Assessing the therapeutic potential and safety of traditional anti-obesity herbal blends in Palestine
Authors
Mohammed Hawash
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Nidal Jaradat
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Nihal Salhi
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Beesan Shatreet
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Areej Asbah
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
Yousra Hawash
Lavender Care, Spa and Alternative Medicine Center, Nablus, Palestine
Keywords:
Subject terms: Cancer, Drug discovery, Plant sciences, Diseases, Health care
Abstract
The use of traditional herbal remedies has been a common practice for centuries across different cultures to treat various ailments. In Palestine, traditional herbal medicines are widely used, but their efficacy and safety have not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the biological activity and toxicity of two traditional herbal blends often used to treat obesity in the West Bank region of Palestine. Two herbal blends with a total of eight plants were chosen based on their historic use and availability. The plant aqueous extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and cytotoxic activities. The results showed that these blends have potent antifibrotic, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. While their activities on α-amylase and lipase enzymes (main targets) showed moderate activities. Therefore, our results showed that Herbal Blend 2 was more potent than Herbal Blend 1 on all investigated targets. Herbal Blend 2 showed significant activities as an antioxidant, antifibrotic, and anticancer activities with IC50 values of 68.16 ± 2.45, 33.97 ± 1.14, and 52.53 ± 0.78 µg/mL against DPPH, LX-2, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. While it is IC50 values on α-amylase and lipase enzymes were 243.73 ± 1.57 and 1358.39 ± 2.04 µg/mL, respectively. However, the use of anti-cancer plants can be challenging due to their cytotoxic effects on the body. We urge individuals to exercise caution when using natural remedies and to seek medical advice before incorporating them into their health regimens. This study provides valuable insight into the potential health benefits of traditional herbal remedies and emphasizes the importance of responsible usage.
Subject terms: Cancer, Drug discovery, Plant sciences, Diseases, Health care
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