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Author: Sylvia Marinova, PhD student in in the "Genomic Stability" lab at BAS

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While allergies are often defined as the "epidemic of the 21st century", they are definitely not new to humanity. It is likely that under certain circumstances our immune systems have always reacted to simple stimuli, leading to the appearance of typical symptoms such as skin irritations, sneezing, runny nose, red and tearful eyes, shortness of breath, etc. Such reactions are found described in ancient documents from China, Rome, Egypt and Greece. And even if they have existed for a long time, our understanding of them is relatively new and still a very hot topic in research.

What-are-allergies

What are allergies

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An allery is our body reaction to normally harmless substances such as pollen, dust, some foods, latex, insect stings, etc. These substances are perceived by our organism as "foreign" and are called allergens. Therefore, our body attempts to protect itself and fight off the alien invader by triggering a whole sequence of responses.

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Allergens stimulate our body and it produces special IgG antibodies. They in turn bind to immune system cells that store a substance called histamine and give them a signal to release it. Histamine recognises receptors on the surface of cells in affected tissues and binds to them. This leads to an inflammatory process and an increase in blood flow.

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What is the result? Let's say you have an allergy to pollen and spring has come. Your body recognizes pollen as a potentially dangerous foreign agent, and this is where histamine comes to the rescue.&nbsp;It causes the cells in the nose to produce more mucus, which results in increased secretions and nasal congestion. This can make you sneeze or irritate your throat and cause a cough. Here come the antihistamines - drugs that block the action of histamine and help us get rid of unpleasant symptoms. But for them a little later.

History-of-histamine

History of histamine

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We have clarified what histamine is and how it causes all the unpleasant manifestations of allergies. But how did it come to his discovery and understanding of its physiological function?

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As science develops in the 19th century, a series of experiments were also done by some scientists that laid the groundwork for scientific discoveries related to allergic reactions&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/Histamine_and_the_antiallergic_antihistamines_a_history_of_their_discoveries_10444205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[ref.1]</a>.

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In 1902, two French scientists studying the action of certain substances known to cause serious reactions in humans showed that the first dose of injecting animals with them was harmless. On the other hand, a second dose of the same injection after a certain period of time leads to a very serious, often fatal reaction. This reaction they called anaphylaxis. Despite this serious progress, they believed that anaphylaxys is triggered by poisons.

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It wasn't until 1904 that scientists realized that the substances that cause allergies were harmless before something made the body recognize them as foreign, and in 1906 the link between hay fever and pollen was found.

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In the same period, the substance histamine was isolated for the first time.&nbsp;Over time, scientists have established many of its functions in different parts of the body, until they conclude that it is a normal part of our bodies. In addition, its role as a mediator of anaphylaxis (excessive reaction of the immune system to an allergen), as well as that in the secretion of gastric juice. All this leads to a growing interest in this compound and in-depth work in search of its antagonist - ostensibly another substance that has the opposite function. These antagonists are called antihistamines.

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A brief history of antihistamines

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The task of searching for antihistamines began to be carried out seriously at the Pasteur Institute in Paris by Daniel Beauvais, who later received the Nobel Prize for pioneering work in this field<a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/Histamine_pharmacology_from_Sir_Henry_Dale_to_the_21st_century_30341770" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> [ref.2]</a>.

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Thus, the first antihistamine approved for human use reached the market in 1944.&nbsp;Although newer and newer antihistamines continue to be synthesized, the mechanism of action remains unknown for some time. This makes scientists wonder what is the effect of both histamine and antihistamines.

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They suggest that it is a receptor that is recognized by histamine and explain the action of antihistamines as molecules that also bind to these receptors and physically inhibit the action of histamine and therefore its action. Because existing antihistamines affected allergies, but not all other histamine functions, they even went further - they suggested that there were several histamine receptors in our bodies. And really - today we know about four histamine receptors.

Antihistamines-for-everything?

Antihistamines for everything?

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Since there are four histamine receptors found , which are located throughout our body and are associated with many physiological functions, it seems antihistamines also have many potential actions. Let's look at the different receptors and how antihistamines work.

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The first open receptor is called H1. It is on it that the first antihistamines obtained have acted. Today we know that it is found in cells throughout our body and is involved in allergic reactions and inflammation.&nbsp; Most instantaneous skin reactions such as itching, erythema, edema are associated with the action of this receptor, as well as sneezing, runny nose, cough . Therefore,these drugs are prescribed both for allergies&nbsp;and colds . H1 is also detected in the brain and it is known that its has stimulating and arousing action there. This also explains the side effects of the first generation of antihistamines that target those receptors and can reach the brain. As a results patients experience drowsiness. That is why the same active ingredient is also sold as a sleeping drug.

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A second generation of antihistamines, such as loratadine, also targets H1 but cannot reach the brain and is therefore sold as a cure for allergic reactions, but without the side effect of drowsiness. Another second-generation drug is famotidine. It is already targeting the next histamine receptor - H2. Activation of this receptor leads to stimulation of the secretion of gastric acid and mucus in the respiratory tract <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01873/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[ref.3]</a> . Since antihistamines against it block these functions, they are also used for the treatment of gastritis and acids.

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The latest discovered receptors are H3 and H4. H3 is found in abundance in nerve cells in the brain. It is important for maintaining energy metabolism, cognitive abilities, sleep, etc. H3 antagonists are used to treat obesity, insomnia, improve cognitive abilities. H4 in turn is found mainly in cells of the immune system, but also in the spleen, mucous membrane of the small intestine, lungs, central nervous system, etc. This type of receptor is involved in complex reactions of the immune system and inflammation. Antihistamines against it are potentially a new treatment for asthma and various allergies.

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In conclusion, we can say that research in the field of histamines and antihistamines is still very relevant and there is a huge scope for development. The more we understand about the functions of different receptors and the connections between them, the more opportunities are opened up.

<a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/Histamine_and_the_antiallergic_antihistamines_a_history_of_their_discoveries_10444205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Histamine and the antiallergic antihistamines: a history of their discoveries</a>. 2009, Clinical and Experimental Allergy

<a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/Histamine_pharmacology_from_Sir_Henry_Dale_to_the_21st_century_30341770" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Histamine pharmacology: from Sir Henry Dale to the 21st century.</a> 2018,&nbsp; British Journal of Pharmacology

The Role of Histamine and Histamine Receptors in Mast Cell-Mediated Allergy and Inflammation: The Hunt for New Therapeutic Targets, 2018, Front. Immunol.

What are the most famous natural sweeteners, what they are and from which plants are extracted. The answers to these questions can be found in the following article.

Sweetness From Nature Or How To Replace Sugar With Natural Sweeteners

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In this article you will find useful information about the healing properties of the broadleaf plantain according to the Iranian traditional medicine and modern science.

The Broadleaf Plantain: A Modest Plant with Great Healing Potential

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In the season of the ramson find out what health properties it possesses, how it has been used in the past and how to prepare delicious pesto from wild garlic.

Wild Garlic - The Healing Properties of Ramson. Bonus: Recipe for Delicious Wild Garlic Pesto

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In this article you will find information about the beneficial effects of nettle and learn whether it has the potential to help treat oncological diseases.

Healing Properties of Stinging Nettle and Its Potential in Cancer Treatment

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Tea is the second most common drink after water. Tea, which is prepared from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant is 3 types: green, oolong and black - depending on the degree of oxidation of the leaves. The most oxidized are the leaves of black tea, not so much of the oolong tea and the leafs of green tea are not oxidized at all.

9 unexpected health benefits of green tea and how to prepare it

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Chillies owe their effect to a compound called capsaicin, which can help control inflammation and other harmful processes in the body associated with the accumulation of fatty plaques in the arteries (atherosclerosis), for example.

Are chili peppers healthy - find out what science has to say

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Studies have suggested that ginseng reduces physical, chemical and biological stress, while increasing overall vitality and immune function, including physical and mental capacity.

8 reasons why the Chinese call ginseng The King of Herbs

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Over the past few decades, Ttribulus terrestris has been the subject of extensive research. It has been found that the herb has the following effects or at least potential for them, some of which we will discuss in the article.

Tribulus terrestris - what is the scientific evidence behind it's effects on your health

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Antihistamines - a cure-all?

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 Antihistamines - a cure-all?

Силвия Маринова

<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/herbal-and-natural-medicine/id1527570321" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download app for iOS</a>

<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.bioseek.herbalmedicine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download app for Android</a>

<a href="https://www.herbal-organic.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.herbal-organic.com</a>

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Author: Sylvia Marinova, PhD student in the Genomic Stabilit lab at BAS

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I am almost certain that I did not have a friend from the children's English courses who voluntarily wanted to be with me in one room at the summer camps in Pamporovo, as various bugs often crawled out of the wonderfully smelling thyme which I used to dry in our wardrobe.

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Later, when I grew up a little, when we went to the mountains with my parents, I was bringing a large encyclopedia of the herbs in Bulgaria. If I liked a plant, I started flipping through the pages until I found out what it was and what properties it had.

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Now I know a lot more herbs, and to be honest, I usually collect the same species and don't have to carry thick books in the mountains.&nbsp;However, it often happens that I am asked which plant is what, knowing that I studied biology, and since botany never became my favorite at university, there are definitely a lot of medicinal plants that I do not know well and can not always answer properly.

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This is why in the article below, I will tell you about the Herbal and Natural Medicine app - a pocket encyclopedia for herbs and pure salvation for the biology student as more than a good alternative to herbal books, which are neither comfortable to carry in the mountains, nor fit well into lightweight mountaineering luggage. And not only - it is super useful in different situations, and I would definitely recommend it to any avid amateur and herbalist. Also to anyone who is interested in herbal treatment and how they can help themselves with the help of natural means and is looking for information about them that they can trust.

What-is-the-app-about

What is the app about

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The essence of Herbal and Natural Medicine is to be an application that allows you to perform a search by a plant, an active substance or a disease. The cool thing is that it gives access to scientific publications related to a particular plant and its applications in both Western and Traditional medicine. Generally speaking - it plays the role of a search engine that extracts articles from the most famous scientific databases by giving a lot of useful information about all its studied properties. Imagine something like Google, but very closely specialized in the field of scientific publications related to the world of medicinal plants.

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For example, if I write thymus vulgaris, the application will automatically sort the properties of the herb by how many scientific publications have examined them. This is already a great landmark, because it immediately shows me valuable information, and even if I don't read the listed papers, I already know that the antioxidant and antibacterial properties are much better studied ythan the laxative one of thyme. But why is this so important and convenient?

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The answer is very simple - we live in a sea of information that floods us constantly, and it is easy to mislead which claims are credible and which are not.&nbsp;For this reason, it is very important to have points of reference when filtering information and not to trust everything read on the Internet, especially when it comes to our health.

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Our Health Is In Danger: 17 Ways to Identify False Information

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Herbal and Natural Medicine does just that - it helps us find scientifically proved information, systematizes it and allows us to handle it in a convenient and understandable way. Long story short - the application makes a connection between medicinal plants, properties and diseases and shows us scientific articles that we even have the opportunity to translate into our native language.

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Associated with this feature is the possibility to conduct our search in reverse order - we set a disease or condition, and the application gives us a list of the herbs and plants that are associated with it, as well as the relevant scientific publications and their number.

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Another great thing is that the app is appropriate even when we need to do a more complicated search by key active ingredients of plants that we want to know more about.

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Identification of plant species

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Another main feature of the application is that it can recognize plant species by a photo. And, you see,&nbsp;to get out of an awkward situation poorly learned textbook on plant taxonomy biologists.

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You will see an option in the menu to directly capture the plant within the app, as well as one to upload a photo from the gallery of the phone. As long as the photo is in focus and you correctly determine which part of the plant is photographed (for example, flower or root), the application does everything else. It defines the Latin name and, most coolly, compiles a list of its properties and the scientific publications in which they were mentioned. Useful and easy, isn't it?

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The plants around us

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Last but not least, the third main function of Herbal and Natural Medicine is to show us a map of any plant of interest. Anyone who captures and identifies a plant can choose to keep it in a database. Thus, other people using the app can easily navigate where around them there is any specific plant that interests them.

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Imagine wondering where to go for a walk in the mountains to pick thyme. The solution is given to you again by Herbal and Natural Medicine - open the application and see on the map in which regions thyme is marked on the map and plan your walk accordingly.

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Online shop

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There is also a built-in store in the app. Whether you are looking for a specific plant or disease, you can find with a single click dietary supplements or products related to a keyword of interest. It operates with an&nbsp;integrated matching algorithm that delivers intelligent product suggestions.

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Conclusion

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In short, Herbal and Natural Medicine is an extremely convenient and useful application. Unlike other botanical applications that only identify plant species, here you get quick access to scientific publications extracted from the most reputable scientific databases. This is complemented by an intuitive view, well-organized information, shopping opportunities and geolocation of plant species of interest. Although recently released, Herbal and Natural Medicine already has over 100,000 downloads. So instead of looking for great herbal books and loading your luggage with them, download the app and go to the woods to try it out.

In recent years omega-3 fatty acids have gained popularity due to their numerous health benefits. They are an important part of lipid metabolism of animals and play a significant role in human health.

Omega-3 fatty acids: health benefits and sources

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The factors that determine the mental development of the child are many. It has already been proven that physical activity and food are among the most significant of them. 

Which foods boost children's brain development since conception

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For better or worse, in Europe, the number of children born by caesarean section (c-section) is very high. This makes the issue of breastfeeding after a c-section particularly relevant since reportedly in many cases, breast milk is not let down as easy as in natural birth. In this article, we will try to give a few useful tips on the topic of breastfeeding after a c-section, and some of them are common, regardless of the way of birth.

Useful tips for breastfeeding after c-section

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Most common causes of recurrent pregnancy loss

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Aging is a natural process that has been embedded in us since the beginning of our existence. But the pursuit of eternal youth and immortality also seems innate to us. Scientists are trying to unravel the mechanisms behind this fundamental process, and in recent years they have become increasingly close to achieving this goal. The next step is to figure out how to reverse the process, or at least slow it down.

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Bleeding, which is observed in early pregnancy, is not a real menstruation, although it can occur around the moment when it is expected. That might make you not realize you are pregnant.

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Gestational diabetes is associated with both increased insulin resistance and impaired function of the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. There are many causes of diabetes during pregnancy.

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I have a loving partner by my own and we feel ready for the most responsible step - to create a child. But what do I have to do before I get pregnant?

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Herbal and Natural Medicine - Your Pocket Encyclopedia About Herbs

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 Herbal and Natural Medicine - Your Pocket Encyclopedia About Herbs

Gin tonic - a favorite drink, which we can safely call one of the symbols of warm summer evenings, filled with broad smiles and high spirits in the presence of good company. And this is only the simplest variation of this refreshing drink - with a little imagination one could add wonderful notes of variety and taste, and at the end of the article you will find a few original ideas for easy cocktails with gin. Until then - let's turn to the curious and less familiar facts about the history and benefits of gin.

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Where does gin come from

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As a national drink of the British, you might easily think that the gin originated from there. But that's not quite the case. It turns out that the drink has a longer history.

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Francisco Sylvius, physician from the Leiden University, is officially thought to be the discoverer of&nbsp; gin. He was first to describe the production of the drink in the 17th century by distilling fermented cereals, namely malt wine, to which "fruit" of juniper was added during the process.&nbsp; It has strong aromatic and healing properties, and the resulting drink he used as a medicine mainly for kidney problems. He called the juniper liqueur - gin (in Latin juniper is Juniperus).

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Although his name is traditionally mentioned as the discoverer of gin, there is various evidence to suggest that even previously, high-alcohol distilled juniper beverages were well known as a medicinal product [<a href="https://www.diffordsguide.com/g/1108/gin/history-of-gin-1100s-mid-1500s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ref.1</a>]. For example, during the Black Death, the devastating bubonic plague epidemic that spread across Europe in the mid-14th century, there was a belief that distilled juniper drinks helped fight the disease. For this reason, they were very popular.

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Still, how does gin as we know it get to the British and to us? Even before Francisco Sylvius was born, the Dutch had produced large quantities of giniver and traded with it. In the 17th century, during the wars, English soldiers in the low lands called the giniver "Dutch courage". They shortened the name of the drink to gin and brought the new taste to their homeland. Then the gin industry flourished and the famous London gin was born.

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What about tonic water?

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It is also worth mentioning briefly about the history of tonic - after all, it is half of the drink gin tonic, and its origin is also associated with its healing properties.

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The tonic is a heartless drink and contains a substance called quinine <a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/Quinine_an_old_anti_malarial_drug_in_a_modern_world_role_in_the_treatment_of_malaria_21609473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[ref.2]</a>, which is&nbsp; due to its bitter taste. Quinine is an alkaloid, which is found in a large amount in the bark of the quinine tree.

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Historically, tonic water was used to prevent and treat malaria. So did the gin tonic drink - when British soldiers were sent to India to colonize it,&nbsp;they had to take a tonic against malaria. To make it tastier, they started mixing it with gin.

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Today, there is much less quinine in the tonic, but it continues to be consumed because of its specific flavor.

Why-juniper

Why juniper

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Juniperus Communis is a shrub or non-tall tree, different parts of which are used in traditional medicine. The needles, bearing twigs and "fruits" are used, which botanically represent cones and it is incorrect to call them so. For simplicity, the article refers to them as "fruits".

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Many biologically active substances are derived from juniper, which are due to its pharmacological properties, among which apigenin, lutin, quercetin, coumarins, dieterpenoids, etc.

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Juniper for urinary tract problems

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Juniper, as well as some of its close relatives, is used in urinary tract problems. Its leaves contain some antibacterial terpenes. In addition, they also have diuretic properties (increase urination), as well as some other compounds that are found in extracts of the plant.

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Juniper essential oil - a cure for rheumatism

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Besides the "fruit", which can be taken either in the form of syrup or by direct chewing and ingestion in a dose specified by a pharmacist or doctor, juniper essential oil also has well-expressed properties. Its use for rheumatic pains is known when it is applied externally (diluted in base oil) by rubbing.

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Essential oil is also very popular in the perfume industry. It is also an integral part of many flavoring preparations due to its pleasant aroma and the ability to neutralize unpleasant odors.

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Other medicinal properties of juniper

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Juniper is also used for: <a href="https://www.bioseek.eu/en/eng/research/pubmed/A_Phytopharmacological_Review_on_a_Medicinal_Plant_Juniperus_communis_27419205" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> [ref.3]</a>:

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<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">skin irritations and diseases</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">digestive problems, bloating and heaviness</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">malaria</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">viral, fungal and bacterial infections, etc.</li>
</ul>

Traditional and alternative medicine