Maha Aboul-Ela
Beirut Arab University, Lebanon
Title: Phytotherapeutic potentials of selected Middle East natural products
Biography
Biography: Maha Aboul-Ela
Abstract
The Middle East region is a major source of phytotherapeutic natural products. Different pharmacological studies on the Middle East medicinal plants revealed their signifi cant importance as new sources of drugs. Focusing on endocrinal and neurological diseases, a number of Middle East plants had shown signifi cant potentials towards these diseases. Salvia libanotica fruticosa, Centaurea horrida; Hordeum spontaneum and Rheum ribes are herbal plants indigenous to ME region and had shown notable eff ects on Diabetes mellitus and one of its related complication; the painful diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is the leading cause of neuropathy in the world today. Diabetic neuropathy has a few approved therapies for the management of pain with limited effi cacy and side eff ects. With the aim to explore and develop new phytotherapeutic agents, we investigated the antidiabetic and antihyperalgesic properties of some Middle East natural products in alloxaninduced diabetic mice. Th e results of our experiments indicated that, these plants exhibited a remarkable effect against diabetic neuropathy. More experiments should be done to complete these plants’ profi le before their dispensing in suitable dosage forms to facilitate their delivery to the targeted sites.
