Mohammad M. Zarshenas

• َProfessor
• PhD at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Psoriasis is a prevalent inflammatory disease affecting almost 0.5-5 % of the world population. Multiple treatment approaches have been developed to manage psoriasis so far. Although concerns exist in the long-term usage of conventional and biological agents in terms of safety, effectiveness, expensiveness, and tolerability, complementary and alter...

The traditional use of Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch.Bip., commonly known as feverfew, extends across various medical conditions, notably those associated with pain and inflammation. In alignment with the growing trend towards developing medications that target specific signaling pathways for enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects, extensive re...

Background: Herbal medicines have recently been incorporated into the treatment algorithm for functional dyspepsia (FD). Persian-FACT, a traditional herbal medicine compound, has been used for centuries in Persian medicine to alleviate dyspeptic symptoms. This compound includes anise, fennel, ajwain, and cumin seeds. Objectives: To investigate the...

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of the Punica granatum (PG) flower on recurrent aphthous stomatitis in comparison with corticosteroid therapy. Materials and Methods This cross‐over randomized clinical trial was conducted on the patients who had been referred to Shiraz Dental School for their RAS in 2021...

Introduction The Paeoniaceae family contains only the Paeonia genus and is considered the major group of flowering plants. Several traditional and pharmacological applications of Paeoniaceae herbs have been described. The current paper aimed to determine the pharmacological activities of the most prevalent herbs from the genus Paeonia by focusing o...

Based on basic traditional medicine practice, many plants undergo primary treatments to improve their pharmacological characteristics or to attenuate unwanted or unfavorable features of drugs before incorporating them into drug formulations. These treatments are called “Tadbir” in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM). The purpose of these processes i...

Background: Epilepsy is a prevalent and serious brain disorder. Although drug therapy is commonly used to treat epilepsy, a significant portion of patients experience drug-resistant seizures. Alternative treatments such as ketogenic diets, brain neurostimulators, and surgical resection are available but may not be suitable for all patients. Traditi...

Introduction Many studies have been done on the use of aloe vera in wound healing, but fewer studies were done on the influence of this material on the reduction of the alar scar. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of a newly made aloe vera cream on alar wound healing after rhinoplasty. Materials and Methods This was a randomized, double-arm, para...

Background 10%–15% of the world’s population suffers from kidney stones. Nearly 50% increase was observed in diagnosing and treating nephrolithiasis in the last decades. Effective medical treatment for the disease is not yet well established. Moreover, there is an increasing global demand to manage diseases using complementary and alternative medic...

Introduction Knee osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of age-related degenerative arthritis, affects more than fourteen million people in the United States. Due to the unavailability of an optimum safe, and effective medication for the disease and the global trend toward natural medicaments originating from Complementary and Alternative Medic...

Burn injuries are considered an important public health problem in the world. Burns are considered the fourth most common kind of trauma in the world, after traffic accidents, falls, and interpersonal violence. Various biochemical agents are involved in the burn healing process such as cytokines (such as IL-6 and TNF-α), antioxidants, and liver and...

Peganum harmala L. and Lavandula angustifolia are two traditional herbs with probable antiseizure effects. This study evaluated the effects of these two herbal extracts on pentylenetetrazol- (PTZ-) induced seizures in mice. We prepared hydroalcoholic extracts using P. harmala seeds and the aerial parts of L. angustifolia and then randomly divided 1...

Introduction Infraorbital hyperpigmentation represents one of the most prevalent conditions in cosmetic dermatology. To treat this condition, many patients prefer natural remedies. This study explored the efficacy of topical castor oil cream in treating patients with infraorbital hyperpigmentation. Methods We conducted an exploratory single‐arm cl...

Background Although antihistamines are the first-line treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), 50% of patients don’t respond to standard doses. In this study, the effectiveness of Ziziphus jujube fruit syrup in combination with antihistamines was assessed in patients with CSU. Methods This double-blind randomized clinical trial was condu...

Gastrointestinal reflux, as a physiologic process, commonly occurs following a daily meal with no sign. But in pathologic condition, it may be accompanied by some complications such as heartburn. In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), Heartburn has been defined as “Harghat-e-me’adeh” or “Josha- e-hāmez”. There are many formulations for the manageme...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prominent etiological factor for liver cirrhosis worldwide. It is frequently associated with obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitu...

Background Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition that affects a significant portion of the general population. Despite the availability of pharmacological, psychological, and novel neurological approaches, optimal outcomes are only achieved in roughly 50% of patients. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) recommends a...

Several natural remedies are used in the Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) to prevent dementia, but their efficacy is debated. In this work, an improved "Safoof-e-Nesyān" formulation described in the "Qarābādin-e-Azam" pharmacopoeia was developed, and its chemical composition and antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase properties were assessed. The fo...

INTRODUCTION Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) leads to increased contact of the acidic refluxate with the esophageal mucosa. Nearly 10- 20 % of the world's population is affected by GERD. Due to the complications associated with GERD, as well as complications of long-term treatment with current medications, and global demand toward Complement...

We have previously discussed the use of Khadab for beauty, health, and hair strengthening as described in the Canon of Medicine of Avicenna (c.980-1037 CE). In this short communication we present the results of a review of the use of Khadab as described in the writings of Rhazes (c.854-925 CE) a short time earlier. We found references to its use in...

Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a large portion of the human genome. Various mechanisms at the transcription and post-transcription levels developed to suppress TE activity in healthy conditions. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that TE dysregulation is involved in various human diseases, including age-related diseases and cancer...

Background Obesity is a condition that has been linked to several ailments. The current investigation is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical experiment to examine how Portulaca oleracea L. tablets affect hunger and Body Mass Index (BMI). Methods A total of 70 healthy people aged 18 - 65 years old with a BMI >25.0 kg/m² were cho...

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and often immune-mediated demyelinating disease with no absolute treatment. Transposable elements (TEs) are getting more attention as a possible culprit in neurodegenerative disease. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study to examine the possible association of TE expression and its p...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has rapidly spread worldwide and has been infected more than 219 million individuals with 4.55 million deaths worldwide as of September 2021, causing a pandemic. Preexisting cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary a...

Spirulina or Arthrospira, a Cyanobacterium from the class Cyanophyceae, with a wide range of properties, has been applied for over 400 years. The present study aimed to review available investigations surrounding the clinical and pharmacological properties of Spirulina that have been carried out so far. Databases including Scopus, PubMed, Google Sc...

Kidney stone as a third important disease of the urinary tract is a common disease affecting 10-15% of the world population. Effective medical treatment for the disease is not yet well established. On the other hand, there is an increasing global demand to manage and control various diseases with natural medi‌cine and medicaments originating from C...

Ethnopharmacological relevance, Scrophularia striata Boiss belongs to Scrophulariaceae family and grows in western parts of Iran. S. striata phytochemical and pharmacological data were compiled in this review. Scopus database searched for the term “Scrophularia striata” up to 1st September 2022. Various S. striata formulations were studied for anti...

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) is an industrial medicinal plant that is potentially threatened by extinction. In this study, the effects of salinity (0 and 200 mM sodium chloride (NaCl)) and Azotobacter inoculation were evaluated on 16 licorice accessions. The results showed that salinity significantly reduced the fresh and dry biomass (FW and DW...

In early Iranian society available plant materials played important parts in achieving and maintaining beautiful and strong hair. One of the most important items used was henna. To strengthen and beautify their hair Iranians engaged in Khadāb, or 'covering by henna'. is article describes the place that Khadāb and dyeing hair had during several peri...

Background/Aims: This trial aimed to evaluate Licorice preventive effects on dizziness, a side effect of propranolol in patients with migraine headaches (systolic blood pressure < 120 mmHg). Methods: Forty patients (systolic blood pressure ˂120 mmHg) who received propranolol (prophylactic medicine) were subjected and divided into Licorice and place...

Insomnia is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders worldwide which significantly affects the quality of life. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches have been applied in managing insomnia. The risk of tolerance and dependence on conventional medications and their other side effects leads the surveys to complementary and alternative m...

As a comprehensive and dynamic school, traditional Persian medicine is a collection of theoretical and practical sciences that Iranian scholars have used in different centuries to prevent and treat diseases and maintain health.Persian medical books refer to the benefits of Khadab and its preventive and therapeutic recommendations. One of the leadin...

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia that has been cited in traditional Persian medicine (TPM) manuscripts under the heading "Farāmūshkārī", "Fesād-e-Zekr" and "Nesiān". Since AD is a significant challenge for health professionals, searching for natural and effective compounds is crucial. Objective: Given the imp...

Khadab is one of the most important solutions used to beautify and strengthen hair, and Khadab has been used for a long time throughout history. Moreover, putting Khadab has been a long- lasting tradition in the course of history. Also, Iranian medical sources pointed out to the herbs used in Khadab and its role in human health. In this regard, the...

Aims: Hypericum perforatum L., known as “Hofarighun” is a widely used herbal drug in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM). Detection of non-relevant plants, instead of this species, in the herbal market encourages the need for the establishment of it’s chemical authentication and standardization, through implying rapid and efficient phytochemical tec...

Primary hypothyroidism is a common disease. Some patients have persistent symptoms despite normal serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Ginger is reported to be beneficial in relieving similar symptoms. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of ginger supplementation in relieving persistent symptoms in these patients. In this randomized, do...

Background: Familiarizing students with knowledge-based businesses is one of the goals emphasized in the developed educational systems worldwide. This study aimed to design a startup-based learning model (SBL). Methods: As a qualitative research study, startup teams were formed by the pharmacy students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in...

Background and amis: Diabetes is one of the major medical problems, which can lead to damage to cells or organs in various parts of the body. Saffron as herbal medicine has contained several active ingredients, including safranal, flavonoids, crocetin, and crocin, which are effective in modulating oxidative stress and inflammation, which can play t...

Tissue engineering is an emerging method for replacing damaged tissues. In this study, the potential application of electrospun polycaprolactone/chitosan/ the internal layer of oak fruit (Jaft) as skin scaffolds was investigated. A combination of Polycaprolactone (PCL), chitosan (CH), and the internal layer of oak fruit (Jaft) was used to incorpora...

Mentha mozaffarianii Jamzad (Lamiaceae family) is one of the endemic specimens from the southern parts of Iran. This study focuses on powder microscopy, analyzing and identifying the plant's chemical constituents of essential oil. Besides, antifungal, antioxidant, and radical savaging activities of this herb as well as two Mentha spicata L. samples...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) has been widely recommended to treat metabolic disorders in traditional herbal medicine in Persia, China, Korea, Japan, and other East-Asian countries. The anti-hypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effects of this plant have been well documented, but its protective effects against M...

Cancer chemotherapies may result in resistance, and therefore, contemporary treatments including natural products may find an increasing consideration. As per Persian medicine (PM), many natural products have been used for malignant and chronic diseases. Triphala, with a combination of Terminalia chebula Retz., Terminalia bellirica Retz., Phyllanth...

Background Free radicals can lead to liver dysfunction. Quality control of traditional formulations ensures their safe, pure, and pharmaceutical efficacy. “Qurs-e-Vard”, containing petals of Rosa damascena Mill., fruits of Rhus coriaria L. and roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. has been suggested as a hepatoprotective preparation in Traditional Persian...

Objective: Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, age-related, and neurodegenerative disease characterized by mental decline. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is unclear, but cholinergic dysfunction, protein accumulation, and oxidative stress are among the most important hypotheses. The main purpose of our study was to investigate the effects...

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders worldwide. The genetic factors are linked to depression and anti-depressant outcomes. Traditional Persian medicine (TPM) manuscripts have provided various anti-depressant remedies, which may be useful in depression management. This review has studied the bioactive compounds, underlying mechanism...

Background People afflicted with knee osteoarthritis often complain of pain aggravation during routine daily activities. Phonophoresis is a safe method to deliver anti-inflammatory agents to target tissues using ultrasonography. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of ginger have been demonstrated previously; however, its oral consumption re...

Borage hydrosol has nutritional and medicinal benefits. Due to this hydrosol's widespread consumption, it is worthy of achieving a simple and reliable method to assess their quality. The present study evaluated ten market samples of Borage hydrosol in Fars province to determine their quality. Also, the hydrosol of a collected Borage was prepared in...

Background In the late 20th century, the leading role of signaling pathways in various cancers is revealed via some genome's systematic investigations. The Akt/GSK-3 signaling pathway is one of the critical signaling pathways dysregulated in numerous human cancers. The Akt cascade acts in the cancer process by regulating apoptosis, cell cycle, meta...

Aging is correlated with several complex diseases, including type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration diseases, and cancer. Identifying the nature of this correlation and treatment of age-related diseases has been a major subject of both modern and traditional medicine. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) embodies many prescriptions for the treatment of A...

Ferula gummosa (Apiaceae) Boiss. as a valuable herbal medicine possesses various medical and industrial applications. The oleo-gum resin of F. gummosa, called Galbanum, holds several biological activities for its numerous terpenoid compounds. This study has been conducted on quality control of the F. gummosa oleo-gum resin prepared from standard pl...

Background Cancer is a serious and growing global health issue worldwide. In the cancerous cells, the normal cell cycle has been disrupted via a series of irreversible changes. Recently, the investigations on herbal medicine and clarifying the phytochemicals potential in treat cancer has been increased. The combination of phytochemicals with conven...

Arisen in China, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-II) is a novel coronavirus that has been expan- ding fast worldwide. Till now, no definite remedial drug or vaccine has been identified for COVID-19 treatment. Still, for a majority of infected patients, supportive therapy is the cornerstone of the management plan. To the importance of managing the COVID-19 pande...

Background: Burn wound infection and sepsis are serious medical conditions requiring prompt intervention. Plants are a good natural source for the development of novel, safe, and cost-effective antibacterial agents. The objective of the present study was to assess the antibacterial potential of aqueous, chloroform, and methanol extracts of the Prun...

The control and standardization process of herbal products is a critical point in preparation of those medicaments. In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) literature, out of all the different pharmaceutical dosage forms, Jawarish is a semisolid gastrointestinal dosage form with positive related effects. Jawarish-e-Khuzi, including Zataria multiflora...

Bunium persicum is one of the most medically and economically important species of Apiaceae family. Despite variety of phytochemical and experimental research on this species, there is no considerable update on all related outcomes. Accordingly, current work compiles an overview on Cumin’s phytochemical and pharmacological activities. Papers relate...

Background: Conflicting results have been obtained from the studies on the hypoglycemic effect of cinnamon in patients with diabetes mellitus type II (T2DM). Objectives: This research aimed at assessing the effect of applying the syndrome differentiation model based on traditional Persian medicine (TPM) to identify the patients who benefit more fro...

This study aims to describe the herbal and traditional remedies in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) with an overview on related available evidence in modern medicine. This study is a review that focuses on the most important Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) sources including Avicenna's Canon of Medicine, Jorjani's Zakhīra-yi Kh � ara...

Neurological disorders and their sequelae, as of the widespread and critical humans complications, affect the body's nervous systems, organ functions, and behaviors. According to WHO, neurological disorders are currently predicted to affect more than one billion people globally. It is well-established that complementary medicine is one of the high...

Background The consumption of natural antioxidants is increasing due to the demand and tendency to natural foods. Punica granatum L. [Punicaceae] is a fruit with various bioactive ingredients. The effectiveness of this plant has been proved against various disorders such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, blood coagulation, infections, cancer, and d...

Background Cough is one of the most common medical symptoms for which medical advice is sought. Although cough is a protective reflex responsible for clearing the airways from secretions and foreign bodies, it can be a troublesome symptom that causes discomfort to patients. Due to the increasing interest in herbal remedies in the both developed and...

Sciatica is a common back pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. Current pharmacologic therapies have proven inadequate for many patients with sciatic pain. On the other hand, there is a global increasing demand toward the use and administration of natural medicaments for this disorder. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is a school of med...

Background Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Family: Pteridaceae) is a well-known safe medicinal herb used in traditional and modern medicine due to its beneficial pharmacological properties. Current study aimed to compile a review on phytochemicals, pharmacological properties and toxicological effects of this plant. Methods An incisive search was con...

Background: Free radicals can lead to liver dysfunction. Quality control of traditional formulations ensures their safe, pure and pharmaceutical efficacy. A herbal remedy, containing Rosa damascena Mill Rhus coriaria L. and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. has been suggested as a hepatoprotective formulation in Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM). This study d...

The purpose of this study is to reformulate a solid traditional Ghors-e-zereshk (barberry traditional tablet) from Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) and to assess the antioxidant effect and determining the total phenol and flavonoids contents of water and hydroalcoholic extract of mentioed formulation. The antioxidant effects of water and hydroalc...

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the pharmacognostic properties of Citrus aurantium seeds as well as its anti-inflammatory activities. The n-hexane fraction of seed oil extracted via a Soxhlet extractor and subjected to pharmacognostic assays, HPTLC and GC-MS analysis for determination of fatty acids and sterols. The possible a...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and impotence are common male sexual problems, and they are highly prevalent in male adults with a history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus. This review aims to bring together the standpoints of the early Persian physicians on these disorders and to identify the respective medication in comparison with conventional con...

Background Insomnia is a prevalent disorder leading to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Methods This study investigates the effect of a combination of herbs (Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta menthoides Boiss. & Buhse) on anxiety and depression for insomniacs and on insomnia severity. This study is a double-blind randomized p...

Introduction and background: Linum usitatissimum L., known as common Flax or linseed, from the family Linnaceae, has long been cultivated in different nations due to its applications in medicine and industry. The present study aims to collect nearly all available information about chemical constituents of Flax, as well as pharmacological propertie...

Background: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that has not been well managed thus far. There are numerous medicaments for treatment of insomnia, but they have undesirable side effects that make herbal medicine a more viable option. Objectives: The effectiveness of a combination of Melissa officinalis L. (dry powder) and Nepeta menthoides Bo...

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of myrtus communis L. solution in the treatment of dandruff and to compare it with ketoconazole. Methods: This double-blind randomised clinical trial was conducted at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, from December 2015 to August 2016, and comprised patients with dandruff aged 18-...

In this study, chemical compositions of the essential oil and antioxidant activities of four Satureja species, namely S. hortensis (SH), S. bachtiarica (SB), S. laxiflora (SL), and S. intermedia (SI) were evaluated. GC and GC/MS were employed to analyze the essential oil samples extracted via hydrodistillation. DPPH and FRAP assays were used to eva...

It is well accepted that medicinal plants are involved with numerous properties that may be considered for new drug discoveries. This review encompasses medicinal and pharmacological activities of Juniperus excelsa M.Bieb (Family: Cupressaceae) to draw a frame for further research. Considering the terms "Juniperus Excelsa" and "Pharmacological Acti...

Background: Data from the ethnopharmacological field on the treatment of dysuria are provided and analyzed with regard to traditional healers from Shiraz and in comparison to previous studies. Material and Methods: From April 21 to June 25, 2014, we visited traditional markets called Attari in Shiraz, and plants used in dysuria were collected. Ques...

Background: Among various neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an expanding global immune- related inflammatory disease with complex etiologies. There is increasing demand for the use and administration of natural medicaments for this disorder. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is a school of medicine and a medicinal plants-based re...

Background & aims Multiple studies have evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of cinnamon in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type II, with conflicting results. Differences in Baseline Body Mass Index (BMI) of patients may be able to explain the observed differences in the results. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of cinnamon suppleme...

Background: High expectations about acupuncture might contribute to larger treatment effects (Prady et al., 2015). However, problems in the assessment are well known: 1) floor or ceiling effects lower variance; 2) expectation measures include general beliefs about complementary medicine; 3) construct validity of expectation measures remains unclear...

Our aim is to assess the effect of cinnamon powder capsules on insulin resistance, anthropometric measurements, glucose and lipid profiles, and androgens of women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Out of 80 women that were diagnosed as PCOS by Rotterdam Criteria, 66 were enrolled in this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical tr...

The xenobiotics-induced liver injury is a major clinical complication. Hence, finding hepatoprotective agents could have clinical value. Herbal medicines are a major source of biologically active chemicals which could be applied as hepatoprotective agents. The current study was designed to assess the hepatoprotective properties of Avicennia marina...

Herbal medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have attracted considerable attention nowadays. Alzheimer's disease is described in traditional Persian medicine (TPM) by the term Nesyān. In this study, 5 main medicinal medieval Persian manuscripts were reviewed to filter plants reported for the treatment of Nesyān. Databases were sea...

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the highly prevalent endemic diseases in the Middle East and North Africa. Many treatment modalities have been recommended for this condition but success rates remain limited. Herbal remedies have also been used for treatment but evidence-based clinical trials with these products are sparse. In-vitro and...

Electrophoresis of PCR products of DNA extracted from positive smears. The 15 lanes are shown in this figure and consist of: ladder lanes (1 and 15); weakly positive (lane 2); positive control of L. infantum (lane 3); positive control of L. major (lane 14); Patients samples (lanes 4–13). (DOCX)

Outcome of the treatment in both groups (Group A and Group B). (DOCX)

CL patient who was cured in group A. (A)Before treatment, (B)after one week, (C) after two weeks, (D)after three weeks, (E) after five weeks. (DOCX)

CONSORT chart of the clinical trial of therapeutic effect of Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb extract cream on cutaneous leishmaniasis. (DOCX)