Background: Medicinal plants are the most important source for life saving drugs for majority of the world's population. Iran, with more than 7500 existing plant species, is one of the main regions of biodiversity and a natural habitat for more than 900 species with medicinal properties. Ribes khorassanicum (Grossulariaceae) is such a plant with the height of 1.5-2.5m and endemic to Khorasan. It is an element of Irano-Touranian region distributed in Hezar-Masjed Chain Mountains with the altitude of 2400-2700 m.a.s.l.. Flowering is in the second half of spring and fruit ripening is in the middle of summer. Objective: During field work, we found that local people consume the dried fruits treat blood pressure, cardiac problems and digestion poisoning. Since no study was performed previously, we decided to have an investigation on Phytochemicals and antibacterial effects of the plant. Method: Alcoholic extract of the flowers, unripe and ripe fruits were done in the lab. Some pharmaceutical materials were recognised and evaluated in different organs. Effects of alcoholic extract with concentrations of 6.25%, 12.5%, 25%, 50% and 75% on certain intestinal bacteria viz. Salmonella spp., Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae were studied. Results: The results showed existence of some pharmaceutical materials such as Alkaloids (A), Flavonoids (F), Saponins (S), and Tanans. The grade of F, S and T were +2, -, +4 in flowers, +4, +1, +1 in unripe fruits and +1, - and +- in ripe fruits, respectively. The concentration of Alkaloid in flowers, unripe and ripe fruits was 5, 38 and 22 mg/lit, respectively. This study revealed that ripe fruit extract has an inhibitory effect on growth of bacteria mentioned above. The extent of the inhibition was related to the concentration of the extract. Conclusion: Existence of high amounts of Alkaloids, Flavonoids and Tanans along with antibacterial effects revealed the medicinal properties of the plant.

Background: Historical documents belonging to medicine and pharmacy consist of valuable information about the herb and medicinal plants. Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the antibacterial and phytochemical properties of 10 selected medicinal plants including of Echinophora platyloba D.C., Eucalyptus globulus Labill, Euphorbia denticulata Lam., Hypericum perforatum L., Hypericum hyssopifolium Chaix, Hypericum scabrum L., Juniperus excelsa M.B., Peganum harmala L., Plantago major L. and Scirpus lacustris L. in preventing the growth of pathogenic Nocardia in-vitro. All species of Nocardia are found in nature in the soil and aquatic environments. The bacteria are aerobic, gram-positive, partially acid fast bacilli. Nocardia asteroides a highly pathogenic microorganism infects humans through the respiratory tract. The bacterium is primarily an opportunistic pathogen that causes the infection in patients with immunodeficiency. Nocardia brasiliensis is most commonly responsible for cutaneous infections. Methods: The antibacterial ability and phytochemical properties of methanolic extract of the above herbs against species of pathogenic Nocardia were investigated by means of appropriate agar distribution methods. After incubating of the cultured media, the diameter of the clean zone formed in each concentration was measured and correlated to the ability of the extracts to inhibit the growth of Nocardia strains. Results: According to the results, the various concentrations of the 5 medicinal plants out of the 10 herbs e,g, Hypericum perforatum L., Hypericum, hyssopifolium Chaix, Hypericum scabrum L., Juniperus excelsa M.B., Scirpus lacustris L. have significant antibacterial activity against Nocardia asteroides and N. brasiliensis. Conclusion: Interestingly the results show inhibitory effects of the medicinal plants on different strains of the Nocardia in-vitro. It was found that the 5 medicinal plants out of the 10 herbs have potent antibacterial property. We came to this conclusion formed by 10% concentration of the above herbal extracts in appropriate distribution routs, were similar to that of the clear zones formed by specific antibiotic against Nocardia species, e.g. Amikacin, Amoxicillin, Ceftazidime, Ceftizoxime/Cefotaxime, Cephalothin, Cotrimoxazol. The antibacterial activity of the above herbs is probably associated to the potency of strong antibacterial properties of flavonoids, saponins and tanans presents in the methanolic extraction of the above medicinal plants.

Background: Thymus kotschyanus Boiss. & Hohen. is an Iranian medicinal plants that grows in different areas of Iran such as Mazandaran, Gilan, Azarbayejan, Kurdistan and Tehran. Objective: The objective was to identify the essential oil content and composition in 15 Iranian populations of T. kotschyanus. Methods: The essential oils content and composition of 15 Iranian populations of T. kotschyanus were studied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The aerial parts of thyme populations were harvested in the full blooming stage. The essential oils contents were obtianed by clevenger apparatus. For accurate measurement of the essential oils compounds, the oil samples analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results: The results showed that the populations of T. kotschyanus had significant (p<0.01) differences in respect of essential oil contents. The highest essential oil content was found in the populations of Tehran, East Azarbayjan-I and East Azarbayjan-IV. The maximum thymol content was identified in the Kordestan-I population (40.42%) and the highest content of carvacrol was related to Kerman (33.08) and Zanjan-III (30.49%) populations, respectivily. Also, the thyme populations had significantly (p<0.01) differences in essential oil compositions except of carvacrol. Generally, 23 compounds in the essential oils were identified. The main constituents were carvacrol, thymol, borneol, 1.8-cinole, cymne (ortho), carvacrol methyl ether, (z)caryophyllene, camphor, and linalool. Conclusion: Although, the populations of T. kotschyanus were planted in the same ecological and agronomical conditions, they had significant differences in terms of phytochemical traits, which probably could be due the genetic factors.

Bladder cherry (Physalis alkekengi L.) is a valuable medicinal plant of the Solanaceae family which has been used in the traditional medicine of Iran and the world and numerous therapeutic properties such as anti-fever and inflammatory, analgesic, anti-bacterial and virus have been reported for this plant. Bladder cherry is extensively used in Chinese medicine, and its fruit is used to treat abscess, cough and relieve fever, and sore throat. Brewed and boiled flower of this plant is also suitable for the treatment of diabetes and its root is used to urinary problems, skin inflammation, uric acid excretion, gout, arthritis, hemorrhoids, hepatitis, bronchitis, and liver enhancement. The most important phytochemical studies of bladder cherry originated in 1965. To date, about 124 components including steroids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids have been extracted from different parts of the plant. Approximately, 58 combinations of steroids have been reported with the highest amount of physalins in the different parts of the bladder cherry. Moreover, 19 flavonoid compounds of the bladder cherry have been extracted from its calix in the form of flavon and flavonol. In general, the results of this study indicate that the bladder cherry due to the effective phytochemical properties of the nutrition and treatment of some diseases can be used as an important medicinal plant in the pharmaceutical industry.

Background: Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Lamiaceae) has been found in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Z. multiflora called ‘Avishane Shirazi’ in Persian is used as a seasoned in many foods in Iran. The literature survey demonstrated that Z. multiflora has immunostimulant, pain-relieving, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antifungal effects and also widely used in traditional medicine for analgesia, diarrhea, infectious diseases, and gastrointestinal problems. Objective: The subject of this study is performing phytochemical constituents of methanolic extract of Z. multiflora. Methods: The application of various chromatographic techniques such as normal and reverse C18 chromatography let to isolation, purification and identification of several flavonoids. Results: In this investigation, the fractionation of methanol extract of the aerial parts of Z. multiflora led to the isolation and purification of three known flavonoid glycosides namely Luteolin 7-O-glucopyranoside, Apigenin 7-O-rutinoside and Luteolin 7-O-rutinoside whose structures were determined by 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopic studies, in particular, homo-COSY and hetero (HSQC and HMBC). Conclusion: The results show a methanolic extract of Z. multiflora is a rich source of flavonoids and triterpenoids.

Background: Medicinal plants play a significant role in preventing and treating diseases due to their traditional uses. Objective: The aim of the study was to isolate, purify and identify phytochemicals from the n-hexane extract of Teucrium hircanicum L. roots and evaluate the antioxidant activity of the extract and its purified compounds. Methods: The n-hexane extract (2.27 g) was extracted from the roots of this plant. The extract was fractionated by column chromatography with normal phase by eluting with n-hexane-EtOAc and following with EtOAc-Methanol. Fractions with similar phytochemical fingerprints combined to produce 23 main fractions. Final purification was carried out by preparative reversed-phase HPLC-UV. The structures of isolated were secured by different spectroscopic methods such as 1D, 2D NMR, and mass spectroscopy methods and comparing of these data with literature reported values. The antioxidant activity of the n-hexane extract of T. hircanicum roots and its purified diterpenoids was evaluated in DPPH assay and radical scavenging activity was calculated. Results: Extraction and isolation methods were used to purify three rearranged abietane-type diterpenoids villosin A (1), teuvincenone B (2) and 5, 8, 11, 13, 15-abietapentaen-7-one (3), a phenethyl ester namely 4-hydroxyphenethyl pentacosanoate (4) and one sterol namely 22-dehydroclerosterol (5). Conclusion: The n-hexane extract from roots of T. hircanicum and three rearranged abietane type diterpenoids were showed good antioxidant activities ranged from 3.5-4.3 μg/ml compared with the reference value (BHT = 16.5 μg/ml).

Background: Extreme production of free radicals in the human body causes direct damage to biological molecules that leads to the different types of diseases. The natural or synthetic antioxidants inhibit directly the production or restrict propagation or nullify the free radicals produced in the human body to protect the immune system. Objective: This study aims to quantify the total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant and antidiabetic activities and toxicity test for the methanol extracts of aerial parts of traditionally used medicinal plants like Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) R.M.King & H.Rob., Cupressus sempervirens L. and Lantana camara L. Methods: The total phenolic content (TPC) was estimated by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method and the total flavonoid content (TFC) by aluminum chloride assay. The α-amylase inhibition activity was performed to evaluate the antidiabetic activities of plant extracts. Results: Lantana camara showed the highest phenol content (10.20 ± 0.343 mg gallic acid equivalent /g extract) and flavonoid content (1.87 ± 0.160 mg quercetin equivalent /g extract) among the three plant samples, respectively. The methanol extracts of Lantana camara showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ of 106.18 ± 11.390 µg/ml. In addition, Ageratina adenophora methanol extract was found to inhibit α-amylase activity with IC₅₀ value of 1.84 ± 0.007 mg/ml. The methanol extract of Ageratina adenophora was found to be toxic against brine shrimp with median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) value of 833.68 µg/ml. Conclusion: This research shows that the traditionally used medicinal plants are the rich and potent sources of natural antioxidant and antidiabetic compounds which may be the potent natural drug candidates in the future drug discovery process.