165 Advances in Environmental Biology, 6(1): 165-175, 2012 ISSN 1995-0756 This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ORIGINAL ARTICLE Pharmacological Review Of Medicinal Trees Spontaneous In Iran: A Historical And Modern Study 1Peyman Mikaili, 2Massoumeh Sharifi, 3Shadi Sarahroodi, 4Jalal Shayegh 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. 2Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran. 3Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. 4Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, Shabestar branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran. Peyman Mikaili, Massoumeh Sharifi, Shadi Sarahroodi, Jalal Shayegh: Pharmacological Review Of Medicinal Trees Spontaneous In Iran: A Historical And Modern Study ABSTRACT Medicinal plants are now becoming more widely used by people all over the world. On the other hand, the trees, especially in the Iranian platform, have not comprehensibly been reviewed in the literature. In this study, the authors have reviewed all important historical and modern literature about the medicinal trees and shrub used in Iranian traditional medicine. We compare the modern and traditional documented herbal medicine of our country and edited them as follow. All data about the terminology (if necessary some etymological information have been provided), local and native names, comparison the modern and traditional terminology and postulations about the plants, description about the medicinal parts of the plant, and finally the proposed medicinal and pharmacological activities of the trees have been presented. The detailed references have been provided for each data. The data were collected and represented as 57 species of trees and shrubs which are reported as spontaneous in Iran. These data showed that almost all of these trees were known to Iranian scholars from Arabic, Indic or Greek-Roman tradition without seeing them closely. We think that, these data will be useful for the future researches in this area. Key words: Phytomedicine, medicinal trees, shrubs, spontaneous in Iran, pharmacology Introduction edited them as follow. All data about the terminology (if necessary some etymological information have People understand the gentle strength of natural been provided), local and native names, comparison remedies. Medicinal plants are now becoming more the modern and traditional terminology and widely used by people all over the world. Because of postulations about the plants, description about the the varied history of medicinal plants, the multitude medicinal parts of the plant, and finally the proposed of names has grown confusing. On the other hand, medicinal and pharmacological activities of the trees the trees, especially in the Iranian platform, have not have been presented. The detailed references have comprehensibly been reviewed in the literature. This been provided for each data. study reviews historically and pharmacologically almost all the known medicinal trees in modern and Results: historical views in the Iranian traditional herbal medicine. The data were collected and represented as 57 species of trees and shrubs which are reported as Methodology: spontaneous in Iran. All data about these plants, which have been described in the classical texts of The authors have reviewed all important Iranian herbal medicine have been provided. Some historical and modern literature about the medicinal traditional herbalists described the common use of trees and shrub used in Iranian traditional medicine. tree medicines as an infusion or a decoction. The Then we selected the major references and collected data represented as follow. the data. We compare the modern and traditional documented herbal medicine of our country and [1] Acacia nilotica Del: Corresponding Author Peyman Mikaili, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. E-mail: [email protected] 166 Adv. Environ. Biol., 6(1): 165-175, 2012 The acacia has another synonym as Acacia The cycloprotobuxine in the drug was shown to arabica (Lam.) Willd., hence it is called in Persian as have a cytotoxic effect in vitro as well as an samgh-arabī or ākāsiyā [10]. It grows in the southern inhibitory effect on the growth of mycobacterium coasts of Iran in Bandar-Lengeh and Bandar-Abbās tuberculosis. In animal tests, an inhibition of [11]. The medicinal parts are the bark, the gum and motility, including tetanus, spinal paralysis and the fruit of the plant [6]. In classical texts of Persian respiratory paralysis, was demonstrated. A herbal medicine, it is called Ummi-ghaylān and used hypotensive effect has been described [6]. for urinary ulcers and diarrhea [9]. Pharmacological effects: [5] Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb.: This plant is rich of tannins. The drug has an astringent effect [6]. The bonduc or boducella belongs to a genus, called in Persian as abrīšam-mesrī. This single [2] Acer spp. L.: species is spontaneous in Iran. Other species have been introduced and cultivated in Iran [10]. In the The maple has nearly 6 species in Iran mostly classical texts of Persian herbal medicine, a plant growing in the northern forests, and called in Persian called bateh perhaps may be related to Caesalpinia afrā [10]. Usually Acer rubrum (Red Maple) has bonduc (L.) Roxb. [7]. medicinal importance. The medicinal part of the tree is the bark. Description: Pharmacological effects: Red maple has an astringent effect [6] The medicinal part of the plant is seed. Pharmacological effects: [3] Alnus glutinosa L.: Bonduc is a febrifuge and tonic [6] The Black Alder or tūskā in Persian, grows in [6] Carica papaya L.: the northern forests of Iran. Persian name perhaps is derived from tūs or tūt (berry) and kāl (unripe) in the The papaya, papain or papaw tree is a introduced Iranian northern dialects [12]. According to our best and cultivated species in Iran. It is called kharbozeh- knowledge, it has not been described in the classical derkhtī in Persian (Mozaffarian, 1998:101). But it is texts of Persian herbal medicine. said that, in the classical texts of Persian herbal medicine, a plant called babīhah, papīhat or papītah Description: is related to Carica papaya L. [7]. The medicinal parts of the plant are the bark and Description: leaves. Pharmacological effects: Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the The decoction is a tonic and has astringent and leaves and fruits. hemostatic properties, which may be due to the Pharmacological effects of raw papain: tannins (20%), flavones glycosides and triterpenes The proteolytic activity of the' raw papain [6]. enzymes can be used within the parameters of enzyme substitution for digestive complaints, [4] Buxus hyrcana Pojark: particularly pancreatic conditions. Papain has an antimicrobial, anthelmintic and anti-ulcerative effect. The boxwood or box tree is called in Persian as The results of the analgesic and anti- šemšād or šemšād-jangalī. This single species of the inflammatory effects are contradictory. Experiments genus exclusively grows in northern parts of Iran have shown that papain has an edema-reducing [10]. In the classical texts of Persian herbal medicine, effect. The fibrinogenous effect has not been a plant called ‘ataq perhaps may be related to Buxus sufficiently proven. hyrcana Pojark [7]. Pharmacological effects of papaya leaves: No information is available [6]. Description: [7] Castanea sativa Mill.: The medicinal parts are the dried Boxwood tree leaves and the woody aerial parts of the plant. The The chestnut tree is called šāh-balūt in Persian main compounds of this plant are steroid alkaloids, language. In the classical texts of Persian herbal including cyclobuxine-D, cyclobuxine-B, medicine, it is called balūt-ol-malek or exactly in cycloprotobuxine-A, and cycloprotobule. Arabic as ballūţ-ul-malik [7,12]. Pharmacological effects: Description: 167 Adv. Environ. Biol., 6(1): 165-175, 2012 The medicinal parts are the leaves collected and The medicinal part is camphor oil extracted from dried in autumn, and preparations of the fresh leaves. the tree. Pharmacological effects: Pharmacological effects: No information is available [6]. Used externally, camphor acts as a bronchial secretolytic and hyperemia. Internally, the effect is [8] Ceratonia siliqua L.: that of a respiratory analeptic and bronchospasmolytic. It should be noted that the The carob tree is called in Persian as kharnūb effect only sets in at dosages considered toxic. An [10]. It is also mentioned in the classical texts of antibacterial effect has been noted in vitro, with Persian herbal medicine [7]. cineol the main active principle [6]. Description: [11] Cinnamomum verum J. Presl: The medicinal parts are the fruit and the bark. The cinnamon is also called kāfūr in Persian (see Pharmacological effects: Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees., and Cinnamomum In various test series and studies, the effect of camphora (L.) Nees. & Eberm.). It is said to be an carob gum on the serum glucose level, the secretion introduced and cultivated species in Iran and activity of digestive enzymes, the secretion of (Mozaffarian, 1998:127). Different plants, due to gastrointestinal hormones as well as on the serum have an aromatic property, may be related to here. A lipid level was proven. The hypoglycaemic and plant called dār-sīnī, literally meaning Chinese tree, hypolipidaemic effect is attributed to an increase in is more properly