Journal of Medicinal Plants
Year:2003 | Volume:2 | Issue:6|Papers Count:16

Herbal medicinal products are not only used for general well - being and to prevent or treat common minor ailments, but they are also used by individuals with serious chronic disease. Nowadays many patients are taking multiple grugs, herbs and vitamins concurrently which may interact with each other. It is necessary to know about possible herb - drug interactins, because of increasing tendency to using medicinal herbs all over the world. Interactions usually can be classified as pharmacokinetic (when the absorption, distribution, metabolism or elimination of one substance is affected by another) and pharmacodynamic (including antagonistic and synergistic interactions). An example of pharmacokinetic interaction is inhibition of Lithium absorption by psyllium because of high musilage content. Ginkgo increase anticoagulant activity of warfarin as a synergistic effect. In this article, interactions between 32 herbs and drugs are reviewed and presented in tables.

There are a number of studies on the biology and chemistry of the Tanacetum genus. The purpose of this investigation was to analyza the chemical composition of the aerial parts of T. Khorassanicum, an Iranian native plant. Water - distilled essential oil of T. khorassanicum (Krasch). Parsa (Composirae) was examined by GC and GC/MS. Thirteen constituents representing 90% of the oil, were characterized of which Myroxide (19.80%), Comphor (16.40%), Isopulegone (13.42%), 1, 8- Cineol (11.41%), Borneol (8.31%) and Geraniol (7.9%) were the main compounds identified.

Volatile oil and fatty acid compositions of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae) seeds grown in Iran determined by GC and GC/MS. Eight fatty acide (99.5%) and thirty - two compounds (86.7%) have been identified in the fixed and volatile oils, repectively. The main fatty acids of the fixed oil were linoleic acid (55.6%), oleic acid (23.4%), and palmitic acid (12.5%). The major compounds of the volatile oil were trans-anethole (38.3%), p-cymene (14.8%), limonene (4.3%), and carvone (4.0%).

Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is non - toxic natural therapeutic agent shown to possess hypotensive and diuretic properties. The alcoholic extract of Morus nigra L. leaves was tested for hypoglycaemic effect in normal and streptozotocin - diabetic rats. Graded amounts (0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg) of alcoholic extract of Morus nigra leaves, when given to both normal and streptozotocin - diabetic rats orally, caused a significant reduction of serum glucose concentration in streptozotocin - diabetic rats but not normal rats was noticed. Also the alcoholic extract of mulberry did not change the level of insulin in normal and diabetic rats. These results suggest that the alcoholic extract of Mours nigra L. leaves given orally possess a hypoglycaemic effect in streptozotocin - diabetic rats.

In this study, the aerial parts of Tripleurospermum disiforme were collected in complete flowering stage from Taleghan in July 2001. After drying in shade, the plant material was subjected to steam distillation. The pale yellow oil was obtained at 0.45% (w/w) yield. The oil was analyzed by a combination of GC and GC/MS. Results of this investigation that was done the first time in Iran, were identification of 14 compounds (representing 94.93% of the oil) by percentage more than 0.07% in the oil. The main components of Tripleurospermum disiforme oil were trans, trans matricaria ester (39/93%), cis calamenene (22.99%), (Z) - b# farnesene (12.54%), b# - maaliene (7.98%) and b# - sesquiphellandrene (2.22%).

There are many diseases caused by free radicals such as atherosclerosis, cancer and aging. Antioxidants inhibit effects of free radicals. On the other hand, the usage of synthetic antioxidants have been limited because of their toxicity and there are a number of studies to find and use natural antioxidants. This survey investigatcs the effect of some plants such as Achillea millefolium, Crataegus curvisepala and Matricaria chamomilla on RBC hemolysis and their - SH capacity as membrane protection indicator. At first, total and polyphenolic extracts from each plant were prepared Rate of RBC hemolysis and - SH capacity of cells membrane were detemined by speetrophotometer in 415 nm. AAPH (2, 2 azobis 2 amidino propane dihydrechloride) Was used to induce RBC peroxidation. The effect of each extract on RBC hemolysis was examined in 5 concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5) µg/ml) of each extract was used. In all cases, the antioxidant activity was dose - dependent. The highest inhibitory effect on RBC hemolysis was by polylhenolic extract of Achillea millefolium. Total extracts of Achillea millefolium, Crataegus curvisepala protect - SH groups 37%, 32.3% respectively. Results show that mentioned plants can be used as natural antioxidants for treatment and prevention of diseases which their pathogenesis are lipid peroxidation.

The essential oil of the aerial parts of Teucrium Stocksianum Boiss. Subsp. Stocksianum (Lamiaceae) from Iran (collected in Siahu, Province Hormozegan, South of Iran) was analyzed by capillary GC, GC/Ms techniques. The major constituents were a# Pinene (36.60%), b# - Pinene (14.16%) and b# - Cubebene (5.04%).

The essential oils of leaves and flowers Achillea wilhelmsii (compositae) collected from the suburb of Neka, north of Iran, in June 2001, were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by means of GC and GC/MS. Fifteen and nineteen components were identified in the oils of the leaves and flowers of Achillea wilhelmsii, respectively. The major constituents of the essential oil of the leaves of A. wilhelmsii were camphor (24.1%), 1, 8 - cineole (22.3), borneol (11.1) and myrtenol (8.5%). The major constituents of the essential oil of the flowers of A. wilhelmsii were camphor (21.2%), myrtenol (14.4%), myrtenyl acetate (8.9%), yomogi alcohol (8.7%) and borneol (8.2%).