Medical drugs from humus matter: Focus on mumie

In this review, we focus on the medicinal drugs from humus matter such as peat, sapropel, and mumie. The most clinically available medicines, containing peat and sapropel extracts, are Torfot, Tolpa Peat Preparation (TPP), Peloidodistillate, Humisol, Peloidin, FiBS, and Eplir. Much attention in the review is concentrated on mumie composition, its pharmacological properties, and new pharmacological drugs with mumie (Shilagen, Abana, Cystone, Diabecon 400, EveCare, Geriforte, Lukol, Pilex, Rumalava, Tentex forte, Nefrotec, Adrenotone, Siotone, La-Tone Gold, Andro-Surge, Solanova Libidoplex). It was concluded that therapeutic properties of crude extracts from peat, sapropel, and mumie have similarity to the ones of fulvic and humic acids. They are antibacterial, antitoxic, antiradical, antiulcerogenic, antiarthritic, immunomodulatory, and anti inflammatory properties. Possible directions for better development of new drugs from humus matter are discussed. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.