Traditional remedy of Parkinson's: Medicinal plants effective on Parkinson's in traditional Iranian medicine

Objective: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, a region of the brain responsible for motor control. Following Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. Despite the availability of various pharmacological treatments, these medications often exhibit side effects and may have varying efficacy and duration of action. To address the limitations of conventional therapies, this review aims to identify the most promising medicinal plants traditionally employed in the management of Parkinson's disease. Methods: This review employed a comprehensive search strategy to identify relevant literature on the use of medicinal plants for Parkinson's disease. Authoritative scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, were systematically searched using the following keywords: 'medicinal plants,' 'traditional medicine,' 'Parkinson's,' and 'neurology.' Irrelevant articles were excluded from the review process. Results: Traditional Iranian medicine incorporates a diverse array of medicinal plants for the management of Parkinson's disease. Notable examples include Nigella sativa (black cumin), Boswellia serrata (frankincense), Thymus vulgaris (thyme), Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Heracleum persicum (Persian hogweed), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon), Olea europaea (olive), Camellia sinensis (tea), Prunus domestica (plum), Ficus carica (fig), Echium amoenum (Iranian borage), Prunus dulcis (almond), Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), and various Scutellaria species. Conclusion: While medicinal plants may offer potential benefits as adjunctive therapies for Parkinson's disease, further research is warranted to establish their efficacy and safety. Current studies on these plants are limited in scope, and additional evidence is required to draw definitive conclusions regarding their role in the management of Parkinson's.

Keywords:

Brain and nerves , Parkinson's disease , Medicinal plants , Traditional treatment , Iran