Ethnopharmacology in Australia and Oceania

Jones, Graham L.; Sadgrove, Nicholas J.

doi:10.1002/9781118930717.ch31

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 25 publications

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“…Relatedness at higher but not shallow evolutionary levels suggests selection of different plants from related, independently discovered lineages. Oceania holds knowledge not shared with other regions (Lloyd Jones and Sadgrove, 2015), likely explained by the evolutionary distinctiveness of the Oceanic flora (Carta et al, 2021).…”

Section: Plants Used For Cancer Treatments Are Non-randomly Selectedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnopharmacological disease classification and bioprospecting: the diversity of plant drugs used to treat cancer

Thompson

Hawkins

2023

Preprint

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Cancer is a highly-diverse disease and as the second-leading cause of death worldwide is a focus of drug discovery research. Natural products have been shown to be a useful source of novel molecules for the treatment of cancer. It is likely there are many plants with undiscovered molecules of therapeutic value, however identifying new leads from among the vast diversity of plants is very challenging. Traditional knowledge might inform bioprospecting by predicting lineages of plants rich in therapeutically useful molecules. Here, we characterise the phylogenetic diversity of plants used traditionally to manage cancer. We demonstrate the independent and repeated targeting of specific lineages of plants by different peoples in different parts of the world. That the same lineages are used to treat different cancers is suggestive of independent discovery of therapeutic value. However, the lineages we report here as rich in plants used traditionally to treat cancer coincide with those for other ethnobotanical applications, and contain few plants with proven anti-cancer activity. It is likely that the traditional knowledge recorded and explored here is shaped by selection of plants conferring milder effects for treating wider symptoms, such as tiredness or nausea, rather than for halting tumour growth. Accurate prediction of useful plant lineages for cancer management requires more nuanced information than is commonly provided in ethnobotanical records.

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Section: Plants Used For Cancer Treatments Are Non-randomly Selectedmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnopharmacological disease classification and bioprospecting: the diversity of plant drugs used to treat cancer

Thompson

Hawkins

2023

Preprint

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Centering Indigenous voices in health

Taiaroa

Blow

2023

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

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Pharmacology of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Food, Therapy, and Disease Prophylaxis

et al. 2021

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This commentary critically examines the modern paradigm of natural volatiles in ‘medical aromatherapy’, first by explaining the semantics of natural volatiles in health, then by addressing chemophenetic challenges to authenticity or reproducibility, and finally by elaborating on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in food, therapy, and disease prophylaxis. Research over the last 50 years has generated substantial knowledge of the chemical diversity of volatiles, and their strengths and weaknesses as antimicrobial agents. However, due to modest in vitro outcomes, the emphasis has shifted toward the ability to synergise or potentiate non-volatile natural or pharmaceutical drugs, and to modulate gene expression by binding to the lipophilic domain of mammalian cell receptors. Because essential oils and natural volatiles are small and lipophilic, they demonstrate high skin penetrating abilities when suitably encapsulated, or if derived from a dietary item they bioaccumulate in fatty tissues in the body. In the skin or body, they may synergise or drive de novo therapeutic outcomes that range from anti-inflammatory effects through to insulin sensitisation, dermal rejuvenation, keratinocyte migration, upregulation of hair follicle bulb stem cells or complementation of anti-cancer therapies. Taking all this into consideration, volatile organic compounds should be examined as candidates for prophylaxis of cardiovascular disease. Considering the modern understanding of biology, the science of natural volatiles may need to be revisited in the context of health and nutrition.

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Ethnopharmacology in Australia and Oceania

Cited by 3 publications

References 25 publications

Ethnopharmacological disease classification and bioprospecting: the diversity of plant drugs used to treat cancer

Ethnopharmacological disease classification and bioprospecting: the diversity of plant drugs used to treat cancer

Centering Indigenous voices in health

Pharmacology of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Food, Therapy, and Disease Prophylaxis

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