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Background and objectives: Ajuga genus is used as wound healing in traditional Persian medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella ointment on healing pressure ulcers in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 131 patients with grade 1 or 2 pressure ulcers were randomly assigned into one of two groups through simple randomization. The study group received 3% Ajuga ointment, containing 17.26 µg/mL of 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysterone) as the main compound, while the control group received placebo twice a day for 14 days in addition to the standard care for pressure ulcers Changes in the degree and size of wounds were considered as the primary outcomes of the study based on the 2-digit Stirling scale. Results: Forty patients in each group completed the research. Mean (95% confidence interval) difference values, for wound degree, between two groups on day 7 vs. day 0 was -0.88 (-1.01 to -0.76, p

Abstract Background: Urtica pilulifera L. seed (UPS) is a Persian traditional medicine prescription that positively affects female infertility. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of UPS on a diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) model induced by cyclophosphamide in Balb/c mice. Materials and Methods: A single intraperitoneal (75 mg/kg) of cyclophosphamide was administered to establish a DOR model. 25 female Balb/c mice (6–8 wk, 25 ± 2 gr) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 5/each), including control (normal saline), model (DOR), DOR+50, DOR+100, and DOR+200 (mg/kg UPS, gavage) groups for 14 days. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutases, apoptosis, and histopathological alterations were analyzed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was performed to identify the phytochemicals of the UPS. Results: It was observed that the UPS extract reduced malondialdehyde concentration and apoptosis in the DOR model as well as enhanced superoxide dismutases activity in the ovaries in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, it exerted a modulatory effect on steroidal hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol. The histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic potential of the UPS extract. The main chemical components of UPS were linoleic acid (59.25%), n-hexadecanoic acid (10.36%), and oleic acid (8.29%). Conclusion: The results indicated that the UPS extract has therapeutic potential in the DOR model. This potential is attributed to the reduction of oxidative stress, modulation of apoptosis, and regulation of steroidal hormones that may be associated with the observed beneficial effects of fatty acids on fertility improvement.

Background and objectives: Paeonia daurica ssp. macrophylla (PD) (Paeoniaceae) is a perennial plant, growing in Iran. In Persian medicine, another species, Paeonia officinalis “Oode-saleeb” has been used especially for treating epilepsy and brain disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the sedative and hypnotic activity and the acute toxicity of P. daurica root extracts in mice. Methods: Sedative and hypnotic effects of the aqueous extract, total hydro alcoholic 80% extract, and its fractions, hexane, chloroform, and methanol were examined by the righting reflex method. Plant samples (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) and vehicle (10 mL/kg) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 minutes before sodium thiopental injection (40 mg/kg, i.p.) in groups of seven mice. The time taken before losing the righting reflex and the time taken to regain the righting reflex were recorded as the onset of sleep and sleep duration, respectively. The findings of the study indicated that, with the exception of the chloroform fraction and the total hydroalcoholic extract administered at the dose of 50 mg/kg, all the samples demonstrated a reduction in sleep onset time produced by sodium thiopental. Furthermore, chloroform (200 mg/kg) was the most effective sample on sleep duration compared to diazepam (3 mg/kg) (p

In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) saffron is used as an accompaniment agent “Mobadreq” in poly herbal formulations. According to TPM texts, “Mobadreq” is a substance (or drug) which facilitates access of drugs or food to the whole body or specific organs. This study investigated the effect of oral co-administration of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) on the absorption and some pharmacokinetic parameters of acetaminophen in rats. Two groups of Rats (n=6) were treated by 1: acetaminophen 10 mg/kg along with Crocus sativus 4 mg/kg (test group) and 2: 10 mg/kg acetaminophen (control). The plasma concentrations of acetaminophen after oral administration (at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60, 90, and 120 min) were monitored by an HPLC-UV method. Results indicated that the plasma concentration of acetaminophen in the test group was reached to the maximum concentration (Cmax) faster than control group. As a result, at 5 to 40 minutes after drug gavage, the concentration of acetaminophen in both groups was significantly different. It was also found that co-administration of acetaminophen and saffron significantly increased acetaminophen’s area under concentration curve (AUC0-60) in compare to the acetaminophen alone (p

Background and objectives: Nowadays, the use of medicinal plants is on the rise mainly due to the fewer side effects and lower costs. Despite the traditional reports about the healing properties of Ajuga species, no clinical studies have been conducted. In this study, the effect of hydroalcoholic extract cream (3%) of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella, one of the exclusive species of Ajuga in Iran, was compared with nitrofurazone cream (0.2%) on the second-degree burn wound healing. Methods: This clinical trial was performed at Motahhari Burns Hospital in Tehran. Fifty-two cases of second-degree burn patients were randomly assigned to two groups of 26 members, including nitrofurazone and Ajuga. We evaluated the wounds based on the onset of epithelialization, healing time, post-drug irritation, primary irritation, decreased irritation, post-drug pain, primary pain, decreased pain, allergy, infection parameters, and the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool. Results: Ajuga cream was more effective than nitrofurazone in terms of the mean day of epithelialization onset (p = 0.007), healing time (p = 0.001), post-drug irritation (p = 0.007), decreased irritation (p

This study aimed to assess the antinociceptive activity of extracts and fractions of Paeonia daurica subsp. macrophylla in BALB/c mice. Various doses of hydro-alcoholic extract (HE), hexane fraction (F-hexane), methanol (F-MeOH), and chloroform (F-CHCl3), as well as aqueous extracts (AE), were evaluated by a well-known model, a formalin-induced pain test in mice. All extracts, piroxicam 0.1 mg/kg, and negative control groups were administered 30 minutes before formalin injection. Flinching, licking, and biting reflexes were measured as painful factors compared with controls at intervals of 0 to 5 minutes, 0 to 15, and 0 to 60 minutes after formalin injection. The acute oral toxicity test of total ethanolic and aqueous extracts showed no signs of toxic effect up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg. In the formalin test at a time interval of 0 to 5 minutes, there was no significant difference between the results of the study groups. In the range of 0 to 15 minutes, the effect of AE (1 g/kg), HE (2, 3 g/kg), and F-hexane (1 g/kg) was significantly higher than the positive control group (p

The genus Cymbopogon belongs to Poaceae family and contain about 54 species, commonly known as "lemongrass". Cymbopogon is a medicinal plant native to tropical and subtropical areas which is applied traditionally for its numerous properties including antirheumatic, antispasmodic, analgesic, antiseptic, hypotensive, antitussive and anticonvulsant ctivities, and as a treatment for gastrointestinal and nervous disorders and fever. The aims of this study were to discuss about current state of phytochemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacological effects of different species of Cymbopogon. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library and Google Scholar were searched with the scientific name and the common name of the plant until November 2019. In spite of the small number of clinical investigations, Cymbopogon genus is widely evaluated for its phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology and biological activities. Monoterpenes specially geranial, citronellol and citral are the chief components of the essential oil. Biological activities including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, insecticidal, anticancer, hepatoprotective activities as well as its effect on skin, urogenital, gastrointestinal, neuropsychological and cardiovascular systems are proved in cell lines and animal models. Extensive studies have been done on various biological activities of lemongrass; nevertheless, safety and efficacy of Cymbopogon species are not fully evaluated in human and further well-designed clinical trials are required to confirm preclinical findings.

Background: Dementia is a disease in which memory, thinking, and cognitive skills are impaired, with Alzheimer’s being the most common type of dementia. Brassica nigra is useful for eliminating memory loss in traditional Persian medicine. This study aims to examine the effect of B. nigra fixed oil (BNO) on the changes in memory caused by β-amyloid. Methods: This research was conducted on 42 Wistar rats divided into 7 groups (n=6) including 1) control (received vehicle), 2) the group receiving BNO (925 and 462.5 mg/kg), 4) sham group 5) Alzheimer group (receiving 50 ng/µl/side β-amyloid in CA1 area of hippocampus) and 2 groups receiving β-amyloid along with two different doses of BNO. The daily gavage of BNO was done 2 to 21 days post amyloid injection. The spatial memory was evaluated in Morris water maze from day 21 to 26. Results: The results of this study revealed that the gavage of BNO (925 mg/kg) to rats receiving β-amyloid, as compared to those receiving β-amyloid alone, significantly decreased the traveled distance and the required time for finding hidden platform on the training days and increased the time of presence in the target quadrant on the test days. The analysis of BNO with GC-MS revealed that Erucic acid (24.79%) and 11-Eicosenoic acid (17.23%) had the highest content in the BNO. Conclusion: Regarding the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, it is likely that the consumption of BNO can play an important role in the prevention of memory degradation which warrants further clinical studies.

Background: Polygonatum orientale, an herbaceous and perennial plant from family Asparagaceae, is native to the forests of northern Iran. The hypoglycemic effects of other species of the Polygonatum have been proven. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of P. orientale rhizome extract and its effects on the antioxidant enzymes in the plasma of the normal and streptozocin induced diabetic rats. Methods: 30 male rats were divided into 6 groups; healthy control, negative control, positive control (metformin, 500 mg/kg) and three groups of diabetic rats (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) that received the ethanolic (70%) extract orally. After 28 days effects of the extract on blood glucose, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase enzymes, as well as total antioxidant capacity of the plasma (by FRAP test) were investigated. Results: According to the results, the percentage of reduction in blood glucose in the groups of 400 (2%) and 800 (25%) mg/kg compared to the diabetic control group was significantly different, (P0.05). Also, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract reduced the amount of SOD in the plasma comparable to the normal group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the ethanolic extract of rhizome of P. orientale exhibits a significant hypoglycemic effect that may be related to the presence of steroids, flavonoids and polysaccharides.

Background: Heracleum persicum (H. persicum) is a medicinal herb used in Iranian traditional medicine for its anti-toxic property. It is commonly consumed in the form of food additives and as a medicinal herbal tonic to treat liver and kidney diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of H. persicum hydroalcoholic extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n=30) were assigned to five groups: a normal group, a diabetic control group, and three diabetic groups treated orally with 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract and 5 mg/kg of glibenclamide, respectively, for two weeks. Blood glucose and bodyweight were measured at the end of each week. On day 15, blood samples were collected to measure the levels of insulin, insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I), antioxidant markers for malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant activity (TAS), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) using commercial kits. The data were analyzed using SPSS Software (version 22.0).Results: Daily treatment with 400 mg/kg of the extract significantly reduced the blood glucose level (PConclusion: Beneficial effects of H. persicum for the treatment of diabetes were confirmed.

Eryngium caeruleum (Apiacea) is native to the northern forests of Iran. The anti-diabetic effect of other species of the genus Eryngium has already been reported in previous studies. In this study, the anti-diabetic effect of this extract on animal blood lipid factors was investigated. Hydroalcoholic extract was obtained from different parts of the plant, including roots, leaves, and aerial branches with fruits were prepared by maceration with 70% ethanol. Oral acute toxicity of the extracts was assayed in different doses of 2000, 4000, and 8000 mg/kg in rats. To induce diabetes in the studied animals, 60-70 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) was injected intraperitoneally (IP). For the purpose of this study, 72 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into different groups of normal, diabetic, and positive controls (metformin 500 mg/kg) as well as 9 diabetic groups that orally received 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of extracts. The effects of the treatment with extracts for a 14-day period were investigated on weight, blood glucose, and lipid profile. By comparing the control groups with the groups of hydroalcoholic extracts of E. caeruleum showed that the most effective sample on weight gain and also on reducing blood glucose was the group receiving 800 mg/kg of the aerial branches extract (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) after 14 days. As well, the most effective sample on lowering the blood lipid factors was the hydroalcoholic extract of the root of E. coareleum with a dose of 200 mg/kg, which showed a significant effect on lowering total cholesterol in diabetic rats compared to the diabetic controls (P < 0.05). Hydroalcoholic extract of leaves with 200 mg/kg also showed a better effect on lowering the LDL and VLDL levels compared to the diabetic control group (P < 0.001). The results of pancreatic histology in the samples showed that the extracts of the aerial branch and root (800 mg/kg) had significant effects on the regeneration of the islets of Langerhans compared to the diabetic control group. In conclusion, E. caeruleum could significantly improve glycemic and lipid profiles in diabetic rats.

Research on the antimicrobial effects of herbal extracts and natural compounds has proven that herbs have valuable sources of anti-infective agents, and numerous new compounds have been introduced to the market in this regard. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antimicrobial effectsof Stachys discolor subsp.mazandarana and to analyze the essential oil constituents of thisherb.Antimicrobial effects of ethanol (80%)extract and n-hexane, and chloroform fractions were investigated against three gram-positive bacteria (Staphlococusaureus, Streptococusmutans, andBacillus subtilis), one gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli), and also a fungus (Candidaalbicans) by well plate and agar dilution methods and diameter of the zone of inhibition was determined. The essential oil of the herb aerial parts was extracted by water distillation method and the essential oil compounds were analyzed by GC-Mass.The results of the present study showed that total extract of S. discolor subsp.mazandaranaand its various fractions had almost no antimicrobial activity and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was more than 100 mg / ml. Analysis of essential oils showed that anymol (alpha-bisabolol) (18.10%) andcurcumene (13.20%) were the most abundant components.The results revealed that the studied herb had no antibacterial and antifungal effects. However, given the compounds in the essential oil of this herb, it can be supposed that it may have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects that can be investigated in future studies.

Background and objective: Ajuga species(Lamiaceae) are traditionally used in the treatment of jaundice, joint pain, sciatic nerve, and diabetes in different countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities and safety of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella. Methods: Antioxidant activity, radical scavenging effect, and total phenolics content of the aqueous and methanol extracts were assessed using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and Folin-Ciocalteu methods. Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice were studied in separate groups comprising aqueous and methanol extracts (200, 400, 800 mg/kg), metformin (500 mg/kg) and a negative control group. Results: The n-butanol fraction showed the most phenolics content (26.5 mg GAE/g of extract) and the highest antioxidant power) 346.7 mmol FeІІ/g of extract) as well as the most considerable radical scavenging activity (IC50=15.34 µg/mL). In STZ-diabetic mice, repeated oral administration of all doses of extracts showed a significant decrease in plasma glucose levels after 3, 14 and 28 days. The results of acute toxicity study showed that the ethanol extract was non-toxic up to the dose of 6000 mg/kg. Based on the sub-chronic toxicity results, a significant decrease in cholesterol and triglyceride was observed after using the extract (1000 mg/kg) for 23rd and 45th days. Histopathology of animal tissues revealed no significant differences in animal tissues between treated and control groups after 23 and 45 days. Conclusion: our study indicated the antioxidant potential, safety and hypoglycemic effect of A. chamaecistus ssp. tomentella extracts.

Polygonatum orientale Desf. (Asparagaceae) is herbaceous and perennial plant grown in northern parts of Iran. The rhizomes of Polygonatum, known as Iranian Shaghagho, is used in Iranian traditional medicine as tonic, aphrodisiac, wound healing, lightening, kidney stone remedy, gynecological and internal wounds healing, anti-gout and rheumatism, and anti-diabetic. The aim of this study was to evaluate 2,2 Diphenyl -1- Picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, isolation, purification and identification of secondary metabolites from Polygonatum orientale Desf. rhizome collected from north of Iran. The 80% methanol extract from the rhizomes of P. orientale was partitioned between 80% methanol and hexan, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol respectively. The inhibitory concentrations 50% (IC50) for ethyl acetate fraction and BHT were measured from the concentration-inhibition curve and were 315.02 μg/ml and 42.3 μg/ml, respectively. Chloroform fraction was loaded on silica gel chromatography column and eluted with hexane:ethyla cetate (90:10 to 100% ethyl acetate).Two major compounds, 12-Hydroxystigmast 4-en 3-one, a phytosteroid, and methyl oleate, a fatty acid ester, were isolated using TLC plates and identified by spectroscopic methods; H and 13C NMR. These major compounds have been reported for the first time from Polygonatum species. A further phytochemical study to find more compounds from this medicinal plant is recommended.

Nowadays, cancer is the second prevalent cause of mortality after cardiovascular diseases in developed and the third one in developing countries. Adverse effects of chemotherapeutic agents bring the necessity of investigating about new medications with fewer side effects. Daphne L. genus is one of the natural sources with valuable reported anticancer effects. This study aimed to assess the cytotoxic effect of some extracts from the aerial parts of Daphne pontica collected from North of Iran on cancer cell lines. Extraction of the plant material was performed by maceration (3×72 h) of 200 g of sample with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol, respectively. The total extract was also obtained by maceration of the sample with 80% ethanol. Different concentrations of the dried extracts were prepared to assess their cytotoxic effect by 24 h incubation of cell lines with different extracts and then MTT (dimethyl thiazolyl diphenyl tetrazolium) assay on three cancerous cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and T47D), performed in triplicate. IC50 was then estimated from curves constructed by plotting cell survival (%) versus sample concentration (µg/ml). Results indicated that ethyl acetate fraction of D. pontica had the most potent cytotoxic effect in MTT assay with IC50=977.46 µg/ml; while other fractions were weaker in toxicity (IC50>1000 µg/ml). By comparing to potent cytotoxic effects of other Daphne species, it seems that the cytotoxic properties of D. pontica is different from other species of this genus since according to this study, no significant antineoplastic properties against the three breast cancer cell lines were determined. Further studies on other pharmacological activities of this plant are recommended.

Campanula latifolia is a plant of Campanulaceae family, commonly known as Giant bellflower. Campanula genus is mentioned in Iranian medicine sources with various names such as kaff- e- Maryam and Gol-e-estekani. The aim of this study was to assay the different groups of chemical compounds and to investigate the antioxidant effects of ethanolic extract of aerial parts and root of this plant. After providing 70% alcoholic extract of aerial parts and root, qualitative tests were performed to evaluate anthocyanins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, sterols, triterpenoids, and alkaloids. Tests of antioxidant effects were evaluated by DPPH free radical scavenging effect and the content of phenolic compounds in the extracts using Folin-Ciocalteu method. Phytochemical studies indicate that there are compounds of cardiac glycoside, triterpene, and sterols. In the quantitative analysis of the compounds of the two plant extracts, the total amount of phenols were measured 0.053 and 0.037 (mg Gallic acid/g extract) in aerial parts and root extracts, respectively. The amount of IC50 of DPPH radical scavenging activity of the plant has also been 1163.636 μg / ml for the aerial parts extract and 1419.354 μg / ml for the root extract. Considering the results and the presence of cardiac glycosides, triterpenoids, and sterols, further phytochemical and pharmacological studies are suggested.

Paeonia daurica subsp. macrophylla (Paeoniacea) is a perennial plant growing in Iran. In Persian traditional medicine, Paeonia officinalis [Ood-e-Saleeb] have been used for treatment of some diseases especially for epilepsy and brain disorders. Based on initial phytochemical evaluations of Paeonia spp. roots, steroidal and terpenoid compounds were identified. Hydro distilled essential oil of the roots of P. daurica subsp. macrophylla collected from north of Iran, was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Altogether, five constituents, forming 96.02% of the total oil composition were identified. Major constituents of the essential oil were salicylaldehyde (20.32%), beta-pinene-oxide (13.35%) and thymol acetate (61.12%). Antioxidant effect of the ethanolic (80%) extract was measured using DPPH free radicals. According to the results, IC50 of the extract was 25.2 µg/ml, which can be assessed as strong antioxidant effect using standard Antioxidant Activity Index.

The genus Ajuga [Kamafitos] has been used as wound healing in traditional Persian medicine. Recent studies have shown that some species of this plant has antibacterial effects. Methanol 80% and aqueous extract and partition fractions of n-hexane, diethyl ether, and n-butanolic from a methanolic extract of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella were evaluated for antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using cup-plate method. Furthermore, (minimum inhibitory concentration) MIC was determined using micro plate method. Gentamicin and vancomycin were used as positive control and methanol 5% was used as negative control. Zone of inhibition (mm) and the MIC (µg/ml) were measured in three times. Based on the results, all extracts and fractions showed antibacterial effect against S. aureus, B. subtilis, E. coli and P. aeruginosa, among them the diethyl ether fraction exhibited the most antibacterial effect against S. aureus (zone of inhibition =18mm) and B. subtilis (zone of inhibition =16.5mm). Also, n-butanolic fraction showed the most antibacterial effect against E. coli (zone of inhibition =16mm) and methanolic extract presented the most antibacterial effect against B. subtilis (zone of inhibition =15mm). S. aureus was the most sensitive (MIC>333µg/ml) and P. aeruginosa was the most resistant (MIC>4000µg/ml) bacteria to the extracts. The above results revealed that most of the extracts and fractions from this plant possess antibacterial activity against micro-organisms specially S. aureus. According to traditional use of Ajuga species as wound healing medicinal plant, it can be used for treatment of various skin infections and possibly reduction of healing time.

The genus Ajuga is used for the treatment of joint pain, gout, jaundice, and wound healing in Iranian traditional medicine. Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella is an exclusive subspecies of Ajuga chamaecistus in the flora of Iran. Plants belong to Ajuga species are advantageous sources of phytoecdysteroids. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is an important phytoecdysteroid with anabolic property. This study aimed to determine and quantify 20E in methanolic extract of aerial parts of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella. The standard reference of 20E was isolated from n-butanolic fraction of aerial parts of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The analysis was carried out on an ODSA (C18) column with isocratic elution using water–acetonitrile (75:25). The standard calibration curve represented good linearity (r2 = 0.9997). The limit of quantification (S/N = 10) and detection (S/N = 3) were determined as 7.93 and 2.38 µg/ml, respectively. The content of 20E in methanolic extract of Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella was determined to be 2.58% (w/w) (0.46% in dry plant). The quantitative proportion of the 20E found in Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella extract proposes the possible uses of this plant in commercial formulations or as a source of 20E.

Similar to other traditional medicines, Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) applies its special terms for description of drug functions. Among these functions, convoy (Mobadregh) medicines are unique, mainly due to the interaction of them with the pharmacokinetics of other herbal medicines. These interactions suggest the potential herb-herb and herb-synthetic drug interactions with convoy medicines that necessitate the study and precise definition of them. For this purpose, old Persian medical texts and pharmacopeias were searched and investigated for the name of convoys, their target organ(s), primary qualities, and other functions. Relationships among convoy and other functions based on notes on the texts and statistical analysis were considered. Based on the old resources, the convoys were defined as modifiers (of drug actions), which facilitate access of drugs and foods to whole body or organs. The concept of targeting in some convoys was also implied as well as other disciplines such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. Descriptive analysis of the available data showed that most of the convoys contain warm and dry primary qualities. Anti-blockage and thin consistencies are main characteristics of this class of drugs. Statistical analysis also showed diuretic activity is another major characteristic of them. Other functions such as discutient, attenuant, and tonic are capable to assist convoying by thinning of humors and organs. Analysis of TPM literature shows the presence of a logic approach in the formulation of compound drugs. Owing to the potential influence of convoys on the pharmacokinetic profile of other herbs and synthetic drugs, it is necessary to conduct future studies to evaluate these interactions in TPM and modern medicine.