Personalized and Precision Medicine Journal
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Personalized Phytotherapy of Brucellosis: Insights from Traditional Iranian Medicine

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

MohamadReza Nazer 1
Masoumeh Tahmasebi 2
Mahmoud Bahmani 3

1 Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

2 School of Medicine, Emam Khomeini Hospital, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.

3 Biotechnology and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran

10.22034/ppmj.2026.2087728.1071
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella species, remains endemic in regions such as Iran and presents significant public health challenges. Conventional antibiotic therapies have limitations, including adverse effects and incomplete efficacy, which has led to growing interest in medicinal plants as complementary or alternative treatments. This study reviews Iranian medicinal plants with potential anti-brucellosis activity, examining their mechanisms based on both traditional knowledge and contemporary scientific research. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using keywords including "brucellosis," "Malta fever," "traditional medicine," "medicinal plants," and "treatment" in databases such as Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, and Scopus. Relevant articles were screened, and data were systematically extracted and analyzed to provide an integrative review. The analysis identified several medicinal plants with notable therapeutic potential against brucellosis, including Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Mentha piperita L., Cinnamomum verum J. Presl, Thymus vulgaris L., Salvia officinalis L., Origanum vulgare L., Matricaria chamomilla L., Aloe vera L., Cuminum cyminum L., Alcea rosea L., Achillea millefolium L., Calendula officinalis L., Allium cepa L., Anethum graveolens L., Apium graveolens L., Allium sativum L., Coriandrum sativum L., Cucurbita spp. L., Rosa canina L., Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Scrophularia deserti Eig, Berberis vulgaris L., Ziziphora tenuior L., and Alhagi maurorum Medik. Taxonomic analysis showed that the Lamiaceae family was most represented (24%), followed by Asteraceae and Apiaceae (16% each). Mechanistic analysis indicated that antibacterial activity accounted for 32% of therapeutic effects, followed by anti-inflammatory (24%) and antioxidant (20%) activities. Native Iranian medicinal plants may serve as effective complementary agents in the management of brucellosis. Their use, particularly in endemic regions, could enhance patients' quality of life and mitigate the side effects associated with conventional treatments. Nonetheless, further rigorous clinical studies are required to validate their efficacy and safety.

Keywords

Infection
Brucellosis
Malta fever
Medicinal plants
Treatment
Subjects
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Personalized and Precision Medicine Journal
Volume 11, Issue 41 - Serial Number 41
Original article
Spring 2026
Pages 9-16

  • Receive Date 15 February 2026
  • Revise Date 24 April 2026
  • Accept Date 18 May 2026

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