Crimson Publishers Mini Review Wings to the Research Herbal Expectorants for the Pandemic Period: A Review Justin R Nayagam Saira George* and Sagna A Department of Botany, India Abstract As the ongoing COVID 19 pandemics has become a global health crisis and it mainly affects ISSN: 2578-0336 respiratory tract. An effort for presenting the traditional expectorents of the herbal medicine gains its attention, which is promising for the world population from the plant genetic resources to reduce the pressure on pharmacy for medicine. Herbal expectorants are proved to be environmentally safe and are available in around any habitats. Forty-eight species of plants used traditionally as expectorants from six continents are included in the present study. Plant parts used, its dosage forms, bioactive compounds having expectorant activities are evaluated in the study. Abies webbiana Lindl. belongs to gymnosperm, Adiantum capillus-veneries L. is a pteridophyte distributed and used as herbal expectorants in different continents of the world except Antartica. Forty- two species studied are distributed in Asia, thirteen and 42species others in areEurope, flowering six species plants. from These South plants America, were respect to different continent is considered, which is an added attraction. During this dreadful situation peoplefive species can rely in Africa on herbal and expectorantsthree species to each subside in Australia respiratory and infectionsNorth America. and increase Distribution immunity. pattern with *Corresponding author: Justin R Nayagam Saira George, Department of Introduction Botany, Union Christian College, Aluva- 2, Kerala, India The initial symptoms of COVID-19 patients include were fever, myalgia, sore throat and dry cough which are common to any acute respiratory virus infection. Pneumonia were Submission: May 11, 2020 consistent with the manifestation of lower respiratory tract infections. By contrast, upper Published: March 04, 2021 included dizziness, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, and generalised weakness [1-20]. respiratory tract symptoms were less common in these patients. Non-specific symptoms Volume 8 - Issue 1 Chloroquine, a widely used anti-malarial and autoimmune disease drug, was reported How to cite this article: Justin R as a potential broad-spectrum antiviral drug [2-38]. Remdesivir is an adenosine analogue, Nayagam Saira George, Sagna A. Herbal which incorporates into nascent viral RNA chains and results in pre-mature termination [3- Expectorants for the Pandemic Period: A 42]. It was repoted that remdesivir and chloroquine are highly effective in the control of 2019- Review. Environ Anal Eco stud. 8(1). EAES. 000677. 2021. nCoV infection in vitro DOI: 10.31031/EAES.2021.08.000677 [4-44]. Azithromycin added to hydroxychloroquine was significantly still an ongoing process by scientists from all over the world. It is in this contest an effort for more efficient for virus elimination [5-48]. Development of its preventive and treatment is Copyright@ Justin R Nayagam Saira presenting the traditional expectorants of the herbal medicine gains its attention, which is George, This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons promising for the world population when enough quantity of medicine is not available. When Attribution 4.0 International License, world is in the hands of terrifying infection, people with mild symptoms can exist with herbal which permits unrestricted use and solutions. redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited. Herbal Expectorants Forty-eight species of plants used traditionally as expectorants in different parts of the world are critically avaluated and presented in Table 1. Among these species Abies webbiana Lindl. belongs to gymnosperm, Adiantum capillus-veneries L. is a pteridophyte and rest other species are dicotyledons from twenty-six families. These plants are distributed and used as species are flowering plants that include six monocot speceis belong to four families and forty herbal expectorants in different continents of the world except Antartica. Forty-two species studied are distributed in Asia, thirteen species in Europe, six species from South America, Eucalyptus globulus Labill. is widely distributed in all the six continents either by natural occurance five species in Africa and three species each in Australia and North America. Environmental Analysis & Ecology Studies 847 EAES.000677. 8(1).2021 848 or by way of cultivation. Marrubium vulgare Linn. and Origanum Europe and Asia. Other species are limited to one or two continent majorana Linn. are scattered in three continents; Africa, Europe and in distribution and used as herbal expectorants. Asia, while Borago officinalis Linn., is distributed in South America, Table 1: List of plant species used as expectorants from different parts of the world and key source of information. Distribution SL Part and Form of Use as Bioactive Chemicals De- Refer- Botanical Name Common Name Family Name - Continent/ No Expectorant tected ence Country Dried leaves - powdered leaves along with the - 1 Abies webbianaLindl. Indian Silver Pinaceae Asia - India [8] juice of Adathoda vasica cosides and phytosterols and honey Flavonoids, biflavonoid gly Saponin, lupeol, aspinasterol, Acacia concinna 2 Indian Acalypha Euphorbiaceae Asia - India Leaves - Decoction acacic acid lactone, hexacosa- [9], [10] (Willd.) DC. nol and aspinasterone American Maiden- - Flavonoid, glucosides, ter- Adiantum capil- [11], 3 hair Fern, Venus Adiantaceae Asia - India tered and honey or sugar penoids, adiantone, isoquer- lus-veneries L. [12], [13] Hair, Rock Fern. Leavesis added; - Decoction Infusion is fil cetin, astragalin, kaempferol Bulb - Decoction, infu- Liliaceae/Alli- 4 Allium cepaLinn. Onion Asia - India sion, fresh juice, raw, Thiosulphinates, cepaenes [14] aceae cooked, or roasted bulb [16], Amygdalus persica- Asia - China, Ko- Peach tree Rosaceae Bark, seeds, leaves Amygdalin [17],[15], Linn. rea, Japan, India [18], 5 [19], [20] Leaves and stem - Fresh Karpuravalli (Folk juices of leaves mixed Anisochilus carnosus Labiatae/Lami- Glucosides of luteolin and 6 name- southern Asia - India with sugar and gingelly [14], [21] Wall. aceae apigenin. region) oil; Leaves and stems in infusion Glycosides such as 6-O-trans- Barleria prioni- Common Yellow Leaves and dried stem p-coumaroyl-8-O-ace- 7 Acanthaceae Asia - India [14], [22] tis Linn. Nail Dye Plant bark tylshanzhiside, barlerin and acetylbarlerin Borneol, caryophyllene, ledol Blumea balsamif- Compositae/ 8 Ngai Camphor Asia - India Leaves - Infusion phytol, caryophyllene oxide, [23] eraDC. Asteraceae guaiol. Boerhavia diffusa- Horse-purslane, Phenolics glycosides, ter- 9 Nyctaginaceae Asia - India Whole plant -Infusion Linn. Hogweed penoids, rotenoids, South America - Leaf, dried pedicel, dried Gamma linolenic acid, [24],[13], [25] Borago officinalis- Borage, Cow’s Argentina; Europe ascorbic acid, lycopsamine, [26], 10 Boraginaceae Linn. Tongue Plant - Spain - Canary - - [27], Island; Asia tionflowers of the - Leaf dried and pedicels dried rolizidine alkaloid [28], [29] flower infusion; decoc supindine viridiflorate, pyr Europe - Germa- Brunella vulgaris- Labiatae/Lami- [30], 11 Self-heal ny; Asia - India, - infusions mixed with Flavonoids, rutin. Linn. aceae [31], [32] Turkey Aerial aprts,honey infloresence Volatile oil consisting of Umbelliferae/ 12 Carum carvi Linn. Caraway Europe; Asia Seeds carvone (40-60%), and [33], [34] Apiaceae limonene Coffee Senna, Foe- Physcion and its glucosides, Cassia occidental- Sout America -Pe- 13 tid Cassia, Negro Cealsalpiniaceae brewed into a coffee-like emodin, betasitosterol and isLinn. ruvian Amazon Seeds and flower - seeds [36], [37] Coffee sennosides [35], Centipeda orbicular- Compositae / Australia; Asia - Leaves and wood ash - Flavonoids, sesquiterpenes 14 Sneezewort beverage; flower infusion [38], [19] isLour. Asteraceae India pituri and amide Cephaelis ipecac- Emetine, cephaeline, ipecac- Ipecac, Ipecac- America; Asia- Roots and rhizome - uanha (Brot.) A. Rubiaceae uanhic acid, and nauseating [39], [40] uanha India Extract Rich. ethereal oil. 15 Glycosides and cherinine [19], Cheiranthus cheiri Cruciferae / 16 Europe; Asia (a glucoside of the digitalis [14], Linn. Flower Brassicaceae seeds Wall-flower, Gilli Leaves, flowers and group) [41], [42] Environ Anal Eco stud Copyright © Justin R Nayagam Saira George EAES.000677. 8(1).2021 849 Cinnamomum cam- Wood and leaves - In- Camphor, safrol, linalool, 17 phora (Linn.) Nees & Camphor tree. Lauraceae Asia - China, Japan [43], [44] fusion eugenol Eberm. Cordia myxaRoxb. - 18 Sabestan Plum Boraginaceae Asia - India Fruits nonLinn. marins Alkaloids, flavanoids, cou Rudanti, Rudan- Alkaloid, sitosterol, scopo- [45], [46] Asia - Bahrain, 19 Cressa creticaLinn. tikaa, Rudravanti Convolvulaceae Whole plant letin, quercetin glycosides, [47] India (Ayurvedic) umbelliferoneβ Curcuma amadaR- Mango-ginger, 20 Zingiberaceae Asia - India Rhizome Curcuminoid [42], [48] oxb. Wild Turmeric Asia - Iraq, Nepal, Flavonoids (datiscin and 21 Datisca cannabina L. False hemp Datiscaceae Whole plant - Decoction India datiscanin) Europe; Northern [49], [50] Dorema ammoni- Ammoniacum, Umbelliferae / Amino-resinol, ferulene, cou- [19], 22 Asia - Siberia; Asia Gum-resin acum D. Don. Gum ammoniac Apiaceae marins and Ammoniacum - India, Iran Dried leaves - Ingredient [51], [52] Eriobotrya japonica Loquat, Japanese 23 Rosaceae Asia - China, India in Shini-seihai-to and Flavanoid componds