The Cause of Particular Concern about Not Taking the Complete Seed Powder of Esfarzeh in Iranian Traditional Medicine

Esfarzeh is a name used for two species of Plantago genus, belonging to Plantaginaceaefamily. In the Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) texts, Esfarzeh is called Bazreghatuna, andhave different therapeutic effects including treatment of hoarseness of chest, pharynx, and tongue; warm palpitation; constipation caused by bile; abdominal cramps; gastric andintestinal ulcers; arthralgia; solid edema and warm edema; trichoptilosis; thinness caused bywarmth; and gastric participatory headache. In modern medicine, esfarzeh is only used intreatment of constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, and recently in diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. The side effects mentioned in ITM for oral taking ofcomplete seed powder of the plant include severe sorrow, dyspnea, inability to breath, and sometimes death, which are compatible with the signs of anaphylactic shock in modern medicine. However, there is a suitable background for evaluation of other therapeutic effects mentioned in ITM for esfarzeh to support or reject the ideas on the basis of modern findings. Furthermore, the mechanisms proposed for side effects in ITM can be evaluated.