UNASSIGNED: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has gained popularity as a therapeutic approach outside conventional medicine for various medical conditions. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, patterns, and disclosure of CAM use among patients with thyroid diseases in Iran.
UNASSIGNED: This descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study involved patients with thyroid diseases who were visiting Internal Medicine Clinics in Shiraz. The use of CAM was assessed by employing the Persian edition of the I-CAM-Q (I-CAM-IR) questionnaire.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 343 individuals took part in the study, and 85.4 % of them reported using CAM within the previous 12 months. Medicinal herbs were the most commonly used CAM modality (63 %). CAM use was primarily for enhancing overall well-being. Among self-care CAM practices, praying was the most frequently employed (70 %). Women exhibited a significantly higher CAM utilization rate (four times greater) compared to men (p < 0.001), with herbs being more commonly used by women (p < 0.001). A significant proportion of participants did not inform their physicians about their CAM use, and 46 % experienced significant benefits from using CAM.
UNASSIGNED: This study highlights a high prevalence of CAM use, particularly herbal remedies, among Iranian patients with thyroid diseases.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar (BS) levels due to impaired insulin production or insulin resistance. It is a global health concern with significant implications for morbidity and mortality. Persian medicine has long utilised natural remedies, such as Pistacia atlantica Desf., for various diseases. In this randomised clinical trial, the effects of P. atlantica oleoresin in the improvement of lipid profiles, glucose indices and blood pressure (BP) were assessed in patients with Type 2 DM.
METHODS: In this randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled study, 42 patients with Type 2 DM were randomly allocated to receive either P. atlantica oleoresin or placebo capsule for 3 months. Patients were evaluated prior to and 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention, in terms of changes in lipid profiles, glucose indices and BP.
RESULTS: After 3 months, the mean BP in patients with DM receiving P. atlantica oleoresin was significantly reduced compared with the baseline (p = 0.001). Also, these changes were significantly higher than those of the control group. The mean of total cholesterol (p = 0.89), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (p = 0.43) and triglyceride (TG) (p = 0.98) in the intervention group after 3 months was lower than that in the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: After 3 months, there was no significant difference between the P. atlantica and control groups in terms of blood sugar and lipid profiles. The mean BP in patients with DM receiving P. atlantica oleoresin was significantly reduced compared with that in the beginning of the study. Also, these changes were significant compared with the control group.

Several medicinal herbal plants are extensively used as sources of bioactive compounds with beneficial effects on human health. This study assessed the procyanidin and polyphenol profiles together with the antioxidant potential of seven herbal medical matrices. To achieve this aim, procyanidin extraction from grape pomace was optimized and validated by monitoring monomeric-trimeric procyanidins. The proposed quantification method was applied to the seven medical herbs, and it proved to be a very efficient protocol for procyanidin-rich extracts analysis. In addition, the Paullinia cupana Kunth. seed was identified as a very rich source of procyanidins (about 5 mg/g dry matrix of each dimeric and about 3 mg/g dry matrix trimeric) with high antioxidant properties. The polyphenolic profile was assessed by HPLC-HESI-MS/MS analysis. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH assay to explore the antioxidant properties of the extracts, which were substantially higher in Peumus boldus Molina leaves extracts (935.23 ± 169 μmol of Trolox equivalent/g of dry weight) concerning the other matrices. Moreover, a high Pearson coefficient value was observed between the total flavonoid content (TFC) and DPPH in comparison with the total polyphenol content (TPC) and DPPH, indicating flavonoids as the principal bioactive with antioxidant activity in the extracts.

UNASSIGNED: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and its associated factors among diabetic patients in Fasa, a city in southern Iran.
UNASSIGNED: Data were collected from diabetic patients who visited the endocrinology clinics at Fasa University of Medical Sciences. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather information on CAM use, including the types of CAM modalities used, and reasons for use. The patient\'s demographic and clinical characteristics, such as age, gender, duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and quality of life (QoL) were also recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of CAM use, while logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with CAM use.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 376 diabetic patients participated in the study, with more than 89% reporting CAM use within the past year. Herbal preparations were the most commonly used type of CAM, with a prevalence rate of 99.4%. Factors associated with CAM use included patients\' psychological health, attitude towards the safety of CAM, belief in the synergistic effects of combining routine medications with CAM, and previous positive experiences with CAM.
UNASSIGNED: The high prevalence of CAM use highlights the importance of considering it in diabetes management and the need for healthcare professionals\' engagement in open discussions with patients about their CAM practices. Understanding the factors influencing CAM use can inform healthcare providers and policymakers in developing appropriate strategies for integrating CAM approaches into conventional diabetes care.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by spontaneous and recurring seizures. It poses significant therapeutic challenges due to diverse etiology, pathobiology, and pharmacotherapy-resistant variants. The anticonvulsive effects of herbal leads with biocompatibility and toxicity considerations have attracted much interest, inspiring mechanistic analysis with the view of their use for engagement of new targets and combination with antiseizure pharmacotherapies. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the key molecular players and putative action mechanisms of the most common antiepileptic herbals demonstrated in tissue culture and preclinical models. From the review of the literature, it emerges that their effects are mediated via five distinct mechanisms: (1) reduction of membrane excitability through inhibition of cation channels, (2) improvement of mitochondrial functions with antioxidant effects, (3) enhancement in synaptic transmission mediated by GABAA receptors, (4) improvement of immune response with anti-inflammatory action, and (5) suppression of protein synthesis and metabolism. While some of the primary targets and action mechanisms of herbal anticonvulsants (1, 3) are shared with antiseizure pharmacotherapies, herbal leads also engage with distinct mechanisms (2, 4, and 5), suggesting new drug targets and opportunities for their integration with antiseizure medications. Addressing outstanding questions through research and in silico modeling should facilitate the future use of herbals as auxiliary therapy in epilepsy and guide the development of treatment of pharmacoresistant seizures through rigorous trials and regulatory approval.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a family of viruses that cause infection in respiratory and intestinal systems. Different types of CoVs, those responsible for the SARS-CoV and the new global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 in people, have been found. Some plants were used as food additives: spices and dietary and/or medicinal purposes in folk medicine. We aimed to provide evidence about possible effects of two Lamiaceae family plants on control or treatment of CoVs-induced inflammation. The keywords including coronaviruses, Thymus vulgaris, Zataria multiflora, thymol, carvacrol, antivirus, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects were searched in various databases such as PubMed, Web of Sciences (ISI), and Google Scholar until September 2022. The medicinal herbs and their main ingredients, thymol and carvacrol, showed antiviral properties and reduced inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β; IL-6, and TNF-α, at both gene and protein levels but increased the levels of IFN-γ in the serum as anti-inflammatory cytokine. These medicinal herbs and their constituents also reduce oxidative stress and enhance antioxidant capacity. The results of molecular docking analyses also indicated that polyphenol components such as thymol, carvone, and carvacrol could inhibit the entry of the viruses into the host cells in molecular docking analyses. The antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of these plants may be due to actions of their phenolic compounds that modulate immune response and may be useful in the control and treatment of CoV-induced lung disorder.

The diversity in the global food market is expanding as thousands of new products enter the business every year, among which nutraceutical and functional foods hold important positions. The present research work aimed at the nutritional evaluation of three medicinal herbs, i.e., turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and black cumin (Nigella sativa). A bread formulation was enriched with the individual/combined supplementation (1-3%) of these herbs. Later, the bread was analyzed for nutritional, rheological, textural, and sensorial characteristics. The results revealed that the herbs improved the nutritional composition of bread, especially ash and fiber, as the maximum ash and fiber contents were noticed in T15 (2.0% dried powder of each plant) with values of 1.64 ± 0.04% and 4.63 ± 0.16%, respectively. The results regarding the rheological behavior showed minor variations in the rheological traits and a slight increase in dough development time up to 4.50 ± 0.20 min in T10 from 2.80 ± 0.13 min in T0. The sensorial attributes also indicated their marked suitability as external and internal characteristics were least affected by the addition of the herbs. Although some parameters like the crust and crumb colors were affected by the addition of black cumin, showing values of 6.25 ± 0.52 and 4.44 ± 0.19, respectively, in T15, and aroma characteristics were affected by the addition of ginger, supplementation with a combination of herbs at lower doses mitigated the adverse effects of other herbs. Moreover, shelf-life extension, especially with the addition of turmeric powder, was the hallmark of this research. This study concluded that medicinal herbs can be incorporated into baked products to improve the nutritional and sensorial attributes of functional herbal bread.

Coix seed is a dry and mature seed of Coix lacryma-jobi L.var.ma-yuen (Roman.) Stapf in the Gramineae family. Coix seed has a sweet, light taste, and a cool nature. Coix seed enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. It has the effects of promoting diuresis and dampness, strengthening the spleen to prevent diarrhea, removing arthralgia, expelling pus, and detoxifying and dispersing nodules. It is used for the treatment of edema, athlete\'s foot, poor urination, spleen deficiency and diarrhea, dampness and obstruction, lung carbuncle, intestinal carbuncle, verruca, and cancer. The medicinal and health value is high, and it has been included in the list of medicinal and food sources in China, which has a large development and application space. This article reviews the current research achievements in the processing methods and anti-tumor activities of Coix seed and provides examples of its clinical application in ancient and modern times, aiming to provide reference for further research on Coix seed and contribute to its clinical application and development. Through the analysis of the traditional Chinese patent medicines, and simple preparations and related health food of Coix seed queried by Yaozhi.com, the source, function, and dosage form of Coix seed were comprehensively analyzed, with a view of providing a reference for the development of Coix seed medicine and food.

Plant products, especially medicinal herbs and spices, have been used for centuries as a remedy to support human health and improve the flavor of food. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify plant species distinguished by their high content of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity using advanced multivariate statistical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). To realize the purpose of the study, the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoids (FC) content, antioxidant activity (TAC) and Fe(II) ion chelating capacity (FIC) of medicinal herbs and spices from plants belonging to three botanical families, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae and Asteraceae were determined. The interpretation of the obtained data revealed that the studied samples are localized in the PCA and HCA plots according to their TPC, FC, TAC and FIC values. Chemometric analysis confirmed that medicinal herbs and spices from plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family are richer sources of phenolic compounds and exhibit stronger antioxidant activity than those raw materials from plants in the Apiaceae family. In addition, no significant differences were found in terms of TPC, FC, TAC and FIC values between medicinal herbs and spices from the same plant species, i.e., oregano (Origanum vulgare), common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), caraway (Carum carvi) and lovage (Levisticum officinale). A close relationship between antioxidant properties and contents of phenolic compounds was also confirmed.

Background and Objectives: Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) stands as a pervasive neurodegenerative ailment of global concern, necessitating a relentless pursuit of remedies. This study aims to furnish a comprehensive exposition, delving into the intricate mechanistic actions of medicinal herbs and phytochemicals. Furthermore, we assess the potential of these compounds in inhibiting human acetylcholinesterase through molecular docking, presenting encouraging avenues for AD therapeutics. Materials and Methods: Our approach entailed a systematic exploration of phytochemicals like curcumin, gedunin, quercetin, resveratrol, nobiletin, fisetin, and berberine, targeting their capability as human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, leveraging the PubChem database. Diverse bioinformatics techniques were harnessed to scrutinize molecular docking, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity), and adherence to Lipinski\'s rule of five. Results: Results notably underscored the substantial binding affinities of all ligands with specific amino acid residues within AChE. Remarkably, gedunin exhibited a superior binding affinity (-8.7 kcal/mol) compared to the reference standard. Conclusions: These outcomes accentuate the potential of these seven compounds as viable candidates for oral medication in AD treatment. Notably, both resveratrol and berberine demonstrated the capacity to traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB), signaling their aptitude for central nervous system targeting. Consequently, these seven molecules are considered orally druggable, potentially surpassing the efficacy of the conventional drug, donepezil, in managing neurodegenerative disorders.