Traditional Herbal Medicine Of Iran

Introduction:
THE HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND HERBAL PLANTS IN IRAN
Medicinal plants have greatly attracted Iranians' attention from ancient times. Great Iranian physicians believed that there is no pain without an herbal therapy. A part of Avesta (the holy Book of Merian – ancient Iranian religion) related to medical therapy art. According to the book, Serita was the first Iranian expert in medicine and Ahora Mazda (God) developed ten thousand herbals for him. Maads (the Kurds' ancestors) founded medicinal knowledge of herbal plants about 9150 years ago. A great center of learning medicine was founded at Gondi Sapur University in the 4th century AD, which had a large hospital and an academy, and the first international medical congress was held there. After Islam appearance (1400 years ago), Iranian medical scientists had two distinct stages in participation in advancement of medical sciences: a) the age of translation, from 750-900 AD, when many graduates of Gondi Sapur translated the corpus of Galenic and Hippocratic works; and b) The golden age of creativity, from 900-1100 AD, that was the era of Iranian world stars in pharmacology and pharmacy such as Rhazes (850-932) and Avicenna (980-1037). In their period about forty different pharmaceutical dosage forms were used and different kinds of extraction and preparing herbal medicines were developed. They cared different types of diseases such as cancer by means of herbal therapy.

The Effets of Herbal Medicine of Iran
Medicinal plants and traditional herbal medicines have had an important role in prevention and treatment of the illnesses in Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM). Significant efforts of Iranian scientists like Razes, Avecina, Birouni, Jorjani the writers of immortal textbooks on traditional medicines respectively entitled Al-Havi, Canon, Al-Seydaneh and Zakhireh, are clear throughout the history of medicine.
     In Iran because of great diversity of climate and geographical conditions, a large variety of wild plants (more than 8000 species) grow and at least 700 species are recorded as medicinal plants. These plants have wild unique diversity distribution in flora of Iran and it is possible to develop or processes them for production of herbal remedies.
     Popular believes and acceptances of traditional medicine ameliorating of diseases is observed in Iran. Courses such as medicinal plants, materia medica and pharmacognosy (based on modern scientific aspects & traditional experiences in medicinal plants effectiveness) are taught in Iran pharmacy faculties.
     Fortunately, the diversity of Iranian herbal flora, acceptance and believes of people, good trend of manufacturers and researchers and well governmental support all open a good space for herbal medicines improvement.