Biomedical subjects

Michael Heinrich

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Heinrich.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Ta chòrta: wild edible greens used in the Graecanic area in Calabria, Southern Italy.

Dietary patterns change rapidly all over the world. The body of available local food knowledge, which forms the basis of many local traditions, is decreasing dramatically. At the same time, consumers demand novel types of tasty food, which is easy to prepare. In the Mediterranean, vegetables and salads made from wild greens have been particularly important as local (traditional) foods since ancient times. This double interest in local plant use and diets led to an ethnobotanical and socio-nutritional survey carried out in 2002 and 2003 among the inhabitants of the Graecanic area in Southern Calabria, Italy. The Graecanic area is part of the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Magna Graecia and the later Byzantine Empire. The villagers in the area have retained many aspects of this cultural heritage, including their own language Grecanico, in which wild edible greens are called ta chòrta. The inhabitants of the Graecanic area regularly gather more than 40 wild food species. The present study demonstrates how the consumption of wild food plant species is strongly embedded in the local culture, and that they contribute to a healthy and balanced diet.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology--interdisciplinary links with the historical sciences.

In this paper we use three disparate examples to highlight the relevance of historical methods in the context of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. Unfortunately, in ethnopharmacology we have only very few examples where such historical depth is possible. On the other hand the first hand data available through ethnopharmacological research, may be of relevance for interpreting historical information. Three distinct methods were used successfully in the retrospective exploration of diachronic data. In order to gain an insight into historical developments in the use of plant species and evolution of pharmacopoeias we used a botanico-historical approach (Rosmarinus officinalis), one that combines linguistic and statistical methods (Popoluca/Mixe), and one that uses historical documentary evidence (Ch'orti). We hope that this methodological discussion encourages a wider use of such historical methods in ethnopharmacology and related areas of research.

Ethnobotany↗

PubMed2006

Knowledge and use of complementary and alternative medicine among British undergraduate pharmacy students.

AIM: Attitudes and practice concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are currently an area of considerable importance. However, little is known about the overall importance of CAM in groups of health care professionals. Therefore, the primary objective was to analyse the knowledge about and use of CAM in an ethnically diverse student population at the London School of Pharmacy. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to students (264 completed questionnaires, response rate: 59.1%) and in-depth interviews were carried out with a sample of seven students. RESULTS: Forty-three percent reported using at least one type of CAM during the last 12 months. The types of CAM used that were most frequently mentioned include aromatherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and medicinal herbalism. TCM was reported by students of Chinese origin and by students from other ethnic backgrounds. However, Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine and medicine from Africa were only used in cultures from which the users originated. The study shows that a large number of herbal medical products were commonly reported by students of pharmacy. CONCLUSION: The knowledge about and use of CAM is widespread among this group of future health care professionals and the students also expressed a strong interest in the topic. In-depth studies on the knowledge and use of CAM among other health care professionals and among ethnic minorities are urgently needed and may help to better manage the treatment of minor disorders as well as chronic diseases.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Disease-Consensus Index as a tool of selecting potential hypoglycemic plants in Chikindzonot, Yucatán, México.

There is a general lack of adequate methods to quantitatively assess the importance of specific medicinal plants in a culture. In Mexico like in many other countries type 2 diabetes is an increasing health problem and the use of medicinal plants to treat this disease is widespread. In the present study we propose a mathematical tool for analysing ethnopharmacological field data, with the ultimate aim to select species with most prominent impact on a community to treat a single disease. Using this tool in a Yucatec Mayan community we demonstrate that Malmea depressa (Baill.) R.E. Fr. and Cecropia peltata L. are culturally most salient hypoglycemic plants in this community.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗

PubMed2006

NF-kappaB modulators from Valeriana officinalis.

Valeriana officinalis (Valerianaceae) has been of great interest for its therapeutic uses for treating mild nervous tension and temporary sleeping problems. In traditional European medicine it has been also reported as an antiinflammatory remedy. This study reports that the EtOAc extract of the underground parts of V. officinalis showed inhibitory activity against NF-kappaB at 100 microg/mL in the IL-6/Luc assay on HeLa cells and provided protection against excitotoxicity in primary brain cell cultures at micromolar concentrations. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOAc extract led to the isolation of three known sesquiterpenes: acetylvalerenolic acid (1), valerenal (2) and valerenic acid (3), 1 and 3 were active as inhibitors of NF-kappaB at a concentration of 100 microg/mL. Acetylvalerenolic acid (1) reduced NF-kappaB activity to 4%, whereas valerenic acid (3) reduced NF-kappaB activity to 25%.

Astrocytes↗

PubMed2006

Physalins from Witheringia solanacea as modulators of the NF-kappaB cascade.

Crude extracts of Witheringia solanacea leaves showed inhibition of NF-kappaB activation at 100 microg/mL induced by phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) in HeLa cells stably transfected with a luciferase reporter gene controlled by the IL-6 promoter. Three physalins were isolated from an active fraction, namely, physalins B (1), F (2), and D (3). Of these compounds, 1 and 2 demonstrated inhibitory activities on PMA-induced NF-kappaB activation at 16 and 8 microM and induced apoptosis after 24 h in a cell-cycle analysis using a human T cell leukemia Jurkat cell line. Compound 2 also inhibited TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation at 5 microM through the canonical pathway, but was inactive in the Tet-On-Luc assay, indicating specificity of action, although it interfered with Tet-On-Luc at higher concentrations. It is suggested that the presence of a double bond and an epoxy ring between carbons 5 and 6 in compounds 1 and 2, respectively (which are not present in compound 3), are related to their anti-inflammatory activity.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗

PubMed2006

'Local Food-Nutraceuticals': bridging the gap between local knowledge and global needs.

Food use is changing very fast all over the world. This and other changes (e.g. reduced physical activity, increased longevity) result in novel health risks for the populations in European countries and beyond. Also, in recent decades the convenience food market has grown dramatically and offers novel opportunities for small and large industries alike. Simultaneously, there is a dramatic and irrevocable loss of the local knowledge which forms the basis of many cultural traditions (traditional food knowledge--TFK). The Mediterranean region is well known for a dietary tradition commonly called 'Mediterranean diet(s)', which is renowned for health benefits based among others on widely consumed foods and beverages. While the focus of research has mostly been on the more widely used elements of the Mediterranean diets (especially olive oil and red wine), in this review the focus is on 'local food'. These are ingredients, which are gathered, grown or produced locally and prepared into dishes, which often represent local specialities. Such food is derived from animals, fungi and plants, but in this paper the main subject is food of botanical origin. Particularly important among these local foods are vegetables and salads derived from wild greens (gathered food plants--GFPs) and local cultivars of fruit trees and shrubs. In this review we discuss the theoretical basis (including the concept of traditional knowledge systems) and general approach of an EU-funded multidisciplinary ethnobotanicalpharmacological project focusing on the use of such local resources in several regions of the Mediterranean including the ethnobotanical documentation of food products of selected communities in southern Italy, Spain, Greece (mostly Crete), the identification of extracts/pure compounds (leads for new health food supplements) with potent activity on a series of in vitro targets, especially ones relevant to assess for antioxidant activity, the more detailed in vivo study of some lead extracts and lastly the dissemination of such TFK in local/national languages.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2006

Gathered Mediterranean food plants--ethnobotanical investigations and historical development.

The diversity of local Mediterranean food elements is not known in detail, but offers itself to search for new vegetables, salads, fruits and spices which could be used in to enrich diets outside their region of origin. Most amid those interesting local elements are edible wild plants and weeds. Ethnobotanical research has identified ca. 2,300 different plant and fungi taxa, which are gathered and consumed in the Mediterranean. Among these, >1,000 are only consumed in one single zone, therefore are strictly local. The percentage of local gathered food plant (GFP) taxa (present in <5 samples), is higher in the main centers of diversity at the periphery of the Mediterranean (Sahara, Alps, Caucasus, Canary Islands, the Levant). Islands (Sicily, Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus) also show a high proportion. Endemism of GFP taxa only accounts for a limited number of these 'ethnobotanical endemics' (only ca. 350 are endemic/ endangered species). On the other hand, only a few taxa--30 occurring in >20 samples--are consumed in most of the Mediterranean. Most have been analyzed in the Local Food- Nutraceuticals project. The ca. 800 GFP taxa that occur in more than the 5% of localities show a geographical pattern that permits one to recognize seven geographical groups. These groups show relationships with types of Mediterranean diet and could also be related with human genetic polymorphism through long-term co-evolution in a geographical mosaic pattern.

Biodiversity↗

PubMed2006

Disseminating knowledge about 'Local Food Plants' and 'Local Plant Foods'.

Ethnobotanical approaches to the study of Mediterranean food plants offer novel ways for analyzing and preserving traditional knowledge and agrobiodiversity in the Mediterranean area. This article highlights our strategy to increase the awareness within traditional knowledge systems and encourage the continuous evolution of it, avoiding the loss of substantial parts of the local cultural and biological diversity. The strategy is part of a broader stream of thought, which does attempt to disseminate information locally in a multitude of ways, e.g. through a range of publications in rural or urban zones, to people with or without formal education, to children or the elderly. This article is a very personal account of the experience of the authors, but there is an urgent need to assess the impact of such activities on a broader level, and, also, to reassess the impact researchers have on the communities. Our clear impression in all field sites has been that the simple fact that such traditional knowledge systems are the focus of scientific investigation are an essential element of giving renewed sociocultural value to such knowledge and that activities like the ones described here are of great interest to the communities we worked in.

Biodiversity↗

PubMed2006

Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacy--their role for anti-cancer drug development.

Local and traditional knowledge has been the starting point for many successful drug development projects over the last decades. Here we discuss some examples of anti-cancer drugs which have had enormous impact as anti-cancer agents (camptothecan, taxol and derivatives) and a few examples of drugs currently under various stages of preclinical development. Ethnobotanists investigate the relationship between humans and plants in all its complexity, and such research is generally based on a detailed observation and study of the use a society makes of plants. The requirements of modern research on natural products as, for example, outlined in the Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio Convention) and the overall approach in ethnobotanical research are also discussed. Selected phytochemical-pharmacological studies based on traditional plant use are used to highlight the potential of ethnobotany driven anti-cancer research. The link between traditionally used plants and targets of the NF-kappaB pathway is discussed using on an EU-funded, multidisciplinary project as an example. Lastly the potential of chemopreventive agents derived from traditional food plants is briefly addressed.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Questionnaire surveys: methodological and epistemological problems for field-based ethnopharmacologists.

The classical scientific approach is empirical. One of the favoured means of gathering quantitative data in the health and social sciences, including ethnopharmacology and medical ethnobotany, is by use of questionnaires. However, while there are numerous published articles discussing the importance of questionnaire content, the fact that questionnaires themselves may be inappropriate in a number of cultural contexts, even where literacy is not a factor, is usually ignored. In this paper, the authors will address the main issues posed by the use of questionnaire surveys, using case studies based on their own personal experiences as ethnopharmacologists 'in the field'. The pros and cons of qualitative and quantitative research and the use of alternative means to elicit quantitative data will be discussed.

Australia↗

PubMed2005

Mexican plants with hypoglycaemic effect used in the treatment of diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome which affects more and more people in all countries over the world. In México, it is commonly treated with herbal extracts. Such treatment may be of considerable benefit especially during the early stages of the illness. In this review, we discuss species commonly used in México in the treatment of diabetes. A total of 306 species have records of a popular use in the treatment of this syndrome in México. Seven of these species--Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol. (Cecropiaceae), Equisetum myriochaetum Schlecht & Cham (Equisetaceae), Acosmium panamense (Benth.) Yacolev (Fabaceae), Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae), Agarista mexicana (Hemsl.) Judd. (Ericaeae), Brickellia veronicaefolia (Kunth) A. Gray (Asteraceae), Parmentiera aculeata (Kunth) Seem. (Bignoniaceae)--are discussed in greater detail, highlighting our current knowledge about these botanicals, but also the enormous gaps in our knowledge, most notably as it relates to the species' toxicology, the pharmacokinetics of its active constituents and their metabolism.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The use of health foods, spices and other botanicals in the Sikh community in London.

Attitudes and practice concerning complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are currently an area of considerable interest. However, little is known about the overall importance of such practices, for example, in immigrant communities such as the Sikh (Punjabi) British. The use of CAM in immigrants belonging to the Sikh religion in London was studied. The primary objective was to analyse the extent to which traditional medicine is used and understood by this population. Traditional Sikh medicine is important to this group of informants and a total of 42 species were recorded and identified tentatively. The most frequently mentioned species were Allium cepa (onion -- gunda), Allium sativum (garlic -- lasan, thon), Capsicum frutescens (cayenne pepper -- lalmirch), Cinnamomum verum (cinnamom--dhal chini), Citrus limon (lemon -- nimbu), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel -- saunf), Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom -- elaichi) and Zingiber officinale (ginger -- adrak). The study also highlights the rapid change this tradition is undergoing in a diaspora situation. In depth studies on the use of CAM among other immigrant communities and among ethnic groups are urgent and may help to manage better the treatment of minor ailments as well as chronic diseases. Specifically, more research on traditional and herbal remedies amongst the numerous ethnic groups in urban Britain and how this impacts on the use of biomedicine (e.g. as it is provided by the NHS) is essential.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

A furanocoumarin and polymethoxylated flavonoids from the Yucatec Mayan plant Casimiroa tetrameria.

As part of an ongoing study of the medicinal plants of the Yucatec Maya, Casimiroa tetrameria was investigated for its phytochemistry. From an ethyl acetate partition of an ethanol extract of the leaves, eight flavonoids and a furanocoumarin were isolated and characterised as 5,6,2',3',5',6'-hexamethoxyflavone, 5,6,2',3',6'-pentamethoxyflavone and 5-methoxy-8-(3''-hydroxymethyl-but-2''-enyloxy)-psoralen using a combination of 1H, 13C NMR and NOESY spectroscopy.

Casimiroa↗

PubMed2005

Food for two seasons: culinary uses of non-cultivated local vegetables and mushrooms in a south Italian village.

The use of non-cultivated plants in a daily diet based on local cuisines is potentially of considerable interest to nutritional scientists, because of the plants' role as local products and their potential as sources of novel nutraceuticals. In many Mediterranean regions these traditions are at risk of disappearing, hence the urgent need to study such knowledge systems. Accordingly, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out among the 850 inhabitants of the village of Castelmezzano, in central Lucania, which is located in the inland southern Italy. Seventy-five taxa of non-cultivated and semi-cultivated local food plants and mushrooms were documented, and uncommon food uses of a few species were reported for the first time. These include Bellavalia romana, Lepista nebularis and Onopordum illyricum. Most of the recorded non-cultivated food plants and mushrooms are cooked in oil or fat. Very few are consumed raw. This article discusses in detail the traditional culinary uses of these plants, their seasonality, ethnoecology, and their economic and nutritional potentials. The article also demonstrates how food agro-biodiversity is inextricably connected with cultural heritage.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Epidemiology of GIST.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Epidemiologic Research Design↗

PubMed2005

Quantitative analysis of the major constituents of St John's wort with HPLC-ESI-MS.

A method was developed to profile the major constituents of St John's wort extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). The objective was to simultaneously separate, identify and quantify hyperforin, hypericin, pseudohypericin, rutin, hyperoside, isoquercetrin, quercitrin and chlorogenic acid using HPLC-MS. Quantification was performed using an external standardisation method with reference standards. The method consisted of two protocols: one for the analysis of flavonoids and glycosides and the other for the analysis of the more lipophilic hypericins and hyperforin. Both protocols used a reverse phase Luna phenyl hexyl column. The separation of the flavonoids and glycosides was achieved within 35 min and that of the hypericins and hyperforin within 9 min. The linear response range in ESI-MS was established for each compound and all had linear regression coefficient values greater than 0.97. Both protocols proved to be very specific for the constituents analysed. MS analysis showed no other signals within the analyte peaks. The method was robust and applicable to alcoholic tinctures, tablet/capsule extracts in various solvents and herb extracts. The method was applied to evaluate the phytopharmaceutical quality of St John's wort preparations available in the UK in order to test the method and investigate if they contain at least the main constituents and at what concentrations.

Anthracenes↗

PubMed2005

Spasmolytic and antidiarrhoeal properties of the Yucatec Mayan medicinal plant Casimiroa tetrameria.

The Maya of the Yucatán peninsula commonly use the leaves of Casimiroa tetrameria for treating gastrointestinal disorders, notably diarrhoea and dysentery, as well as gastrointestinal cramps. The phytochemical investigation resulted in the isolation of 13 compounds: eight polymethoxylated flavonoids (two as minor components with a main constituent), four flavonoid glycosides and one furanocoumarin. In this study we used two well-established models in order to assess the gastrointestinal effects of C. tetrameria extracts and isolated compounds: the USSING-chamber, a pharmacological model for diarrhoea, and the isolated guinea pig ileum, a model for modulatory effects on ileum contraction. Extracts and the class of polymethoxylated flavonoids showed strong inhibitory effects in both models, which provides ex-vivo evidence for the use of this botanical drug in the treatment of several gastrointestinal problems, most notably diarrhoea. The crude extract, polymethoxylated flavonoid-rich fractions and the polymethoxylated flavonoids tested showed prominent antisecretory activity. Polymethoxylated flavonoid-rich fractions also inhibited the histamine-induced contractions in the guinea pig model. The effects are not due to a single compound, but to a large number of structurally related compounds that all contribute to the effect.

Animals↗