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Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a serious socioeconomic and public health problem due to its morbid condition, social stigma and considerable economic loss. In order to eliminate transmission and to prevent disability due to LF by the year 2015, sixteen districts of Andhra Pradesh have been under mass drug administration (MDA) programme, covering 54 million population with annual single dose of diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) tablets orally1. Rajahmundry town of Andhra Pradesh is one of the worst LF affected areas and is under MDA programme since 1999, covering a total nine rounds of MDA programme till 2008 (Personal communication, Department of Health, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh). Residential colonies maintained by the industries like Andhra Pradesh Paper Mill (APPM) which is situated in the heart of Rajahmundry town often remain separated from Government health facilities, specially for National Filaria and Malaria Control Programmes and managed by their own health infrastructure (Personal communication: The Chief Medical Officer, APPM). A survey was therefore initiated to note the magnitude of LF between May and July 2009 in APPM Colony situated in Rajahmundry on eastern bank of the River Godavari.

The paper report the oral traditional knowledge of wild medicinal plants usage by the indigenous ethnic tribal community from the Peren district of Nagaland, India in the Indo-Burma Hotspot. The pioneer study was based on the semi-structured interview of locals (N = 240) in the 12 villages of the Peren District during 2014 ‐ 2018. In total, 179 ethnomedicinal plants from 140 genera and 72 families were documented and identified. The medicinal plants were used for the treatment of 96 different ailments grouped into 18 categories. The medicinal plants also showed high versatile nature with 85 species reported to treat five / eleven different ailments, respectively. The ethnobotanical information obtained from the field documentation will contribute in the development of potential drugs in the future from the diverse wild medicinal plants of the region and contribute towards the preservation of the oral tradition that is disappearing.

We describe the phytochemical profile, antimicrobial and insecticidal activity of the aerial parts (mature leaves, flowers, pulp, seeds) of Cassia abbreviata Oliv. The extracts were prepared by the maceration technique with methanol, petroleum ether and dichloromethane. The antimicrobial potential of the extracts was evaluated by the microdilution method. The insecticidal activity of the extracts was tested against the first instar larvae of Plutella xylostella Linnaeus. Laboratory trials demonstrated that the dichloromethane seed extracts of the plant exhibited promising antibacterial activity against Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 12,453) at 1.56 mg/ml. The dichloromethane pulp extracts elicited the highest larval mortality (86.67±5.77%) and antifeedant activity (83.30±0.59%) in P. xylostella at 50 mg/ml after 24 h of larval feeding. Pupae and adults emerged from treated larvae showed several morphological abnormalities. The dichloromethane seed and pulp extracts of C. abbreviata were subjected to GC-MS analysis in view of their highest antimicrobial and insecticidal activity. The current investigation reports the presence of Hexadecanoic acid, 2‑hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester (8.90%) and Phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) (6.34%) as the major compounds in the dichloromethane pulp extracts. The predominant compound in the dichloromethane seed extracts is 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-ethylhexyl) ester (70.20%). The strong antimicrobial and insecticidal potential of C. abbreviata seed and pulp extracts may be due to the major phytoconstituents identified through GC-MS studies or through synergistic interactions of the major and minor compounds. The findings suggest that the tested extracts can be considered as potential candidates in the search for alternative sources of antimicrobial agents and biopesticides.

Many behavioral studies and histological analyses of the sense of taste have been conducted in chickens, as it plays an important role in the ingestion of feed. In recent years, various taste receptors have been analyzed, and the functions of fatty acids, umami, and bitter taste receptors in chickens have become clear. In this review, the bitter taste sense in chickens, which is the taste quality by which animals reject poisons, is discussed among a variety of taste qualities. Chickens have taste buds in the palate, the base of the oral cavity, and the root of the tongue. Bitter taste receptors, taste receptor type 2 members 1, 2, and 7 (T2R1, T2R2, and T2R7) are expressed in these tissues. According to functional analyses of bitter taste receptors and behavioral studies, T2R1 and T2R7 are thought to be especially involved in the rejection of bitter compounds in chickens. Furthermore, the antagonists of these two functional bitter taste receptors were also identified, and it is expected that such antagonists will be useful in improving the taste quality of feed materials and poultry drugs that have a bitter taste. Bitter taste receptors are also expressed in extra-oral tissues, and it has been suggested that gastrointestinal bitter taste receptors may be involved in the secretion of gastrointestinal hormones and pathogen defense mechanisms. Thus, bitter taste receptors in chickens are suspected to play major roles in taste sensing and other physiological systems.

Bu çalışmada, soymuk lifleri alınmış kenevir (Cannabis sativa L.) saplarının kağıt hamuru ve kağıt üretiminde kullanımı ve üretilen kağıtların bazı mekanik ve optik özellikleri araştırılmıştır. Soymuk liflerinden arındırılmış kenevir saplarının kimyasal bileşenleri ve lif morfolojik özellikleri belirlenerek kağıt hamuru ve kağıt üretimine uygunluğu tespit edilmiştir. Kenevir saplarının holoselüloz, selüloz ve lignin içerikleri sırasıyla %79.7, %52.0 ve %22.2, lif uzunluğu, lif genişliği ve lümen çapı ise sırasıyla 0.60 mm, 28.8 µm ve 13.4 µm bulunmuştur. Bu veriler doğrultusunda, kenevir saplarından Kraft yöntemi ile pişirme yapılarak kağıt hamuru üretimi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Kenevir saplarından elde edilen kağıt hamurunun verimi, kappa numarası ve viskozite değerleri sırasıyla %48.2, 39 ve 1400 cm3/gr olarak tespit edilmiştir. Bu hamurlardan üretilen kağıtların kopma uzunluğu ve parlaklık değerleri ise sırasıyla 6.87 km ve 33.34 %ISO olarak ölçülmüştür. Sonuç olarak, soymuk liflerinden arındırılmış kenevir saplarından yüksek verimde ve mukavemette kağıt hamuru üretimi gerçekleştirilebilmektedir. Aynı zamanda, kağıt hamurları düşük kappa numarasına ve yüksek viskozite değerine sahip olduğundan ağartılması kolay olmaktadır., In this study, the use of bast fibers removed hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) stalks in pulp and paper production and some physical and optical properties of the produced papers were investigated. The chemical components and fiber morphological properties of hemp stalks free of bast fibers were determined and their suitability for pulp and paper production was examined. The holocellulose, cellulose and lignin contents of the hemp stalks were 79.7%, 52.0% and 22.2%, respectively, while fiber length, fiber width and lumen diameter were 0.60 mm, 28.8 µm and 13.4 µm, respectively. In line with these data, pulp production was carried out by cooking the hemp stalks with the Kraft cooking method. The yield, kappa number and viscosity values of pulp obtained from hemp stalks were determined as 48.2%, 39 and 1400 cm3/g, respectively. The breaking length and brightness values of the papers produced from these pulps were measured as 6.87 km and 33.34% ISO, respectively. Consequently, high yield and strength pulps can be produced from hemp stalks free of bast fibers, and since it has a low kappa number and high viscosity, it can be easily bleached.

Infectious diseases are one of the main causes of diseases in tropical regions like Indonesia. Infectious diseases usually can be cured by antibiotics, since the use of antibiotics has side effects and long-term resistance and prices that are not affordable, it needs a role of herbs that can weaken the activity of these bacteria. Kersen plants contains various chemical compounds namely flavonoid compounds, saponins, and tannins that have antioxidant potential and antibacterial activity. Belimbing wuluh contains flavonoid compounds. This research was conducted to find out the antibacterial activity of extract combination of kersen leaf (Muntingia calabura L) and belimbing wuluh leaf (Averrhoa bilimbi L) against Staphylococcus aureus. Extract of Kersen leaf and Belimbing wuluh leaf were obtained by maceration method using ethanol 96% for 5 days. The antibacterial activity test was performed by diffusion method using disc paper based on the inhibit zone diameter or clear zone formed around the disc paper. The test was conducted by extract comparison of kersen leaf and belimbing wuluh leaf at 30% concentration namely 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3 and 3:1 against Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the extract comparison of kersen leaf and belimbing wuluh leaf 1:1 had a weak inhibitory power because of its inhibitory value ≤ 5 mm, that was 4.67 mm. While the ratio of 1:2, 2:1, 1:3 and 3:1 had a moderate inhibition resistance value ranges from 5-10 mm; 6.33 mm, 7.16 mm, 7.67 mm, and 7.83 mm. Extract rendemen of kersen leaf was 11.94% and belimbing wuluh leaf was 6.28%.

Since the outbreak in December 2019, in Wuhan (China) of COVID-19, approved drugs are still lacking and the world is seeking effective treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the medicinal plants with potential to be used as complementary therapies against COVID-19. Bibliographic information was searched in several databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PROTA, ResearchGate and GLOBEinMED), to retrieve relevant papers on (1) plants used to manage common symptoms of COVID-19, (2) plant secondary metabolites with confirmed inhibitory effects on COVID-19 and (3) plants exhibiting pharmacological activities of relevance for COVID-19 management. A total of 230 species was recorded as potential source of ingredients for the fight against the 2019 novel corona virus. Of these species, 30 contain confirmed antiCOVID-19 secondary metabolites, 90 are used traditionally to manage at least 3 common symptoms of COVID-19, 10 have immunostimulant activity, 52 have anti-inflamatory activity, 14 have antiviral properties and 78 species are documented as used to treat malaria. A PCA analysis showing cluster formatting among the recorded species indicates 4 groups of species and an array of possibility of using individual species or a combination of species for their complementary effects. The authors argue that Cameroonian medicinal plants can be of potential contribution to the fight against COVID-19. Further applied research is needed to provide more scientific evidence for their efficacy, to establish standard formulations and clinical studies as part of efforts to develop therapies for COVID-19.

Species of Betonica L. genus are widespread in Ukraine and contain different groups of biologically active substances: hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, tannins, iridoids, terpenoids, steroids, essential oil, organic acids, vitamin K, nitrogen-containing compounds, phenylethanoid glycosides. Species of Betonica L. genus show a wide range of pharmacological activity (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, choleretic, diuretic, sedative, antitumor, antihypertensive, etc.) and phenolic compounds are one of the most important and promising groups of biologically active substances of these plants. The aim.The aim of the work was to conduct a comparative study of the phenolic compounds of the herb of Betonica L. genus species of flora of Ukraine. Materials and methods.The object of the study was the herb of Betonica peraucta and Betonica brachydonta harvested in the phase of mass flowering of the plant in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The study of phenolic compounds was carried out by paper chromatography, HPLC and spectrophotometry. Results.7 components of tannins, 4 flavonoids, 5 hydroxycinnamic acids, 2 coumarins were identified and quantified by HPLC in the studied raw material. The quantitative content of the main groups of phenolic compounds in the herb of Betonica peraucta and Betonica brachydonta was determined by the method of absorption spectrophotometry: polyphenols – 5.96 % and 4.82 %, tannins – 1.62 % and 0.68 %, flavonoids – 2.07 % and 1.13 %, hydroxycinnamic acids – 7.01 % and 3.58 %, respectively. Conclusions.As a result of the conducted studies it was found that the content of phenolic compounds in the herb of Betonica peraucta is significantly higher than in the herb of Betonica brachydonta. Therefore, this species is promising for further research and creation of new drugs

Vine tea has been used as an herbal tea by several ethnic minorities for hundreds of years in China. Flavonoids, a kind of indispensable component in a variety of nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, are identified to be the major metabolites and bioactive ingredients in vine tea. Interestingly, vine tea exhibits a wide range of significant bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antidiabetic, neuroprotective and other activities, but no toxicity. These bioactivities, to some extent, enrich the understanding about the role of vine tea in disease prevention and therapy. The health benefits of vine tea, particularly dihydromyricetin and myricetin, are widely investigated. However, there is currently no comprehensive review available on vine tea. Therefore, this report summarizes the most recent studies investigating bioactive constituents, pharmacological effects and possible mechanisms of vine tea, which will provide a better understanding about the health benefits and preclinical assessment of novel application of vine tea., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Vine tea has been consumed as a folk herbal tea for hundreds of years. • Flavonoids were the major bioactive ingredients in vine tea. • Dihydromyricetin and myricetin are major bioactives in vine tea. • Vine tea exhibits a wide range of significant bioactivities. • Vine tea may be a potential, functional herbal tea.

Efficient wound treatment that addresses associated infections and inflammation remains one of the big unmet needs, especially in low- and middle-income countries. One strategy for securing better healthcare can be using medicinal plants if sufficient evidence on their safety and therapeutic benefits can be ascertained. A unique novel opportunity could be photo-enhanced wound treatment with a combination of light-sensitive plant preparations and local exposure to daylight. Data mining strategies using existing resources offer an excellent basis for developing such an approach with many potential plant candidates. In the present analysis, we researched the 535 botanical drugs included in the Chinese pharmacopeia and identified 183 medicinal plant species, 82 for treating open wounds caused by trauma and 101 for inflammatory skin conditions. After further screening for reports on the presence of known photoactive compounds, we determined a core group of 10 scientifically lesser-known botanical species that may potentially be developed into more widely used topical preparations for photodynamic treatment of infected wounds. Our predictive approach may contribute to developing a more evidence-based use of herbal medicines.

Sensitivity study of Cnestis ferruginea pulp extract with respect to the reference commercial antibiotics was tested against four bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three fungi (Trichoderum rubrum, Aspergillus niger, and Candida albicans) strains isolated in man with a view to elucidating the inhibitory potency of the plant pulp’ extract using an agar well diffusion assay. The investigation discovered that the extract had 71% inhibitory activities against the microbial isolates tested either in sterilized or non-sterilized form and in the two different concentrations examined, which compared favourably with reference antibiotics used. The optimal performance of the pulp extract against the test organisms could be due to the presence of the metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, and polyphenols found in ample form in the extract. This study has revealed the possible utilization of Cnestis ferrugineain the treatment of wound, urinary infections and in the management of oral-related infections.

Methanol extract obtained from the fruits of Hyphaene thebaica (doum fruit) was chemically analyzed using GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Up to thirty compounds were identified in the extract. Acetic acid decyl ester (36.80%), n-Hexadecenoic acid (5.14%),1H-Purine-2,6-dione, 3,7-dihydro-1-methyl (4.24%), 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetyl)-dimethylhydrazone (4.67%), Propanoic acid 3,3′-dithiobis (3.52%) and [1,2,4] Triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-ol were major components. The antibacterial potential of the extract against six clinical bacterial isolates resistant to antibiotics was also investigated, using various in vitro assays including well diffusion, minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentration. It was found that, the methanol extract of doum fruit was characterized by antibacterial action toward one Gram-positive ß-lactamase bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), and one Gram-negative Multidrug-resistant bacteria (Proteus mirabilis). The other four bacterial strains showed no susceptibility towards the extract. The study suggests future additional biochemical and microbiological investigations in order to understand the mechanism of action of the bioactive molecules as antimicrobial agents.

Genomic data have demonstrated considerable traction in accelerating contemporary studies in traditional medicine. However, the lack of a uniform format and dispersed storage limits the full potential of herb genomic data. In this study, we developed a Global Pharmacopoeia Genome Database (GPGD). The database contains 34,346 records for 903 herb species from eight global pharmacopoeias (Brazilian, Egyptian, European, Indian, Japanese, Korean, the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, and U.S. Pharmacopoeia’s Herbal Medicines Compendium). In particular, the GPGD contains 21,872 DNA barcodes from 867 species, 2,203 organelle genomes from 674 species, 55 whole genomes from 49 species, 534 genomic sequencing datasets from 366 species, and 9,682 transcriptome datasets from 350 species. Among the organelle genomes, 534 genomes from 366 species were newly generated in this study. Whole genomes, organelle genomes, genomic fragments, transcriptomes, and DNA barcodes were uniformly formatted and arranged by species. The GPGD is publicly accessible at http://www.gpgenome.com and serves as an essential resource for species identification, decomposition of biosynthetic pathways, and molecular-assisted breeding analysis. Thus, the database is an invaluable resource for future studies on herbal medicine safety, drug discovery, and the protection and rational use of herbal resources. Supporting Information The supporting information is available online at 10.1007/s11427-021-1968-7. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

Zingiber cassumunar is an important plant used in traditional medicine and as a natural mosquito repellent. However, the compounds responsible for the repellent activity of the plant are still unknown. The aim of the study is to identify the components of Z. cassumunar essential oil that show repellent activity against Aedes albopictus. We also evaluated the larvicidal and adulticidal activities of Z. cassumunar essential oil against Ae. albopictus. In-cage mosquito repellent experiments showed that Z. cassumunar essential oil possessed moderate repellent activity with a minimum effective dose (MED) of 0.16 ± 0.01 mg/cm2, compared to reference standard N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET, 0.03 ± 0.01 mg/cm2). Bioassay-guided fractionation identified the major active compound of Z. cassumunar essential oil as (−)-terpinen-4-ol (1) (MED: 0.19 ± 0 mg/cm2). We also found that Z. cassumunar essential oil showed moderate larvicidal activity against first instar larvae of Ae. albopictus with a LC50 (50% lethal concentration) of 44.9 μg/L after 24 h. Fumigation bioassays showed that Z. cassumunar essential oil exhibits moderate adulticidal activity against Ae. albopictus with a LC50 of 5.44%, while (−)-terpinen-4-ol showed significant adulticidal activity with a LC50 of 2.10% after 24 h. This study verifies that the Z. cassumunar essential oil has mosquito repellent activity, and that (−)-terpinen-4-ol is mainly responsible for this activity. Furthermore, this study provides scientific support for the folk usage of Z. cassumunar essential oil as mosquito repellent and indicates that Z. cassumunar essential oil and (−)-terpinen-4-ol can be used as plant-derived repellents and insecticides for mosquito control.

Amomi Fructus is the dried ripe fruit of Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum). It is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, while the efficacy or mechanism of main components in Amomi Fructus on cancer treatment remains unknown. In this study, volatile oil of A. villosum (VOAV), total flavonoids of A. villosum (FNAV) and the other residue of A. villosum (RFAV) were distilled, extracted and separated as different active fractions of A. villosum. The cell toxicity test results indicated that VOAV and FNAV can effectively inhibit the cell growth of MFC cells. Flow cytometry test results confirmed that MFC cells were caused apoptosis after being treated with VOAV, FNAV or RFAV. VOAV, FNAV or RFAV induced MFC cells apoptosis through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mitochondrial pathway, evident by the increase of endogenous ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential collapse. In addition, FNAV exhibited robust inhibitory effects on MFC tumor growth, and could improve the health status of mice compared to that of mice in 5-FU treated group. To sum up, all the above results suggest that FNAV may be a good candidate for the development of new drugs for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Medicinal plants usage in traditional medicine has risen over the years. Musa paradisiaca has been reported that it possesses various therapeutic efficacies. This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of parts of the ethanol fruit extracts of Musa paradisiaca on haematological indices and serum liver enzymes. Thirty Wistar rats were grouped into five groups of six animals each which were administered 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of Musa paradisiac fruit (MPF) pulp extract or peel extract. Haematological indices and liver enzymes were assayed for at the end of the 14-days experimental period. MPF pulp and MPF peel at 400 mg/kg showed a significant (P0.05) increase in haemoglobin concentration in the treated rats as compared to the control. There was also a non-significant (P>0.05) change in AST, ALT, and ALP level of the treated rats as compared to the control. Fruit pulp and peel of Musa paradisiaca improve erythrocytes count and haematocrit level, and they may not be associated with liver toxicity.

This paper explores the joint roles of law and biomedicine in constituting the boundary between legitimate and illegitimate (and genuine and ‘pseudo’) traditional healing. It argues that, as law and biomedicine have grown to share common understandings of the nature of knowledge,\ud they have come to act as converging colonizing forces that displace and alter ‘other’ forms of knowing and ordering. Even as regulatory\ud systems set out to recognize some forms of traditional medicine, they continue to operate on assumptions that disqualify knowledge, products,\ud and actors, that do not resemble their biomedical counterparts. This leaves traditional healing systems potentially having to either operate\ud outside the law or adapt to it by transforming themselves, potentially beyond the point of recognition, to fit better into the systems provided by law and biomedicine. The paper explores the series of dilemma this creates for those seeking to ‘regulate better’ traditional medicine.

Endopleura uchi is a native species from the Brazilian Amazon, with fruits consumed by the local population in natura or as pulp. The bark of the stem is used for tea production as medicine. Howeve...

Aim: To evaluate the antimicrobial potential of the methanolic extract of the fruit pulp of Hyphaene thebaica (Doum), a famous natural product in Sudan. Methods: Agar-well diffusion test and minimum inhibition diffusion test (MIC). Results: The investigation revealed that the extract showed no antifungal effect against Aspergillus niger ATCC 6275 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. While it exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC BAA 1026 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145. Whereas, weak antibacterial activity was recorded with Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876 and Escherichia coli ATCC 1637. Conclusion: The fruit pulp of Hyphaene thebaica (Doum) has good antibacterial activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Accordingly, the consumption of this fruit would exert several beneficial effects by virtue of its antibacterial activity, and further studies using different bacterial strains and clinical pathogens are recommended.

Medicinal plant-derived bioactive compounds have recently gained more interest in biological research as an important source of novel drug candidates. Phyllanthus acidus (L.) is a widely distributed herbal medicinal plant naturally used in Ayurvedic medicine in Bangladesh. The present study focused on exploring the biological potential as well as the inhibitory effect of EAC cell growth with a comparative analysis between Phyllanthus acidus fruit pulp and seed. Crude methanol extract of P. acidus (MEPA) fruit pulp and seed was assessed as DPPH and NO free radical scavengers. While Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay, the standard protocol of phytochemical screening and hemagglutination assay were performed successively to determine the toxic effect on normal cells, the identification of some crucial phytochemicals, and the existence of lectin protein. EAC (Ehrlich’s Ascites Carcinoma) cell growth inhibition was determined by hemocytometer and morphological changes of EAC cells were observed by a fluorescence microscope using Swiss albino mice. The IC50 value of MEPA fruit pulp and seed was obtained as 57.159 µg/ml and 288.743 µg/ml respectively where minimal toxic effects on Brine Shrimp nauplii demonstrates that it is a good source of natural antioxidant compounds. Again, MEPA fruit pulp and seed-mediated effective agglutination of mouse blood erythrocyte strongly support the presence of lectin protein. Furthermore, MEPA fruit pulp and seed extract-treated EAC cells showed 65.71% and 28.57% growth inhibition respectively. The fluorescent microscopic examination of EAC cells treated with MEPA fruit pulp has shown more remarkable structural changes in the nucleus than that of seed. Based on the above findings, the present study reveals that MEPA fruit pulp can be considered as a novel biological candidate for the treatment of fatal diseases shortly.

Diversos vegetais têm sido estudados como fonte de antioxidantes naturais em substituição aos sintéticos. Embora muito conhecida e com muitas propriedades benéficas para a saúde, tais como antiteratogênica, antiproliferativa e ação anti-inflamatória, a romã ainda é pouco consumida no Brasil. Estudos têm relacionado a romã (Punica granatum, L) como fonte de substâncias que apresentam propriedades antioxidantes. As substâncias antioxidantes atuam retardando o envelhecimento e previnindo doenças crônicas. Também impedem os efeitos danosos dos radicais livres e a oxidação das moléculas que constituem as membranas das células. Os antioxidantes sintéticos são potencialmente carcinogênicos quando consumidos em doses elevadas e por tempo prolongado. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade antioxidante, em extratos etanólico e metanólico de polpa de romã Punica granatum, L, pelo método DPPH, utilizando o BHT como padrão de antioxidante sintético e, adicionalmente as características físico-químicas da polpa. Os resultados indicaram que o extrato metanólico nas concentrações de 1mg/mL e 0,1mg/mL, obtiveram um porcentual de inibição de 49,02% e 21,57 % respectivamente, o que indica um resultado muito favorável por se tratar de um extrato e não de substância isolada. Ambos os extratos apresentaram porcentagem de inibição menor que o antioxidante sinético BHT. Dos parâmetros físico-químicos encontrados para Polpa de Romã neste estudo, apenas o valor de pH, se encontra abaixo do padrão mínimo, descrito no Decreto nº 50.040/1961 os demais parâmetros estão de acordo.

Background: Promethazine is a medicinal product, available on its own or in combination with other ingredients including dextromethorphan, paracetamol and/or expectorants. Anecdotal reports have however indicated that promethazine may have a misuse potential, especially in adolescents. Objective: We here aimed at studying how this phenomenon has been reported to the European Monitoring Agency Adverse Drug Reactions database. Methods: After a formal request to the European Monitoring Agency, the promethazine-specific dataset has been studied, performing a descriptive analysis of misuse/abuse/dependence-related adverse drug reaction reports. The study was approved by the University of Hertfordshire (LMS/PGR/UH/03234). Results: The analysis of promethazine data showed increasing levels of misuse/abuse/ dependence issues over time (2003–2019). Out of a total number of 1543 cases of adverse drug reactions, the abuse/misuse/dependence-related cases reported were 557, with ‘drug abuse’ (300/557: 53.8%) and ‘intentional product misuse’ (117/557: 21.0%). being the most represented adverse drug reactions. A high number of fatalities were described (310/557: 55.6%), mostly recorded as ‘drug toxicity/drug abuse’ cases, with opiates/opioids having been the most commonly reported concomitant drugs used. Conclusion: Anecdotal promethazine misuse/abuse reports have been confirmed by European Monitoring Agency data. Promethazine misuse/abuse appears to be an alarming issue, being associated with drug-related fatalities. Thus, healthcare professionals should be warned about a possible misuse of promethazine and be vigilant, as in some countries medicinal products containing promethazine can be purchased over the counter. Since promethazine is often available in association with opioids, its abuse may be considered a public health issue, with huge implications for clinical practice.