Against the backdrop of debates and rising public sentiments against “Big Tech,” this paper takes a conceptual approach to explore the possibilities for blockchain technologies to disrupt the governance of the sharing economy value chains. Unlike centralized trust systems employed by multisided digital platforms, blockchains employ a decentralized, open‐source system. Data can be shared, verified, and monitored using a consensus mechanism across multiple nodes. We bring insights and discussions from the extant literature to elucidate two guiding principles of the sharing economy value chains: resource optimization and data monetization. Against this backdrop, we propose a conceptual framework that compares traditional digital platforms' governance mechanisms and value drivers with block‐chained enabled platforms, where resource optimization and data monetization are driven by decentralized platform co‐owners rather than single platform owners. We offer case illustrations to explicate this framework and how it signposts a new, disruptive model for the governance of the collaborative economy, especially in developing countries.
Background Hunteria umbellate (K. Schum.) Hallier f. (Apocynaceae) is a tropical rainforest tree commonly found in sub-Saharan region of Africa. It is a useful and very popular plant among the locals due to the outstanding anti-diabetic activity of the seeds. Methods A comprehensive literature search on articles published on phytochemical analysis and various pharmacological activities of Hunteria umbellate was carried out using search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct. Results In this review, it was deduced that H. umbellate is employed in folk medicine as an elixir for obesity, fever, leprosy sores, menstrual pain, infertility, yaws, intestinal worms, abdominal discomfort and stomach ache. Due to their durability and immunity against termites, the stems are coveted and desired as timbers in the construction of houses, while the bark has been reportedly exported to Europe for medicinal uses. Pharmacological activities such as fertility enhancing, aphrodisiac, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, has been ascribed to the different morphological organs of H. umbellate. Moreover, compounds belonging to important classes of secondary metabolites with biological activities such as triterpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, quinic acids have been identified and characterized from the plant. Conclusion From this review, it can be inferred that, numerous and bioactive principles with known biological usefulness are present in the extracts of H. umbellate and might be responsible for the observed biological and pharmacological activities.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic idiopathic inflammation that can grossly affect the entire gastrointestinal tract (GIT) from the mouth to the anus. Crohn’s disease is the most known type of IBD and has been the focus of attention due to its increase in prevalence worldwide. Although the etiology is yet to be elucidated, recent studies have pointed out Crohn’s disease to arise from a complex interaction between environmental influences, genetic predisposition, and altered gut microbiota, resulting in dysregulated adaptive and innate responses. The presenting hallmarks of Crohn’s disease may include weight loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, or chills. Treatment is usually done with many approved immunosuppressive drugs and surgery. However, a promising avenue from natural compounds is a safer therapy due to its safe natural active ingredients and the strong activity it shows in the treatment and management of diseases. Diosgenin, “a major biologically active natural steroidal sapogenin found in Chinese yam,” has been widely reported as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of various classes of disorders such as hyperlipidemia, inflammation, diabetes, cancer, infection, and immunoregulation. In this review, an analysis of literature data on diosgenin employed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of Crohn’s disease is approached, to strengthen the scientific database and curtail the dreadful impact of Crohn’s disease.
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