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The potential of Arum spp. as a cure for hemorrhoids: chemistry, bioactivities, and application

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Abstract

Hemorrhoids become pathological when swollen or inflamed. They can be very painful and occasionally cause serious anemia as they often break and hardly heal. Orthodox medicine usually treats hemorrhoids through surgery combined with medication containing the flavonoid diosmin. Our previous ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological research in Bulgaria (Balkan Peninsula) revealed that Arum maculatum and possibly its relatives were more efficient to cure hemorrhoids. The aim of this study is to review the traditional use, biologically active compounds and pharmacological activities of Arum species. Biologically active compounds identified in various parts of Arum species include: alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds as well as carbohydrate-binding proteins. Arum species extracts have analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. According to ethnobotanical data, the most frequent biological activity of several Arum species which deserves special attention is against hemorrhoids and it is still poorly studied with modern pharmacological tests.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Medical University of Sofia, Faculty of Pharmacy for the opportunity this research to be performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, MU-Sofia, Dunav 2, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Ekaterina Kozuharova & Niko Benbassat

  2. University Hospital Lozenetz, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Zheko Naychov

  3. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, MU-Sofia, Dunav 2, 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Vladimir Kochmarov & Georgy Momekov

  4. Panacea 2001 LTD, Galabez 2, Sofia, 1505, Bulgaria

    Vladimir Kochmarov

  5. UMR 6134–SPE, Natural Resources Project, CNRS—University of Corsica, 20000, Ajaccio, France

    Marc Gibernau

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  1. Ekaterina Kozuharova
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Correspondence to Ekaterina Kozuharova.

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Ekaterina Kozuharova has no conflict of interest. Zheko Naychov has no conflict of interest. Vladimir Kochmarov has no conflict of interest. Niko Benbassat has no conflict of interest. Marc Gibernau has no conflict of interest. Georgy Momekov has no conflict of interest.

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Kozuharova, E., Naychov, Z., Kochmarov, V. et al. The potential of Arum spp. as a cure for hemorrhoids: chemistry, bioactivities, and application. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM) 20, 133–141 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-020-00425-x

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