Persian Walnut Composition and its Importance in Human Health

Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a nutritionally rich and also popular nut which is largely consumed throughout the world. In addition to dry fruits (nuts), green walnuts, kernels, shells, green walnut husks (epicarp), barks and leaves have been applied in both cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Since ancient times, it has been used in folk medicine for treatment of several diseases and disorders such as diabetes, cancer, skin disease and infections, rheumatoid arthritis. In recent decades, many experimental researches have been done on the composition and characteristics of different parts of Persian walnut tree. These researches showed that walnut has many nutritious components such as phenolic component, unsaturated fatty acids and minerals essential for human health. Using walnut in folk medicine and identification of beneficial components of this fruit prompted many scientists to investigate properties that have traditionally been attributed to this fruit and the researches done in this area showed that walnut has effective antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties that make it a promising drug for associated diseases.