Organic Synthesis of Traditional Medicine

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Webography compiled on “Organic Synthesis of Traditional Medicine” covers the specific areas under traditional drug therapy for neoplasms and wound healing activities, will act as a literature guide for  research which is progressing at the Department of chemistry of the OUSL, on therapeutic action of traditional medicine on anticancer activity and wound healing process.

The webography could also be useful for the researchers involved in extracting herbal/Auyrvedic  drugs, for treatments under traditional medicine, carried out in the institutions under the  Ministry of Indigenous Medicine in Sri Lanka

The work provides useful links to a variety of websites for the researcher who is interested  in Organic synthesis and Traditional medicine and also the related topics listed.

Links under Organic synthesis includes definitions and further goes onto describe that Organic synthesis  is a special branch of chemical synthesis which is concerned with the construction of organic compounds via organic reactions. Further some of the sites under the same topic provide information on the types of organic reactions and their preparation methods summarized, in structural format. The webo covers solvents, catalysts, and experimental conditions and detailed, reliable, and carefully checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. For example, the link on “Science of Synthesis” is a reference work for preparative methods in synthetic chemistry. Its product-based classification system enables chemists to easily find a solution to their synthetic problems.

Entries on Natural Products explain that the particular  term is used commonly in reference to chemical substances or substances produced by a living organism, found in nature, that have distinctive pharmacological effects or biological activity for use in pharmaceutical drug discovery and drug design. A natural product can even be prepared by total synthesis. These compounds are important in the treatment of life-threatening conditions. Main classes of Natural Products are Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic Acids.

Websites on Medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry describes that these are disciplines at the intersection of chemistry, especially synthetic organic chemistry, and pharmacology and various other biological specialties, where it is involved with design, chemical synthesis and development for market of pharmaceutical agents (drugs) that are suitable for use in treatment of disease. At the biological interface, medicinal chemistry combines to form a set of highly interdisciplinary sciences, setting its organic, physical, and computational emphases alongside biological areas such as biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, toxicology and veterinary and human medicine; these, with project management, statistics, and pharmaceutical business practices, systematically oversee altering identified chemical agents such that after pharmaceutical formulation, they are safe and efficacious.

As given in the sites, Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being. Traditional medicine which is also known as indigenous or folk medicine comprises systems of medicine that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine. Practices known as traditional medicines include herbal, Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, Unani, ancient Iranian medicine, Islamic medicine,
 traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Korean medicine, acupuncture,
 Muti, Ifá, traditional African medicine, and other pseudomedical knowledge and practices all over the globe.

Ayurveda is one of the  forms of alternative medicine that uses different parts of herbs, plants and parts of animals to cure diseases and ailments. The word ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit words, 'ayus' meaning life and 'veda' meaning knowledge. Ayurveda is a  holistic and complex spiritual and philosophical system which has been developed over thousands of years and is a subtle body of knowledge. This medical system is based on the system of prevention which means that people are often treated before the symptoms of the illness become evident. Safety concerns have been raised about Ayurveda, with two U.S. studies finding about 20% of Ayurvedic treatments tested contained toxic levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury andarsenic and there have been numerous reports of clinically significant heavy metal poisoning related to their use. Other concerns include the use of herbs that contain toxic compounds and the lack of quality control in Ayurvedic facilities.

Sri Lanka has its own indigenous scheme of traditional medicine (Ayurveda).This system has been practised for many centuries in the island nation. The Sri Lankan Ayurvedic tradition is a mixture of the Sinhala traditional medicine, Ayurveda and Siddha systems of India,Unani medicine of Greece through the Arabs, and most importantly, the Desheeya Chikitsa, which is the indigenous medicine of Sri Lanka.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage (Tuina),exercise (qigong), and dietary therapy.^[1]
These practices are a common part of medical care throughout East Asia, but are considered alternative medicine in the Western world.^[1]

Herbal Drugs: A herbal drug is  a plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers  used for its scent, flavor or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed health benefits. However, some can cause health problems, some are not effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.

Neoplasms (Cancers)

Cancer is the name for diseases in which the body's cells become abnormal and divide without control. Cancer cells may invade nearby tissues. And they may spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. Cancer can also be called a neoplasm, tumour or malignancy. A tumour is a swelling and is described to be either benign (a growth that does not spread to other parts of the body) or malignant (a cancer that spreads from its original site into surrounding tissue and other parts of the body).

Cancer is treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or biological therapy. Patients are often treated by a team of specialists, which may include, among others, a medical oncologist (doctor trained in cancer treatment), surgeon, radiation oncologist (doctor trained in radiotherapy). The doctors may decide to use one or a combination of methods to treat the cancer. The choice of treatment depends on the type, location, stage of cancer, the patient's age and general health, and other factors. Web links given under Anticancer activities will provide you with detailed information on anticancer/antitumor activity in various substances, testing methods for plant extracts and treatment for cancers/tumor. Scientists collect parts of many different plants, prepare extracts, and test the extracts in relevant bioassays. If the assay responds to the extract, the researchers isolate the active compounds and testing of the chemical structure continues.

As given in web links under “ Wound healing”, wound  is type of injury to the skin in which the skin is cut open or had a blunt trauma wherein the wound is inside the skin. It can be an open or a closed wound.  In the case of a closed wound, there could be a hematoma.
A hematoma is a sign that there is an internal bleeding which can be mild or hemorrhage. After an injury, our bodies have the capability to heal ,(replacement of dead tissue with viable tissue) but needs to undergo a few processes such as coagulation, inflammation, fibroplasia, and wound remodeling to be able to return to its former state.

People with diabetes mellitus are particularly prone to developing non-healing wounds and are at greater risk of developing complications from those wounds if not properly treated. Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot use blood sugar effectively. People with diabetes can usually control their disease with diet or oral medication; sometimes insulin is required. Diabetes which is not well controlled leads to decreased blood circulation in the lower extremities and also affects the nervous system. The increased blood sugar levels also increase the risk of infections at the wound site, which can lead to gangrene. Aggressive treatment of these wounds, can significantly decrease a person's risk of having their foot or leg amputated. There is evidence that psychological stress adversely affects the immune system and it is shown that the wound healing activity is slow in  patients with Alzheimer's disease.