Gentiana, a cosmopolitan and important genus of the Gentianaceae family, comprises 400 species distributed among the world. Based on the studies of Iranian traditional medicine texts, there are some promising bioactivities for this genus that is unknown in modern medicine and some of them are still the basis of new remedies. In traditional medicine texts, Gentiana's different exclusive forms of preparations are effective for treatment of some disorders such as menstrual over-bleeding, conjunctivitis, vitiligo, animals venom poisoning, injuries, infected wounds, pain and swelling of liver, spleen, stomach and sprains of muscles. There are some activities that are the same in traditional and modern medicine such as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and diuretic effects. Phytochemical investigations on the title genus have led to characterization many secondary metabolites. Secoiridoidal and iridoid glycosides such as gentiopicroside, xanthones, monoterpene alkaloid; polyphenol and flavones are the constituents that have been shown the pharmacological activities in different gentian species. This article studies the Gentiana according to the Iranian traditional and modern medicine.
Honey was effective in healing the cesarean section incision. Using topical honey is suggested as a natural product with rare side effects in order to reduce the complications of cesarean wounds.
The radioprotective effect of hawthorn (Crataegus microphylla) fruit extract against genotoxicity induced by gamma irradiation has been investigated in mouse bone marrow cells. A single intraperitoneal (ip) administration of hawthorn extract at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg 1h prior to gamma irradiation (2 Gy) reduced the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MnPCEs). All four doses of hawthorn extract significantly reduced the frequencies of MnPCEs and increased the PCE/PCE+NCE ratio (polychromatic erythrocyte/ polychromatic erythrocyte + normochromatic erythrocyte) in mice bone marrow compared with the non drug-treated irradiated control (p < 0.02-0.00001). The maximum reduction in MnPCEs was observed in mice treated with extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg. Administration of amifostine at dose 100 mg/kg and hawthorn at dose 200 mg/kg reduced the frequency of MnPCE almost 4.8 and 5.7 fold; respectively, after being exposed to 2 Gy of gamma rays, compare with the irradiated control group. Crataegus extract exhibited concentration-dependent activity on 1,1-diphenyl 2-picrylhydrazyl free radical showing that Crataegus contained high amounts of phenolic compounds and the HPLC analysis determined that it contained chlorogenic acid, epicatechin and hyperoside. It appeared that hawthorn extract with antioxidant activity reduced the genotoxicity induced by gamma irradiation in bone marrow cells.
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