Nowadays, there is a large demand for natural products, especially medicinal plants, worldwide. These plants play an enormous role not only as traditional medicines used in many cultures, but also as trade commodities which meet the demand of often distant markets. Iran is a country with a rich diversity, deep indigenous knowledge and a long history in utilization of herbs as traditional medicine. Lack of knowledge and information about medicinal plants is a great challenge in their sustainable utilization.

Research development about medicinal plants will help to conservation and sustainable utilization of them. The Iranian Society of Research and Development of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISRDMAP), is a non-profit non-governmental scientific organization (NGO), which has established this year ( 2004 ) with the goals of : to help research development, conservation of diversity and maintenance of indigenous knowledge of medicinal and aromatic plants , in Iran. Its staff and collaborates consists of scientists and  researchers in different fields, such as, Crop Ecology, Crop physiology, Phytochemistry, Biochemistry, Plant botany and Pharmacogonosy. ISRDMAP is willing and eager to cooperate with scientists and organizations in Iran and abroad in various fields of technical and scientific research activities, training and conservation and development of medicinal plant resources and their beneficial applications.