This Research Topic is part of a series. See also Volume I:
Evidence-based Potential of Medicinal Herbs and Phytochemicals for Unexplained Chronic Fatigue.
Chronic fatigue is a common complaint that is prevalent among, approximately over 10% of the general population. Unlikely fatigues caused by any disorders or conditions, medically unexplained chronic fatigue such as idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), are debilitating illnesses that impair the quality of life physically, socially, and occupationally. ICF is a sustained fatigue condition that does not meet the criteria of CFS, and shows prevalence 10 times higher than that of CFS in the general population.
To date, no effective therapeutics exist yet. For example, based on results from a large-scale clinical study (called the PACE trial) recommended therapies were abandoned or revised in both the U.S. and UK due to serious criticism by both scientists and patients. Scientists argued flaws in its design, while patients complained that exercise dramatically worsens their condition. Another trial that used an antibody, rituximab, did not show better therapeutic effects than the placebo used.
These unexplained chronic fatigue diseases are multidimensional or multifactor phenomena, manifesting as a form of syndrome. With a fundamental logic of "multiple compounds and multiple targets", there is increasing evidence for herbal remedies as a suitable strategy for chronic fatigue disorders. Many recent studies demonstrated that medicinal plants and phytochemicals can serve as a viable source to offer benefits for the management of medically unexplained chronic fatigue. For example, some medicinal plants such as extracts from Quercus Robur or Astragali Radix plus Salviae Radix have demonstrated anti-fatigue effects in clinical pilot studies for CFS or ICF. Thus herb-derived drug research could be promising strategy to scientists and practitioners; however, big challenges remain such as development of adequate animal models, identifying potential resources including their corresponding active compounds and underlying mechanisms, and clinical based evaluations of their safety and efficacy, respectively.
This Research Topic will include evidence-based studies of medicinal plants or phytochemicals that rigorously assess the beneficial effects, or lack thereof, of such treatment approaches on chronic fatigue including ICF and CFS. Original Research submitted to the Research Topic must include well-designed experiments and techniques capable of confirming or refuting hypotheses of the underlying mechanisms of this approach to the treatment of chronic fatigue in the form of clinical studies or animal-based research. In general, animal study would need to adapt the well-established behavior tests and supportive data using parameters of hormone, cytokines, redox, immune or brain neurotransmitters. Beside Original Research articles, other types of manuscripts including Mini-Review, Review, and Perspective are also welcomed. The aim of this Research Topic is to enhance the discovery of the potential therapeutics from medicinal plant resources, which will contribute to treating ICF and CFS. The editors of this Research Topic welcome contributions on the ethnopharmacology of traditional herbal medicines from around the globe. Any non-pharmacological interventions such as acupuncture however, are outside the scope of this Research Topic.
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All the manuscripts submitted to the collection will need to fully comply with the
Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology (you can freely download the full version
here).