pesticide resistance and the need for crop damage assessment. It concludes by suggesting the adoption of real-time information about pesticide resistance and its impacts on the ecosystem and local people in order to develop sustainable approaches to pest management and ensure food security.The text discusses the global rise in obesity rates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In India, data from the National Family Health Survey shows that the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity is significant. The text argues for the inclusion of obesity medications in the national list of essential medicines, citing evidence of their clinical efficacy and safety. However, the high cost of these medications is a major limitation for long-term use. The text suggests that the prices of obesity medications should be capped to make them more accessible. The inclusion of obesity medications is seen as important due to the interrelated conditions of metabolic syndrome and diabesity. [Extracted from the article]

In recent years, the growing demand for herbal-based formulations, including functional foods, has acquired significant attention. This study highlights historical, botanical, ecological, and phytochemical descriptions and different extraction mechanisms of Ocimum sanctum utilized in its processing. Besides this, it explores the utilization of Ocimum sanctum as a functional food ingredient in various food products such as bakery products (biscuits, bread), dairy products (herbal milk, cheese), and beverages (tea, juice, wine) while focusing on their evaluation parameters, preparation techniques, and pharmacological activities. In terms of other pharmacological properties, Ocimum sanctum -infused functional foods exhibited cognitiveenhancing properties, adaptogenic qualities, anti-obesity effects, gastroprotective, antiinflammatory, hypoglycemic, and immuno-modulatory effects. Thus, the diverse properties of Ocimum sanctum offer exciting opportunities for the development of functional foods that can promote specific health issues, so future research should focus on developing and analyzing novel Ocimum sanctum -based functional foods to meet the growing demand of the functional food industry., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Warfarin is a popular anticoagulant with high global demand. However, studies have underlined serious safety issues when warfarin is consumed concomitantly with herbs or its formulations. This review aimed to highlight the mechanisms behind herb-warfarin interactions while laying special emphasis on its PKPD interactions and evidence on Herb-Warfarin Interaction (HWI) with regards to three different scenarios, such as when warfarin is consumed with herbs, taken as foods or prescribed as medicine, or when used in special situations. A targeted literature methodology involving different scientific databases was adopted for acquiring information on the subject of HWIs. Results of the present study revealed some of the fatal consequences of HWI, including post-operative bleeding, thrombosis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematomas occurring as a result of interactions between warfarin and herbs or commonly associated food products from Hypericum perforatum, Zingiber officinale, Vaccinium oxycoccos, Citrus paradisi , and Punica granatum . In terms of PK-PD parameters, herbs, such as Coptis chinensis Franch. and Phellodendron amurense Rupr., were found to compete with warfarin for binding with plasma proteins, leading to an increase in free warfarin levels in the bloodstream, resulting in its augmented antithrombic effect. Besides, HWIs were also found to decrease International Normalised Ratio (INR) levels following the consumption of Persea americana or avocado. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an up-to-date interaction database to educate patients and healthcare providers on these interactions, besides promoting the adoption of novel technologies, such as natural language processing, by healthcare professionals to guide them in making informed decisions to avoid HWIs., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: The use of herbal medicines is on the rise throughout the world due to their perceived safety profile. However, incidences of herb-drug, herb-herb and herb-food interactions considering safety aspects have opened new arenas for discussion., Objective: The current study aims to provide comprehensive insights into the various types of herb interactions, the mechanisms involved, their assessment, and historical developments, keeping herbal safety at the central point of discussion., Methods: The authors undertook a focused/targeted literature review and collected data from various databases, including Science Direct, Wiley Online Library, Springer, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Conventional literature on herbal remedies, such as those by the WHO and other international or national organizations., Results: The article considered reviewing the regulations, interaction mechanisms, and detection of herb-herb, herb-drug and herb-food interactions in commonly used yet vital plants, including Glycyrrhiza glabra, Mentha piperita, Aloe barbadensis, Zingiber officinale, Gingko biloba, Withania somnifera, etc . The study found that healthcare professionals worry about patients not informing them about their herbal prescriptions (primarily used with conventional treatment), which can cause herb-drug/herb-food/herb-herb interactions. These interactions were caused by altered pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic processes, which might be explained using in-vivo, in-vitro, in-silico , pharmacogenomics, and pharmacogenetics. Nutrivigilance may be the greatest method to monitor herb-food interactions, but its adoption is limited worldwide., Conclusion: This article can serve as a lead for clinicians, guiding them regarding herb-drug, herb-food, and herb-herb interactions induced by commonly consumed plant species. Patients may also be counseled to avoid conventional drugs, botanicals, and foods with a restricted therapeutic window., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)