Herbal Treatment of COPD and Asthma According to Persian Medicine: a Review of Current Evidence

Roya Baniamerian; Hanieh Tahermohammadi; Babak Daneshfard; Khosrow Agin; Saeed Sadr; Shahpar Kaveh; Nezhat Shakeri; Reza Ilkhani

Herbal Treatment of COPD and Asthma According to Persian Medicine: a Review of Current Evidence

Tanaffos. 2023 Feb;22(2):187-199.

Authors

Roya Baniamerian¹, Hanieh Tahermohammadi², Babak Daneshfard^{2

3}, Khosrow Agin⁴, Saeed Sadr⁵, Shahpar Kaveh⁶, Nezhat Shakeri⁷, Reza Ilkhani¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Persian Medicine Network (PMN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Loghman Hakim General Teaching Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics Pulmonary Diseases, Mofid Children's Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁶ Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁷ Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 38628881
PMCID: PMC11016916

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common pulmonary diseases. The current therapeutic outcomes are not satisfactory and may cause adverse events such as cardiovascular complications. In this study, we aimed to discuss some effective medicinal herbs for the management of COPD.

Materials and methods: In this review, we looked for effective medicinal herbs for productive cough with thick and sticky mucus in Persian medicine sources such as Qanoon fi al-Teb, Exir Azam, and Zakhire Kharazmshahi. Then, to find relevant evidence about them, the data sources (PubMed and Google Scholar) were searched in the English language without time restriction from inception up to March 2022.

Results: We found that Zataria multiflora, Thymus vulgaris L, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Crocus sativus L., Nepeta bracteata Benth., and Hyssopus officinalis have beneficial effects on COPD due to their properties including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. In addition, considering asthma COPD overlap (ACO), medicinal herbs including Cordia myxa, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Cinnamomum verum, Viola odorata, Borago officinalis, Linum usitatissimum and Vitis viniferia L. were found to have useful effects on asthma.

Conclusion: Considering the mentioned beneficial mechanisms of action of these medicinal herbs, they could be used as a complementary therapy in COPD and asthma. However, more experimental and clinical research should be done to confirm their clinical effects.

Keywords: Asthma; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Lung Diseases; Medicinal Herb; Persian Medicine.

Publication types

Review