Perspectives on animal experimentation in herbal medicine research: ethical dilemmas and scientific progress

IF 2.2 4区 医学 Q2 INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Kofi Busia
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Abstract

Animal experimentation has long been an integral part of biomedical and cosmetics research, with historical roots dating back to ancient Greece. During that period, physicians constrained by cultural taboos that forbade the use of human cadavers, turned to the dissection of animals for their anatomical studies. The use of specific animal models in research has often been justified by the remarkable biological similarities between animals and humans. However, there are instances where animal models, such as fish and frogs, are used, despite significant disparities in their anatomy and physiology compared to humans. In herbal medicine research, animal experimentation has found various applications. Numerous plant species from diverse global regions, including the United Kingdom, United States, China, India, and Africa, have been studied to identify their pharmacological properties and therapeutic indications. Nevertheless, the use of animals in these studies, while offering undeniable advantages, remains a subject of intense debate and contention, mainly arising from the ethical challenges it presents, as well as the substantial financial burden it imposes, and its inability to reliably predict human responses. This paper, therefore, proposes a comprehensive list of research methodologies that are ethical, practical, cost-effective, and consistent with the real ethos of herbal medicine. These alternative methods, which include in vitro studies, human cell cultures, computational modelling, culturally sensitive clinical trials, and ethnobotanical surveys, have the potential to provide cost-effective healthcare solutions, without subjecting animals to unnecessary suffering.

透视中草药研究中的动物实验:伦理困境与科学进步
长期以来,动物实验一直是生物医学和化妆品研究不可或缺的一部分,其历史渊源可追溯到古希腊。在那个时期,由于文化禁忌禁止使用人类尸体,医生们转而使用解剖动物的方法进行解剖研究。在研究中使用特定动物模型的理由通常是动物与人类在生物学上有显著的相似性。不过,也有使用鱼类和青蛙等动物模型的情况,尽管这些动物的解剖学和生理学与人类相比存在显著差异。在草药研究中,动物实验有多种应用。对来自英国、美国、中国、印度和非洲等全球不同地区的众多植物物种进行了研究,以确定其药理特性和治疗适应症。然而,在这些研究中使用动物虽然具有不可否认的优势,但仍然存在激烈的争论和争议,主要原因是使用动物会带来伦理挑战和巨大的经济负担,而且无法可靠地预测人类的反应。因此,本文提出了一份全面的研究方法清单,这些方法符合伦理、实用、成本效益高,而且与草药的真正精神相一致。这些替代方法包括体外研究、人类细胞培养、计算建模、文化敏感性临床试验和人种植物学调查,有可能提供具有成本效益的医疗保健解决方案,而不会让动物遭受不必要的痛苦。
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来源期刊
Journal of Herbal Medicine
Journal of Herbal Medicine INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE-
CiteScore
3.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
94
期刊介绍: The Journal of Herbal Medicine, the official journal of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, is a peer reviewed journal which aims to serve its readers as an authoritative resource on the profession and practice of herbal medicine. The content areas of the journal reflect the interests of Medical Herbalists and other health professionals interested in the clinical and professional application of botanical medicines. The objective is to strengthen the research and educational base of herbal medicine with research papers in the form of case studies, original research articles and reviews, monographs, clinical trials and relevant in vitro studies. It also publishes policy statements, opinion pieces, book reviews, conference proceedings and profession related information such as pharmacovigilance reports providing an information source for not only the Herbal Practitioner but any Health professional with an interest in phytotherapy.
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