Background: There is limited information about the use of Medicinal plants (MPs) by older adults in Middle East countries, including Iran. Objective: This study aimed to assess the MP use by older adults in Kashan, Iran. Methods: A cross‑ sectional study was conducted on 770 older adults who were randomly selected from different areas of Kashan, Iran. A questionnaire was used to gather the data. The data were described using the measures of descriptive statistics and analyzed via the Chi‑ square and the Fisher’ s exact tests. Results: Totally, 67. 8% of participants used MPs. MPs were used, respectively, for abdominal pain, temperament modification, tranquilization, constipation, and common cold. Significant statistical relationships were found between MP use and variables such as gender, having hyperlipidemia, employment status, belief in the effectiveness of the MPs, and the level of knowledge about them. Conclusion: Older adults widely use MPs. Public education programs should be implemented to inform people, particularly elderly people, about the risks associated with the over‑ the‑ counter use of MPs and their interactions with conventional medications.

Phytoremediation of lead using plants in lead-contaminated soils is a new and safe environmental technology. By adding chelators and increasing plant extraction, the efficiency of this technology can be increased. In this regard, we evaluated the effect of adding EDTA chelates to lead-contaminated soils to investigate the amount of lead accumulation in a Medicinal plant, Calendula officinalis. We designed a factorial experiment in the form of a completely randomized, with three replicates in pots and two factors including EDTA at two levels (0, 50 mg kg-1) and lead at four levels (0, 30, 90, and 270 mg kg-1). In this plant, the accumulation of lead was accompanied by an increase in the amount of lead in the soil due to the addition of EDTA to the soil. The results showed that EDTA significantly increased the lead translocation of lead from roots to the aerial part of the plant.Total Chl. and shoot dry weight decrease significantly in EDTA treatment than control specific at a high level of Pb in the soil. Also, the results showed that EDTA increased lead removal from soil to soil solution and increased lead translocation from roots to the aerial part of the plant of Calendula officinalis. In general, the results of this research showed that with the careful management and EDTA use in lead extraction, it has provided a cost-effective and safe environmentally strategy.

Medicinal plants contain active ingredients in one or some of their organs. Squalene is one of the active ingredients that prevent heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases and protect the body from some cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of squalene in a number of Medicinal plants. In this experiment, the plant oils were extracted and measured using Bligh & Dyer with minor changes. TLC (thin layer chromatography) was used to identify squalene. Comparison of TLC of standard squalene with TLC of the investigated Medicinal plant samples showed that Caryophillium aromaticus, Descurainia sophia, Portulaca Oleracea, Papaver somniferum and Nigella Sativa contained squalene. Although the percentage of Papaver somniferum and Nigella Sativa seed oil was higher than other Medicinal plants, the squalane spot of clove plant had a higher intensity of color and this indicates a higher concentration of squalene in this plant.

Objectives: This study reviews herbs and Medicinal plants in dentistry and discusses their biological activities, benefits and side effects. Review of Literature: In this review, the PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar databases were electronically searched for relevant articles and books in English using the keywords ― Medicinal plant‖ , ― herb‖ , ― phytotherapy‖ , ― dentistry‖ and ― pediatric‖ . Conclusion: Medicinal herbs have long been an inseparable part of treatment of various diseases. Today, the range of applications of these plants is not limited to medical treatment and various types of Medicinal plants are used in various fields including dentistry. Increased interest in Medicinal plants is mainly due to less side effects compared to those of synthetic drugs and they are often favored for use in children.

Introduction: Nowadays, the use of Medicinal herbs is fairly common, while Medicinal herbs don’t have specific doses and can have more threatening consequences for the mother and the fetus, so this study was performed with aim to evaluate the frequency, causes and how to use Medicinal herbs during pregnancy.Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on143 women giving birth in the gynecology ward of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi hospital in 2016.Data were collected using a self-designed questionnaires consisted 2 sections. The first part was related to the demographic information and the second part was about the performance of women regarding the use of Medicinal herbs during pregnancy (13 items). Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 19) and using Chi-square, independent-t, and logistic regression tests. P<0.05 was considered significant.Results: 129 (90.2%) of participants had used Medicinal herbs during pregnancy, 78 women (60.46%) had simultaneously used 1-2 Medicinal plants, 95 (73.64%) had used as herbal tea, 53 (41.08%) used Ginger (mostly to control nausea and vomiting) and 39 (30.23%) used Peppermint (mostly to control heartburn). The information sources of 122 (94.57%) was family and friends.Conclusion: Since most samples had used herbs for various reasons during pregnancy and stated family and friends is their source for information; therefore, it is necessary to inform mothers about the risks and benefits of common consumed herbs and to evaluate the safety of these plants on the health of mother and fetus.