A systematic review of the potential herbal sources of future drugs effective in oxidant-related diseases.

Objective: This review focuses on the medicinal plants growing and having history of folk medicine in Iran and found effective as anti free radical damage in animal or human.

Design: Embase, Scopus, Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, IranMedex, and SID databases were searched up to 2 February 2008. The search terms were antioxidant or "lipid peroxidation" and "plant, medicinal plant, herb, traditional, natural or herbal medicine" limited to Iran. Studies that assessed effects on cell lines or isolated organs, fetal toxicity, and reviews or letters were excluded. Antioxidative effect and lipid peroxidation inhibition were the key outcomes.

Results: Forty-six animal studies on the efficacy of medicinal plants were reviewed. Lipid peroxidation was reduced in different clinical circumstances by Ferula szovitsiana, Nigella sativa, Rosa damascene petal, Phlomis anisodonta, Rosemary, Zataria multiflora Boiss, Saffron, Amirkabiria odorastissima mozaffarian, Ficus carica Linn., Ziziphora clinopoides, Carica papaya, Chichorium intybus, Turmer, Eugenol, Curcumin, and Pistacia vera L. Human studies showed that Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Echium amoenum Fisch & C.A. Mey reduce lipid peroxidation and improve total antioxidant power in healthy subjects. Improvement of blood lipid profile was shown by Silybum marianum, garlic, and wheat germ.

Conclusion: Amongst these useful herbs, some like Cinnamon, Silybum marianum, Garlic, Nigella, and Echium seem potential targets of future effective drugs for diseases in which free radical damage play a pathogenical role.