Rang Chuet is a traditional Thai medicinal plant widely used for detoxification, although the name is applied to several botanically distinct species. This study investigated the ethnopharmacological basis and potential molecular mechanisms underlying this practice by integrating practitioner knowledge, botanical authentication, phytochemical profiling, and molecular docking. Structured interviews were conducted with 30 experienced traditional medicine practitioners from five regions of Thailand to document the therapeutic use and preparation of Rang Chuet. Botanical identification confirmed three species marketed under this name: Crotalaria spectabilis Roth, Curcuma rangjued Saensouk & Boonma, and Thunbergia laurifolia Lindl. Most practitioners used Rang Chuet primarily for detoxification, with C. spectabilis and T. laurifolia being the predominant species. LC–MS/MS analysis identified fifteen phytochemicals, including compounds common to both species, such as apigenin, quercetin, and caffeic acid, together with species-specific constituents including rosmarinic acid and α-spinasterol in T. laurifolia. Molecular docking suggested that selected phytochemicals may interact with xenobiotic-sensing receptors, with α-spinasterol showing favorable binding to the Pregnane X Receptor (PXR) and apigenin and catechin to the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR). However, C. spectabilis is a recognised source of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and because molecular docking cannot distinguish agonist from antagonist activity or establish functional receptor activation, these predicted interactions should not be interpreted as evidence of detoxification efficacy or safety. These findings provide a scientific framework linking traditional knowledge, botanical diversity, phytochemical composition, and potential receptor-mediated mechanisms, and highlight the public health risk of botanical substitution under the shared vernacular name “Rang Chuet.” These findings are hypothesis-generating and warrant future functional and toxicological validation, particularly regarding C. spectabilis.

Benjakul (BJK) remedy, traditionally used to balance the four elements, has demonstrated clinical efficacy in relieving inflammation and allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms. This study investigated differential serum peptide expression in AR patients treated with BJK remedy compared to loratadine using MALDI-TOF MS and LC-MS/MS. MALDI-TOF MS revealed four shared mass peptide patterns that were significantly upregulated (p < 0.05) after 3 and 6 weeks of both treatments. Identifying the peptides, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) and microtubule-actin cross-linking factor 1 (MACF1) were linked to inflammatory suppression and hormonal balance, while zinc finger CCCH-type containing 4 (ZC3H4) and transducin beta-like protein 3 (TBL3) were associated with the relief of pulmonary fibrosis. Conversely, zinc finger homeobox 3 (ZFHX3) and transformation/transcription domain-associated protein (TRRAP) remained elevated after treatment, potentially promoting persistent inflammation via E2F transcription factor 1- (E2F1-) and E2F transcription factor 4- (E2F4-) mediated transcription. Among 1113 peptides identified by LC-MS/MS (selected using a significance threshold of p < 0.05, without a fixed fold-change cutoff), 6-week treatment with BJK remedy significantly downregulated UBQLN1 (4.562-fold; p = 0.016), suppressing toll-like receptor (TLR) activation and B-cell proliferation. It also upregulated Prostaglandin E synthase 2 (PTGES2) and PDZ and LIM domain protein 2 (PDLIM2) (7.841-fold and 8.697-fold, respectively; p = 0.004 and 0.002), while enhancing antioxidant and immunoregulatory responses via ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 8 (ABCB8) and ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein 3 (ARFGAP3). By comparison, 3 weeks loratadine treatment significantly downregulated E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) and general transcription factor IIIC subunit 6 (GTF3C6) (p = 0.034 and 0.017) and upregulated CTD small phosphatase like 2 (CTDSPL2), suggesting a distinct but complementary anti-inflammatory mechanism. Together, these findings enhance the understanding of AR pathophysiology and may help to elucidate the mechanisms of BJK remedy and loratadine in treatment, supporting the further development of targeted therapies and biomarkers.

Field cancerization in the upper respiratory tract (URT) heavily drives cancer recurrence. The present study evaluated Thai ethnobotanical ingredients from Kampramong’s anticancer remedies as alternative agents for URT cancer control. Thirty-one ethanolic extracts were screened for cytotoxicity against six URT malignant cell lines (HK1, KB, HONE-1, NPC38, NPC43, and HEp2) and two non-cancerous controls (NP460 and HaCaT) using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The selectivity index or IC₅₀ ratio of normal cells/cancer cells was also determined for selective cytotoxicity of extracts and compounds. Anti-inflammatory activity was measured using the nitric oxide (NO) reduction assay. Antioxidant capacity was measured using the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Total flavonoid content (TFC) was measured due to the main risk reduction factor. Multivariate analyses (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis; HCA and Principal Component Analysis; PCA) were used for the relationship of flavonoids, NO inhibition drive to cytotoxicity. The best plant extracts and their cytotoxic compounds were also predicted to have their target molecular mechanisms by molecular docking. HCA identified Caesalpinia sappan, Coscinium fenestratum, and Tectona grandis as exhibiting potent cytotoxicity against all malignant cells, with C. sappan being the most potent. PCA revealed that flavonoid content and nitric oxide inhibition were the critical factors driving cytotoxicity (factor load 71.93%). Molecular docking of C. sappan compounds, brazilin and sappanchalcone, showed high binding energies with multiple core target proteins (MAPK1, MAPK3, SRC, AKT1, and GRB2), indicating a synergistic multi-compound, multi-target mechanism, representing a hypothesis for future mechanistic validation. Kampramong’s ethnobotanical remedies, particularly C. sappan, are promising candidates for URT malignancy treatment and field cancerization prevention, offering valuable data for future drug development.