Medicinal Importance of Ajuga Species in Iran: Ethnobotanical and Traditional Applications, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Studies Publisher



Rahiminiya A¹ ; Ghadim HH² ; Lamardi SNS³ ; Ebrahimabadi MH³ ; Fazljou SM¹ ; Ayati MH⁴ Show Affiliations
Source: Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products Published:2022

Abstract

Context: Five species of the genus Ajuga (Lamiaceae) having the common name of bugle are found in Iran. In Persian medicine (PM), the genus Ajuga (Kamaphytus) is used for treating jaundice, joint pain, gout, amenorrhea, sciatica, and wound healing. This study aimed to review the ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and biological activities of Ajuga species that grow in Iran to determine their therapeutic potentials and suggest further studies on the healing properties of this genus in Iran. Evidence Acquisition: Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were comprehensively searched for studies on Ajuga species in Iran, including Ajuga austro-iranica, Ajuga chamaecistus, Ajuga comata (Syn.: Ajuga chia, Ajuga chamaepi-tys subsp. Chia), Ajuga orientalis, and Ajuga reptans. The search period was from 1966 to February 2021. The related articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the current study. Results: Several ethnobotanical and pharmacologic reports have verified the traditional uses of the genus Ajuga for anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, analgesic, anabolic, anti-arthritis, antipyretic, and hepatoprotective activities. Nu-merous phytochemicals have been identified from Ajuga species involving phytoecdysteroids, neo-clerodane-diterpenes, iridoids, flavonoids, withanolides, phenylethyl glycoside, and essential oils. Conclusions: Due to the beneficial therapeutic effects of Ajuga genus, it can be considered in future clinical studies as a source of natural antioxidants, dietary supplements in the pharmaceutical industry, and stabilizing food against oxidative deterioration. © 2022, Author(s).