Plant Flora of Iran: History and Applications in Traditional Medicine

Plants are rich sources of beneficial secondary metabolites which are attractive as flavors, fragrances, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and antimicrobials. The history of using plants as healing agents returns dates back to around 60,000 years ago when the Neanderthals, landed in present-day Iraq, used hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) as a remedy [1]. Plants form an important part of the ecosystem as food and also oxygen-delivery systems. They are unique sources of natural antimicrobials which makes them interesting as alternatives of synthetic antimicrobials [2-5]. It has been estimated that less than 10% of 250,000-500,000 known plant species on our planet have ethno-botanical importance [6]. A wide range of biological activities against fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites have been described for medicinal plants which are attributed to their biologically active ingredients [7].