JOURNAL OF HERBAL DRUGS
Year:2013 | Volume:3 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background & Aim: Achillea filipendulina is one of the most important species of Asteraceae family and, it considered as one of the most valuable medicinal and ornamental plants. Environmental factors affected on quality and quantity of the essential oil of medicinal and aromatic plants. So, selecting of appropriate season for harvesting can lead to increase quality and quantity yield. The aims of the present study were to assess the effect of seasonal variation on essential oil yield and some morphophysiological traits of A. filipendulina.Experimental: In this research, split plot experiment based on complete block design was conducted in three replicates. The aerial parts were harvested and the essential oil extracted by Clevenger approach in different seasons.Results & Discussion: Afc genotype showed the lowest amount concerning the plant height, leaf length and leaf width in winter, while Af21 had the highest height and leaf width in summer. The essential oil yield varied between 0.01 to 0.84% in all seasons. The highest and the lowest essential oil yield belonged to Afc in summer and Af21 in winter, respectively. The lowest and the highest hydrogen peroxide accumulation were in Af21 in spring and Afc in summer, respectively. Furthermore, malone dealdehide (MDA) accumulation varied from 0.3 to 3.37 ng/fw. Afc in spring and Af21 in summer showed the lowest and the highest MDA, respectively.Recommended applications/industries: According to the results of present study, in order to increase dry matter and essential oil yield of Achillea filipendulina, harvesting for essential oil extraction is suggested in early summer.

Background & Aim: Bushehr with an area of about 177.1 km2 is situated in center of Bushehr province, southern Iran. Existence beach line with Persian gulf and Helle river cause of settlement diversity in this zone. With attention in this settlement diversity in this zone transaction of this work is necessary.Experimental: Many specimens were collected during the vegetative seasons in 2011 to 2013. All the specimens were prepared as standard herbarium sheets, identified by using available references flora and stored in the herbarium of Medical Sciences University Bushehr Center. An analysis was made of the species used, parts of the plant employed, preparation methods, administration means, and the ailments treated in relation to pathological groups.Results & Discussion: According to results, in study area about 63 species belonging to 55 genera and 36 families have been recognized. The largest family of the region is Asteraceae with nine species. Plantago genus with five species is the largest genus among the existing genera. The presence of more than 63 medicinal plant species indicated high biodiversity in the studied region.Recommended applications/industries: Antiquity of indigenous people usage as medicinal plants, high biodiversity of medicinal plants, presence of medicinal plants store and implant potential of medicinal plants in this zone cause of beneficial industrial usage in this result.

Background & Aim: Nepetabracteata Benth is a medicinal plant belongs to the Lamiaceae family which wildly grows in Khorasan province. This herb is used by the indigenous people as afolkloric medicine in Khorasan. This paper aimed to study the situation and application of this plant in traditional medicine of Khorasan province.Experimental: Current study was done by questionnaire and interview with apothecaries andvillagers living near the natural habitats of N.bracteatain spring to summer 2012.Results & Discussion: Results of this study indicated that the aerial parts, especially the flowers of N.bracteata are used by the indigenous people for treatmentof many diseases, including asthma, cold, headache, and stress. In addition, this herb has used as a sedative. The flowers of N.bracteataare used for treatment of respiratorydiseases, including asthma, lungspasms, seasonalallergies, and coughsdue tocold, chesttightnessorcongestion, wheezing, chronic inflammation of the respiratory tracts, tonsillar infection, even lung cancer, neurological disease, stress,digestivediseases including stomachache, colic, stomachandintestinal infections, and forremoving body weakness and strengthening theimmune system, preventing fromhair loss and relievingmenstrualirregularity. The most common preparation methods are brewing, boiling and distillation.Recommended applications/industries: This paper having investigated the native and traditional usages of N.bracteata which can provide valuable research fields for researchers to remove disambiguation about using this plant and provide its widespread domestication and utilization field based on native knowledge and modern technologies.

Background & Aim: Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), is an important medicinal plant that is used for pharmacological uses and conservation of environments (for example preventing the soil erosion) regards to its specific condition habitat.Experimental: In this research, phytochemical variations of the essential oils from different populations of myrtle collected from Fars (Saydan, Cheshme-Ali, and Simakan), and Kohkeloyeh va Boyerahmad (Dehdasht and Gachsaran) provinces using GC-MS were analyzed.Results & Discussion: Results of GC/MS analysis indicated that a-pinene, 1, 8-cineole, linalool, linalyl acetate, a-terpineol, and linalool oxide were the main components in the essential oils from all populations. The essential oils from the leaves of myrtle were characterized by high levels of oxygenated monoterpenes, hydrocarbon monoterpenes, phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes. Monoterpenes were the main constituents of the essential oil of the leaves of the collected plants. Cluster analysis based on Euclidean distance square by UPGMA method classified the samples into three groups. In this classification, samples referred to the Gachsaran and Dehdasht populations (Kohkeloyeh va Boyerahmad province), and the Saydan population (Fars province) were at the same group.Recommended applications/industries: Results indicated the main source of variability in chemical composition and oil yield of the studied populations seemed to be due to differences in environmental conditions and chemotypes.

Background & Aim: St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) contains hypericin and hyperforin as the main components of the extract that binds with GABA and sigma opioid receptors. This herb has many pharmacological effects, including analgesic, sedative, soothing, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, anti-depressant, and anti-bacteria. In this study examined the effect of two concentrations of Hypericum perforatum extract on digestive organs morphometric in male Wistar rats.Experimental: Among the 54 rats tested with six repetitions, effect of Hypericum perforatum extract was assessed in three groups. Experimental treatments were control (receiving water), groups two and three that received Hypericum perforatum extract (250 and 500 mg /kg.bw) respectively. Rats were treated with Hypericum perforatum for30 days, through the Gavage method.Results & Discussion: Results indicated that big intestine weight in the 250 mg/kg.bw Hypericum perforatum treatment significantly was more than the control group (p£0.05), and also the length of big intestine was taller in 250 and 500 mg/kg.bw treatments than control group (p£0.05).Recommended application: According to results, the extract of Hypericum perforatum can use for weight increasing.

Background & Aim: Hyper lipidemy is one of the main factors in progressing cardiovascular diseases. Thymus deanensis celak and Satureja bachtiarica Bunge are medicinal herbs which are used in folklore medicine in Iran. In this research, hypolipidemic effects of essential oils of these herbs in rats fed with a fatty diet were investigated.Experimental: 40 male and femade adult rats (20 rats in each group) with 190-220 g weight were divided to five groups randomly (8 rats in each group). Experimental groups were 1) control, 2) control+fatty ration, 3) standard drug () +fatty ration, 4) T. deanensis (200 mg/kg) +fatty ration, and 5) S. bachtiarica (200 mg/kg) +fatty ration. At one week after starting special dietary ration, animal treated by the essential oils for three weeks. In final, serum and plasma were separated for measuring lipids and doing the other biochemical experiments.Results & Discussion: Results indicated that the essential oil of T. deanensis in rats fed with fatty dietary ration decreased level of low density lipoproteins (LDL) significantly (p£0.05). There was a significant difference in amount of triglycerides of blood serum in rats (p£0.05), The lowest and highest amounts of triglycerides obtained from T. deanensis and control +fatty ration groups, respectively.Recommended applications/industries: Results indicated the essential oil of T. deanensis had hypolipidemic effect in rats fed with a fatty diet.

Background & Aim: Chemicals antioxidants and lipid oxidation products are known as cancer-causing factors in food systems. In this study, the effect of essential oil from Heracleum lasiopetalum fruits on lipid oxidation and physicochemical properties of potato chips in comparison with commercial antioxidant has been investigated.Experimental: The essential oil of H. lasiopetalum extracted using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and analyzed by GC/MS. The essential oil was added to the frying oil of potato chips in concentration level 3000 ppm, and its antioxidant effect on produced chips was analyzed by peroxide value, TBA and acidity of the essential oils from potato chips. BHA and TBHQ were added as the commercial antioxidant in 200 ppm and antioxidant reduction evaluated in 45 days period.Results & Discussion: Results indicated the essential oil of H. lasiopetalum fruits could reduce oxidation of potato chips the same as synthetic antioxidants. TBA test indicated the essential oil of H. lasiopetalum is higher effective than BHA in reduction of the primary TBA reaction but TBHQ is the lowest.Recommended applications/industries: The essential oil of H. lasiopetalum had antioxidant effect which it can use as natural antioxidant in foods during storage.

Background & Aim: Oleuropein has pharmacologic properties and is the main component of olive leaves which is considered to be the most pharmacologic compounds of olive (Olea europaea L.). The aim of this work was to investigate the possible using of the extract of this plant in food industry (sponge cake) in order to take advantage of its medicinal properties.Experimental: Ethanolic extract of olive leaves was added to sponge cake formula (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 for 100g flour) and oleuropein content of the samples was determined using HPLC. In addition, the sensory qualities of the samples, such as taste, off flavor, texture, color, odor and overall acceptability were measured by a five point hedonic sensory test which performed by twenty panelists.Results & Discussion: According to the sensory evaluation, no significant difference in respect to taste and off flavor was found between the samples containing 0.5 g of extract and the reference samples. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the samples containing 0.5 and 0.2 g extract and reference samples in respect to the texture. On the whole the sample containing 0.5 g extract was the only product that showed to be accepted by the panelists contained 0.003 g (63 ppm) oleuropein was presented. There was no significant difference between the samples, including reference in respect to their protein, fat and mineral contents.Recommended applications/industries: Olive leaves containing oleuropein and rich in phenolic compound having pharmacologic properties could be used in food industry (sponge cake).