Front. Pharmacol.Frontiers in PharmacologyFront. Pharmacol.1663-9812Frontiers Media S.A.112415710.3389/fphar.2023.1124157PharmacologyGeneral CommentaryCommentary: An evaluation of traditional Persian medicine for the management of SARS-CoV-2Mirhosseini et al.10.3389/fphar.2023.1124157MirhosseiniHaniye123AliaslJale4EghbalianFatemeh12*1Department of Traditional Medicine, Institute for Studies in Medical History, Persian and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran2Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran3Student Research Committee Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran4Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Edited by:Luca Rastrelli, University of Salerno, Italy
Reviewed by:Susana Gorzalczany, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
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A Commentary on An evaluation of traditional Persian medicine for the management of SARS-CoV-2 by Mirhosseini H, Aliasl J and Eghbalian F (2020). Front. Pharmacol. 11:571434. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.571434SARS-CoV-2traditional Persian medicinecardio tonicinfectionherbal medicinesection-at-acceptanceEthnopharmacology
We read with interest the article by Bahramsoltani and Rahimi published in November 2020 (Bahramsoltani and Rahimi, 2020). They reviewed the pharmacological mechanisms of medicinal plants that could affect SARS-CoV-2 infection and related organ damage according to Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM). Bahramsoltani and Rahimi first introduced several medicinal plants with potential benefits for treating SARS-CoV-2 infection according to TPM textbooks. Then, they reviewed pharmacological studies in the literature that examined medicinal plants, and discussed their mechanism of action in SARS-CoV-2 infection (Bahramsoltani and Rahimi, 2020). Most of the medicinal plants included in this review show multitargeted activity and protective mechanisms in the tissues damaged in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most important effects of the medicinal plants and their isolated phytochemicals include anti-inflammatory activity, immunomodulatory effect and antioxidant properties. This review is very update and in a meticulous way was written. While thanking the authors for presenting a scientific and valuable article, we would like to mention a few points about this article, and complement their findings. Table 1 in their article failed to present some of the medicinal plants in the TPM reference books with protective properties against humor infection and excitation. Some of these plants are as follows.
1. Zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria) has cardiotonic and nephrotonic properties and prevents humor infection (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
2. Lemon (Citrus limon) is mentioned in Makhzan-al-Adviah for preventing excitation of blood and bile (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
3. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is mentioned in Makhzan-al-Adviah for preventing black bile and phlegm (Sauda & Balgham) infection (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
4. Cinnamon (cinamum zelinicum) is cardiotonic, and prevents humor infection as stated in Makhzan-al-Adviah and Canon of Medicine (Qanoon-fil-Tib) (Aghili Khorasani, 1771; Avicenna, 1025).
5. Green olive oil (Olea europaea) (Zit al-Anfaq) disrupts humor infection as mentioned in TPM references (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
6. Zaferān (Crocus sativus L.), mentioned in the Makhzan-al-Adviah, cures phlegm infection, as well as preventing and protecting it from change and corruption (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
7. Nepeta mentoides or lavender is cardiotonic, and prevents humor infection, as stated in Makhzan-al-Adviah and Canon of Medicine (Qanoon-fil-Tib) (Aghili Khorasani, 1771; Avicenna, 1025).
In addition, wewould like to add another information to the original manuscript, and complement their findings.
Ghār, Barg-e-Bou (Laurus nobilis L.) was also mentioned in Table 1 as an agent that prevents humor infection (Bahramsoltani and Rahimi, 2020); however, we did not find this property in the review of the mentioned reference book (Aghili Khorasani, 1771).
In conclusion, we thank the authors of the article “An Evaluation of Traditional Persian Medicine for the Management of SARS-CoV-2,” and heartily recommend that they appropriately modify it to strengthen their findings.
Author contributions
HM and FE searched the literature. HM, FE, and JA conceived and wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to drafting the manuscript and approved the submitted version.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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ReferencesAghili KhorasaniM. H. (1771). Makhzan-al-Adviah (rewritten by shams ardakani MR, rahimi R, farjadmand F. 1st ed). Tehran: Tehran University of Medical Sciences.AvicennaH. (1025). “The Canon of medicine (Qanoon-fil-Tib),” in Translated by sharafkandi. Editor TehranA. (Tehran, Iran: Soroush), Vol. 2. 1991.BahramsoltaniR.RahimiR. (2020). An evaluation of traditional Persian medicine for the management of SARS-CoV-2. Front. Pharmacol.11, 571434. 10.3389/fphar.2020.571434