Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used in ancient centuries to this time and people have completed their uses in different centuries and different times that we can complete the knowledge of medicinal plant properties with surveying them in rural people of different countries and different areas in a country. In this research, medicinal properties of medlar (Mespilus germanica) have been studied by rural people in East part of Gilan Province (North Iran). M. germanica, known as the common medlar is a large shrub or small tree, and it is the name of the fruit of this tree. In this study, we conducted interviews, asked questions and studied the uses of this plant from 20 women and men that are above the age of 50, with two researchers (man and woman separately). Medlars have been used as medicinal plants, by means of leaves, fruits, bark and wood. The fruit seed of this plant is poisonous. Common usage and medicinal benefits and properties of this plant are conserves, cooking jams, diarrhea treatment, diuretic, elimination of oral abscess, elimination of stomach bloating, elimination of throat abscess, fattening, fever disposal, handle of knives and tools, hematopoietic, internal hemorrhage treatment, juice, regurgitation disposal cholera, stimulation treatment of throat, strengthen fine skin, strengthen nerves, treatment of intestinal inflammation, treatment of large intestine infection, treatment of menstrual irregularities, treatment of Cutaneous leishmaniasis, wand making and with cold and dry nature.

Key words: Medicinal plant, medlar, Mespilus germanica, Iran.