@article {1507, title = {Adulteration in Herbal Medicines: A Comprehensive Review on Types, Detection, and Health Impacts}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {17}, year = {2025}, month = {August 2025}, pages = {1116-1126}, type = {Review Article}, chapter = {1116}, abstract = {

Background: Adulteration of herbal medicines is a large-scale issue that compromises the quality, safety, and therapeutic effect of herbal drugs. It entails deliberate substitution, contamination, and incorporation of undeclared synthetic compounds, which often leads to serious adverse health effects. Objectives: This review critically examines the prevalence, character, and public health impact of herbal adulteration. It also specifies present advancements in identification methods and persistent gaps in methods and authentication. Materials and Methods: A critical literature review of world case studies, pharmacopoeial reports were taken. Emphasis was placed on the prevalence of adulteration of widely used herbal medicines. Both traditional methods of analysis (chromatographic and spectroscopic) and the newer tools, like artificial intelligence-based systems for authentication and classification, were considered. Results: Substitution adulteration is the most common, up to 70-90\% in prevalent herbs like Coscinium fenestratum, Embelia ribes, and Saraca asoca. Various commercial preparations were detected to contain undeclared synthetic adulterants like corticosteroids, NSAIDs, and sildenafil. Heavy metals, microplastics, and pesticides as impurities add a triple burden of exposure, resulting in oxidative stress, endocrine disruptions, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and microbiome disruption. Though non-destructive, quick authentication techniques, most notably AI-powered image recognition and spectral analysis, are on the horizon, their application in daily quality control is still limited. Conclusion: Harmonized international regulation, more robust quality control measures, and better pharmacovigilance systems are needed urgently. Integrating interdisciplinary collaboration, building capacity, and enhancing consumer education will be key to controlling adulteration and the long-term credibility and safety of herbal medicines.

}, keywords = {Adulteration, Artificial Intelligence, Chromatography, Herbal drugs, Machine Learning, Pharmacovigilance, Toxic effects}, doi = {10.5530/pres.20250085}, author = {Ravjot Kaur and Tirath Choudhary and Ramandeep Kaur and Mansi Garg and Nagendra Singh Chauhan and Abhilasha Jain and Ashish Baldi} } @article {1210, title = {Development and Evaluation of Nephroprotective Polyherbal Formulation against Methotrexate Induced Toxicity in Sprague Dawley Rat}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {16}, year = {2023}, month = {December 2023}, pages = {140-145}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {140}, abstract = {

Methotrexate (MTX) is one of the most broadly used anti-cancer derivative of aminopterin and it is a first folic acid antagonist. Adult cancer, various malignancies, multiple sclerosis, dermatomyositis, sarcoidosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and severe inflammatory disorders are all commonly treated with MTX. Medicinal plants and herbs contribute, wide range of treatment and prevention from several diseases. Herbal formulations mean dosage form consisting of one or more plants prepared herbs in selected quantities to cure mitigate diseases, by treatment, prevention and sometimes use as a supplement. Petrida foetida is used as traditionally diarrhea, stomach ache and nutritional supplement etc. Vitis vinifera, the fruit is used for dietary and the leaves and seeds are used as several herbal therapy. The current study had carried out to evaluate the nephroprotective activity of leaves and seed extracts of Petrida foetida and Vetis venifera. Nephroprotective activities of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Petrida foetida and Vitis vinifera seeds were examined against methotrexate induced Kidney damage in Sprague Dawley Rats. Biochemical parameter evaluates like Urea, Creatinine, Uric acid, Blood urea nitrogen, total protein like albumin, globulin was analyzed. Petrida foetida and Vitis venifera seeds extract of exhibited significant (p\<0.05) nephroprotective activity. Ethanolic seeds extract of Vitis vinifera and Petrida foetida menifest moderate activity upon Methotrexate induced Rat models. Study outcome shows the traditional-ethno medicinal use of Methotrexate as a potential source of Nephroprotective activity.

}, keywords = {Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)., Creatinine, Methotrexate (MTX), Nephroprotective activity, Polyherbal formulation (PHF)}, doi = {10.5530/pres.16.1.17}, author = {Arijit Chaudhuri and Udichi Kataria and Subodh Kumar Dubey and Neha Chopra and Devendra Dhanorya and Kamal Shah and Nagendra Singh Chauhan} } @article {1085, title = {Chemistry and Pharmacology of Honey}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {14}, year = {2022}, month = {October 2022}, pages = {356-359}, type = {Review Article}, chapter = {356}, abstract = {

Honey which is obtained from Apis mellifera has wide uses due to its chemical constituents present in it. World Wide honey is used for nutritious and medicinal purposes. The review would give the platform to the readers, researchers, scholars to have clear view of the chemical components, its probable mechanism, pharmacological activity and comparison of its ancient uses. Apart from pharmacological, nutritional and non-nutritional components its side effects are also discussed. This review would be an insight for the researchers in the field of medicine.

}, keywords = {Adverse effects, anti-oxidant, Honey, Non-nutritional, Nutritional, Pharmacological}, doi = {10.5530/pres.14.4.53}, author = {Kamal Shah and Sumit Chhabra and Nagendra Singh Chauhan} }