Functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are the most frequent functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. They require a multifactorial treatment since they appear to be related to several functional conditions, such as alterations of motility, hypersensitivity, inflammation, alteration of the gut microbiota, stress and psychological disorders, among others. SWT 5 is a combination of 9 herbal extracts with synergistic and complementary activities that is able to modulate gastric and intestinal motility, inhibits gastric acid secretion, shows mucosal anti-inflammatory and protective activities, and reduces intestinal hypersensitivity. Since 1990, statistically significant efficacy has been shown in 6 randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials: five in DF (4 versus placebo and one in front of cisapride) and one in IBS (versus placebo). The efficacy in DF and IBS has also been shown in observational studies involving more than 5000 adults and 44000 children treated with STW 5. The combination of extracts presents an excellent tolerability and a good safety profile, with a very low incidence of adverse effects.
Leaves of Galphimia glauca Cav., a Centroamerican medicinal shrub, are endowed with dual antialergic and anxiolytic effects when administered orally. The polyphenol tetragalloylquinic acid is the antiasthmatic and antiallergic active principle. Its mechanism of action is related to the specific antagonism upon the LTD4 receptors, acting at doses of 5 mg/mL in murine in vivo models. The anxyolitic activity is due to the presence of the norsecotriterpenes ‘galphimines’. Galphimines A and B are the most active in conductual models in vivo. This metabolites are able to cross the blood-brain barrier land are active in murine in vivo models at doses of 15 mg/kg. Clinical studies demostrated a similar efficacy to lorazepam in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder both at short and long term. The treatment is well tolerated and no safety concerns were raised. These antecedents may justify on the one hand the development of phytopharmaceutical preparations based on polar fractions from the leaves of G. glauca, standarized in tetragalloylquinic acid, as a preventative agent of alergies and asthma. On the other hand, apolar fractions, enriched and standarized in Galphimines A and B, could be made into medicines for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder.
In the previous review, we analyzed the mechanisms of action of the main antidiabetic compounds from medicinal plants used in traditional herbal medicine and phytotherapy. This review has been focused as a continuation of the previous one, in which we have selected the most relevant clinical trials with the major antidiabetic species. Aloe, banaba, bitter melon, caper, Chinese cinnamon, cocoa, coffee, fenugreek, garlic, green tea, guava, gymnema, mate, nettle, olive, sage, soy, stinging, turmeric and walnut, are known medicinal plants that have been subject of studies in humans. Although the number of tests is limited and the characteristics of these unlike, yet many of them have shown an excellent profile and can be considered of interest to more defined and comprehensive studies.
