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Rosa damascena as an ornamental plant is commonly known as “Gole Mohammadi” in Iran. Iranian people have been called this plant, the flower of Prophet “Mohammad”. R. damascena is traditionally used for treatment of abdominal and chest pains, strengthening the heart, menstrual bleeding, digestive problems and constipation.This paper reviews the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmaceutical investigations on R. damascena.All relevant databases and local books on ethnopharmacology of R. damascena were probed without limitation up to 31st March 2015 and the results of these studies were collected and reviewed.R. damascena has an important position in Iranian traditional medicine. It is economically a valuable plant with therapeutic applications in modern medicine. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-depressant properties of R. damascena have been confirmed. Citronellol and geraniol as the main components of R. damascena essential oil are responsible for pharmacological activities.Overall, R. damascena as holy ancient plant with modern pharmacological investigations should be more investigated as traditional uses in large preclinical and clinical studies.

Zingiber officinale Rosc. is widely used as spice and medicinal plant in folk and traditional medicines. The aim of this study was to review the chemical composition and biological activities of Z. officinale (ginger) essential oil. Ginger oil is extracted from Z. officinale rhizomes, which its chemical composition influences from geographical region, extraction methods, freshness or dryness of rhizomes. The antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, immunomodulatory, relaxant, and warming effects of ginger oil have been confirmed in experimental and preclinical studies. The safety issues of ginger oils are well documented and are generally regarded as safe. Due to wide pharmacological effects of ginger oil, attention to ginger oil as an ingredient of natural formulations in management of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases is valuable.

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In Iranian folk medicine, Perovskia abrotanoides is used for treatment of leishmaniasis. These patients may develop secondary infections with opportunistic microorganisms. Therefore, the antimicrobial activity of essential oil from aerial part of P. abrotanoides and its main components was evaluated against different microorganisms. Disc diffusion and broth micro dilution assays were used for in vitro antimicrobial screening. The antibacterial activity of this oil and main components on viability of S. aureus was determined. The oil showed antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans and Gram positive bacteria especially Staphylococcus aureus with zone inhibitions and minimal inhibitory concentration values in the range of 7.6 to 29 mm and 2 to 8 μl/ml respectively, whereas the least susceptible were Aspergillus niger and Gram negative bacteria. In viability test, the results showed that the antimicrobial activity of 1,8-cineole was more than that of α-pinene and camphor but after 60 min this effect gradually decreased only for 1,8-cineole and ultimately the antibacterial activity of camphor was more than that of α-pinene. 1,8-cineole had weak antimicrobial activity against all of the tested microorganisms. Hence the use of P. abrotanoides oil could be useful in fighting secondary infections in leishmaniasis especially against S. aureus.

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