Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province is one of the most important endemism states of the flora of Iran with a considerable plant species diversity. In the present study, the cytotoxic activity of 13 plant species grown in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari have been evaluated on prostate (PC-3), breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2), ovary (CHO), and melanoma (B16-F10) cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity of methanol extracts was evaluated using resazurin reagent and flow cytometry of PI stained cells, respectively. Methanol extracts of Dionysia sawyeri, Stachys obtusicrena and Cicer oxyodon on CHO cell line (p <0. 05) and D. sawyer and Linum album on B16/F10 cell line (p <0. 05) showed significant cytotoxic effects and increased apoptosis. It is generally suggested that the plant extracts with low IC50 values are likely to be used as anti-cancer compounds in reducing cancer progression in scientific studies.

Satureja edmondi is an important medicinal plant species which is one of the rare endemic plant species of Iran. Since seeds of the species are not found enough in the nature and the available seeds hardly germinate as well, micropropagation and mass reproduction is required in order to prevent the extinction of the species. Hence, the green branches of the species were cultured on MS medium (with half contents of the KNO3 and NH4NO3) to increase the number of branches. Then, the branches were transferred to 1.2 MS and DKW media with different levels of BAP, 2iP and IBA hormones. Then the branches were transferred to DKW medium containing NAA and IBA. Most of the branch productions were occurred on the DKW media, containing 0.5 mgl-1 BAP and the best hormone for rooting was 0.5 mgl-1 IBA. Regenerated plantlets were established in greenhouse and then grown under field conditions.

Awareness of ecological characteristics and geographical distribution of medicinal plants will help to the activities of a regional management, conservation and sustainable utilization of the potential. This study was done in April untill June 2013, within the Tange Balangestan Watershed of Behhahan in Khuzestan province with 1767 hectares. Based on the results 65 species were identified that belonging to 27 families that, respectively Gramineae with 10 species, Compositae with 9 species, Papilionaceae with 8 species and Brassicaceae with 6 species were the greatest number of species. Among the species identified seven endemic species and three rare species. Therophytes life forms With 49. 23 percent and Hemicryptophytes withe 29. 23 percent were the most important structural groups in the Raunkiaer method. In examining the geographical distribution of plant elements based on Zohary, Thakghtaja and Leonard also found that 47. 69 percent of species (31 species) belong to Iran-Turan and other species of the Iran-Turan grow in other regions in addition to the Iran-Turan. The most widely used local plants to treat the common cold.

Background & Aim: Secondary metabolites with bioactive and functional properties in essence of aromatic plants can be useful for improvement of quality and persistence of food as natural preservative. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial of essential oils of some of the medicinal plants collected from Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Province, Iran.Experimental: The essential oil of Iranian medicinal plants including Thymus daenensis Celak, T. carmanicus Jalals, Satureja bachtiarica Bunge, S. khuzestanica Jamzad and S hortensis L (Lamiceae) and Kelussia odoratissima Mozaff and Heracleum lasiopetalum Boiss were collected from southwest Iran. Plant materials were subjected to hydro-distillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus according to the method recommended in BT. The antibacterial activity of the essential oils against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was tested by agar disc diffusion.Results & Discussion: The results showed that almost studied essential oils from seven herbs showed antibacterial activity. The essential oils of various species of Lamiaceae have higher antibacterial activity than Apieacea species.Industrial and practical recommendations: In finally, the results obtained appeared to confirm the antibacterial potential of the plants investigated. Satureja species (savory) essential oils can be replaced the natural flavor preservative by synthetic preservative in food industry especially in production of meat.

Middle Asia is one of the major centers of origin and diversity of the family Apiaceae. Secretory system and other anatomical peculiarities of many endemic Apiaceae are still poorly investigated. Comparative anatomical study of plant secretory structures has a great theoretical and practical importance in relation to taxonomy, ecology and pharmacology. The paper provides the results of structural investigation of the secretory system of five endemic and medicinal species of Apiaceae from Middle Asia (Sphaerosciadium denaense, Ferula foetida, F. varia, F. kyzylkumica, Dorema sabulosum). It was revealed that different representatives of the family Apiaceae growing in various habitats have a secretory system represented with terpenoid keeping schizogenous secretory ducts. Desert plants (F. foetida, F. varia, F. kyzylkumica, D. sabulosum) have larger secretory ducts producing more of terpenoids, than a mesophilous relic mountain species S. denaense. The most characteristic structural features of secretory system of S. denaense are small diameter of lumen, small epithelial cells, and the absence of ducts around the xylem of the medullary bundles in the stem and petioles. The structural features of secretory system are specific to each of the investigated plants. The topography and dimensions of secretory ducts are a diagnostic character applied in species identification.

Introduction: Malaria is a protozoal disease, transmitted to humans by female Anopheles mosquito bite. Plasmodium falciparum, compared to other kinds of Plasmodium, causes more severe malaria and is associated with a higher mortality rate. Annually, one to three million deaths occur due to malaria, especially by P. falciparum.Case Presentation: In this report, we introduce an Iranian patient suffering from P. falciparum. Peripheral blood smear for malaria parasites showed severe infection of P. falciparum, with 75 to 85 percent of red blood cells containing one to five parasites per cell. However, the patient revealed a fast response to treatment and a good prognosis, suggesting a high level of relative immunity in the patient. To confirm this hypothesis, we conducted a comparative study by comparing the rate of clinical response to treatment as well as the level of prognosis of our patient with similar patients from different regions around the world. These included some malaria cases (caused by P. falciparum) chosen from endemic and nonendemic regions, such as Africa, South Europe and Canada.Discussion: The findings revealed that generally, patients from endemic regions significantly show a greater response to treatment and also a better prognosis in comparison to the patients from nonendemic regions. These differences can plausibly be attributed to a high level of relative immunity in endemic regions. Consequently, we would strongly support the hypothesis that response to treatment and prognosis of malaria is a matter of patients’ living environment circumstances. In other words, people who live in endemic regions acquire a high relative immunity leading to a greater response to treatment and a better prognosis.

Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Boiss.(Liliaceae), locally named Susan -e Chelcheragh" is a native and rare species grown on the heights of Damash region (ca. 2100 m) in Gilan province, north part of Iran. The microscopic and anatomical features and the composition of oils of flower and corm of this unique plant were studied. The microscopic study has shown the main characteristic elements of leaf, stem, corm and flower of this plant. The composition of essential oils of flower and corm were determined by coupled GC-MS analysis. The yields of oils of flower and corm were 0.71 % and 1.65 % (v/w) respectively. The major components of flowers oil were isopulegol (55.15 %), pentacosane (18.1%), 3-methyltricosane (9.97%), tricosane (5.35%), 2-methylpentacosane (4.35%), docosane (4.28%) and linalool oxide (2.20%). The components of corms oil were almost fatty acids. No aromatic volatile compound was found in the corm oil. Primary qualitative phytochemical tests of stem, leaf, corm and flower showed positive results for alkaloid and flavonoid (one plus) in stem and for saponin (4 plus) in corm and (2 plus) in the flower. Tests for tannin in all parts were negative. Further phytochemical and botanical studies on this unique plant are of importance.