Table 4.

Mechanisms of action of the plants used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in traditional Iranian medicine

Plant	Activities
	Immunomodulatory1	Antioxidant2	Antibacterial	↓NF-κB	↓NO	↓Cox-2	↓LB4	Anti-inflammatory	Wound healing
Althaea spp.			*					*
Boswellia carterii and Boswellia serrata	*		*		*			*
Bunium persicum		*	*
Cassia fistula			*
Commiphora mukul	*	*	*	*	*	*
Cydonia oblonga		*	*
Foeniculm vulgare		*	*		*			*	*
Juglans regia		*
Lepidium sativum								*
Pistacia lentiscus	*				*	*			*
Plantago ovata	*	*			*		*	*	*
Solanum nigrum		*		*	*	*			*
Terminalia chebula			*		*				*

¹Modulating immune system by effects on factors of innate immunity including neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells are altered and defective mucosal helper T (Th) cell responses and greater expression of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1-β, IL-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interferon (IFN)-γ;

²Decreasing factors involved in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation and/or increased factors enhanced antioxidant capacity. Asterisks indicate having that kind of effect under the column heading. LB4: Leukotriene B4; NO: Nitric oxide; Cox-2: Cyclooxygenase-2; NF-κB: Nuclear factor κB.