Journal of Ethno-Pharmaceutical Products

Abstract This review explores the therapeutic potential of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) derived from medicinal plants. PUFAs, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, play critical roles in human health and are essential for various physiological functions. While marine sources are known for their high content of omega-3 PUFAs, medicinal plants also serve as valuable sources of omega-6 important fatty acids. PUFAs derived from medicinal plants exhibit a wide range of therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, cardiovascular protective, and anticancer effects. This review summarizes the classification and sources of PUFAs, and discusses the extraction of PUFAs from medicinal plants. Specific medicinal plants rich in PUFAs are highlighted, along with their potential health benefits. Understanding the role of PUFAs in promoting human well-being opens avenues for the development of natural interventions and therapeutic approaches. By exploring the rich composition of PUFAs in medicinal plants, we can harness their potential in preventive healthcare and complement existing treatments. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the medicinal properties of PUFAs derived from plants.

Abstract Traditional medicinal herbs are generally transmitted orally through a community, family and individuals, which is not documented. The present research was carried out with the aim of identifying the traditional application of medicinal herbs of Kurmanjis Kurdish of Bojnourd City for curing the diseases. In order to collect data on medicinal plants that was found in the wildlife ecosystems of Bojnourd; an investigation was performed. A questionnaire was administered only to people who had knowledge of medicinal herbs, through face to face interviews. After collecting the plant specimens, we displayed these specimens to the local people in their houses and farms. During the interviews, native names and utilized parts of the plants as well as information on the types of diseases treated using traditional medicinal plant species were recorded. In all, 201 medicinal plants belonging to 53 families grown in the study areas are traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases. The most common families are Asteraceae and Lamiaceae, with 25 and 24 species, respectively. Most of the parts of the plants that were collected consist of aerial parts, fruits, root, leaves, flowers and seeds orderly. The most species were reported to be used for digestive disorders, respiratory diseases and cardiovascular problems. Some of medicinal species in the wildlife ecosystems of area are endangered due to excessive use. The transfer of these plants to agricultural fields can be a great help to create employments and Protecting of these plants. The present study represents important ethnobotanical data on medical herbs which provides basic data for future pharmacological and phytochemical investigates.

Abstract Nepeta depauperata belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is one the Persian endemic plants which has not been investigated biologically. In the present paper we had focused on the assessment of the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the total methanolic extract and different sub-fraction of the flowering aerial parts of it. The Antibacterial and antifungal activities were investigated by cup plate method and disc diffusion assay, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the active extract or subfraction were determined by micro plate dilution method. The crude extract and chloroform sub-fraction of N. depauperata had inhibition activity on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa while no antibacterial activity observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. It was concluded from the antifungal assay that just the yeast C. albicans, showed a high sensitivity to all the extract and related sub-fractions. No activity was seen against Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, A. flavus and Fusarium oxysporum. These findings demonstrate that the N. depauperata is effective against S. aureus, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa and could be a natural source of effective natural antifungal compounds against C. albicans.   DOR: https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.23833017.2014.1.2.2.3