The combination of ancient medicine along with new Bioinformatics is creating new chances in the field of drugs. In silico molecular docking techniques were used in a recent study ( https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-020-02578-7 ) to investigate the possibility of Ayurvedic phytochemicals to overcome COVID-19. The compounds obtained after extracting medicinal plants like Phyllanthus amarus and Andrographis paniculata, like Geraniin, Corilagin, Furosin, etc., were tested against some important viral proteins, including the spike protein and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
The authors of this study have offered an important contribution to the scientifically validated traditional Ayurvedic knowledge by using computational techniques. Their study revealed that a number of plant-based compounds had high binding affinities, just like the established antivirals such as Remdesivir, thus highlighting the possible value of herbal medicine in contemporary medicine. In addition to satisfying the gap that exists between ancient practices and modern science, this study also stipulates further investigation and affirmation of Ayurvedic medicine through bioinformatics tools. Providing a new manufacturing focus to Ayurvedic medicine businesses.
What do you think about bioinformatics-based validation being enough to integrate Ayurvedic medicine into mainstream healthcare, or is clinical evidence still the ultimate benchmark?
Great read! Bioinformatics based evidence is a great start to prove theories already established in Ayurveda. But clinical evidence no doubt has a greater impact in any medical science.
Ayurvedic medicines and other traditionally used medicines need to be studied thoroughly to integrate with modern medicine. Bioinformatics based validation should be proved in clinical trials studies.
Ayurveda is the science accepted by ancient science. I think along with bioinformatics-based validation the clinical evidence is required to set the benchmark. The clinical evidence is necessary as the drug interaction in the body plays a vital role.
Bioinformatics is an excellent starting point because it helps identify promising drug candidates quickly and efficiently. However, I personally think that computational predictions alone aren’t enough. To integrate Ayurvedic medicines into mainstream healthcare, they still need to be supported by rigorous laboratory studies, clinical trials and safety evaluations. Combining traditional knowledge with modern scientific evidence is the best way forward.
In silico docking is a tool for investigating the molecular interactions between ligands and receptors. It is a computer-aided technique to identify a lead compound for drug development. A lead compound is a chemical structure with demonstrated pharmacological or biological activity against a specific disease target. It gives some degree of assurance that it may show some kind of therapeutic activity. It is the very first step of drug discovery. To establish a medicine in mainstream healthcare, you have to perform preclinical and clinical trials to generate scientific evidence about the effective dose, lethal dose, and side effects. This safety and toxicity study is a must for any safe medicine.
This is an exciting example of how traditional knowledge and modern technology can complement each other. However, in silico findings should be viewed as hypothesis-generating, with clinical evidence remaining the gold standard for patient care.
I would definitely say that clinical evidence remains the ultimate benchmark. I do believe Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine have their own mark and can be beneficial in certain situations.But with the way our environment, lifestyle, and disease patterns have changed over time, I’m not convinced that bringing them into mainstream healthcare without a clinical evidence is the right approach.
Agreed, But we also have to remember that traditional remedies are complex mixtures, not single-molecule drugs. Standard molecular docking usually looks at ‘one drug, one target,’ which misses how these herbal compounds work together. To truly prepare them for clinical trials, we need to use network pharmacology to map how the entire plant extract interacts with our body’s systems, rather than just looking at isolated molecules.
I found this really interesting. It’s amazing to see how modern bioinformatics can help us better understand and validate traditional medicine. Research like this reminds us that innovation can come from combining old knowledge with new technology.
