[Multimorbidity and multi-target-therapy with herbal drugs]

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Integrative Medicine
• Herbal Medicine

Context:

• Herbal drugs possess pleiotropic, multi-target properties, notably anti-inflammatory effects.
• These properties are increasingly recognized for managing multimorbidity and potentially preventing metastasis.
• A growing body of experimental data supports the use of European and non-European herbal drugs for these applications.

Purpose:

• To explore the role of pleiotropic anti-inflammatory effects of herbal drugs in managing multimorbidity.
• To highlight the potential of specific herbal remedies, like St. John's Wort and milk thistle, in simultaneous disease and inflammation management.
• To underscore the need for therapy-oriented clinical research to validate these findings.

Summary:

• Herbal medicines contain multi-ingredient compounds with pleiotropic and multi-target properties, including anti-inflammatory effects.
• These characteristics suggest a role in managing multimorbidity and potentially retarding metastasis.
• St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and milk thistle are highlighted as well-researched examples with broad applications and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Impact:

• The anti-inflammatory actions of herbal drugs could offer an additional therapeutic advantage, particularly in multimorbid patients with conditions like depression and coronary heart disease.
• Specific selection of herbs with proven efficacy and anti-inflammatory effects allows for simultaneous treatment of disease and inflammation.
• Despite promising experimental data, there is a significant need for robust clinical studies to establish quality, safety, and therapeutic efficacy.