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Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common diseases in society, affecting up to 40% of the population. It has major impact on the quality of life and a high burden on medical expenditure. In this work, herbs used by ancient Iranians to treat GERD have been introduced. Methods: Different well-known Persian textbooks and recent electronic databases were searched to explore the treatment of GERD and the pharmacological mechanisms of the identified medicinal plants. Results: GERD has been known for many centuries, and many herbal remedies for its treatment have been elucidated in traditional medical literature. We found 25 medicinal herbs in Persian medicine books and searched for evidence to support them in the current literature. Conclusion: Although their active components or the mechanism of action were not known by the ancient Persians at that time, their persistent use during different centuries might indicate their effectiveness. Owing to their potential, medicinal herbs are a viable option for the treatment of diseases like GERD even today.

AbstractPeganum harmalaL. smoke has been used traditionally in Middle Eastern and Asian countries as a disinfectant and air purifier. Here, the smoke was collected by a simple, reproducible method, and its chemical constituents of the smoke and volatile oil were analyzed. The major components of P. harmalasmoke were α-pinene (60.4 %), limonene (6.4 %) and styrene (4.2 %) and those of the volatile oil were α-pinene (72.6 %), trans-verbenole (3.9 %) and sabinene (2.6 %). Styrene and some other components with potential antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities were formed in the smoke but not found in the volatile oil.

A method named “bag culture” was developed for coculturing of Linum persicum (section Syllinum) and L. austriacum (section Linum) hairy roots. For this propose L. austriacum and L. persicum hairy root cultures were established using Agrobacterium rhizogenes in McCown medium. L. persicum hairy roots in bags (1 mm2mesh) were successfully grown together with L. austriacum hairy roots. The amounts of podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (MPTOX) produced by L. persicum hairy root cultures were detected using HPLC. The results indicated that the amounts of both lignans and growth indexes of the two hairy roots decreased, that may be partly due to a competition between the two types of culture in using precursors of biosynthetic metabolites and the amount of culture medium which is available for each hairy root. However, MPTOX (0.17 g/100 g DW) and PTOX (0.02 g/100 g DW) levels of the L. persicum single culture in bag were significantly higher than of the other cultures which may be due to the immobilization effect of the bag.

Linum spp. from section Syllinum are promising for the production of aryltetralin lignans like podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (MPTOX). MPTOX is a PTOX congener that has cytotoxic activity comparable with PTOX. In this study root cultures of Linum Bungei from section Dasyllinum, L. strictum from section Linastrum, L. album, L. mucronatum ssp. mucronatum and L. nodiflorum from section Syllinum were established and their MPTOX levels were investigated in 1000 ml flasks. Root cultures of L. mucronatum ssp. mucronatum and L. nodiflorum were used to examine cell growth and production of MPTOX during a culture period of 36 days in 250 ml flasks. Considerable amounts of MPTOX in root cultures (1000 ml flasks) of L. album (6 mg/100 g DW), L. mucronatum ssp. mucronatum (770 mg/100 g DW) and L. nodiflorum (91 mg/100 g DW) were detected while it wasn’t detected in root cultures of L. Bungei and L. strictum. In time course experiments, the maximum amount of MPTOX in L. nodiflorum root culture was at day 16 with 480 mg/ 100 g DW and the maximum amount of MPTOX in L. mucronatum ssp. mucronatum root culture was at day 12 with 130 mg/100 g DW. The results showed that root cultures of Linum species from section Syllinum are rich sources of MPTOX and since this lignan has remarkable cytotoxic activity, it can be used as a precursor for the production of antitumor agents.

Aryltetralin lignans (podophyllotoxin type) are the main lignan constituents of species belonging to Linumsection Syllinum(Linaceae). Linum persicum, a perennial plant native to Iran closely related to L. album, has not yet been studied. To evaluate the lignan profile, fresh plants of L. persicumwere collected and divided into different parts and analyzed by HPLC. The main aryltetralin lignans found inL. persicumplant parts, callus and cell cultures were podophyllotoxin (PTOX), 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (MPTOX) and α- and β-peltatin. Furthermore, the systematic relationship between L. persicumand other Linumspecies are discussed in the light of morphological and phytochemical aspects. Abbreviations:MPTOX – 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin; PTOX – podophyllotoxin; DOP – deoxypodophyllotoxin.

Green callus of Zataria multifloraBoiss. (Lamiaceae) was induced from seedlings. The detailed volatile composition of callus and of flower‐bearing tops used in the callus induction was investigated by GC and GC – MS spectrometry. Callus volatile constituents consisted of monoterpenoids (25.59% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 70.99% oxygenated monoterpenes), while volatile oil of the flowering tops consisted mainly of monoterpenoids (20.95% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 73.07% oxygenated monoterpenes) and 4.62% sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The typical components for the two volatile oils were p‐cymene (4.85% and 5.43%), γ‐terpinene (19.95% and 7.74%), thymol (34.91% and 32.35%) and carvacrol (5.06% and 25.95%). Furthermore, thymol acetate (22.60%) and carvacrol acetate (5.95%) were found mainly in the former and linalol (6.77%) was found merely in the latter. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Green callus of Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Lamiaceae) was induced from seedlings. The detailed volatile composition of callus and of flower-bearing tops used in the callus induction was investigated by GC and GC – MS spectrometry. Callus volatile constituents consisted of monoterpenoids (25.59% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 70.99% oxygenated monoterpenes), while volatile oil of the flowering tops consisted mainly of monoterpenoids (20.95% monoterpene hydrocarbons and 73.07% oxygenated monoterpenes) and 4.62% sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The typical components for the two volatile oils were p-cymene (4.85% and 5.43%), γ-terpinene (19.95% and 7.74%), thymol (34.91% and 32.35%) and carvacrol (5.06% and 25.95%). Furthermore, thymol acetate (22.60%) and carvacrol acetate (5.95%) were found mainly in the former and linalol (6.77%) was found merely in the latter. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The detailed composition of distilled bud‐ and flower‐bearing tops of Zataria multiflorawas investigated by several analytical techniques (GC, GC–MS, FT‐IR, 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR). The volatile oil of the former consisted mainly of oxygen‐containing monoterpenes (84.81%) and sesquiterpene hyrocarbons (11.88%), whilst the volatile oil of the latter consisted mainly of oxygen‐containing monoterpenes (81.78%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (7.33%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6.96%). The major components for the two volatileyoils were linalol (62.22% and 60.39%), linalyl acetate (11.52% and 8.55%), β‐caryophyllene (7.34% and 4.53%). Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The detailed composition of distilled bud- and flower-bearing tops of Zataria multiflora was investigated by several analytical techniques (GC, GC–MS, FT-IR, ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR). The volatile oil of the former consisted mainly of oxygen-containing monoterpenes (84.81%) and sesquiterpene hyrocarbons (11.88%), whilst the volatile oil of the latter consisted mainly of oxygen-containing monoterpenes (81.78%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (7.33%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6.96%). The major components for the two volatileyoils were linalol (62.22% and 60.39%), linalyl acetate (11.52% and 8.55%), β-caryophyllene (7.34% and 4.53%). Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The use of functional foods (FFs) for maintaining health and preventing or treating illnesses—in recent years—has been dramatically increased in the literature. There are available valuable examples of FFs in ethno medicine from different tribes. Ethnic FFs can be valuable resources for developing FFs science, e.g., introducing memorial FFs as an interdisciplinary ethnopharmacological concept. In this paper, ethnic FFs from Bavi tribe (Kohgiluyeh va Boyerahmad province of Iran) have been studied, and their medical potentials are reported. Data gathering was done by interview with Bavi tribe local healers using a questionnaire. Plant materials were collected and identified, and Bavi FFs were prepared according to local procedures. Information of 21 Bavi tribe FFs was collected which are including 20 different plant species.The results showed that most FFs are used to treat chronic diseases including kidney problems like kidney stones, liver disease, neurological complaints, and GI ulcers and are used as lactogogue, while lesser FFs are used to treat acute diseases and symptoms (43%), including nausea and vomiting, common cold, diarrhea, sore throat, and allergy. Most FFs of Bavi tribe are prepared using aromatic plants (75%) responsible for aroma in the final FF. Probably, aromatic FFs increase patient acceptance, without mimicking unpleasant memory of drug recommendation. Plants that are used in FF are mostly perennial (80%) and wild growing (80%), indicating continuous contact of natives and so having memory with such habitant herbals. Treating diseases by homemade FFs which are prepared by well-known aromatic herbals is a routine procedure among natives like the Bavi tribe. Such easily made FFs with well-known taste and flavors which may change the patient’s mood should be studied in a new approach, “memorial FFs”, as a novel opportunity for healthcare and curing.

The percentage of podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and its congener lignans were measured by HPLC in Linum mucronatum ssp. mucronatum (Linaceae) fresh plant organs. The highest amounts of PTOX (0.595 ± 0.060% g/g dry wt) and 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (MPTOX) (1.491 ± 0.125% g/g dry wt) were found in the plant sexual organs. Whereas, the highest levels of ß-peltatin, 5'-demethoxy-MPTOX and yatein were found in not developed buds, petals and sepals, respectively.