Medicinal plants and phytotherapy in Iran: Glorious history, current status and future prospects

Abstract

This study is an endeavour to analyse the status of medicinal plants research in Iran. Because of its exceptional phytogeography, Iran has a unique and diverse flora. It is estimated that, 8167 species of vascular plants are present in Iran of which about 2075 have medicinal importance. Situated at the heart of the Silk Road, Iran enjoys a mix of cultures providing a rich backbone for the development of traditional herbal medicine practices. Notwithstanding the brilliant history in traditional medicine and success of investigation to produce herbal medicines, attempts in recent decades, face many challenges. Many text and paper about these concerns were never translated in English. Strong need was felt to record such data of medicinal plants of Iran, their conservation status and related information. The scattered literature over medicinal plants of Iran were collected, analysed and presented in this review, highlighting not only their therapeutic potential but also concerns about product authenticity, quality, safety and efficacy. This will provide ways for future scientific research in this area. Awareness of critical issues in traditional medicinal herbs can play a pivotal role in the discovery and development of plant based drugs and to sustain consumer confidence.

Evaluation of antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of Echinacea and Arctium extracts and Zataria essential oil

“…Native plants with antimicrobial properties are used in rural villages in Iran, but there is no scientific evidence to prove them. As a result, screening and research into these herbs could lead to the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds (Amiri et al 2021 ). In recent years, the use of herbal medicines has increased significantly in many areas of health and wellness, but in oral health, the use of herbs is limited.…”

Biosynthesis and characterisation of solid lipid nanoparticles and investigation of toxicity against breast cancer cell line

“…Among them, essential oils have widely been utilised in medicine as well as in pharmaceutical, food, and agronomy applications [ 33 , 34 ]. In addition to their widespread usages in various industries, these oils have attracted attention because of their roles in preventing and treating different diseases [ 35 , 36 ]. Using a green and safe method to fabricate different types of NPs can significantly contribute to their safety and reduce their toxicity [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”

Icariin: A Promising Natural Product in Biomedicine and Tissue Engineering

“…A wide-range of naturally occurring materials derived from plants has been tested for their applications in cell toxicity and medicine [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The application of natural materials has been documented in the earliest cultures such as China and Iran, where they relied on plant-derived compounds for health and medical aims and healing purposes [ 6 ]. The employment of biomolecules for use in various industries has become an effectual manner in several applications comprising, biocompatible polymers, nano-structural materials, drug delivery, foods and the pharmacological industries [ 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”