Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are among the most important properties of plant materials used by humans. For many medicinal plants and other natural products sources, there is clear relationship between these properties. Despite the fact that some approved, commercial drugs were developed from natural products that possess these properties, published literature scan reveals a disappointing image, in some geographical regions, with rich flora, the vast majority of these plants were never studied for antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory activities. Expectedly, some plant families were extensively studied, while others, with some of the most common and widespread plant species, were almost totally ignored. In this review, we will introduce the current situation of studying medicinal properties of plants, especially antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, on the central part of the Eastern region of the Mediterranean basin. We will also present an overall view of future research opportunities and scientific collaborations. These opportunities and collaborations must be based on systematic mapping of current knowledge.
Key words: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, plant extracts, plant families, current research, future opportunities, systematic mapping.
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