@article {1057, title = {Ayurveda: The Prominence of Herbal Medicine in Containment of COVID-19}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {14}, year = {2022}, month = {July 2022}, pages = {233-240}, type = {Review Article}, chapter = {233}, abstract = {

The global community is in a vulnerable and intricate state due to the COVID-19 pandemic given the lack of targeted drugs and extreme population making it an arduous journey to the public system of health care towards the extermination of the disease. The essentiality of newer compounds, novel medical instruments, and practices for diagnosis, cure, and prevention of the COVID-19 infection is the greatest concern. Since the persistent waves of COVID-19 are being observed at a variety of location across the globe, and the intensity and mutation of the virus is still possessing an inviolable threat to humanity. Along with conventional medicine, the application of traditional medicine practices using natural and herbal products has been proved effective in several disease conditions. The usage of Traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine is used to treat COVID-19 infected patients in China and India respectively marks the contribution and effectiveness of traditional medical therapy in the restriction of the virus. The prominence of herbal products for prophylactic and symptomatic treatment for COVID-19 is notable and recommended by various organizations and governments in the world. All the pragmatic considerations and evidence to use ayurvedic practices on a large scale require further animal and robust human studies. This article reviews various practices, herbal products, effectiveness, case studies and the contribution of ayurvedic medicine, to be used to treat and restrict the viral epidemic and may further provide a forward insight into future learning, evidence compiling, and research in the respective domain.

}, keywords = {Antiviral, Ayurveda, COVID-19, Immunomodulatory, Inflammation}, doi = {10.5530/pres.14.3.33}, author = {Sarasa Meenakshi and V Udaya Kumar and Reny Sara Raju and Sameer Dhingra and Nitesh Kumar and V Ravichandiran and Krishna Murti} } @article {329, title = {Antiviral Efficacy of Qust (Saussurea lappa) and Afsanteen (Artemisia absinthium) for Chronic Hepatitis B: A Prospective Single-Arm Pilot Clinical Trial}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {10}, year = {2018}, month = {July 2018}, pages = {282-290}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {282}, abstract = {

Background/Aim: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major health concern in terms of high prevalence, as well as restricted and costly health-care resources in India. The objective was to evaluate the antiviral effect of herbal drugs, Saussurea lappa and Artemisia absinthium against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the management of CHB and to collect data to warrant further clinical trials. Materials and Methods: In an open prospective single-arm study, we assigned thirty patients with HBeAg-negative or positive CHB to receive decoction of S. lappa, 15 mL in the morning, and decoction of A. absinthium, 15 mL in the evening once daily empty stomach for 12 weeks. Test drug was evaluated for its efficacy in loss of HBsAg and HBeAg, plasma HBV DNA level of \<200 IU/mL (complete virologic response [cVR]), mean reduction in HBV DNA, and normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels (ALT) at week 12 (after treatment). Results: HBsAg loss was observed in 35.71\% (n = 14) and 25\% (n = 16) of patients in HBeAg-positive (P \< 0.05) and negative group (P = 0.10), respectively, at week 12 (after treatment). HBeAg loss was observed in 71.42\% of patients at week 12 (P \< 0.001). cVR was achieved in 57.14\% (P \< 0.01) and 37.5\% (P \< 0.05) and ALT normalization in 85.71\% and 81.25\% of patients (P \< 0.001) in HBeAg-positive and negative group, respectively, at week 12. Conclusions: Our study has substantiated that S. lappa and A. absinthium have antiviral effect against HBV in CHB besides being quite safe for a treatment duration of 12 weeks.

}, keywords = {Antiviral, Artemisia, Chronic hepatitis B, Hepatitis B virus, Saussurea, Unani medicine}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_157_17}, author = {Shabnam Ansari and Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui and Sharad Malhotra and Mohammad Maaz} } @article {328, title = {Antiviral Efficacy of Qust (Saussurea lappa) and Afsanteen (Artemisia absinthium) for Chronic Hepatitis B: A Prospective Single-Arm Pilot Clinical Trial}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {10}, year = {2018}, month = {July 2018}, pages = {290}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {282}, abstract = {

Background/Aim: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major health concern in terms of high prevalence, as well as restricted and costly health-care resources in India. The objective was to evaluate the antiviral effect of herbal drugs, Saussurea lappa and Artemisia absinthium against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the management of CHB and to collect data to warrant further clinical trials. Materials and Methods: In an open prospective single-arm study, we assigned thirty patients with HBeAg-negative or positive CHB to receive decoction of S. lappa, 15 mL in the morning, and decoction of A. absinthium, 15 mL in the evening once daily empty stomach for 12 weeks. Test drug was evaluated for its efficacy in loss of HBsAg and HBeAg, plasma HBV DNA level of \<200 IU/mL (complete virologic response [cVR]), mean reduction in HBV DNA, and normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels (ALT) at week 12 (after treatment). Results: HBsAg loss was observed in 35.71\% (n = 14) and 25\% (n = 16) of patients in HBeAg-positive (P \< 0.05) and negative group (P = 0.10), respectively, at week 12 (after treatment). HBeAg loss was observed in 71.42\% of patients at week 12 (P \< 0.001). cVR was achieved in 57.14\% (P \< 0.01) and 37.5\% (P \< 0.05) and ALT normalization in 85.71\% and 81.25\% of patients (P \< 0.001) in HBeAg-positive and negative group, respectively, at week 12. Conclusions: Our study has substantiated that S. lappa and A. absinthium have antiviral effect against HBV in CHB besides being quite safe for a treatment duration of 12 weeks.

}, keywords = {Antiviral, Artemisia, Chronic hepatitis B, Hepatitis B virus, Saussurea, Unani medicine}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_157_17}, author = {Shabnam Ansari and Mohammad Akhtar Siddiqui and Sharad Malhotra and Mohammad Maaz} } @article {466, title = {Evaluation of antiviral activity of essential oil of Trachyspermum Ammi against Japanese encephalitis virus}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {7}, year = {2015}, month = {June,2015}, pages = {263-267}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {263}, abstract = {

Background: Japanese encephalitis is a leading form of viral encephalitis, prevalent mostly in South Eastern Asia caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). It is transmitted by the mosquitoes of the Culex sp. The disease affects children and results in 50\% result in permanent neuropsychiatric disorder. There arises a need to develop a safe, affordable, and potent anti-viral agent against JEV. This study aimed to assess the antiviral activity of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi: Umbellifereae) essential oil against JEV. Materials and Methods: Ajwain oil was extracted by distillation method and in vitro cytotoxicity assay was performed in vero cell line by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay method. JEV titer was determined by plaque assay and in vitro antiviral activity of ajwain oil was quantified by the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Results: Cytotoxic concentration of the oil was found to be 1 mg/ml by MTT assay. The titer of the virus pool was found to be 50{\texttimes} 107 PFU/ml. we observed 80\% and 40\% virus inhibition in 0.5mg/ml of ajwain oil by PRNT method in preexposure treatment and postexposure treatment (antiviral activity), respectively. Conclusion: Our data indicate ajwain oil has potential in vitro antiviral activity against JEV. Further, the active biomolecule will be purified and evaluated for anti-JEV activity and also to scale up for in vivo trial to evaluate the efficacy of ajwain oil in future.

}, keywords = {Ajwain oil, Antiviral, cytotoxicity, Japanese encephalitis virus.}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.157977}, author = {Soumen Roy and Pratibha Chaurvedi and Abhay Chowdhary} } @article {582, title = {An Examination of the Medicinal Potential of Scaevola spinescens: Toxicity, Antibacterial, and Antiviral Activities}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {3}, year = {2011}, month = {June,2011}, pages = {85-94}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {85}, abstract = {

Background: Scaevola spinescens is an endemic Australian native plant with a history of use as a medicinal agent by indigenous Australians. Yet the medicinal bioactivities of this plant are poorly studied. Materials and Methods: S. spinescens solvent extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity, antiviral activity and toxicity in vitro. Results: All extracts displayed antibacterial activity in the disc diffusion assay. The methanol extract proved to have the broadest specificity, inhibiting the growth of 7 of the 14 bacteria tested (50\%). The water, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts inhibited the growth of 6 (42.9\%), 5 (35.7\%), 5 (35.7\%), and 4 (28.6\%) of the 14 bacteria tested, respectively. S. spinescens methanolic extracts were equally effective against Gram-positive (50\%) and Gram-negative bacteria (50\%). All other extracts were more effective at inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria. All extracts also displayed antiviral activity in the MS2 plaque reduction assay with the methanol, water, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and hexane extracts inhibiting 95.2 {\textpm} 1.8\%, 72.3 {\textpm} 6.3\%, 82.6 {\textpm} 4.5\%, 100 {\textpm} 0\% and 47.7 {\textpm} 12.9\% of plaque formation, respectively. All S. spinescens extracts were nontoxic in the Artemia fransiscana bioassay with no significant increase in mortality induced by any extract at 24 and 48 hr. The only increase in mortality was seen for the water extract at 72 hr, although even this extract displayed low toxicity, inducing only 41.7 {\textpm} 23.3\% mortality. Conclusions: The lack of toxicity of the S. spinescens extracts and their inhibitory bioactivity against bacteria and viruses validate the Australian Aboriginal usage of S. spinescens and indicates its medicinal potential.

}, keywords = {Antiviral, Australian medicinal plants, Maroon bush, Medicinal plants, MS2 bacteriophage, Scaevola spinescens}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.81955}, author = {Ian E. Cock and Liisa Kukkonen} }