Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies

Iran has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, consisting of a complex traditional medicine deeply rooted in the history of the territory that goes back to the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. The ethnomedical practices that can be identifiable nowadays derive from the experience of local peop...

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Main Authors: Piergiacomo Buso, Stefano Manfredini, Hamid Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani, Sabrina Sciabica, Raissa Buzzi, Silvia Vertuani, Anna Baldisserotto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-02-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/56/3/97
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author Piergiacomo Buso
Stefano Manfredini
Hamid Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani
Sabrina Sciabica
Raissa Buzzi
Silvia Vertuani
Anna Baldisserotto
author_facet Piergiacomo Buso
Stefano Manfredini
Hamid Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani
Sabrina Sciabica
Raissa Buzzi
Silvia Vertuani
Anna Baldisserotto
author_sort Piergiacomo Buso
collection DOAJ
description Iran has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, consisting of a complex traditional medicine deeply rooted in the history of the territory that goes back to the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. The ethnomedical practices that can be identifiable nowadays derive from the experience of local people who have developed remedies against a wide range of diseases handing down the knowledge from generation to generation over the millennia. Traditional medicine practices represent an important source of inspiration in the process of the development of new drugs and therapeutic strategies. In this context, it is useful to determine the state of the art of ethnomedical studies, concerning the Iranian territory, and of scientific studies on plants used in traditional Iranian medicine. Data regarding 245 plants used in Iranian ethnomedical practices and scientific studies conducted on 89 plants collected in the Iranian territory have been reported. All of the scientific studies here reported draw inspiration from traditional medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called for an intensification of the scientific validation processes of traditional medicines intended as an important contribution to public health in various parts of the world. The process of study and validation of Iranian ethnomedical practices appears to be at an early stage.
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spelling doaj.art-b0148ec36f6041e9b6c1c2ed1daa627c2023-09-02T14:12:39ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X2020-02-015639710.3390/medicina56030097medicina56030097Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual StudiesPiergiacomo Buso0Stefano Manfredini1Hamid Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani2Sabrina Sciabica3Raissa Buzzi4Silvia Vertuani5Anna Baldisserotto6Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 194193311, IranDepartment of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Master Course in Cosmetic Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 43, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyIran has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, consisting of a complex traditional medicine deeply rooted in the history of the territory that goes back to the Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. The ethnomedical practices that can be identifiable nowadays derive from the experience of local people who have developed remedies against a wide range of diseases handing down the knowledge from generation to generation over the millennia. Traditional medicine practices represent an important source of inspiration in the process of the development of new drugs and therapeutic strategies. In this context, it is useful to determine the state of the art of ethnomedical studies, concerning the Iranian territory, and of scientific studies on plants used in traditional Iranian medicine. Data regarding 245 plants used in Iranian ethnomedical practices and scientific studies conducted on 89 plants collected in the Iranian territory have been reported. All of the scientific studies here reported draw inspiration from traditional medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called for an intensification of the scientific validation processes of traditional medicines intended as an important contribution to public health in various parts of the world. The process of study and validation of Iranian ethnomedical practices appears to be at an early stage.https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/56/3/97iranian traditional medicinebiological activitiespharmaceuticalcosmeceuticalnutriceutical
spellingShingle Piergiacomo Buso
Stefano Manfredini
Hamid Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani
Sabrina Sciabica
Raissa Buzzi
Silvia Vertuani
Anna Baldisserotto
Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
Medicina
iranian traditional medicine
biological activities
pharmaceutical
cosmeceutical
nutriceutical
title Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
title_full Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
title_fullStr Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
title_full_unstemmed Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
title_short Iranian Medicinal Plants: From Ethnomedicine to Actual Studies
title_sort iranian medicinal plants from ethnomedicine to actual studies
topic iranian traditional medicine
biological activities
pharmaceutical
cosmeceutical
nutriceutical
url https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/56/3/97
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