Medicinal

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using St. John’s Wort as a Treatment for Depression

St. John’s wort (SJW) extracts are currently being used to treat depression of various degrees of severity. While many studies have shown it to be superior to placebo, data regarding the effectiveness of using SJW as a stand-alone treatment compared with standard antidepressants has yet to be proven conclusively. This study aims to understand the advantages…

Spices, condiments, extra virgin olive oil and aromas as not only flavorings, but precious allies for our wellbeing

Spices, condiments and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are crucial components of human history and nutrition. They are substances added to foods to improve flavor and taste. Many of them are used not only to flavor foods, but also in traditional medicine and cosmetics. They have antioxidant, antiviral, antibiotic, anticoagulant and antiinflammatory properties and exciting…

Medicinal plants and their preparations in the European market: Why has the harmonization failed? The cases of St. John’s wort, valerian, ginkgo, ginseng, and green tea

Botanical ingredients based on plants, algae, fungi or lichens have become widely available on the European Union market offering numerous preparations with considerable differences in classification. They are under the categories of food supplements, herbal medicinal products, cosmetics or medical devices. The aim of the present work is to highlight how the European regulations concerning…

Preparation of Medicinal Plants: Basic Extraction and Fractionation Procedures for Experimental Purposes

Preparation of medicinal plants for experimental purposes is an initial step and key in achieving quality research outcome. It involves extraction and determination of quality and quantity of bioactive constituents before proceeding with the intended biological testing. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate various methods used in the preparation and screening of…