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Authors are the souls of any journal, and deserve much respect. To publish a journal manuscripts are needed from authors. Authors have a great responsibility for producing facts of their work in terms of number and results truthfully and an individual honesty is expected from authors in this regards. Both ways its true "No authors-No manuscripts-No journals" and "No journals–No manuscripts–No authors". Reviewing a manuscript is also a very responsible and important task of any peer-reviewed journal and to be taken seriously. It needs knowledge on the subject, sincerity, honesty and determination. Although the process of reviewing a manuscript is a time consuming task butit is expected to give one's best remarks within the time frame of the journal.
Salient features of the JCDR: It is a biomedical, multidisciplinary (including all medical and dental specialities), e-journal, with wide scope and extensive author support. At the same time, a free text of manuscript is available in HTML and PDF format. There is fast growing authorship and readership with JCDR as this can be judged by the number of articles published in it i e; in Feb 2007 of its first issue, it contained 5 articles only, and now in its recent volume published in April 2011, it contained 67 manuscripts. This e-journal is fulfilling the commitments and objectives sincerely, (as stated by Editor-in-chief in his preface to first edition) i e; to encourage physicians through the internet, especially from the developing countries who witness a spectrum of disease and acquire a wealth of knowledge to publish their experiences to benefit the medical community in patients care. I also feel that many of us have work of substance, newer ideas, adequate clinical materials but poor in medical writing and hesitation to submit the work and need help. JCDR provides authors help in this regards.
Timely publication of journal: Publication of manuscripts and bringing out the issue in time is one of the positive aspects of JCDR and is possible with strong support team in terms of peer reviewers, proof reading, language check, computer operators, etc. This is one of the great reasons for authors to submit their work with JCDR. Another best part of JCDR is "Online first Publications" facilities available for the authors. This facility not only provides the prompt publications of the manuscripts but at the same time also early availability of the manuscripts for the readers.
Indexation and online availability: Indexation transforms the journal in some sense from its local ownership to the worldwide professional community and to the public.JCDR is indexed with Embase & EMbiology, Google Scholar, Index Copernicus, Chemical Abstracts Service, Journal seek Database, Indian Science Abstracts, to name few of them. Manuscriptspublished in JCDR are available on major search engines ie; google, yahoo, msn.
In the era of fast growing newer technologies, and in computer and internet friendly environment the manuscripts preparation, submission, review, revision, etc and all can be done and checked with a click from all corer of the world, at any time. Of course there is always a scope for improvement in every field and none is perfect. To progress, one needs to identify the areas of one's weakness and to strengthen them.
It is well said that "happy beginning is half done" and it fits perfectly with JCDR. It has grown considerably and I feel it has already grown up from its infancy to adolescence, achieving the status of standard online e-journal form Indian continent since its inception in Feb 2007. This had been made possible due to the efforts and the hard work put in it. The way the JCDR is improving with every new volume, with good quality original manuscripts, makes it a quality journal for readers. I must thank and congratulate Dr Hemant Jain, Editor-in-Chief JCDR and his team for their sincere efforts, dedication, and determination for making JCDR a fast growing journal.
Every one of us: authors, reviewers, editors, and publisher are responsible for enhancing the stature of the journal. I wish for a great success for JCDR."
Thanking you
With sincere regards
Dr. Rajendra Kumar Ghritlaharey, M.S., M. Ch., FAIS
Associate Professor,
Department of Paediatric Surgery, Gandhi Medical College & Associated
Kamla Nehru & Hamidia Hospitals Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462 001 (India)
E-mail: drrajendrak1@rediffmail.com
On May 11,2011
Dr. Shankar P.R.
"On looking back through my Gmail archives after being requested by the journal to write a short editorial about my experiences of publishing with the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research (JCDR), I came across an e-mail from Dr. Hemant Jain, Editor, in March 2007, which introduced the new electronic journal. The main features of the journal which were outlined in the e-mail were extensive author support, cash rewards, the peer review process, and other salient features of the journal.
Over a span of over four years, we (I and my colleagues) have published around 25 articles in the journal. In this editorial, I plan to briefly discuss my experiences of publishing with JCDR and the strengths of the journal and to finally address the areas for improvement.
My experiences of publishing with JCDR: Overall, my experiences of publishing withJCDR have been positive. The best point about the journal is that it responds to queries from the author. This may seem to be simple and not too much to ask for, but unfortunately, many journals in the subcontinent and from many developing countries do not respond or they respond with a long delay to the queries from the authors 1. The reasons could be many, including lack of optimal secretarial and other support. Another problem with many journals is the slowness of the review process. Editorial processing and peer review can take anywhere between a year to two years with some journals. Also, some journals do not keep the contributors informed about the progress of the review process. Due to the long review process, the articles can lose their relevance and topicality. A major benefit with JCDR is the timeliness and promptness of its response. In Dr Jain's e-mail which was sent to me in 2007, before the introduction of the Pre-publishing system, he had stated that he had received my submission and that he would get back to me within seven days and he did!
Most of the manuscripts are published within 3 to 4 months of their submission if they are found to be suitable after the review process. JCDR is published bimonthly and the accepted articles were usually published in the next issue. Recently, due to the increased volume of the submissions, the review process has become slower and it ?? Section can take from 4 to 6 months for the articles to be reviewed. The journal has an extensive author support system and it has recently introduced a paid expedited review process. The journal also mentions the average time for processing the manuscript under different submission systems - regular submission and expedited review.
Strengths of the journal: The journal has an online first facility in which the accepted manuscripts may be published on the website before being included in a regular issue of the journal. This cuts down the time between their acceptance and the publication. The journal is indexed in many databases, though not in PubMed. The editorial board should now take steps to index the journal in PubMed. The journal has a system of notifying readers through e-mail when a new issue is released. Also, the articles are available in both the HTML and the PDF formats. I especially like the new and colorful page format of the journal. Also, the access statistics of the articles are available. The prepublication and the manuscript tracking system are also helpful for the authors.
Areas for improvement: In certain cases, I felt that the peer review process of the manuscripts was not up to international standards and that it should be strengthened. Also, the number of manuscripts in an issue is high and it may be difficult for readers to go through all of them. The journal can consider tightening of the peer review process and increasing the quality standards for the acceptance of the manuscripts. I faced occasional problems with the online manuscript submission (Pre-publishing) system, which have to be addressed.
Overall, the publishing process with JCDR has been smooth, quick and relatively hassle free and I can recommend other authors to consider the journal as an outlet for their work."
Dr. P. Ravi Shankar
KIST Medical College, P.O. Box 14142, Kathmandu, Nepal.
E-mail: ravi.dr.shankar@gmail.com
On April 2011 Anuradha
Dear team JCDR, I would like to thank you for the very professional and polite service provided by everyone at JCDR. While i have been in the field of writing and editing for sometime, this has been my first attempt in publishing a scientific paper.Thank you for hand-holding me through the process.
Dr. Anuradha
E-mail: anuradha2nittur@gmail.com
On Jan 2020
Reviews
Full Version
Ustrakantaka (Echinops echinatus Roxburgh) from Folklore Field Practice to Therapeutics: A Narrative Review
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Monika,
PhD Scholar, Department of Dravyaguna Vigyan, MGACH and RC, Wardha-442001, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: monika.harmony@gmail.com
“Ustrakantaka,” the botanical source of which is Echinops echinatus Roxb., is a wild branched xerophytic herb. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine, primarily valued for its stimulant properties in addressing sexual dysfunction and debility. The roots (mula), leaves (patra), flower (pushpa) and bark (twak) are frequently employed in folklore and Ayurveda. This plant exhibits multifaceted therapeutic potential, addressing urinary, liver and gynaecological disorders while also demonstrating antimicrobial, analgesic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The plant’s pharmacological activities are rooted in its diverse phytochemical profile, featuring the flavonoid apigenin and apigenin-7-O-glucoside, the phenolic compound Echinacin and the alkaloid Echinopsine. The present literature review provides an in-depth examination of Echinops echinatus, synthesising contemporary research on its historical context, ethnomedical application, pharmacognosy, phytoconstituents, pharmacological action and biological activity of the plant.
Ethnomedicine, Flavonoids, Gynaecological disorders
Since the dawn of human civilisation, diseases, disability and death have co-existed with life, as has the quest for positive health, happiness and longevity. With the gradual illumination of human intellect, materials that are safe and can be easily procured from natural surroundings have become a popular source of medicine for longstanding, emerging and reemerging infectious and non infectious diseases. Since then, Audhbhidadravya (drugs of vegetable origin) and their phytoconstituents have been the mainstay of the traditional systems of medicines (1). According to data published recently in the World Health Organisation (WHO) health bulletin, traditional medicines are the mainstay of primary healthcare delivery and their demand is increasing throughout the world, especially in rural populations (2).
The global resurgence of interest in herbal products entails multidisciplinary scientific research activities not only on known but also on many lesser-known medicinal plants. One such obscure medicinal plant with multifaceted health benefits is Ustrakantaka, the botanical source of which is Echinops echinatus Roxb. Echinops originated from the Greek word “echinos,” which signifies a hedgehog or sea urchin; both are spiny animals and the word “echinatus” means prickly. Thus, the name of the plant signifies its thorny appearance of the plant. It is an annual xerophytic herb (3). It has been mentioned in Ayurvedic literature In jwara chikitsa, ashmari chikitsa, masurika chikitsa, etc. It has a bitter and pungent taste (katu-tikta rasa), a pungent post-digestion effect (katuvipaka), is hot in potency (ushnavirya) and alleviates deranged vata-kaphadosha (4).
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, reproductive health tonic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective and analgesic are some of the pharmacological properties exhibited by the plant (5). Echinacin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, Echinaticin, Echinopsine, taraxasterol acetate and lupeol are the most important documented phytoconstituents present in it (6). It is also a popular folklore dravya used by local vaidyas, Siddha practitioners, tribal people and traditional healers. In India, it is commonly used as a sexual stimulant, both orally and topically and is also practiced for impotence, hoarse cough, dyspepsia, hysteria, syphilis, scrofula, ophthalmia, chronic fever and inflamed and painful joints (7).
The age-old medicinal wealth and traditional knowledge are steadily depleting, so it’s high time to explore lesser-known, easily available, cost-effective, potent ethnomedicinal plants with practical utility in place of rare, endangered and threatened drugs. The present review offers insight into the nomenclature, classical literature, botanical identity, distribution, ethnomedicinal significance, pharmacological activities and therapeutic uses of this plant.
Classical Ayurvedic literature, such as the Charak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, Nighantus, Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India and The Reviews on Indian Medicinal Plants, as well as databases including Google Scholar, the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) portal, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, the AYUSHDHARA portal and the Cochrane Library, were searched for data collection. The keywords used for the database search include “Echinops echinatus or/and pharmacognosy,” “Echinops echinatus,” “echinops,” “Ustrakantaka,” “Usnakantak,” “Brahmadandi,” “Utkanto,” “Folklore,” “ethnomedicinal use,” “phytochemical,” and “globe thistle.” A manual search of authentic databases was performed to broaden the search spectrum of the study.
1. Vernacular names: The plant is well known as Indian Globe Thistle or Camel’s Thistle in English and as Utakatira, Untakanta, Oontkatara and Brahmdandi in Hindi. Kadechubak, Batresh and Shuliyo are its prevalent names in Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat (8).
a Synonyms and nomenclature: The word Ustrakantaka signifies that camels eat this spinous herb. In classical texts of Ayurveda, Ustrakantaka is referred to by many synonyms, such as Uttakantak, Uttkanta (herb with abundant thorns), Rakta, Raktapushpi and Lohitpushpi (plants bearing red-coloured flowers), Varnapushpi (plants having coloured flowers), Kantakphal (fruits bearing thorns), Kantalu (plants with many thorns/bristles), Karmadan (it pierces the hands when touched), Tikshnagra (the branches have sharp ends) and Vrittaguccha (signifies the discoid shape of clustered flowers) (9).
b Geographical distribution: Echinops is mainly available in Afghanistan, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean region of the world. In India, it grows extensively in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, Karnataka and other dry regions of Andhra Pradesh, up to an altitude of 5,000 feet (10).
c Morphology: It is a xerophytic branched herb reaching a height of 30-60 cm. The branches are covered with white cottony pubescence. Leaves are arranged alternately, non petiolate, oblong to lanceolate, extensively pinnatifid, 8-12 cm long, spinescent, pale above and pubescent beneath. The margin is sinuate, pointed and spinous, with spines about 2 cm long. Flowers are borne at the terminal ends of branches as solitary florets united together into compound globose heads. The heads are purplish-white, compact, with a diameter of 2-3 cm, attached to a stout peduncle, bracteate and spinescent. Involucres bear sharp spines, resemble yellow-coloured pappus hairs and form cylindrical brush-like structures over the achene. Outer involucre bracts are glabrous and oblanceolate, with intermediate bracts (1 or 2) turning into sharp spines of about 2.5 cm. The innermost bracts (5-8) are connate into a tube for more than half of their length. Free segments are acute–obtuse, ciliate, with a laciniate apex and have scarious margins. The anthers are tailed and fimbriated. Fruit cypselae have a short brush-like pappus over them. Achenes are about 4 mm long, densely villous and obconic. The roots are cylindrical, brown-coloured, tough, rough and tortuous (Table/Fig 1),(Table/Fig 2) (11).
2 Review in ayurveda: Ustrakantaka has been mentioned in the Charak Samhita as a component of Chandanadi taila in Jwara chikitsa (12). In the Sushrut Samhita, it is prescribed for the treatment of Ashmari (calculus) (13). The plant is well described in Ayurvedic lexicons, such as in the Karviryadi varga of Raj Nighantu, the Lakshmanadi varga of Shodhal Nighantu and the Sahadevyadi varga of Nighantu Adarsha (9),(14),(15). Chakradutta advised using the plant for Masurika (pustular eruptions) and Lingsthamban (erectile dysfunction) (16).
a Rasapanchaka (Ayurvedic pharmacodynamic principles): Ustrakantaka has Laghu-Ruksha guna, Tikta-Katu rasa, Ushna virya, Katu vipaka and is predominantly Kapha-Vata shamak. The seeds possess Guru and Sheet Guna, Madhur Rasa, Madhur vipaka and Sheet Virya (cold potency).
b Action and indications: Classical lexicons, including Rajnighantu, Shodhal Nighantu, Nighantu Ratnakar and Nighantu Adarsha, have articulated the properties and uses of Ustrakantaka (13),(14),(16),(17). The plant is recommended to be prescribed for Aruchi (anorexia), Hridyaroga (heart ailments), Prameha (diabetes), Mutrakricchta (dysuria), Trishna (thirst), Bandhyatva (infertility), Kasa (cough), Dourbalya (generalised weakness), Vishphotaka (boils), Prasav (labour pain), Mukhadantaroga (oral cavity disorders), Netraroga (eye diseases) and Yoshapasmar (hysteria). It is Deepana (digestive), Ruchya (taste enhancer), Mutral (diuretic), Poustika (nutrient), Vrishya (aphrodisiac), Ropana (wound healer), Shigraprasavkarak (facilitates delivery), Kasaghna (antitussive), Cakshushya (improves vision), Jantughna (antihelmintic), Raktashodhaka (blood purifier) and Hridyarogahara (pacifies cardiac ailments) in karma.
3 Ethnomedicinal and therapeutic relevance: Ustrakantaka is widely practiced as a medicinal herb among ethnic groups, tribal communities, local vaidyas and traditional practitioners throughout India. Tribal communities use its leaves, root bark, flowers, seeds and aerial parts in the form of powder, juice, paste, ash, decoction and infusion for various systemic illnesses. The ethnomedicinal uses of Ustrakantaka are summarised in (Table/Fig 3) (18),(19),(20),(21),(22),(23),(24),(25),(26),(27),(28),(29),(30),(31),(32),(33),(34),(35),(36).
a Chemical constituents: Preliminary phytochemical studies conducted on the plant extracts revealed that flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosides, glycosides, phenolic compounds, saponins, triterpenoids and sterols are the major phytoconstituents present in the aerial parts, seeds, roots, flowers and whole plant of Ustrakantaka. The details have been collected from various databases such as PubChem, Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry And Therapeutics (IMPPAT) and research articles and are summarised in (Table/Fig 4) (37),(38),(39),(40),(41),(42),(43).
4. Research studies conducted:
a) Pharmacognostical studies- Few studies have been reported so far that feature the pharmacognostical aspects of Ustrakantaka. Organoleptic characteristics, gross macroscopy and microscopic characterisation of the root, stem and leaves were conducted (44),(45). A pharmacognostic evaluation of the root revealed one to three layered cork cells with irregularly shaped parenchyma, a 20-30 layered parenchymatous cortex, a single-layered endodermis and pericycle. The vascular bundles are open, endarch and divided by medullary rays (46). The transverse section of the stem showed the presence of the outermost epidermal layer surrounded by a thick cuticle and uniseriate multicellular trichomes. The cortex is heterogeneous with collenchymatous and parenchymatous cells, a single-layered endodermis, endarch vascular bundles and pith cells containing spheraphides (47). The transverse section of the leaves comprises a single-layered epidermis covered with cuticle and trichomes, a two-layered mesophyll differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma and a 3-5 ridged midrib containing endarch vascular bundles (48).
b) In-vitro, In-vivo pharmacological studies- The plant has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antifertility, antimicrobial, antioxidant, diuretic, analgesic, hepatoprotective and antiulcer activities, as enumerated in (Table/Fig 5) (49),(50),(51),(52),(53),(54),(55),(56),(57),(58),(59),(60),(61),(62),(63).
c) Toxicity studies- Acute oral toxicity studies of Ustrakantaka root and whole plant extracts were conducted in rats and mice. The studies revealed that its extracts are non toxic in nature and do not reflect behavioral changes or mortality, even up to doses of 2000 and 3000 mg/kg body weight (49),(50),(57),(64).
Ustrakantaka offers a wide array of medicinal properties, which are substantiated by its diverse therapeutic uses in traditional practices by various ethnic groups. The data reviewed herein show that Ustrakantaka plays a vital role in treating disorders of deranged Kapha and Vata dosha, such as kasa, hridyaroga, prameha, prasav, vrana-apachi, mukha-danta-netraroga, agnimandhya, trishna, mutrakrichta, jwar and klaibyata. According to the Ayurvedic pharmacodynamic principle, Ustrakantaka pacifies Vata dosha due to its Ushna virya and Kapha dosha due to its ruksha guna, katu vipaka and ushna virya, thus alleviating Vata and Kapha disorders. Furthermore, its seeds have immense medicinal importance in impotency and seminal debility due to their vrishya and shukrala properties.
However, while the plant has been referenced in classical Ayurvedic and Unani literature for a long time, it remains largely unexplored in the scientific domain. Although some of its ascribed uses in Ayurvedic classics have been scientifically validated through pharmacological studies conducted so far, confirmatory research trials are still required to validate these claims in preclinical and clinical settings. Limited data is available concerning the molecular mechanism of action, analytical and pharmacokinetic studies, as well as the acute and chronic toxicity profiles of the various useful parts of the drug, highlighting the need for rigorous research trials.
Ustrakantaka has been a pivotal traditional medicine, particularly in rural areas, where it is used in the treatment of common ailments such as hoarse cough, dysuria, seminal debility, dyspepsia, hysteria, difficult labour, inflammatory diseases, wounds, scrofula, joint pain, fever and as a nervine tonic. The plant is relatively safe, potent, easily accessible and affordable to stakeholders. Thus, initiatives to bring this unexplored plant into mainstream practice, supported by evidence-based research, are the need of the hour.
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2025/76024.20718
Date of Submission: Oct 05, 2024
Date of Peer Review: Dec 03, 2024
Date of Acceptance: Jan 08, 2025
Date of Publishing: Mar 01, 2025
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was Ethics Committee Approval obtained for this study? No
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? No
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. NA
PLAGIARISM CHECKING METHODS:
• Plagiarism X-checker: Oct 08, 2024
• Manual Googling: Jan 04, 2025
• iThenticate Software: Jan 06, 2025 (2%)
ETYMOLOGY: Author Origin
EMENDATIONS: 6
- Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science, thomsonreuters)
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- www.omnimedicalsearch.com