Journal of Medicinal Plants
Volume:20 Issue: 77, Mar 2021

The outbreak of COVID-19 has spread quickly all over the world. Apparently, the uncontrolled increases in the inflammatory and the immune processes are its major pathologies. Therefore, the use of natural plants containing antioxidant factors for the regulation of the immune system can be useful for the inflicted patients. Many epidemic diseases have occurred throughout human history. Persian physicians such as Avicenna offered solutions to these epidemics that were helpful in controlling these diseases.

In this study, we introduce the herbs according to traditional Persian medicine’s point of view that confirm their having antitussive, antipyretic, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

In this regard, a thorough search was done on the detoxifier and immuno-modulatory plants in the Persian medicine books such as Makhzan-ol Advieh” and “Tohfat ol momenin” and “Qanun fi al tib”. Then, the herbs that were effective in fever and pulmonary diseases were browsed and arranged, and their pharmacological properties were also searched in the scientific databases.

This study examined the antipyretic, antitussive and immune-enhancing properties of the plants cited in Persian medicine books and showed that plants such as orange, sweat lemon, citron, myrtle and lavender have antipyretic, antitussive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

It seems that the introduced plants could be potential candidates for animal studies and clinical trials. However, more studies are needed to prove their specific effectiveness.

Medicinal plants have important role for prevention and treatment of diseases regarding their traditional uses. In Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), herbal medicines have been considered as the key agents in the treatment of wide ranges of disorders. Traditional preparations can be reformulated to achieve pharmacopoeia standards as modern medicines.

In this research, a polyherbal tablet namely “Monzej-e-balgham”, which is widely used for treating different diseases, has been formulated and quality control assessments have been done to present a proper formulation.

Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Rosa x damascena Herrm., Adiantum capillus-veneris L., Onopordum acanthium L., Vitis vinifera L., Ficus carica L. and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. were extracted with water, filtered, concentrated and dried with spray drying method. Thirteen tablets formulations by direct compression and pre- and post- formulation analyses were prepared. Finally, the most proper formulation was selected and evaluated physicochemically and microbiologically according to standard protocols. The total phenol content as marker of the tablets was determined and accelerated stability tests were conducted (40 °C/75 % RH) as per ICH guidelines for six months.

For the selected formulation (F2), the hardness, weight variation, friability, disintegration time and drug release were determined as 6.78 ± 0.28 kg/cm2, 714.36 ± 1.71 mg, 0.79 ± 0.05 %, 10.18 ± 0.39 min and 97.67 ± 0.16% in one hour, respectively. The amount of total phenol was found to be 25.15 ± 0.13 mg/tablet. Microbial levels were in agreement with requirements. In the accelerated stability tests, no significant changes were observed. Total phenol content decreased 1.03 % during 6 months.

After completing complementary tests such as in vivo and clinical trials, the formulated tablet (F2) could be presented for mass production.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the oldest edible fruits that belongs to the Punicaceae family and different parts of it have been used as medicinal plant. The pomegranate seeds are the sources of lipid, sugars, protein and essential minerals.

This study was planned to investigate the composition of fatty acids in seed oil of eight Iranian pomegranate cultivars.

Mature ripe fruits of eight pomegranate cultivars were harvested from a commercial pomegranate orchard. Arils were dried via an air oven and oil extraction process was performed using Soxhlet apparatus with petroleum ether as solvent. Finally, identification of fatty acids in pomegranate seed oil was done by gas chromatography (GC).

A considerable variation was observed in the composition of fatty acids and oil content of pomegranate cultivars. The total oil content of the Iranian pomegranate cultivars was ranged from 10.81 g/100 g DW to 15.03 g/100 g DW palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3) were major fatty acids in the Iranian pomegranate cultivars. Linolenic acid being considered and identified as the main fatty acid, ranged from 71.35 % for Poost-Ghermez to 74.58 % for Gar cultivars (P < 0.05). In saturated fatty acids, palmitic acid (C16:0) with a mean of 0.414 (g/100 g DW) and in unsaturated fatty acids, linolenic acid (C18:3) with a mean of 7.3 (g/100 g DW) were the dominant fatty acids found in studied pomegranates. Also, our results showed that Sorahi cultivar had the highest oil content (15.03 %), C18:1 (8.92 %) and C20:1 (1.12 %) among selected pomegranate cultivars. In pomegranate seed oil, 7.84 % of the fatty acid was saturated and 91.08 % was unsaturated. In addition, the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones were found 9.83 to 11.54.

Eight cultivars of the Iranian pomegranate seed oils in this study contained very high levels of unsaturated fatty acids especially in linolenic acid. The quality obtained due to fatty acid composition can in turn enhance the general condition of the heath.

Althaea officinalis L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill. and Rosa x damascena Herrm. are used to treat excision or burn lesions in traditional medicine.

To evaluate the healing effect of a polyherbal ointment containing L. angustifolia, R. x damascena, and A. officinalis combination on wounds caused by third grade skin cut.

To evaluate the wound healing effect of this polyherbal formulation, an ointment containing the extract of A. officinalis, the essential oil of R. x damascena (2 % essence) and the essential oil of L. officinalis (2 % essence) in an eucerin base (20:20:10:50) was prepared. The formulation was examined using excision wound test for 14 days and the percentage of healing effect in each group was calculated. Formalin induced rat hind paw edema method was used for determination of anti-inflammatory activities of the same formulation.

The percentage of recovery in the polyherbal formulation group was significantly higher than the other groups. Histological studies also confirmed these results. Herbal formulation treated group showed significant improvement in terms of re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and reducing inflammation. The percentage of wound healing was 99.07 ± 0.34, 99.22 ± 0.35, 98.45 ± 0.733, 98.75 ± 0.88 and 63.72 ± 5.64, for the polyherbal formulation, L. angustifolia, R. damascena, A. officinalis extracts, and the placebo group, respectively.

This polyherbal formulation could act as a wound healing agent, possibly due to the suppression of inflammatory mediators. The presence of phenolic compounds might be a reason behind the therapeutic effect of these plants.

Hydroquinone, arbutin and kojic acid are herbal-based skin whitening compounds that are used in many cosmetics. Today, the lack of side effects of arbutin and kojic acid has made them a valuable alternative to hydroquinone. Due to the toxic effects of whitening compounds, it is necessary to control the amount of use of these in the whitening products so that their concentration is within the permissible range.

Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and quantify these three compounds in anti-lacquer products. In this research, the best separation of analytes has been tried by changing the HPLC mobile phase.

Different samples were taken from the supply level. After extraction and preparation of samples, the solution was injected into HPLC-UV. In order to optimize the method, three different mobile phases were used to identify the compounds. By comparing the obtained peaks with the standard peaks, the Whitening compounds were identified and quantified.

The results showed that hydroquinone and kojic acid were applied in three products and arbutin in one product and the concentration of all the compounds used were within the standard range. Four out of the eight companies surveyed did not correctly identify the compounds used in their products.

Reverse Phase HPLC-UV is also one of the best methods for determination and quantification the whitening compounds and water composition: acetonitrile with a ratio of 80:20 v/v is the most appropriate mobile phase in this method.

Stress is an integral part of human life and leads to maladaptation of the organism and needs rational pharmacological correction.

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the adaptogenic potential of European mistletoe extracts.

The work was performed on Balb/c mice. The test-objects were ethanol and aqueous extracts of European mistletoe (Viscum album L., Santalaceae) collected from pear and black poplar in dose 100 mg/kg (P.O.). Physical overloads were modeled in the forced swimming test. The analyzed parameters were: the duration of animals swimming, changes in the parameters of mitochondrial respiration, the concentration of ATP, activity of caspase-3, and apoptosis-inducing factor in the muscles and lactic acid in the blood serum of animals. The state of the pro / antioxidant system and acute toxicity of the test-extracts was also evaluated.

The study found that the LD50 of the test-extracts was more than 5000 mg/kg (P.O.). Ethanol extracts (40 and 70 %) with a single administration had the greatest impact on the physical strain of mice. In the course administration of 40 % ethanol mistletoe extracts the swimming time of mice was increased by 3.4 and 5.05 times

(P < 0.05) from black poplar and pear, respectively. Also, the use of 40 % extracts contributed to the normalization of the pro/antioxidant balance, the restoration of the cell energy metabolism, and the decrease of the intensity of the apoptotic reactions.

The study showed that the 40 % ethanol extracts from European mistletoe (host plants: pear and black poplar) potentially can be used as adaptogenic agents.

A significant amount of crop production is destroyed annually by pests in the storage and significant damage is caused to crops. Recently, the use of essential oils as an alternative to pesticides in pest control has been considered. Due to the presence of α-pinene, Cupressus genus is a significant source of plant insecticides that can act as fumigant, repellency and inhibitory insecticides.

The aim of this study was to investigate the insecticidal properties, repellency and nutritional parameters of essential oils of Cupressus species on Sitophilus oryzae in 2018.

The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with 4 replications. The essential oils of the different species and populations of Cupressus were prepared by the Clevenger apparatus using a water distillation method. The major constituents in the essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS and the biological effects of the essential oils against adult S. oryzae were investigated.

In the analysis of chemical compounds, α-pinene was identified as the main essential oils of the above species. The result showed that among the species, C. arizonica showed the highest Fumigant toxicity to S. oryzae with LC50 = 172.30 μl/L air. In investigating the effect of repellency on S. oryzae, essential oils of C. sempervirens L. var. horizontalis (France) with 80.61 % showed the highest distance.

Due to the toxicity and high repellency effect of Cupressus essential oils on S. oryzae, this genus has high potential for use in storage pest control.

Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida L.) is an endangered endemic plant which is widely used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. It is necessary to enhance the quantity and quality of its secondary metabolites in order to meet requirements of the industries.

This study investigated the impact of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) on biochemical traits, essential oil yield and chemical compositions of Ferula assa-foetida in its natural habitat.

We foliar sprayed the EBL at the concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 µM with three times during a week at fully matured leaves phase. One month after treatments application, leaf sampling and gum gathering of the plants was done and the mentioned parameters were measured.

ANOVA results indicated that 1 µM EBL showed the best results for chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, reduced sugar and protein contents (17.77, 13.08, 31.57, 7.50, 40.45 and 0.34 mg/g FW). The main components of the essential oil are α-pinene (8.82 %), β-pinene (11.57 %) and myrcene (1.12 %) that showed a significant increase at 1 µM of EBL. Although, EBL at 0.5 µM was proved to be the best treatment for leaf total phenol content (79.37 mg/g FW) and sulfurous compounds such as: (E)-1-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (51.48 %), bis (1-methyl propyl) disulfide (0.9 %) and n-propyl sec-butyl disulfide (0.41 %). The highest amount of flavonoids (146.18; 162.56 mg/g FW) and essential oil yield (7.91 %; 8.16 %) were obtained at 0.5 and 1 µM EBL concentrations, respectively compared to the control (6 %).

Our results indicated the promising and positive effects of EBL, as an environmental friendly strategy, to improve oleo-gum quantity and quality.