Advancements in Ethnobotanical Sciences 2 1 2026 03 31 Ethnobotanical Review of Iranian Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used for Cough 20 37 10.34172/jaebs.2026.4 EN Mahsa Keshvari https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1184-354X REVIEW 10.34172/jaebs.2026.4 2026 01 04 2026 03 20 Cough is one of the most common symptoms of respiratory disorders and may occur in acute or chronic forms as a result of infectious, inflammatory, or environmental irritants. Although medicinal plants are widely used in Iranian traditional medicine for cough management, a comprehensive synthesis of the ethnobotanical evidence concerning these plants has not yet been presented. This study aimed to identify, classify, and analyze medicinal plants traditionally used for cough in Iranian ethnobotanical sources. This study was conducted as an ethnobotanical review. Data were collected and analyzed from reliable scientific sources, including research articles and ethnobotanical reports. The literature search covered the period from 1990 to 2025 and included the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ISC, and SID. Medicinal plants associated with cough management were extracted and classified according to scientific name, local name, plant part used, and method of preparation or administration. A total of 227 medicinal plant species belonging to 47 families were identified as having traditional applications for cough. Among the plant parts used, leaves were the most frequently reported, with 27 records, followed by flowers with 24 records and aerial parts with 20 records. In terms of plant family diversity, Lamiaceae, with 38 species, Asteraceae, with 37 species, and Brassicaceae, with 19 species, ranked highest. All 227 records reviewed were documented as having traditional applications for the treatment of cough and were classified under antitussive use. Among the methods of preparation and administration, decoction, with 98 records, and infusion, with 34 records, were the most commonly reported approaches. Geographically, northeastern Khuzestan, Fasa, and Zanjan accounted for the highest numbers of reports of medicinal plants traditionally used to treat cough. The findings provide a useful basis for identifying medicinal plants with potential for the development of antitussive preparations. However, their efficacy and safety require confirmation through pharmacological investigations and well-designed clinical trials.