The study of antioxidants is of pivotal importance in biomedicine as these
molecules could be involved in biological pathways associated with disease. The identification
of new antioxidants together with the acquisition of a deeper knowledge on their
biology, could lead to the use of these compounds as drugs for innovative treatments.
Plants are an important source of phytodrugs that in many cases can be isolated with
good extraction yields directly from the vegetal source and are often endowed with a
low toxicity profile. Georgia, a country situated on the Black Sea coast in the Caucasus
region at the intersection of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, is renowned for its
unique woodland habitats and immense biological diversity due to the great variety of
climate zones and landscapes. Many wild plants in the area are used as remedies for a
number of illnesses in the local traditional medicine. However, the scientific knowledge
of these sources of natural drugs and of their molecular components is still far from exhaustive.
Therefore, with the present work we reviewed the scientific literature on some
of the main Georgian medicinal plants and found that several species are a valuable
source of hydrophilic and hydrophobic antioxidants, endowed in some cases with a high
ROS-scavenging ability. The analysis of the literature also demonstrated that most of the
medicinal extracts and compounds isolated from these plants are beneficial in suppressing
multiple diseases in vitro. This review will provide information for scientists looking
to develop secure plant-based pharmaceuticals as well as a rationale for using Georgian
medicinal plants for the treatment of a range of diseases.