Ethnobotanical and Ethnopharmacological Study in the Bulgarian Rhodopes Mountains—Part _I

Abstract

Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses has been well documented in Bulgaria in the past. However, we know little about the contemporary traditional application of medicinal plants. Rhodopes Mountain is an ethnobotanically poorly studied region. This region is suitable for conducting field research in ethnobotany for several reasons: (i) our preliminary observation in a number of settlements revealed that the local population, in particular, relies solely on previously collected medicinal plants in winter months even in modern times; (ii) due to the relative isolation of the area, considerable authenticity of traditional methods of medicinal plant use is retained there. The aim of this study is ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical research among the population of the Rhodopes to evaluate the contemporary use of medicinal plants. The field ethnobotanical data were collected through the in-depth method in combination with a semi-structured face-to-face interviews, adapted with modifications to the objectives of this study. The quantitative ethnobotanical index Use Value (UV) was calculated. Here we suggested a new approach in ethnobotanical research. We used nomograms to present a large volume of medicinal plants’ application data, classified by the degree of their UV. This allows for a much broader view of collected and processed data. Data analyses from our filed research showed that the 92 informants mentioned utilization of a total of 114 plant species belonging to 52 families and 110 genera. The most common plants were from the families Asteraceae (16.7%), Lamiaceae (12.3%), Rosaceae (9.6%) and Amrillydaceae (3.5%), followed by Crassulaceae, Plantaginacea, Oleaceae and Solanaceae. The data presented in six nomograms revealed the most popular plants, the way of application and the corresponding medical indications in the Central and East Rhodopes, and the differences between the two sub-regions. Sempervivum tectorum, Tussilago farfara and Plantago major are the most often reported plants in the Central Rhodopes while these are Cotinus coggygria, Prunus spinosa and Teucrium polium in the East Rhodopes. The results of the study show that in the Rhodopes, the contemporary application of traditional medicinal plants is pretty much vivid. The locals in the Rhodopes still use the traditional knowledge and rely on plants to treat various health problems. They use common plants in a sustainable manner and are open to the cultivation of Sideritis scardica—a species which became rare after overexploitation.

Home-garden Ethnobotanical Studi on Stunting Cases in The Kalipuro Settlement, Banyuwangi

“…Observations of plant utilization in the yard of Kalipuro Village were carried out by ethnobotanical quantitative analysis, namely the species Use Value index. The Species Use Value Index (UVs) aims to determine the quantitative value of the usefulness of each species in society (Mincheva et al, 2022). The results of the analysis of species use in the yard of the local community of Kalipuro Village are presented in Figure 2.…”

Traditional, Therapeutic Uses and Phytochemistry of Terrestrial European Orchids and Implications for Conservation

“…Orchids are known to produce secondary metabolites of physiological, ecological, and pharmacological relevance [ 13 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]: among these, compounds such as stilbenes, dihydrostilbenoids, phenanthrenes, alkaloids, terpenes, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids have been found [ 12 , 13 , 23 ]. However, notwithstanding the number of species in the family, relatively few studies were dedicated to orchid phytochemistry and biological activities, and many traditional uses remain unvalidated [ 12 , 15 ]; this is particularly evident for European species, although it is known that Europe has a well-established traditional use of these plants [ 12 , 13 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. One of the first reporting orchids in medicine was the Greek Theophrastus (c.372–288 B.C.…”

Physicochemical, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Properties of Three Medicinal Plants from the Western Part of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria

“…Each of these zones is characterised by great soil and botanical diversity. According to some recent reports, more than 700 species (approximately 20% of the Bulgarian flora) are recognised as herbs, most of them being wild plants growing in the mountainous regions of the country [13].…”

“…The most common medicinal plants in the Rhodope Mountains belong to the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Amrillydaceae, Crassulaceae, Plantaginaceae, Oleaceae, and Solanaceae families [15]. Although Bulgaria is the second largest European exporter and one of the world's leading exporters of herbs, the information about the botanical diversity, the phytochemical composition, and the biological properties of the wild plants growing in mountainous regions, the Rhodope Mountains in particular, is still very limited [13]. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is a plant of the Rosaceae family widely used in medicine and in culinary practice.…”