Objective: Menstrual pain is a prevalent health issue affecting women of reproductive age, often impairing quality of life and daily functioning. Traditional medicine and ethnobotanical knowledge in eastern Iran have long employed medicinal plants for alleviating this discomfort. This study aims to identify and present medicinal plants traditionally used for menstrual pain relief based on ethnobotanical documentation from eastern Iran.

Methodology: A systematic review of relevant literature was conducted using keywords such as “medicinal plants,” “Iran,” “menstrual pain,” “Khorasan,” “Kerman,” “Sistan,” and “ethnobotany.” Academic databases including Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, PubMed, and Scopus were searched, and pertinent ethnobotanical studies were selected for analysis.

Results: In eastern and southeastern Iran, particularly in regions such as Bahraseman, Tang-e-Balengestan, Chupar, Khabar, Zochun, Deh Lolu, Sirjan, Sistan, Maneh and Samalqan, Mashhad, and Hezar Kuh, various medicinal plants have been traditionally used for menstrual pain relief. Key species include Verbascum behbahanense, Medicago orbicularis, Bunium persicum, Ziziphora tenuior, Scrophularia striata, Cicer anatolicum, Achillea millefolium, Salvia officinalis, Anethum graveolens, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Foeniculum vulgare, Solanum nigrum, Glaucium elegans, Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria aurea, Centaurea behen, Capsicum frutescens, and Asparagus officinalis.

Conclusion: Traditional ethnobotanical practices in eastern Iran utilize a diverse array of medicinal plants for menstrual pain relief. Many of these species possess anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and hormone-modulating properties. Further scientific and clinical studies are warranted to validate their efficacy and explore their potential as complementary, low-risk therapeutic options.