Abstract
The notion that medicines derived from plants depend for their action on active principles present has to be modified in view of the findings that there are, in many cases, adjuvant substances in the plant which enhance the activity of the components actually responsible for the effect. This synergy may involve protection of an active substance from degradation by enzymes, it may facilitate transport across barriers such as cell and organelle walls, it may overcome multi-drug resistance mechanisms or provide other signals to the hosts cells that result in higher efficacy of the crude drug when compared with isolated components. The many plant substances that stimulate the immune system, often at very low doses, have not been reviewed as this is not strictly speaking synergy. Some of the evidence for the phenomena described is reviewed and its bearing on phytotherapy commented.
Keywords: Plant Medicines, multi-drug resistance, phytotherapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Synergy in Plant Medicines
Volume: 10 Issue: 1
Author(s): Benjamin Gilbert and Lucio Ferreira Alves
Affiliation:
Keywords: Plant Medicines, multi-drug resistance, phytotherapy
Abstract: The notion that medicines derived from plants depend for their action on active principles present has to be modified in view of the findings that there are, in many cases, adjuvant substances in the plant which enhance the activity of the components actually responsible for the effect. This synergy may involve protection of an active substance from degradation by enzymes, it may facilitate transport across barriers such as cell and organelle walls, it may overcome multi-drug resistance mechanisms or provide other signals to the hosts cells that result in higher efficacy of the crude drug when compared with isolated components. The many plant substances that stimulate the immune system, often at very low doses, have not been reviewed as this is not strictly speaking synergy. Some of the evidence for the phenomena described is reviewed and its bearing on phytotherapy commented.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Gilbert Benjamin and Alves Ferreira Lucio, Synergy in Plant Medicines, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2003; 10 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867033368583
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867033368583 |
Print ISSN 0929-8673 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-533X |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Medicinal Chemistry: From Cancer to Chronic Diseases.
The broad spectrum of the issue will provide a comprehensive overview of emerging trends, novel therapeutic interventions, and translational insights that impact modern medicine. The primary focus will be diseases of global concern, including cancer, chronic pain, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions, providing a broad overview of the advancements in ...read more
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Non-Infectious Inflammatory Diseases: Focus on Clinical Implications
The Special Issue covers the results of the studies on cellular and molecular mechanisms of non-infectious inflammatory diseases, in particular, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and other age-related disorders such as type II diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Review and research articles as well as methodology papers that summarize ...read more
Chalcogen-modified nucleic acid analogues
Chalcogen-modified nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides have been of great interest to scientific research for many years. The replacement of oxygen in the nucleobase, sugar or phosphate backbone by chalcogen atoms (sulfur, selenium, tellurium) gives these biomolecules unique properties resulting from their altered physical and chemical properties. The continuing interest in ...read more
Current advances in inherited cardiomyopathy
Describe in detail all novel advances in multimodality imaging related to inherited cardiomyopathy diagnosis and prognosis. Shed light to deeper phenotypic characterization. Acknowledge recent advances in genetics, genomics and precision medicineread more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Molecular Prevalence and Risk Factors of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Hemodialysis Patients
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Colchicine: An Ancient Drug with Multiple Benefits
Current Pharmaceutical Design Recent Progress and Challenges in Nanotechnology for Biomedical Applications: An Insight into the Analysis of Neurotransmitters
Recent Patents on Nanotechnology Mitochondria Associated Membranes (MAMs): Emerging Drug Targets for Diabetes
Current Medicinal Chemistry Physico-Chemical, Textural and Sensory Analysis of Aloe vera Fortified Probiotic Yoghurt
Current Nutrition & Food Science HIV and Accelerated Atheroprogression: Role of Antiretroviral Therapy
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Computational Models and Methods for Drug Target Prediction and Drug Repositioning
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening microRNAs as Anti-Cancer Therapy
Current Pharmaceutical Design Thyroid Hormone Treatment for Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: What Drug, How Long, What Dose?
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Targeting Phosphatidylserine in Anti-Cancer Therapy
Current Pharmaceutical Design Inflammation, Sleep, Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease.
Current Vascular Pharmacology Neurodevelopmental Delay and Intellectual Disability in Pediatric Heart Transplant
Current Psychiatry Reviews Novel Target Sites for Drug Screening: A Special Reference to Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Parkinson’s Disease
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Adenosine Deaminase in the Modulation of Immune System and its Potential as a Novel Target for Treatment of Inflammatory Disorders
Current Drug Targets Method Validation and Simultaneous Determination of Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, β-Carotene, α-Tocopherol and Vitamin C in Rat Serum Treated with 7,12 Dimethylbenz[a]Anthracene and Plantago major L. by High- Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Diode-Array Detection
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Pathological Roles of Iron in Cardiovascular Disease
Current Drug Targets Probiotics/Prebiotics in Viral Respiratory Infections: Implication for Emerging Pathogens
Recent Patents on Biotechnology Understanding the Potential Role and Delivery Approaches of Nitric Oxide in Chronic Wound Healing Management
Current Pharmaceutical Design Glia as a Turning Point in the Therapeutic Strategy of Parkinsons Disease
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Invasive Aspergillosis: New Insights into Disease, Diagnostic and Treatment
Current Pharmaceutical Design