153 Advances in Environmental Biology, 6(1): 153-158, 2012 ISSN 1995-0756 RTICLE A RIGINAL O This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed Corresponding Author Peyman Mikaili, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. E-mail: peyman_mikaili@yahoo.com Pharmacological Properties of Herbal Oil Extracts Used In Iranian Traditional Medicine 1 Peyman Mikaili, 2 Jalal Shayegh, 3 Shadi Sarahroodi and 4 Massoumeh Sharifi 1 Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, Shabestar branch, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran. 3 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. 4 Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran. Peyman Mikaili, Jalal Shayegh, Shadi Sarahroodi and Massoumeh Sharifi; Pharmacological Properties of Herbal Oil Extracts Used In Iranian Traditional Medicine ABSTRACT Herbal oils also called oil extracts are traditional herbal remedies used to treat several conditions. Beneficial effects are achieved through the combination of nutrients, antioxidants and biostimulants obtained from herbs using gentle nondestructive oil extraction techniques. Therefore, all knowledge of healing effects of herbal oil, acquired over the centuries of trials and mistakes, are applicable only to oil extracts, until proven otherwise. In this study, the data collected by junior medical students divided into several groups from ethno-pharmacologists, herbal-drug sellers and rural native-healers, from different regions of Iran, especially Northwest, Central and Northern provinces. We report here, the herbal oil extract used in Iranian traditional herbal medicine. Thirty- three species, which are used as oil, extract found common in this study as Iranian traditional herbal medicine. According to the data collected in our study 33 percents of the herbal oils have been used for rheumatoid arthritis and joint diseases, arthralgia as anti-inflammatory. 22 percents of them used as analgesic and for sciatic or muscular pains. For hair fall 16 percent and for nourishing the hair roots one percent of the herbal oils have been used traditionally. Ten percent also used as neurotonics and for neurological conditions. Five percent of plant oils used for dermatological usages, skin moisturizing and skin care. The rest indications are 5 percent for internal diseases and 4 percents for miscellaneous and other usages, including gastrointestinal etc. Key words: Pharmacological activity, herbal oil extracts, Iranian traditional medicine. Introduction The extracts of medicinal plants have been already studied for different pharmacological activities. Herbal oils are traditional cosmetic aids and herbal remedies used to nourish and revitalize the skin and treat skin conditions. Beneficial effects are achieved through the combination of nutrients, antioxidants and biostimulants extractes from herbs with vegetable oil. Herbal oil extracts are produced by repetitive extraction of raw herbs into vegetable oils in conditions optimized for preservation of herbal antioxidants, stimulants and nutrients. The process is similar to the one used for alcohol extracts, only vegetable oil is used instead of alcohol. However, herbal oils utilized in traditional herbal medicine are all obtained with vegetable oil extraction, the only available method at those times. Similarly, the limited amount of research and clinical trials available today, was conducted using herbal oil obtained by extraction of herbs into the vegetable oils. Therefore, all knowledge of healing effects of herbal oil, acquired over the centuries of trials and mistakes, are applicable only to oil extracts, until proven otherwise. Clinical trials and scientific research demonstrated biological activity, therapeutic efficiency and safety of herbal oil extracts, conducted during last century. Herbal oils are obtained by continuous cold extraction of raw herbs into vegetable oils. The process is similar to the one used for alcohol extracts, only vegetable oil is used instead of the alcohol. In summary, herbal oil extract are stable, safe (with proper use) and effective preparations of bioactive herbal ingredients, backed by the history of thousands years of use as herbal medicines and anti- aging cosmetics