Milk Thistle, Myrrh and Mint: Herbal Plants as Natural Medicines

Abstract

Herbs are natural products and herbal medicine has become a popular form of healthcare. Herbal-derived remedies may increase pharmacological qualities and improve prevention and treatment of several diseases. In this study, all relevant articles in English language were collected. Keywords of milk thistle, myrrh, mint and natural products were searched in Google Scholar, Scopus, Research Gate and PubMed databases. Milk thistile is a valuable widely-consumed botanical used for its various health benefits. The plant is an annual herb, belonging to Asteraceae family, which ripe seeds contain flavonoid substances. Myrrh is a sap-like substance, which is released from cuts in the barks of trees. The plant is a member of Commiphora genus. Mentha spicata is a species of mint native to Europe and South-East Asia. Mint is a creeping rhizomatous and perennial herb. In this mini-review, key roles and pharmaceutical benefits of milk thistle, myrrh and mint are described.