Background: Obesity and physical inactivity are currently on the rise due to industrialization of the communities, which has recently led to increased incidence of different diseases such as diabetes. Epidemiological studies and figures have demonstrated the growing incidence of diabetes. Relevantly, the side effects of chemical drugs have led patients to use medicinal plants and traditional approaches despite advances in development of chemical drugs. The aim of this review article is to report the medicinal plants and their traditional uses to prevent and treat diabetes according to the findings of ethnobotanical studies conducted in different regions of Iran. Evidence Acquisitions: The search terms including ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, ethnopharmacology, phytopharmacology, phytomedicine, Iran, and traditional medicine in combination with diabetes, blood sugar and hyperglycemic were searched from scientific databases. Results: The results of this article can be a comprehensive guideline, based on ethnobotany of different regions of Iran, to prevent and treat diabetes. According to this review article, certain plant species such as Urtica dioica L., popularly called nettle, in eight regions, Teucrium polium L., popularly called poleigamander, in five regions, and Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.), Schrad., and Juglans regia L. in four regions, were reported to be frequently used to prevent and treat diabetes Conclusions: The introduced medicinal plants in this review can be investigated in further research and produce new drugs with limited side effects

Alkaloids are a rich source of important chemical compounds which can be used for development of new anti-influenza agents. In this systematic review, we focused on the naturally derived alkaloids and their mechanisms of actions as promising anti-influenza virus agents. The results showed anti-influenza virus activity of 43 alkaloids extracted from plants, fungi, and bacteria. The alkaloids with their inhibitory effect on influenza virus replication and inhibition of inflammation of the lungs can be considered as anti- influenza drugs. Regarding this idea, more comprehensive studies may be required to modify these compounds to increase their effects on influenza virus.

In this study, we evaluated whether the protective potential of resveratrol (RSV; 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) against γ-radiation caused damages in peripheral blood lymphocyte of mice. Resveratrol as a polyphenolic compound scavenges free radicals. Various doses of RSV were administered intraperitoneally 2 hours to adult male mice before a single dose of whole-body γ-irradiation (2 Gy). To assess the protective ability of RSV, the alkaline comet assay in blood lymphocyte of mice was performed and the total comet score was evaluated. The results of the alkaline comet assay showed that RSV significantly inhibited radiation-induced DNA damage. We observed that RSV protects blood lymphocyte against radiation-induced damage in mice.

Background: Adenovirus causes a number of diseases in human, and can cause serious infection in severely immunosuppressed individuals. Despite the seriousness of adenovirus infection, there is no definitely approved anti-adenoviral therapy. Many studies have shown that compounds derived from medicinal plants have antiviral activity. Therefore, this study evaluated in vitro anti-adenoviral activity of ethanol extract, fractions, and main phenolic compounds of pomegranate peel.Methods: The ethanol extract of pomegranate peel was prepared with maceration method and fractionated by consecutive liquid/liquid partition. The cytotoxic and anti-adenovirus activities of the extract, fractions, and main phenolic compounds (ellagic acid, punicalagin and gallic acid) were evaluated on Hep-2 cell line using MTT assay. Inhibitory effect on adsorption and post-adsorption phases of the virus replication cycle was also evaluated.Results: Pomegranate peel extract had a desirable effect against adenovirus with IC₅₀of 5.77 µg/mL and selectivity index of 49.9. Among the fractions and compounds, the n-butanol fraction and gallic acid had the highest anti-adenoviral activity with IC₅₀of 2.16 µg/mL and 4.67 µM and selectivity indices of 122.5 and 10.5, respectively. The crude extract, n-butanol fraction and gallic acid inhibited the virus replication in post-adsorption phase ( p < 0.01).Conclusion: Pomegranate peel extract, especially its n-butanol fraction, could serve as a new promising anti-adenovirus agent due to high inhibitory effect against adenovirus replication. The effect of the n-butanol fraction may be related to the synergistic effect or other compounds of this fraction. Further understanding of the bioassay guided isolation of natural compounds of this fraction seems essential.

Background: Adenovirus (ADV) causes a number of diseases in human, and to date, no specific antiviral therapy is approved against this virus. Thus, searching for effective anti-ADV agents seems to be an urgent requirement. Many studies have shown that components derived from medicinal plants have antiviral activity. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate in vitro anti-ADV activity and also antioxidant potential and total phenolic compounds of black tea ( Camellia sinensis ) crude extract. Methods: In this study, the hydroalchoholic extract of black tea was prepared and its anti-ADV activity was evaluated on HEp2 cell line using MTT [3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] assay. The 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC ₅₀ ) and 50 % cytotoxicity concentration (CC ₅₀ ) of the extract were determined using regression analysis. Its inhibitory effect on adsorption and/or post-adsorption stages of the virus replication cycle was evaluated. To determine antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and flavonoids content of the extract, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, Folin–Ciocalteu method, and aluminum chloride colorimetric method were used, respectively. Results: The CC ₅₀ and the IC ₅₀ of the extract were 165.95±12.7 and 6.62±1.4 µg/mL, respectively, with the selectivity index (SI) of 25.06. This extract inhibited ADV replication in post-adsorption stage. The IC ₅₀ of DPPH radical was 8±1.41 μg/mL, compared with butylated hydroxytoluene, with IC ₅₀ of 25.41±1.89 μg/mL. The total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extract were 341.8±4.41 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram and 21.1±2.11 mg/g, respectively. Conclusions: Having SI value of 25.06 with inhibitory effect on ADV replication, particularly during the post-adsorption period, black tea extract could be considered as a potential anti-ADV agent. The antiviral activity of this extract could be attributed to its phenolic compounds.