Prevention and treatment of constipation in children from the perspective of Iranian traditional medicine

Ethnopharmacological Knowledge for Management of Oral Mucositis in Zahedan, Southeast Iran

Objectives

Oral mucositis is among the complications of cancer therapy that affects quality of life and imposes remarkable financial costs for patients with cancer. This study aimed to explore, preserve, and scientifically investigate the ethnomedicinal knowledge of traditional healers for treatment of oral mucositis in Zahedan, Iran.

Materials and Methods

Field surveys were performed from September 2018 to October 2018 in Zahedan. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire in Persian. All species recorded for the treatment of oral mucositis were sampled. Samples were identified by a botanist and a voucher specimen of them was deposited in the Herbarium Center of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Kerman, Iran. Information, such as scientific name, family, local name, parts used, and preparation method, were also provided. Literature review on available data on effect of the addressed plant species on mucositis and other relative pharmacological actions, such as wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties, was performed.

Results

A total of 29 informants (attars) were interviewed and 18 medicaments were recommended, of which three samples were of synthesis or mineral origin and 15 samples were of herbal origin. Drugs were administered both topically and orally. According to recent studies, two herbs were evaluated for their direct effect on mucositis. Some pharmacological properties related to mucositis treatment by the other 11 samples have been confirmed.

Conclusion

This study provides information on the characteristics of medicinal plants from Zahedan, Iran based on their ethnopharmacological knowledge and pharmacological properties for mucositis treatment.

Phytotherapeutic approaches to treatment and prophylaxis in pediatric practice

Medicinal plants, their extracts and herbal medicinal products occupy a growing share of medicines in the pharmacy worldwide.

Historically, the first medicines were products of plants, as well as some of the most important medicines still in use today. With the development of phytochemistry, as part of the pharmaceutical science, great progress has been made in the isolation and in determining the value of a number of biologically active substances (BAS).

Many plants have yielded pure substances (or natural products) that are applied in modern medical practice. Other compounds are potentially useful or have toxic effects.

Traditional medicine incorporating many herbal medicines remains an important (and in some cases, the only) form of treatment in some countries, with increasing use in medical practice.

On the other hand, the fact that in pediatric patients there is a limitation, mainly moral and ethical, of the number of medications to be administered due to the difficulty of conducting clinical trials in children, stimulates the use of herbal medicines of proven quality, effectiveness and safety among this group of patients.

Appetite Reducing Herbal Drugs from the Perspective of Avicenna and Aghili in Iranian Traditional Medicine (Persian medicine)

The increasing prevalence of obesity is one of the major problems of today's society. Man needs food to continue living, daily activities, and even the metabolism of food; and appetite plays an important role in receiving foods. Appetite and weight reducing synthetic drugs, which are mostly costly and have significant side effects, are recommended for some patients, and have limited effectiveness in the treatment of obesity. Given the epidemic of obesity and the lack of satisfaction with synthetic drugs these days, people are more likely to use herbal medicines. Complementary medicine has always been considered for the choice of new treatment. This medicine has a long history. Persian Medicine is one of the traditional medicine systems. This study was a qualitative study on the Books of Canon and the Makhzan Al-Aladvia. Saffron has been introduced in both modern medicine and in Iranian medicine to reduce appetite. In the case of Purslane seed and Chio nut, Figs, Sesame seeds, Camphor, and Solomon's seal, and Opium poppy, which have been appetite suppressant in traditional medicine books, in the books and articles of modern medicine, they have not proved to be appetite reducing. Modern medicine has known Gourd as a weight reducing food with the effects on fat but there is no talk about its effects on appetite. According to traditional Iranian medicine, Chio nut causes anorexia due to weakness in the stomach. Therefore, it is not advisable for weight loss. More clinical studies are conducted to prove the effects of appetite suppressant and weight loss effects of these herbal medicines seem logical.

Traditional and modern aspects of hemorrhoid treatment in Iran: a review

Hemorrhoidal disease is a prevalent anorectal condition which is generally not managed well with current pharmacologic interventions. However, in Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) there are numerous plants with hemorrhoid-healing properties. The present research assembled plants with hemorrhoid-healing properties in ITM; their related pharmacological effects, phytochemical constituents and mechanisms of action in the modern medicine were also gathered. For this purpose, leading ITM textbooks were searched for plants with hemorrhoid-healing effects. Further, in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the most cited species were considered using scientific databases. Studying ITM textbooks revealed 37 medicinal plants with hemorrhoid-healing effects. Among the mentioned herbal medicines, six species, including Allium ampeloprasum, Phyllanthus emblica, Aloe vera, Terminalia chebula, Vitis vinifera and Commiphora mukul, had the largest number of related pharmacological effects documented in scientific databases. These herbs from ITM should be considered as important resources for producing novel drugs for hemorrhoid treatment.