Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:1 Issue: 3, 2002

Poisonous plants are one of the most important causes of poisonings in human. Although most of plant-induced poisonings are mild in terms of severity but they may be life-threatening. Regarding compositions of toxic plants, most of them can induce toxicity on many biological systems including central nervous system, cardiovascular, hematopoietic sytem and etc.In this brief review, we tried to summarize demonstrations of toxicity and adverse effects of poisonous plants and their active substances on biological systems, and thir clinical management.Keywords: Poisonous plants, Poisoning, Human

The purpose of this clinical trial is a short course study about effectiveness and side effects of Anethum in combined hyperlipidemic patients. Two hundred and ninety eight older than fifteen years old patients with combined hyperlipidemia (serum total cholesterol >240mg/dl and triglyceride >250mg/dl) were included in this controlled, double blind, randomized clinical trial. Two hundred and three patients (68.1%) completed the two months period of trial. After two weeks of therapeutic lifestyle changes (diet and sports), patients were randomized into five following groups 1. Nicotinic Acid 3g daily; 2. Nicotinic Acid 3g daily plus Cholestyramine 12g daily; 3. Clofibrate 2g daily; 4. Anethum 6 tablets daily; and 5. Placebo 3 capsules daily. After two months, there was no significant differences between the changes observed in lipid profile in Anethum and placebo groups. Considering the effect on total cholesterol level, the difference between Anethum group (-5%), the first (-22.1%) and the second group (-17.2%) (P<0.000); the effect on triglyceride level, the difference between Anethum group (-16.3%), the first (-54.8%) and the third group (-38%) (P<0.000); and the effect on HDL-cholesterol level, the difference between Anethum group (+1%) and the first group (+30.8%) (P=0.001) was significant. The least complaints were in Anethum group (16%) and the most in the second group (74%). No changes in other biochemical tests were significantly different between Anethum and placebo groups. According to these results there is no superiority for Anethum in comparison of placebo to improve the lipid profile in combined hyperlipidemic patients for a two-month course. Although the side effects of Anethum are less than other well defined drugs.

New treatments were presented for management of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in the recent years. However, they were not fully successful. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of Salvia officinalis extract in AD at 4 months using fixed dose of the extract. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial in three centers in Iran was the structure of this study. Patients with mild to moderate AD (n=36, 10 women) with a scoreof ≤ 12 on the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment (ADAS-cog) and ≤ 2 on Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were randomized to placebo or fixed dose of Salvia officinalis extract. Over 16 weeks, the primary outcome measure was the change in ADAS-cog score. Change in CDR (sum of the boxes) was the secondary outcome over the trial. At 4 months, Salvia extract produced a significant better outcome on cognitive function and CDR total score than placebo (ADAS-cog: d.f.: 1; f = 4.77, P = 0.037) (CDR: d.f.: 1, F=10.84, P<0.003). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects. The present study indicates that patients on Salvia officinalis extract compare with those on placebo experienced benefits in cognitive function and basic activity of daily living. However, further studies are warranted.

It has been shown that garlic, the ancient medicinal herb, has a wide range of antimicrobial properties. Application of garlic as preservative in tomato paste can has been studied.During a separate study, It has been known that the main bacterial spoilage in canned tomato paste is called “Flat sour” which is caused by Bacillus Coagulance. The effect of fresh garlic and chroformic extract of garlic on the Bacillus Coagulance growth was inverstgated.Serial dilutions of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 (%v/v) from fresh garlic and chlorofomic garlic extract were prepared and examined against Bacillus Coagulance.The minimum inhibitory concentration (MJC) of fresh garlic and chlirofromic garlic extract agaist Bacillus Coagulance were 3% v/v and 0.5% v/v respectively. Addition of above concentrations of fresh garlic and chlonofromic garlic extract had no significant effects on the chemical and physical characteristics of tomato paste can.

Anethum is a herbal drug production and prescription of which, as a lipid lowering drug, has been approved in Iran. Its widespread use and lack of studies done on it emphasizes on the necessity of a controlled clinical trial. Two hundred and one hypercholesterolemic patients (total cholesterol >240 mg/d) diagnosed on basis of two consecutive lab tests, separated by at least two weeks, comprised the study population. Patients were randomized into the following therapy groups after 2 weeks of diet therapy: 1) Cholestyramine 12 g per day, 2) Nicotinic acid 3 g per day, 3) Cholestyramine 12g per day plus Nicotinic acid 3 g per day, 4) Anethum 6 tablets per day, 5) Placebo. One hundred and fourteen patients completed the 2 months follow up. A third lab test at the end of the course revealed a 2.0% reduction of cholesterol level in the anethum group. Triglyceride had %3.1 rise in anethum group (not significant). Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was increased by 6.1% in the anethum group (not significant). The most common side effects of anethum were non specific complaints (i.e. malaise and fatigue). One patient discontinued therapy because of abdominal pain. Anethum caused a 2.2 mg/dl rise in blood urea nitrogen (P=0.016) and 0.12 mg/dl rise in creatinine (P=0.019).Based on the results, we conclude that anethum is not significantly different from placebo in its therapeutic effects, moreover there are clinical evidence on its untoward effects by increasing LDL-C. Although this study hasn’t proved untoward effects of anethum statistically but showes lack of any beneficial effects.

Artemisinin is an antimalarial compound that is naturally found in Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae). The effect of some factors such as soil texture, nutrition, and pH were studied on the production of Artemisinin in Artemisia annua L. The highest amount of Artemisinin (0.065%) was found in the sample which was potted in sandy-loam and the lowest amount (0.043%) ed to the sample grew in silt-loam soils. The nutrient solution without P presented the lowest amount of Artemisinin and lowest decrease in Artemisinin production was preformed in solution without Mg comparing with other solutions. The nutrient solution with 210 mgl-1 N presented the maximum amount of Artemisinin (0.052%). The maximum amount of Artemisinin was presented in pH= 6-7 (0.064% in pH= 6.5).

Peppermint with scientific name of Mentha piperita from Lamiaceae family is one of the medicinal and aromatic plants that its essentiol oil uses widly in medicinal, food, cosmetic and health industrials. Peppermit cultivated by different companies or persons in different regions of Iran. This research done for identification and selection of suitable cultivation region and effect of climate on essential oil and menthol content of peppermint dry herb. At suitable time, shoots of peppermint harvested and dried, then volatile oil was extracted by steam distillation method. Volatile oil was analyzed by G.C methods for identification and determination of menthol percent. Result shown that Essential oil and menthol content varied by variation on climatic conditions.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases in the world that imposes a tremendous health and societal burden whether that burden is measured in terms of sickness, use of health systems resources or costs. Hyperglycemia is the most important clinical sign of diabetes leading to glycation of the various proteins in the body that leading to change in nature, structure and biochemical activity of them.On of the probable method in the treatment of diabetes mellitus is decreased or inhibited this reaction, it seems that essential oils are useful for this purpose. The main goal of this research is to determine the effect of some essential oils such as: Pulegone, Thymol, Geraniol, Linalool and Limonene on in vitro albumin glycation.In the presence of various concentration of essential oils albumin was glycated and evaluated using TBA method.Results showed that these essential oils have inhibitory effects on albumin glycation reaction with the concentraction of 1 g/dl, 0.2 g/dl and 0.1 g/dl. Among these essential oils, Thymol had the most inhibitory effect (94%) in the concentration of 1 g/dl.The sequence of effect is:Thymol > Geraniol > Pulegone > Limonene > LinaloolThese findings showed that essential oils decreased albumin glycation reaction.

In this study, the effects of wheat bran (insoluble) and ispaghula (soluble) seeds on serum lipids and FBS have been compared in type 2 diabetic patients.In a cross over study, 14 type 2 diabetic patients, treated with diet alone, were randomly placed on isocaloric diets containing either wheat bran (7 patients) or ispaqhula(12 grams/day in both groups) for 3 weeks. After a 10-day wash-out period, dietary fiber supplementation was exchanged and diets were continued for 3 weeks again. Weight, FBS, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL were measured before and after the study. Food records and the differences observed in serum variables were analyzed using Willcoxon non- parametric method and paired t-test respectively. P<0.05 was considered significant.The participants were 4 men and 10 women aged 45±1 years (BMI= 23±1.9 kg/m²). Both wheat bran and ispaghula increased the serum HDL (P<0.01 and P<0.001 respectively). Serum LDL was decreased after consumption of ispaghula (P<0.02).Our results show that dietary intake of fibers, especially in soluble from, can improve lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.