Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (2005) 2: 63-79 Copyright © 2005 by School of Pharmacy Received: February 2005 Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services Accepted: October 2005 Original Article Labiatae Family in folk Medicine in Iran: from Ethnobotany to Pharmacology Farzaneh Naghibi*, Mahmoud Mosaddegh, Saeed Mohammadi Motamed and Abdolbaset Ghorbani Traditional Medicine & Materia Medica Research Center, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Scineces, Tehran, Iran. Abstract Labiatae family is well represented in Iran by 46 genera and 410 species and subspecies. Many members of this family are used in traditional and folk medicine. Also they are used as culinary and ornamental plants. There are no distinct references on the ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of the family in Iran and most of the publications and documents related to the uses of these species are both in Persian and not comprehensive. In this article we reviewed all the available publication on this family. Also documentation from unpublished resources and ethnobotanical surveys has been included. Based on our literature search, out of the total number of the Labiatae family in Iran, 18% of the species are used for medicinal purposes. Leaves are the most used plant parts. Medicinal applications are classified into 13 main categories. A number of pharmacological and experimental studies have been reviewed, which confirm some of the traditional applications and also show the headline for future works on this family. Keywords: Labiatae; Ethnobotany; Ethnopharmacology; Folk medicine. Introduction diterpenoids in its members. These plants have been surely used by humans since prehistoric The Labiatae family (Lamiaceae) is one times. Evidence from archeological excavations of the largest and most distinctive families of shows that some species of this family, which flowering plants, with about 220 genera and are now known only as wild plants, had been almost 4000 species worldwide. This family cultivated at local scales in the past (4). This has an almost cosmopolitan distribution. Some family is one of the major sources of culinary, genera like Nepeta, Phlomis, Eremostachys, vegetable and medicinal plants all over the world. Salvia and Lagochilus have a great diversity in Species of Mentha, Thymus, Salvia, Origanum, the Mediterranean and C/SW Asia (1-3). Coleus and Ocimum are used as food flavorings, Labiatae are best known for the essential oils vegetables and in industry. Also several species common to many members of the family. Many of family are used in traditional and modern biologically active essential oils have been medicine. isolated from various members of this family. Iran has a very honorable past in traditional The family is also famous for the presence of medicine, which goes back to the time of Babylonian-Assyrian civilization. One of the * Corresponding author: most significant ancient heritages is sophisticated E-mail: [email protected] experience of people who have tried over F Naghibi, M Mosaddegh, S Mohammadi Motamed and A Ghorbani / IJPR 2005, 2: 63-79 80 52% 70 Total Species Endemic 60 26% 50 40 35% Number of Species 30 36% 20 35% 13%33% 50% 16% 10% 10 85% 37%55% 75% 33%33% 33% 100% 50% 0 Bal Oto Zhu Mic Lav Cyc Lag Der Hym Mar Sat Teu Thy Ere Phl Scu Sta Sal Nep Genus Figure 1. Percentage of endemism in the Labiatae in Iran Teu= Teucrium; Scu= Scutellaria; Lav= Lavandula; Mar= Marrubium; Nep= Nepeta; Der=Deracocephalum; Hym= Hymenocrater; Ere= Eremostachys ; Phl= Phlomis; Bal= Ballota; Sta=Stachys; Sal= Salvia; Thy= Thymus; Oto= Otostegia; Lag= Lagochilus; Mic= Micromeria; Cyc= Cyclostegia; Sat= Satureja; Zhu= Zhumeria millennia to find useful plants for health student’s these are reviewed and documentation improvement, with each generation adding its from unpublished resources and ethnobotanical own experience to this tradition. Because of the surveys have been included. high rate of species diversity and endemism in Labiatae, many species are used in traditional Chemistry of Labiatae: and folk medicine in Iran. Unfortunately, there This family contains a wide variety of are no distinct references on the ethnobotany chemicals, but discussion in this regard and ethnopharmacology of the family in Iran and is beyond the scope of this article and these most of the publications and documents related compounds would only briefly discussed. A to the uses of these species are both in Persian wide range of compounds such as terpenoids, and not comprehensive. In this article we tried iridiods, phenolic compounds and flavonoides to bring some of these scattered publications have been reported from the members of the together. We have also attempted to identify family (5-7). Some of the short chain terpenoids the scientific names of some of these species in in essential oils are responsible for odor and order tomake them accessible for the scientific taste in these plants. Lavandula species contain community. In addition, some pharmacognosy several pleasant-smelling terpenoid compounds Plant part used 120 100 80 Root Stem 60 Whole plant 6% Leaves 2% 40 6% 30% Number of uses 20 Seed 0 14% r C.N.S Others Flower Systemic Ophtalmic Circulatory nti-infective Aerial parts Respiratory 13% A Urinary-genital Dermatological Cardiovascula 29% Gastrointestinal Musculoskeletal Figure 2. Distribution of plant parts used in the Labiatae Figure 3. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses family in each category. 64 Labiatae Family in folk Medicine in Iran: from Ethnobotany to Pharmacology 16 14 12 14 10 12 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 Number of uses 2 Number of uses 2 0 0 Dysuria Diuretic Malaria Excessive Sinusitis Impotence Measles Influensa Pertussis Smallpox Antiseptic Urinary tract Urinary Abortifacient inflammation Vermifuge Kidney stone Kidney mensturation Uterian pains Uterian ntiparasitic Bladder stone Tuberclosis Emmenogogue A Dismensturation Women infertility Pregnancy pains Pregnancy Common cold Leishmaniasis Throat infection Local antifungal Infectious dieases Figure 4. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses Figure 5. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses in in anti-infective category. urinary-genital category. and are used in perfumes and for deterring Iran (1-3, 10). Nepeta (76 sp.), Salvia (56 sp.), moth damage in stored clothing (5). Lebdan Stachys (34sp.), Scutellaria (19 sp.), Phlomis diterpenoids are found in 20 genera of the (17 sp.), Eremostachys (16 sp.), Thymus (16 family including Ballota, Coleus, Lagichilus, sp.) and Teucrium (12 sp.) are the largest genera Leonotice, Marrubium and Sideritis. Coleon in Iran. In addition there is a monotypic genus, compounds (tri-cyclic diterpenoids), found in Zhumeria majdae, occurring in the southern leaves and inflorescence of Plectoranthus and parts of Iran. A comparison of endemic species other genera, have some antioxidant properties with the total number of species of some genera (8). Iridoides are also found in the family and and the percentage of endemism is presented in have taxonomic importance. The family is figure 1. also a rich source of plant species containing large amounts of phenolic acids. For example, The importance of Labiatae family rosmarinic acid occurs in species of the subfamily Members of the family are used for different Nepetoideae and it is absent in the Lamioideae purposes, but we can group their uses into three subfamily (sensu Erdetman). This compound main categories; 1) medicinal; 2) ornamental has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antioxidant and and 3) aromatic plants which are used as anti-inflammatory properties. More and more culinary herbs, vegetables and in the perfume studies carried out in numerous research centers industry. show that the complex pharmacological activity of some medicinal plants of the family is strictly a) Medicinal uses: connected with the presence of phenolics (7). Many species are used in traditional and Flavonoides also occur in the Labiatae in a modern medicine and recent investigations have variety of structural forms including flavones, proven the basis of the medicinal uses. There are flavonols, flavanones, dihydroflavonols and diverse uses of the family members in traditional chalcones (9). ways in different parts of the world. Based on our literature search, more than 81 species have Labiatae in Iran: been documented for medicinal uses in Iran, of With 46 genera and 410 species and which 16 species are not naturally grown in Iran. subspecies, Labiatae have great diversity and These species are listed in table 1, including distribution in Iran. From these species, 124 their vernacular names, plant part used, uses and species and subspecies (30%) are endemic to mode of preparation and administration. Out of 2.5 12 2 10 1.5 8 6 1 4 0.5 Number of use Number of use 2 0 0 f Itch llergy sthma Acne Cough A Warts A Cattarha Dyspnea Eczema Hair loss Dandruf Bronchitis complaints Expectorant Skin allergy Chest & lung Skin disorders Figure 6. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses in Figure 7. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses in dermatological category. respiratory category. 65 F Naghibi, M Mosaddegh, S Mohammadi Motamed and A Ghorbani / IJPR 2005, 2: 63-79 30 25 12 10 20 8 15 6 10 Number of use 4 5 number of use number 2 0 r r 0 r r tonic Coliti s Live ppetize Stoma c Chill Nausea Vomiting A Jaundice nexity intestinal disorders Dysentery Heartburn Diarrhoea Gall stone Gall Flatulence Colic ulce Toothache Dyspepsia Stomach & Hiccup Tremo A Gastrodini a Chologogu e Constipatio n Migraine Sedative Stimulant Dementia Headache Depresion naesthetic Obsession Nerve tonic Nerve A Nervous disorders Figure 8. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses in Figure 9. Frequency distribution of uses by type of illnesses Gastrointestinal category. in C.N.S category. the total number of the Labiatae family in Iran, also in toothpaste and chewing gum industry. 18% of species are used for medicinal purposes. Other species of Mentha such as M. aquatica Leaves are the most widely used plant parts L.