A Complete Review on the Genus Vaccinium and Iranian Ghareghat

In recent years due to the demonstration of destructive side effects of chemical drugs, utilizing herbal drugs to treat diseases have increased. The medicinal Vaccinium is one of the popular plants which have many pharmaceutical, food and industrial values. There are about 100 species of this genus around the world but Ghare-Ghat (Vaccinium arctostaphlyus) is the only species present in Iran which has been reported in six regions of the country. The major metabolites in the leaves and fruits of Ghare-Ghat are phenols, especially anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties. The fruit essence contains 30% sugar, 5.15% protein, 1.5% fat and the young shoots contain hexadecanoic acid, vitispirane Beta-ionone and sandaracopimaradiene. In Iranian traditional medicine, fruit infusion has been used to reduce blood sugar and blood pressure. Due to high levels of acid in Ghare-Ghat it has antibacterial effects and is used to treat bladder infections. It also has anti cyanosed compounds which help in the formation of stronger capillaries and reduction of the stickiness of blood platelets. Today, with the remarkable advances of biotechnology including tissue culture, access to high quality and quantity of products of this genus has increased. The genus Vaccinium and in particular Ghare-Ghat has high economic value in Iran and requires further study to increase its cultivation and production of food and pharmaceutical products.