Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:13 Issue: 52, 2015

Dyes are one of the most widely used components in different industries. Recently much attention has been focused on the replacement of natural pigments instead of synthetic colors. One of the most important sources for the production of natural pigments are medicinal plants that small number of them used as industrial and some of them are traditionally used. The worldwide demand for natural dyes increases nowadays due to environmental and echo friendly of them. Many of the plants used for dye extraction are classified as medicinal and some of these have recently been shown to possess remarkable antimicrobial and antiinflamtory activities. The present review describes important information about dye-yelding herbs and their medicinal properties.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum), a member of Lamiaceae family, is used in traditional Iranian medicine. Essential oils of basil leaves are composed of phenylpropanoids which are important in treatment of headaches, diarrhea, coughs, warts, worms and kidney malfunctions. The most important phenylpropanoid compounds contain eugenol, chavicol, methyl eugenol, methyl chavicol, myristicin, methyl cinnamat and elemicin. Biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids that passes from shikimate pathway, are regulated by an enzyme group. Phenylalanine amonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate 4 - hydroxylase (C4H), 4 - coumarate CoA ligase (4CL), P- coumarate 3-hydroxilase (C3H) and O - methyltransferases (EOMT, CVOMT, COMT) are known as key enzymes regulating at production of phenylpropanoids. The phenylpropanoids are also produced in the area of stress conditions and maintained the plant against biotic and abiotic stresses. The purpose of this study is introducing Basil and its medicinal usages in Iran and an overview of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis as an important part of the essence in basil and its evaluation of agronomic characteristics.

Staphylococcus aureuse is one of the important pathogens which transmitted by food and has majority of habitant in human and animal community as a pathogen and normal flora. Antibiotic resistant among Staphylococcus aureuse strains is a global health challenge. Regarding to the different therapeutic and antimicrobial effect of Shirazi Zataria multiflora and Rosemarinus officonalis in present work the antibacterial effect of this extract and its synergistic effect with routine antibiotics was investigated. In this in vitro study the antimicrobial effect of Shirazi Zataria multiflora and Rosemarinus officonalis extract on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other antibiotic resistant strains to tetracycline, erithromycine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazol, together with its MIC and MBC were determined. Also synergistic effect of these extracts with these antibiotics was investigated by paper disc method. Shirazi zataria multiflora, had a significant antibacterial effect against MRSA, and other Staphylococcus aureus resistant strain to tetracycline, erithromycine, trimethoprim, and sulfametoxazol, isolated from food. Production of a suitable herbal medicine with few side effects will give rise to a promising outlook in the treatment of infections caused by antibiotic resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

Grape seed extract (GSE) (Vitis vinifera L., Vitacease) has been reported to have many biological and pharmacological activities such as antioxidative affects; also it used traditionally to treat constipation, gastritis and etc. On the other hand, it said that used of GSE can reduced sperms. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of decrease and immobilization grape seed hydroalcoholic extract (GSHE) on sperm parameters in adult male rat. In this study eighteen sexually mature male Wistar rats (5 - 6 month old) weighing between 250 - 300 g were used randomly and divided into three groups of 6 rats each. Crushed grape seeds were extracted in ethanol, and the two doses of it (250 and 500 mg/kg) was administered into two experimental groups, so the control group only received 1ml normal saline by gavage for 42 days consecutively. 24h after last dosage, all the animals were anesthetized. Then, their couda epididymis and testes were isolated and they were put into normal saline separately; after that, sperm motility, total sperm and daily sperm production were measured. The results revealed a significant decrease in cauda epididymal, testicular sperm counts and daily sperm production, also percent of sperm-progressive motility in comparison with control group (p≤ 0.05). Our results of this study show that GSHE causes significant decrease in the sperm motility, count and daily sperm production without any change in body and accessory sex glands weight.

There is an increasing interest in identifying potent cancer preventive and therapeutic agents. Silymarin is a flavonoids complex extracted from the milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) seeds. Silymarin was found clinically successful in the treatment of various liver diseases. Silymarin is in the focus of cancer researchers due to its high antioxidant properties.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of silymarin on 4T1 cells and compared with taxol.

4T1 cell line (BALB/c mouse mammary tumors) was cultured in RPMI medium containing FBS 10%. Cells were incubated with 5% CO2 in presence of different concentration of silymarin (25-50-75-100-125 µg/ml), taxol (1.25-2.5-5-10-20 nM) and combination of silymarin and taxol separately for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed using trypan blue and MTT staining. The cells morphology was studied using fluorescent dye (Hochest, propidium iodide).

Silymarin and taxol showed significant cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cell in a dose and time dependent manner. Condensation and deformation of the nuclei were also observed similarly for both treatments. In combination treatment silymarin enhanced the sensitivity of 4T1 cells to taxol in all doses.

The cytotoxic effect of silymarin on mouse mammary tumors was comparable to taxol cytotoxicity. Treatment cells with combination of silymarin and taxol improved the cytotoxic effect of taxol.

Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug used in chemotherapy. The side effects of this drug include anoretic, nausea, decrease in genital gland function, azoospermia and oligospermia. Tribulus terrestris has many compounds mostly, that caused antioxidant and protective properties. The purpose of the present study to investigate protective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract Tribulus terrestris on cisplatin cytotoxicity on sperm viability and count in mice. Cisplatin and Tribulus terrestris extract were given to 30 mice for a period of 4 days. The mice were weighted and after anesthesia, their epididymis was taken out and sperm viability and sperm count were investigated, Student t-test was applied for the statistical analysis. The results show that cisplatin alone leads to a reduction in body and epididymis weight, and sperm count and sperm viability compared to the control group (p<0.05). In the group that used cisplatin along with Tribulus terrestris extract, as the dose of extract increased, the body and epididymis weight, sperm count and viability sperm increased in compared to the cisplatin group. It seems, the existing compounds in Tribulus terrestris extract can control active metabolites caused by cisplatin and the destructive effect of this drug. Prescribing Tribulus terrestris extract along with cisplatin can possibly be beneficial and effective due to the anti-oxidant characteristics of Tribulus terrestris and also its effect on reducing harmful metabolites.

Scropholaria striata Boiss. From Scropholariaceae (Teshnehdari in folklore of Ilam Province, Iran) is used for treatment of infectious disease of urinary tract especially in females.

In this research for finding of the most effective part of the plant, crude extract of the aerial parts of S. striata and its different fractions was investigated on the 50 resistant strains of Psudomonas aeroginosa.

Crude extract of the plant and its various fractions (chloroform, methanol and water) were prepared. Bacterial strains were collected from 3 hospitals and 50 resistant strains were isolated from the culture medium containing various antibiotics. Efficacy of the all fractions was investigated on these resistant bacterial strains.

Water and methanol fractions of the plant were showed more antibacterial activity on 50 resistant strains of P. aeroginosa than crude extract (p=0.0001 and p=0.001 respectively) and water fraction was showed stronger effect than methanol fraction (p=0.001). Chloroform fraction of the plant had no antibacterial activity on this resistant strain.

The results of this study showed that the water extract of Scropholaria striata can be used as a remedy for the treatment of the infections caused by Psudomonas aeroginosa.

Due to high prevalence of diabetes with hyperlipidemia and associated high risk of cardiovascular disease, much interest exists for safe medications including medicinal plants. Considering traditional use of Citrullus colocynthis L. (C. colocynthis) for treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia despite toxicity, clinical evaluation of safety and efficacy of the processed C. colocynthis fruit is necessary. In this clinical trial the safety and efficacy of the processed C. colocynthis fruit in hyperlipidemic type II diabetic patients were evaluated. 60 hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetic patients were randomly allocated to C. colocynthis and placebo groups, but only 28 patients in each group completed the study. The patients in C. colocynthis and placebo groups were treated with processed C. colocynthis (100 mg) and placebo capsules (100 mg) three times a day respectively for 1 month. The fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels as primary outcome and aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and creatinine levels as secondary outcome were measured in both groups at the baseline and the endpoint. In the C. colocynthis group fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly reduced at the endpoint compared with the baseline. There were no significant changes in any blood parameters in C. colocynthis group compared with placebo at the endpoint. There were no gastrointestinal, liver and kidney function adverse effects during the study in both groups. The results suggest that processed C. colocynthis fruit extract may be a safe anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic agent in hyperlipidemic type II diabetic patients.

rhizobacteria are specific group of soil microorganisms that aggressively colonize the rhizosphere and rhizoplane, and substantially improve plant growth and efficiency via direct or indirect mechanisms. To investigate the growth promoting effects of rhizobacteria strains on cuttings growth and variations of essential oils content and yield in Salvia officinalis. In this research, different rhizobacteria including Pseudomonas putida (strains 41 and 159) and fluorescence (strain 23) with different growth promoting characteristics was used first on stem cuttings and later on aerial parts of S. officinalis L. (with final concentration of 109 CFU/ml). The essential oils were isolated from aerial parts of the plants by hydro-distillation method and then subjected to GC and GC-MS apparatus to determine the oil constituents. Results showed that the dry weight of above and below ground parts of plants were increased in response to employed rhizobacteria inoculation. The highest root and leaf dry weight were observed in plants treated with Putida strain 159 which is caused increase of 45% and 33% compared to control untreated plants, respectively. Also, the highest essential oil yield was obtained in plants treated with putida strains, and the lowest of that was gained in control plants and also plants treated with fluorescence strain. The most abundant essential oil components were cis-Thujone, camphor, 1,8-cineol, camphene, α-pinene, viridiflorol, α-humulene, borneol and trans-meta-mentha-2, 8-diene. Results from the current research indicate the plants inoculation with rhizobacteria had positive impact only on the major constituents of the essential oil compared to controls.

Medicinal usage of plants is a main part of indigenous people culture which has been formed during centuries in rural area. This knowledge is regarded as a suitable guideline to discovering of novel drugs in modern medicine. This study has tried to determine and introduce the medicinal plant species, the parts and the way of usage of plants of Zaram-rood in Neka area (North of Iran) using indigenous people questioning. The flora of the region was studied during the years of 1391 and 1392. At first, the villages and paths were carefully identified by using the appropriate geographical maps and the information was gathered by interviewing with knowledgeable indigenous people. The plant samples were collected from their natural habitats and identified by floristic references. They were deposited in Sari Payame Noor University Herbarium. A total of 64 medicinal plant species belonging to 51 genera and 34 families were collected and identified. The largest families from the viewpoint of species number are Rosaceae and Lamiaceae with 9 and 7 species, respectively. The most medicinal effects were observed in remedy of digestive, blood circulation, and urine excretion system disorders. Amongst identified medicinal plants, 16 species were introduced with new usages. Ethnobotanical knowledge of the area has more remained in old people memory and it is possible to be vanished in later decades. As a result, documenting of this knowledge is necessary. Moreover, there is a good chance to find species with more and useful pharmacological features through ethnobotanical studies.

Heliotropium bacciferum is one of the plants belonging to the family Boraginaceae, which is Restricted distribution in the south of Iran. It is used for Hypotension, fever, stomach ulcers in traditional medicine. In this study, the antibacterial effects of extracts and fractions of chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous, aerial parts of Heliotropium bacciferum Forssk was evaluated against five bacterial strains. Methodes: The methanol extract were prepared using the percolation method. Fractions of chloroform, Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous respectively by Liquid - Liquid fractionation of the total extract were prepared. The antibacterial activity against two Gram positive bacteria, three Gram negative bacterial using Minimum inhibitory concentration in microplate and well plate method. Results showed that H. bacciferum extracts exhibited a significant activity against strains Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E.coli and Salmonella enteritidis. MIC and well plate is between 7.6-125 µg/ml. The results of this study indicate that extracts of the plant H.bacciferum has a antimicrobial effect against strains are listed And among the extracts, aqueous part is that most antibacterial effect of the other fraction and then methanolic extract has the greatest effect.

Thymus kotschyanus Boiss. & Hohen. is an Iranian medicinal plants that grows in different areas of Iran such as Mazandaran, Gilan, Azarbayejan, Kurdistan and Tehran. The objective was to identify the essential oil content and composition in 15 Iranian populations of T. kotschyanus. The essential oils content and composition of 15 Iranian populations of T. kotschyanus were studied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The aerial parts of thyme populations were harvested in the full blooming stage. The essential oils contents were obtianed by clevenger apparatus. For accurate measurement of the essential oils compounds, the oil samples analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed that the populations of T. kotschyanus had significant (p<0.01) differences in respect of essential oil contents. The highest essential oil content was found in the populations of Tehran, East Azarbayjan-I and East Azarbayjan-IV. The maximum thymol content was identified in the Kordestan-I population (40.42%) and the highest content of carvacrol was related to Kerman (33.08) and Zanjan-III (30.49%) populations, respectivily. Also, the thyme populations had significantly (p<0.01) differences in essential oil compositions except of carvacrol. Generally, 23 compounds in the essential oils were identified. The main constituents were carvacrol, thymol, borneol, 1.8-cinole, cymne (ortho(, carvacrol methyl ether, (z)caryophyllene, camphor, and linalool. Although, the populations of T. kotschyanus were planted in the same ecological and agronomical conditions, they had significant differences in terms of phytochemical traits, which probably could be due the genetic factors.

Apiaceae family is one of the largest plant families with wide distribution all around the world. The genus Hippomarathrum has 28 species around the world which among them the species H. microcarpum outspread in the North, Northwest, West and Central of Iran, and also Turkey, Caucasus and Iraq. In this study, the main compounds in ethyl acetate extract from aerial parts of the plant Hippomarathrum microcarpum have been studied. The isolation and purification of the compounds were carried out using column chromatography. The structure of isolated compound established according 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectral data. Two coumarins (osthole and isoimperatorin) and one sterol (β-sitosterol) have been isolated and identified from ethyl acetate extract. The presence of coumarines like osthole and isoimperatorin in H. microcarpum cause of the importance of this plant. This coumarines have verity of usages in traditional medicine and recent studies have supported most of these usages and revealed new effects of these coumarines. As regard that more research havent been done about this plant and also because of significance effects of isolated coumarines, it seems necessary to perform further studies on biological effects of this plant.

The genetic diversity among plants derived from tissue culture is called somaclonal variation, which provides a valuable source of genetic variation for the improvement of medicinal plants. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of molecular markers in detection of somaclonal variation and to assess the importance of DNA methylation in occurrence of genomic changes. The genomic DNA of a normal plant and eight abnormal regenerated plants from calluses cultured in different conditions were extracted using modified Delaporta method. The AFLP procedure was performed with application of two different double digestion methods using restriction enzymes. The digested fragments were ligated to appropriate adaptors and amplification was carried out using appropriate primers. Also percentage and component of essential oil were indicated by GC/MS analysis. Analysis of banding patterns showed high differences in amount of polymorphism detected between two different double digestion methods. According to the results of cluster analysis based on the Jaccard's similarity coefficient, all tested plants divided into two main group. While the first group contained only normal sample, other abnormal samples were placed in the second group. Phytochemical analysis showed that the important secondary metabolites such as Limonene, Fenchone, Estragole, Anethole didn’t produce in invitro culture condition. In contrast some metabolites like Cineol, Terpineol, 2,4 Decadienal produce just in invitro culture. The results indicated that the used method has the potential to be used for assessment of somaclonal variations in regenerated plants. Additionally, considering characters of served enzymes in this study, phenotypic variations in abnormal plants that are resulted from somaclonal variation can be related to genome methylation.