Ethnobotanical Approaches of Traditional Medicinal Plants Used in the Management of Asthma in Iran

 Asthma is the most common respiratory disease that has increased in prevalence worldwide during the last decade and causes an estimated 250,000 deaths annually. Due to adverse effects of chemical medicines, patients are seeking alternative therapy for management of asthma. This review aims at medicinal properties of Iranian traditional medicine and potential uses of these plants as antiasthmatics (both extrinsic and intrinsic).

 Information was sourced from Iranian traditional medicine textbooks and scientific databases, such as PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, SID, IranDoc and MagIran. The data search was up-to-date as of October 31, 2017.

This review reveals significant ethnobotanical information on medical plants to manage asthma from literature, which consists of botanical name, part used, preparation and administration. According to the main traditional Persian medicine texts Crocus sativus, Carum Carvi, Nigella sativa, Myrica sapida, Portulaca oleracea, Rosa damascene, Viola odorata and Zingiber officinale were the most efficacious medicinal plants for the improvement of asthma.

Iran has a precious traditional plant-based knowledge on healthcare and important scientists such as Razi and Avicenna used a lot of plants and plant extracts for treatment a large number of diseases. This study represents some pharmacological and phytochemical reports available on medicinal plants using for treatment asthma and their underlying molecular mechanisms. Due to no scientifically proven cure for asthma, this review introduces many traditional herbs that can be used for asthma treatment.