Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for more than thousands of years and herbal therapy predominates in traditional systems of medicine as well as in alternative medicine practiced in various cultures such as Indian system of medicine, Chinese Traditional Medicine, Unani classical literature. The present review deals with various polyherbal formulations used by different countries of the world. Information on traditional herbal formulations was documented in the form of research and review articles in various journals. The aim of this review is to summarize the different types of herbs used for the preparation of polyherbal formulations, their therapeutic potentials including clinical and preclinical results along with their safety and efficacy. This review will facilitate to gain all about the past scientific research and the necessary information about the enormous pharmacological activities of polyherbal formulations which will insist the young researchers for future research to protect human beings from various types of diseases and may serves as a natural gold for the promotion of mankind.

A Review on Therapeutic Potential of Polyherbal Formulations

Now day scientists focus the research to develop the novel cough suppressant therapies of herbomineral formulation because in respiratory disease cough is an important defensive pulmonary reflex. It removes fluids, irritants, or foreign substances. When cough becomes non-productive and require suppression and opioid receptor agonists which do not have respiratory suppressant activity but opoids produce side effects such as sedation, addiction potential and constipation, and also compromise the respiratory function. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antitussive activity of polyherbomineral formulation on cough reflex induced by different cough induced models in mice. Healthy albino mice of either sex, weighing 25-30 g were divided into seven groups, (n = 6). Group I considered as control, Group II and III received lab prepared herbomineral formulation (LPHF) (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.), Group VI and VII treated with marketed formulation (MF) (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.), Group IV and V were positive control and treated with standard (10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o.) at a dose of 0.3 ml/mice, orally. Antitussive activity of LPHF and MF were studied by sulphur dioxide gas and Ammonium liquor induced cough in mice. All the formulations used showed significant antitussive activity in sulphur dioxide induced cough model. Thus, these formulations can prove to be useful for alleviating cough. Therefore, the poly herbomineral formulation contains a major piperine active constituent which induces a cough suppressant pharmacological effect and represents an attractive approach in phytotherapeutic managements.

Evaluation of Antitussive activity of Polyherbomineral formulation oncough reflex induced by different cough induced models in mice

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the pre-clinical efficacy and toxicity of polyherbal cough syrup Linkus Method: Animals (healthy Wistar albino rats; (150 - 250 g) of either sex) were housed under standard environmental conditions; ie 25°C ± 1°C and 12 h dark/light cycle Food and water were available at libitum The rats were treated orally with the recommended doses of the test drug (Linkus) After 15 minutes, they were individually placed in a closed Plexiglas chamber (20 × 10 × 10 cm) and exposed to citric acid (01 g/ml) inhalation for 7 minutes The cough reflexes were produced and counted for the last 5 minutes and compared with those of the control animals The following studies were conducted to evaluate the toxicity of the test drug in healthy Wistar albino rats: lethal dose50 (LD50); rats of either sex (n = 10/sex) were treated orally with doses (1 or 5 g/kg) of the test drug Mortality and behavioral changes were observed for 1 week Repeated dose toxicity on the healthy Wistar albino rats of both sexes (n = 5/dose/sex) was treated orally with doses of 20 mg/kg (adult human dose = ~1400 mg), 500 mg/kg (adult human dose = ~35,000 mg) and 1000 mg/kg (adult human dose = ~70,000 mg) of test drug (Linkus) for 14 days Additionally, the control animals were treated orally with water for 14 days Results: In female rats, the test drug (Linkus) at the dose of 300 mg/kg caused significant (p < 001) reduction in the cough reflexes as compared to the control However, in male rats, a significant reduction was observed at the tested dose of 200 mg/kg (p < 005) and 300 mg/kg (p < 001) The test product did not cause mortality in rats at the given doses of 1 or 5 g/kg Other signs of toxicity like hair loss and weight reduction were not observed In female and male rats, the test drug (Linkus) at different doses did not show any abnormal effects on complete blood count profile of rats Serum enzyme markers, ie alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alakaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyle transferase (GGT), direct bilirubin, creatinine, and proteins were also observed and found that the test drug at a higher dose did not cause any of the abnormality and had shown significant p value as compared to the control Conclusion: The test drug (Linkus) could be an effective and safe cough syrup because it did not show any of the side effects or toxicity on experimental animals

https://file.scirp.org/pdf/CM_2014121014371030.pdf

Evaluation of Acute and Repeated Dose Toxicity of the Polyherbal Formulation Linkus Syrup in Experimental Animals

Background: Cough is an important defensive pulmonary reflex that removes irritants, fluids or foreign materials from the airways. Frequently, cough is non-productive and requires suppression and opioid receptor agonists such as codeine are commonly used as antitussive agents. However, opioids produce side effects that include sedation, addiction potential and constipation. Novel cough suppressant therapies should maintain or improve upon the antitussive efficacy profile of opioids but with minimum or no side effects. Objective: To evaluate antitussive activity of combination of herbal medicines as formulations in sulphur dioxide - induced cough model in rats. Methodology: Wister rats of either sex, weighing 150 - 200 g, were divided into 7 groups (n = 6). Group 1 served as a control and received normal saline, groups 2 received codeine phosphate, group 3 and 4 received the coded market samples and groups 5, 6 and 7 received the test samples, respectively. Thirty or sixty minutes following administration, the rats were exposed to sulphur dioxide gas for 1 minute and then placed in an open chamber for counting of cough bouts. Results: The formulations exhibited cough inhibitions of between 15 and 27%, and 14 and 38%, with respect to the control group, 30 and 60 minutes after sample administration respectively. Conclusion: The herbal formulations demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) antitussive activity in sulphur dioxide induced cough model. Key words: Antitussive activity; herbal formulations; sulphur dioxide; cough

/pdf/validation-of-safety-and-efficacy-of-antitussive-herbal-2akxkuhco8.pdf

Mathiu P Mbaabu

Papers

Validation of Safety and Efficacy of Antitussive Herbal Formulations