Folklore Medicine

Chlorinated taxodione 8 was also found along with taxodione 1 from the stem of Rosemarinus officinalis, although its biological activity is yet to be studied (Scheme 8.2).21 Maytenoquinone 9, a structural isomer of taxodione 1, has been isolated from the roots of several medicinal plants such as Maytenus dispermus,22 Salvia melissodora,23 and Harpagophytum procumbems (devil s claw)24 used in folklore medicine. 

A recent publication by James A. Duke lists the phytochemical constituents of generally-regarded-as-safe (GRAS) herbs (Duke, 2000a). It is also available as a searchable database on disk (WordPerfect 5.1 macros). There is also a volume dealing with 365 herbs having medicinal or folklore medicinal properties (Duke, 2000b). 

Sharma, M. P., J. Ahmad, A. Hussain, and S. Khan. Folklore medicinal plants... 

Tiwar, K. C., R. Majumder, and S. Bhattacharjee. Folklore medicines from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (district Tirap). Int J Crude Drug Res 1979 17(2) 61-67. 

Folkloric medicine has led many scientists to discover important plant-derived medicines. It has been known for some time that the seeds of several Annonaceous species have an emetic property (Morton, 1987). Eli Lilly, Inc. in 1898 sold a fluid extract made from paw paw seeds A. triloba) for inducing emesis (Anonymous, 1898). Folkloric uses of Annonaceous species also suggest pesticidal properties. The Thai people use extracts of Annona squamosa, A. muricata,A. cherimolia, and A. reticulata for the treatment of head lice (Chumsri, 1995). For this, 10 to 15 fresh leaves of A. squamosa L. are finely crushed and mixed with coconut oil, and the mixture is applied uniformly onto the head and washed off after 30 min. 

Garlic (.Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa) are among the oldest of all cultivated plants and originated in central Asia. Garlic has been used as a spice, food, and folklore medicine for over 4000 years and is the most widely researched medicinal plant (see Ali et al., 2000). 

In Ayurveda and folklore medicines, cinnamon is used in the treatment of diabetes. Cinnamon is reported to reduce the blood glucose level in non-insulin-dependent diabetics. Therapeutic studies have proved the potential of cinnamaldehyde as an antidiabetic agent. Cinnamaldehyde inhibits aldose reductase, a key enzyme involved in the polyol pathway. This enzyme catalyses the conversion of glucose to sorbitol in insulin-insensitive tissues in diabetic patients. This leads to accumulation of sorbitol in chronic complications of diabetes, such as cataract, neuropathy and retinopathy. Aldose-reductase inhibitors prevent conversion of glucose to sorbitol, thereby preventing several diabetic complications (Lee, 2002). 

Anthocyanins have been used as part of therapeutic herbal folklore medicines with the phy to chemicals, because actually, bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) in Europe has been used to improve menstruation. During World War II, bilberry was also used to enhance the night vision of UK pilots. 

The first chapter, Functionality of Anthocyanins as Alternative Medicine by Noboru Motohashi and Hiroshi Sakagami, presents their antioxidant mechanism for anthocyanidins, which are present in common foods. It is possible that anthocyanins may have been used both preventatively and clinically as part of many folklore medicines worldwide and may have provided healthcare benefits since the appearance of mankind some 7.5 million years ago. The review will inform the reader as to their functionality and mechanism. 

Active Compounds Isolated from Well-Known Folkloric Medicine... 

Anthocyanins are a proanthocyanidin-type of flavonoid distributed in various fruits. These anthocyanins are the most important visible plant pigments in the natural kingdom. Anthocyanins have been clinically used in many folklore medicines worldwide for the treatment of age-related diseases and other disease. This review presents the functionality of anthocyanins in relation to their chemistry, synthetic pathway, antioxidant activity, antitumor activity (including apoptosis-inducing activity), pharmacodynamics (absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion) and toxicity, and discusses their possible use as food and dietary supplements and usage in potential nutraceuticals. 

The methanol radix extract of Sophora flavescens of a Chinese folklore medicine had potent Na+-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitory activity. The flavonoids with active SGLT inhibitory activity were kurari-none (13), sophoraflavanone G (10), kushenol K (111), and kushenol N (21) (Fig. 34) [36],... 

Actually, flavonoids and anthocyanins in plants could play a very important role in our daily health. Our ancestors used them as par t of daily life for dyestuffs and folklore medicines. Evidentially, the benefits of colorful flavonoids and anthocyanins have been confirmed by the results of many researchers. 

Appear to avoid approaches advocated by hundreds of years of folklore medicine, so as not to undeservedly undermine confidence in either the product or its prescriber ... 

In the Canary Islands, various species of Hypericum genus have been used in folkloric medicine as a vermifuge, diuretic, and wound healer, as well as a sedative, antihysteric, and antidepressant agent [117]. 

Somehow, the status of alternative cancer therapies is akin to the role played by Australian nurse Sister Elizabeth Kenny in the treatment of polio. Her ways of assisting polio patients were more or less all that was available at the time, although often vilified, until the Salk and Sabin vaccines appeared on the scene. (With the qualifier that most new polio cases are now said to be caused by the vaccine itself.) Thus, we await the magic bullet for cancer, which may be unsuspected, but whose discovery may be fortuitous, as with penicillin and other antibiotics. No one would have anticipated that there could be such destroyers of infection as penicillin, though their existence and use were apparently known in native folklore medicine. Such may be the course for a cancer cure, that is, some native plant remedy may already be in existence, only awaiting discovery by modem medicine. Combining serendipity and purpose, someone might come up with an effective, universal vaccine. 

Table 1. Traditional/folklore medicinal uses of Aristolochia species...

In addition, the above data support the consideration that folklore is still a useful tool in predicting sources with various biological activities e.g. antitumor, antiviral activity, etc. Furthermore, future screening of plant extracts from folklore medicine might be more profitable, in terms of curing human infectious diseases. 

Since the use of Podophyllum in ancient China, many vegetal derivatives from this plant are being used in cancer chemotherapy. Two glycosides were extracted from Podophyllum to prepare semisynthetic derivatives of podophyl-lotoxin, etoposide and teniposide. In folklore medicine, extracts of the leaves of the subtropical plant Catharanthus... 

Farouk, A., et al. "Antiomicrobial Activity of Certain Sudanese Plants Used in Folkloric Medicine. Screening for Antibacterial Activity (1)." Fitoterapia 54(1) 37, 1983. Abstract. 

Since ancient times, saffron Crocus sativus L., Mdaceae) has been widely used as a spice for flavoring and coloring food preparations and also as a perfume or a dye. In addition, saffron has been used in folklore medicine. Egyptians used this medicinal plant for the treatment of diseases as recorded in the George Ebers papyrus (1500 B.C.). 

Research interests include folklore medicine evaluation, isolation and structure elucidation of biologically active natural products drug development medicinal plants. 

Cryptolepine is an indoloquinolone alkaloid isolated from Cryptolepis sangui-nolenta (Asclepiadaceae) which is widely used traditionally in folklore medicine in many parts of the world for the management, and/or treatment of a plethora of human ailments, including diabetes mellitus. This compound... 

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