Traditional Medicine in Asia

Traditional Medicine in Asia
molecular pharmacology, investigators in
this field have looked afresh at some of the
plants utilizing receptor-binding or/and
enzyme-inhibition techniques. These have
provided encouraging clues and would
need further probing.
Plants described in traditional medicines as
possessing antistress activity are:
� Allium sativum;
� Acorus calamus;
� Celastrus paniculatus;
� Centella asiatica;
� Convolvulus microphyllus;
� Nardostachys jatamansi;
� Ocimum gratissimum or sanctum;
� Pluchea lanceolata;
� Terminalia chebula;
� Withania somnifera;
� Emblica officinalis.
Dahanukar, et al (1997), in a series of
experiments, have reported the beneficial
effects of aqueous extracts of several of the
above-mentioned plants in experimental
animals in doses comparable to those used
in humans. 33 All of these were found to
produce immuno-stimulation. Emblica
officinalis seems to strengthen defence
mechanisms against free radical damage
induced by stress. Sambulingum, et al
(1997), have shown the antistress effects
of Ocimum sanctum especially in noise
pollution-induced stress. 34
Such leads provided by traditional
medicines call for further studies in this
important area, particularly with a view to
elucidating the mechanism of action of the
drugs vis-à-vis the pathogenesis of stress.
Anticancer Activity
Several plants and plant extracts have been
studied as anticancer agents, chemopreventive,
radio sensitizers, or immunity
enhancers. Test systems are cancer cell
258
lines or in Vivo tumors. Alkaloids from Vinca
rosea have already been used in the
treatment of human cancers for over a
decade. The following herbal products
have shown some anticancer activity:
� Centella asiatica;
� Salacia oblonga;
� Janakia arayalpathra;
� Podophyllum hexandrum.
The plants mentioned above have been
reported to posses either direct anticancer
activity in experimental models or have
radiosensitizing or immunostimulant
effects. These have been reviewed by
Dahanukar, et al (2000). 35
Nutraceutics
There is an emerging trend to use dietary
substances for the prevention or cure of
diseases. People are becoming more and
more health conscious and wish to pick
and choose “diets” which promote health
and avoid “those” which cause harm.
Scientists all over the world are studying
the scientific basis of such a line of thinking
or dietary practices. Some of the “dietetic
substances” studied are the following:
� Edible oils;
� Spinacia oleracea (Spinach);
� Momordica charantia (a vegetable);
� Curcuma longa (condiment);
� Trigonella foenum graecum (seeds);
� Murraya koenigii (curry leaf);
� Brassica juncea (mustard seeds/
leaves);
� Mentha spicata (mint leaf);
� Allium cepa (Onions);
� Allium sativum (Garlic);
� Myristica fragrans (Nutmeg);
� Piper nigrum (Black pepper).
In traditional medicine, diet plays a
major role in health and disease. In
Ayurveda, dietetic articles are described as