TEHRAN – An Iranian knowledge-based company has used Perovskia, a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, in producing an herbal ointment to treat burn scars, IRNA reported on Monday.

The ointment treats scars by accelerating cell growth and proliferation, said Gholamhossein Mohammadi, the managing director of the company.

The medicine has been tested several times and its anti-infection and nontoxic characteristics are approved by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, he said.

The ointment can be used to heal not only skin cuts but also cellular wounds and diabetic wounds and bedsores, he added.

It has not any other alternatives with this characteristic, Mohammadi said, noting that the product can be kept in any temperature.

With a little change in its formula, the ointment can also cure cutaneous leishmaniasis, he said.

“We have negotiated with Afghan officials in order to export the medicine to that country,” he concluded.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis is a major public health problem in Afghanistan. The estimated incidence at national level is over 200 000 cases and the total population at risk is estimated to be 13 million.

Perovskia in traditional medicine

Perovskia atriplicifolia, commonly called Russian sage, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant and subshrub. It is native to the steppes and hills of southwestern and central Asia. Successful over a wide range of climate and soil conditions, it has since become popular and widely planted.

According to NCBI website, Perovskia atriplicifolia has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine for anti-inflammation in Pakistan.

The species has a long history of use in traditional medicine in its native range, where it is employed as a treatment for a variety of ailments.

SB/MG