Medicinal plants with hepatoprotective activity in Iranian folk medicine

There are a number of medicinal combinations in the Iranian traditional medicine which are commonly used as tonic for liver. In this review, we have introduced some medicinal plants that are used mainly for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine, with focus on their hepatoprotective effects particularly against CC14 agent. In this study, online databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct were searched for papers published from January 1970 to December 2013. Search terms consisted of medicinal plants, traditional medicine, folk medicine, hepatoprotective, Iran, liver, therapeutic uses, compounds, antioxidant, CC14, anti-inflammatory, and antihepatotoxic, hepatitis, alone or in combination. Allium hirtifolium Boiss., Apium graveolens L., Cynara scolymus, Berberis vulgaris L., Calendula officinalis, Nigella sativa L., Taraxacum officinale, Tragopogon porrifolius, Prangos ferulacea L., Allium sativum, Marrubium vulgare, Ammi majus L., Citrullus lanatus Thunb, Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Prunus armeniaca L. are some of the medicinal plants that have been used for the treatment of liver disorders in Iranian folk medicine. Out of several leads obtained from plants containing potential hepatoprotective agents, silymarin, β-sitosterol, betalain, neoandrographolide, phyllanthin, andrographolide, curcumin, picroside, hypophyllanthin, kutkoside, and glycyrrhizin have been demonstrated to have potent hepatoprotective properties. Despite encouraging data on possibility of new discoveries in the near future, the evidence on treating viral hepatitis or other chronic liver diseases by herbal medications is not adequate.

Hydro-alcoholic extract of the root of Prangos ferulacea [L.] Lindl can improve serum glucose and lipids in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus manifests itself in a wide variety of complications and the symptoms of this disease are multifactorial. Previous studies proved that this disease is directly related to hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Prangos frulacea [L.] Lindl in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Forty female Wistar rats with body weight of 200 +/- 20 g were randomly divided into five groups with eight rats per group. Diabetes was induced in rats by alloxan monohydrate at dose of 120 mg/kg body weight [BW] injected intraperitoneally. Hydro-alcoholic extract of the root and leaves with stems of P. frulacea at 100 mg/kg BW were given orally to diabetic rats daily for 4 weeks. Diabetic rats [D] exhibited a significant [p<0.05] increase in the levels of the serum glucose, Total Cholesterol [TC], Triglycerides [TG], and LDL in comparison with the control group whereas their BW and serum HDL levels were decreased. In diabetic rats treated by root extract of P. frulacea, these parameters were reversed to the normal levels compared with diabetic group. According to the results obtained, it was concluded that Root's hydro-alcoholic extract of P. frulacea can be used in diabetics for the purpose of glucose and lipid profile reduction

Effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Prangos ferulacea [L.] Lindle on histopathology of pancreas and diabetes treatment in STZ- induced diabetic rats

This study investigates the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Prangos ferulacea [L.] Lindle [P.f] on rats' pancreas structure changes and diabetic treatment after streptozotocin injection. In this research forty male Wistar rats with body weights of 100 +/- 20 gram, were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 rats per each group. Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin at a dose of 75 mg/kg body weight [B.W] injected intraperitoneally. Root and leaves with stems hydroalcoholic extract of P.f at a dose of 100 mg/kg B.W have been injected orally in diabetic rats, daily for a month. Significant decrease in blood glucose, WBC and HbA1c and increase in body weight were observed in treated diabetic rats. Histopathologic results of diabetic rats revealed reduction in number of pancreatic islets as well as their number of beta-cells and insulitis with lymphocytes infiltration. Regeneration of pancreatic islets and beta-cells, along with a reduction in the number of infiltrated lymphocytes were present in plant extract -treated diabetic rats. The roots´ hydro-alcoholic extract of P.f seems to be capable to regenerate the islets of Langerhans in the treated rats in comparison with the untreated diabetic rats. This property can be due to some components of the plant that can increase insulin secretion