Background and Objective: The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex and dynamic community of microorganisms collectively known as the intestinal microbiota, which plays a crucial role in maintaining metabolic, immunological, and physiological homeostasis. These microorganisms regulate essential bodily functions, including digestion, nutrient absorption, immune modulation, and protection against pathogenic organisms. Disruption of the intestinal microbial balance (dysbiosis) has been increasingly associated with a wide range of diseases, such as metabolic disorders, inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, and gastrointestinal dysfunctions. In recent years, growing scientific interest has focused on the potential of medicinal plants and bioactive herbal compounds to modulate gut microbiota composition, enhance beneficial microbial populations, and restore intestinal homeostasis. Understanding the interaction between herbal compounds and gut microbiota may provide novel, safe, and complementary therapeutic strategies for the prevention and management of microbiota-related diseases.
Materials and Methods: Information related to this study was obtained from searching databases such as SID, Magiran, Google Scholar, and PubMed using the keywords medicinal plants, intestinal microbiota, dysbiosis, and microbiome.
Findings: In today’s medical science, it is believed that the intestinal microbiota affects the central nervous system through the enteric nervous system, and this view is due to the similarity of the enteric nervous system to the central nervous system and its autonomy. These microorganisms affect energy generation, normal body function, the immune system, obesity, thinness, malnutrition, neurological disorders, mood and cancer in humans. On the other hand, there are many studies on the effect of medicinal plants and essential oils of medicinal plants in creating a balance in the intestinal microbial population, which can prevent the above diseases in the first stage and, in most cases, be effective in treating the aforementioned diseases.
Conclusion: The balance of the intestinal microbiota is an influential factor in the functioning of organs and the health of all body systems, including the nervous system, and in some cases even prevents the development and occurrence of various diseases. Today’s medical science believes that the intestinal microbiota regulates the functioning of the central nervous system through the enteric nervous system, the production of metabolites, and the stimulation of the immune system. According to studies, utilizing the properties of some medicinal plants can help to restore the microbial balance of the intestinal flora.
