ABSTRACT
Medicinal plants contain plant materials such as leaf, root, flower and seed using for producing drugs. Essential oils and extracts of various species of edible and medicinal plants, herbs, and spices constitute of very potent natural biologically active agents. Iran with 1.64 million km2 areas has 7500-8000 plant species. Iran is an ancient country in usage of herbal plants. The ancient Persians soon became familiar with various medicinal plants. Several medicinal species are cultivated in Iran. This review focuses on some of these plants such as Ziziphora, Stachys, Satureja, Thymus, Scrophularia, Thymbra, Tanacetum, Ocimum and Crocus.
ABSTRACT
Matricaria recutita L. (syn. M. chamomilla L., Chamomilla recutita L. Rauschert) is known as true chamomile or German chamomile and Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. (syn. Anthemis nobilis L.) is known as Roman chamomile. The biological activity of chamomile is mainly due to the flavonoids apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, patuletin and essential oil constituents such as α-bisabolol and its oxides and azulenes. There are several chamomile chemocultivars. Chamomile has anti-inflammatory, deodorant, bacteriostatic, antimicrobial, carminative, sedative, antiseptic, anticatarrhal and spasmolytic properties. It is used to treat sleep problems. Researchers indicated that the pharmacological effect of German chamomile is mainly connected with its essential oils. Environmental conditions and stresses can alter active substances of chamomile. This review focuses on characteristics, secondary metabolites and utilization of German and Roman chamomile.