Heracleum genus contains more than 120 species and is one of the largest Apiaceae family genera which widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in Asia and Eurasia region.
Hogweeds observed as a tall or dwarf monocarpic perennial herbs. They have hairy or glabrous simple, lobed or pinnate leaves, and in some case biternate. They are the inflorescence herbs with umbelliform cymes. They have symmetrical or zygomorphic white, greenish white ore pale pink petals. Fruits are dry flattened spiny or small oval glabrous, two-winged mericarp. “Golpar, Persian hogweed” is a perennial herb that generally grows up to 50–120 cm with the straight red-brown stems, densely haired in base. Its leaves are alternate with blunt-toothed margins, glabrous and pinnate. The flowers are pale white with five petals and five stamens. The fruits are ridged schizocarp obovate.

The Heracleum species, especially Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisch (Golpar), “Tromsøpalme” in Scandinavian region and “Persischer bӓrenklau” in Germany used as most important traditional medicinal plant as well as spices in cooking and aromatherapy in many regions of the world [1].  Golpar traditionally is widely used for the treatment of various complications include flatulence, stomachache also is well known for therapeutic out come on epilepsy, pain, infectious conditions.

Golpar has a long history of use for a number of culinary and edible uses in West Asia (such as a vegetable, as a tea with an anise-like flavor, as well as incense (burnt leaves and fruits). The Golpar young stems also used for making pickles. its fruits are used as spices as flavoring ingredient in food products. In addition to the Golpar as well-known spices, other Heracleum species are very popular in Canada (tea), France (liqueurs), Britain, South East Asia (food flavoring), and China (edible vegetable)[2-4].  Through scientific reports, Golpar and its essential oil exhibited antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective activities and antioxidant properties.

1. persicum has several classes of natural chemicals including volatile (aliphatic esters, carbonyls, phenyl propenes and terpenes) and nonvolatile (flavonoids, furanocoumarins, tannins and alkaloids) compounds.
2. persicum essential oil contains four main categories of compounds include monoterpenes, aliphatic esters, carbonyl compounds, and phenylpropenes[1].

High amount of aliphatic esters reported from the aerial parts and fruits of this plant, such as hexyl butyrate (10%–65.6%), octyl acetate (7.5%–40.8%), hexyl isobutyrate (0.7%–9.1%), hexyl 2-methyl butanoate (5.2%–8.57%), dodecenyl acetate (7.81%) and octyl butyrate (0.9%–6.6%). Additionally other compounds include terpenoids (α-bergamotene, terpinolene, γ-terpinene, limonene (trace), pulegone, ρ-cymene (trace), β-pinene, (E)-β-ocimene (trace) and linalool (trace) also were repoted. Some of the other important compounds include sesquiterpene (spathulenol, viridiflorol, α-farnesene, α -caryophylene, as well as phenylpropenes (trans-anethole, cis-anethole, estragole, and myristicin[5].

**This content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.

References

1- Z. Majidi and S. S. J. J. o. i. m. Lamardi,  2018, 16, 223.

2- T. Radjabian, A. Salimi, N. J. C. Rahmani and biodiversity,  2014, 11, 1945.

3 - L. W. Li Wei, C. L. Chen LinLin, W. C. Wu Chun and X. J. Xin JiaYing, 2013.

4- J. A. Johnson, D. Webster and C. A. J. J. o. e. Gray,  2013, 147, 232.

5- M. B. Bahadori, L. Dinparast, G. J. C. R. i. F. S. Zengin and F. Safety,  2016, 15, 1018.