Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:22 Issue: 86, Jun 2023

In Iran, a variety of medicinal plants are used, either alone or in combination, for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, scientific and clinical studies are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of these medicinal plants.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of AKROPOL, a poly-herbal extract mixture used in Persian medicine, in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients.

Eighty six male and female patients, aged 40-60 years, registered at the Diabetes Clinic Registry of the Baqiyatallah Hospital, in Tehran, Iran, randomly allocated to two groups of 43 each. The patients in AKROPOL group received one capsule (containing 500 mg of poly-herbal extract mixture: chicory, turmeric, nettle, fenugreek and whortleberry) and the patients in placebo group received one capsule (containing 500 mg toast powder) twice a day in addition to their routine anti-diabetic medications for 3 months. The primary outcome measures were HbA1C and FBG (fasting blood glucose) levels, while lipid levels, liver enzymes and renal function tests were secondary outcome measures.

Compared with the placebo group and baseline, the AKROPOL group showed significant reductions in FBG, HbA1C, total cholesterol, and LDL-C levels. No significant hepatic, renal, gastrointestinal, or other side effects were observed during the study.

The findings suggest that AKROPOL in addition to anti-diabetic and cholesterol-lowering effects, had no adverse effects in type 2 diabetic patients.

Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seeds contain polyphenolic compounds which can be considered a suitable option for the green synthesis of nanoparticles.

In this study, the antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized from the aqueous extract of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seeds was evaluated.

The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized using different analyses. The minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration of the nanoparticles were investigated against standard foodborne bacteria, S. aureus, Y. enterocolitica, E. coli O157:H7, and B. cereus, using the broth microdilution method.

UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis indicated an absorption peak at 231 nm which confirms the formation of ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, the X-ray diffraction pattern is consistent with the JCPDS cards, which also means the formation of ZnO nanoparticles. The results of the electron microscope revealed that the nanoparticles had a hexagonal shape with an average size of 50 nm, which is in agreement with the results obtained from the dynamic light scattering analysis. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration of ZnO nanoparticles against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, Y. enterocolitica, E. coli O157:H7, S. aureus, and B. cereus were 62.5, 62.5, 31.25 and 500 µg/ml, respectively.

ZnO nanoparticles synthesized from Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seed extract had an appropriate antibacterial effect against foodborne bacteria.

Nepeta crispa Willd. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant endemic to Iran with numerous ethnobotanical uses.

The current study focuses on the quality control of N. crispa growing in Hamadan province.

Hydro-distilled essential oil from aerial parts of N. crispa was obtained using the Clevenger apparatus. Four samples of N. crispa distillate were purchased from various locations. Methanol extracts from aerial parts of this plant were obtained by the maceration method. Micromorphological characteristics, antioxidant properties, and chemical constituents of N. crispa essential oil and distillates were evaluated. Determination of the total phenols and flavonoid contents of the extract was performed.

GC/MS analysis revealed that the major components of N.crispa essential oil were 1,8-cineole (70.93 %), nepetalactones (5.29 %), and β-pinene (5.5 %). The volatile constituents of one of the distillates resemble the essential oil of N. crispa. The extract from aerial parts of N. crispa consistently exhibited more anti-oxidative power than its essential oil with an IC50 of 2.792 ± 0.385 mg/ml. The results from assays for total phenols and flavonoids revealed that this plant possesses phenolic and flavonoid content of 69.24 ± 3.34 µg GAEs/mg and 12.01 ± 0.26 µg QEs/mg of extract, respectively. Covering, glandular trichomes, diacytic stomata, and spiral vessels were seen in microscopic studies.

Our results suggest that N. crispa possess considerable anti-oxidative potential with relatively high phenolic and flavonoid content in which 1,8-cineole is the major component. Due to the rarity of this plant, there are fraudulent specimens among its commercial distillates.

Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora H.B.K) from Verbenaceae is a sensitive plant to low temperatures as abiotic stress.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of adjuvants and anti-chilling formulations on lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora H.B.K) leaves under low temperatures.

The combined analysis was done on the basis of a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with 28 treatments and 3 replications. The three factors included two anti-chilling formulations (glycerol, and glycerol + polyvinyl alcohol), seven adjuvants formulations (α-tocopherol, amino acids of proline + glycine-betaine, and ABA), and two levels of low temperature (5 and 10 °C).

The treatment of glycerol + proline + glycine-betaine + ABA reduced the damaging effects of low temperature in biomass, essential oil content, and osmoprotectants, while the highest protection by antioxidant pigments was obtained in glycerol + α-tocopherol + ABA. Enzymes activities and polyphenol content showed the best results by glycerol + ABA.

The best formulations were glycerol + proline + glycine-betaine + ABA and glycerol + ABA from the viewpoint of economic yield and also qualitative protection against low temperature, respectively. The efficiency of the mentioned formulations was due to their direct protective function and the indirect influence of adjuvants in a synergistic interaction with other components of the formulation.

Tension headache is the most common type of headache.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise and herbal capsules on serotonin levels and headache indices in women suffering from chronic tension-type headache (CTTH).

In this practical study, 18 adult female patients with CTTH were randomly divided into two equal groups: exercise and herbal capsule. Aerobic training was performed three sessions a week, each session lasting 75 minutes for eight week. The herbal capsule contained the hydro-alcoholic extract of Valeriana jatamansi and Melissa officinalis. Each capsule contained 280 mg of these two herbs, which the patients consumed three times a day. Serotonin levels, headache indices (intensity, duration, and frequency of headache), anxiety, depression, use of synthetic drugs, and aerobic capacity were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the study.

According to the results within the group, in both groups there was a significant increase in serotonin, aerobic capacity (only in the exercise group) and a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, headache intensity, headache frequency, headache duration (only in the exercise group) and the use of synthetic drugs. In the comparison between groups, a significant difference was observed in the intensity and frequency of headache, use of synthetic drugs, aerobic capacity and anxiety.

Aerobic exercise and hydro-alcoholic extract of Valeriana jatamansi and Melissa officinalis plants can be a suitable treatment supplement for women suffering from CTTH but the effect of two plants was better in improving headache.

Asthma is a chronic respiratory ailment characterized by bronchospasm, airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, and recurrent episodes of breathing complications. Due to the high incidence of this disease, there has been a surge in the use of complementary branches of medicine such as Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) in recent times.

In this study, the efficacy of an ITM polyherbal formulation (Compound Honey Syrup) in the management of allergic asthma was explored.

60 Balb/c mice were divided into five groups (n = 12) as follows: G1, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized; G2, PBS-treated; G3, OVA + oral Compound Honey Syrup; G4, OVA + inhalational compound honey; G5, OVA + inhalational Budesonide. Subsequently, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was assessed using methacholine test, cytokines levels were determined in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and eosinophilia was assayed in blood and BALF. Also, histological transformation of the lungs was analyzed.

Oral Compound Honey Syrup prevented the development of AHR. Both oral and inhalational Compound Honey Syrup significantly diminished eosinophil counts in blood and BALF specimens. Moreover, both types of Compound Honey Syrup treatments remarkably reduced the levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF and blood samples in comparison to the OVA-received animals (P < 0.05).

The present data show that Compound Honey Syrup is an effective herbal formulation to alleviate asthma-induced inflammatory response and therefore can be a promising remedy for the management of this disease.

 Traditional herbal medicine has a long history in the Persian communities of Fars province, especially in Fasa County. Despite the longstanding history and robust culture of traditional medicine in this region, there is no comprehensive study on the ethnobotanical knowledge of this unique region with residents historically dependent on medicinal plants. 

 Hence, the main objective of this study was to identify and record medicine plants and traditional herbal knowledge of the ethnic communities of Fasa County in the Fars province of Iran. 

 Ethnopharmacological data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, guided walks, and group interviews during a period of two years (2021-2022). 45 local informants were selected and interviewed for data collection. We calculated quantitative factors including informant consensus factors (ICF), and use reports (UR) for each species. Medicinal plant species were identified through standard taxonomic methods by botanists. 

 The local communities have documented 62 medicinal plants across 58 genera from 27 families, which are used to treat 12 different categories of ailments. The most common preparation method was infusion, followed by decoction and poultice. Dermatological (ICF = 0.93), neurological (0.92), and digestive (ICF = 0.91) diseases were documented as the most common ailment categories in this area. 

 The study results indicated that the traditional herbal knowledge of Fasa County is still rich and it revealed an obvious relationship between the ancient medicinal culture of this region and Iranian Traditional Medicine. Therefore, evaluation of the pharmacological activity of highly utilized medicinal plants could result in new herbal drugs.

Chemical pesticides increasing use caused increased resistance in insects and increases the residue of pesticides in agricultural products and the environment.

The aims of this study was to achieve a safe method and using natural essential oils of Cupressus against adult insects of the wheat flour (Tribolium castaneum Herbst).

A factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in four replications in 2018. The Cupressus essential oils (EO) Clevenger by water distillation method and measured by GC-MS. Relative growth rate (RGR), repellency and nutritional indicators, and fumigant toxicity of EO on mature Tribolium castaneum Herbst were investigated in 27 ± 1 °C and 65 ± 5 % relative humidity.

Alpha-pinene was the major component of the EO in the studied species. The results of the fumigant toxicity test of essential oils showed that increasing concentration and duration of exposure to essential oil caused an increase in the mortality of T. castaneum. Among the studied species, C. sempervirens (France) with LC50 = 256.93 µL / L air had the highest fumigant toxicity (87.5%) on T. castaneum.

Based on the insecticides, repellents and nutritional indices effect of Cupressus essential oils on T. castaneum they can be used as a biological management method for controlling storeroom pests.