Reflection on medicinal plants, especially antivirals and how to reconsider ethnobotany as an interesting way for health preservation

Abstract

The medicinal plants, which are at the origin of the medical sciences, are gradually passing from the apothecary vials, from the handmade bags of the tradipraticians to the laboratories to provide countless new medicines synthesis models. Today, chemical drugs have replaced most herbal drugs in pharmacies. Empirical knowledge has been neglected as chemistry progressed. Yet 80% of the world's population is still being treated with plant-based medicines. Indeed, some parts of our earth still keep intact the medicinal knowledges, through tradition, culture and heritage preserved by the tradipraticians, who still practice all over the world. It is possible that in the face of the threat of epidemics, which are constantly putting us to the test, plant drugs are once again an important alternative to consider. Our article deals with 3 connected topics: an ethnobotanical survey (experimental result); the creation of a project model of ethnobotanical garden (experimental result); and a knowledge inventory on antiviral plants (bibliographical synthesis in the framework of scientific monitoring). There is a lot of knowledge that can be reinvested. Through some results of ethnobotanical surveys, an inventory of antiviral plants and the model of a project to set up ethnobotanical gardens in the city, re-appropriation of ethnobotanical knowledge will be shown to prove valuable for research and may be an alternative for the future for the preservation of the health of all.

Computational studies of potential antiviral compounds from some selected Nigerian medicinal plants against SARS-CoV-2 proteins

“…The boeravinone class, including A-J, are potent inhibitors of cancer targets [ 76 ]. There are suggestions that boeravinone H is a substantial component of Boerhavia diffusa with the potential to mop up the viral particles, thereby preventing the initial phase of the hepatitis C virus attachment [ [77] , [78] , [79] ]. Review studies have featured Boerhavia diffusa with boeravinone active components as a potential candidate for COVID-19 management [ 80 ] and RNA virus [ 81 ] inhibition.…”

Discourse of the collective subject of river dwellers in the Brazilian Amazon regarding the transmission of knowledge about medicinal plants

“…A lack of commitment to the use of plants may be associated with disbelief in their effectiveness precisely because of the valorization of allopathic drugs, leading to intergenerational cultural loss. The fact that allopathic drugs remain out of reach of some populations has enabled the preservation of traditional medicine (El Babili et al 2021). There is a scarcity of studies about the preference for the use of traditional versus allopathic medicines.…”

Patent Analysis of Four Lamiaceae-Derived Plants: A Medicinally Active Resource against New Health Challenges

“…Thus, species of the genus Salvia were also used as antivirals during this pandemic due to the antiviral components they contain [8]. Furthermore, the genus Ocimum was identified as having potential antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 [9], and during the pandemic, species of the genera Lavendula and Origanum were used in France and Morocco as antivirals [10].…”