ENDEMIC PLANTS and THEIR THERAPEUTIC USES in TURKEY
A. Ç. Ülgen1, E. Sönmez2, Y. B. Köse2
1
Ülgen Eczanesi, Isparta, TURKEY
Anadolu University, Faculty of Pharmacy
2
Department of Pharmaceutical Botany
Eskişehir, TURKEY
Turkey has rich plant diversity. Turkish flora consists
of about 10,000 vascular plant taxa, and one third of
this flora is endemic [1]. The aim of this study is to
determine Turkish endemic plants and their uses in the
folk medicine. For this purpose, a list has been done
from Turkish Plants Data Service (TÜBİVES). For
determining endemic plants’ uses in the folk medicine,
data has been obtained from book of Baytop
"Treatment with Plants in Turkey", and other
ethnobotanical studies from literatüre.
126 endemic plant remedies determined from 30 plant
families are reported with used parts, methods of
preparing remedies and therapeutic uses. The results
show that these endemic plants are used for respiratory
system disorders (39), gastrointestinal disorders (47),
urinary disorders (27), inflammatory disorders (7),
gynecological problems (5), dermatological problems
(30), infections (12), cardiovascular (12), rheumatism
(8), diabetes (9), lung and liver diseases (7), nerve
relaxing (11), malaria (4), tumors (2), and for cancers
(4) without specifying the type.
INTRODUCTION
Turkey has a rich biodiversity with different climatic
and biogeographical regions. Turkey has three
different climates; Continental, Mediterranean and
Black Sea climates, and three different geographical
regions; at north Euro-Siberian, in Central Anatolia
and Eastern Anatolia Iran-Turan, and in Southern
Mediterranean geographical regions [2]. These
properties are the result of diversity of plant species in
Turkey. Turkey is represented by more than 10,000
taxa belonging to 173 families and 1,225 species [3, 4,
5]. 15 genera are endemic, and these genera have more
than 2,650 endemic species. Endemism rate of Turkey
is 30%. The plant families which have the most
endemic species are Scrophulariaceae (52%),
Campanulaceae (49%), Lamiaceae (Labiatae) (44%),
and Asteraceae (Compositae) (38%). Addition to these
plant families, also there are some genera which have
the greatest number of endemic species are Ebenus
(100%), Verbascum (80%), and Sideritis (78%) [6].
This study has been made for determining endemic
plants in Turkey and their uses in the folk medicine.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A list of endemic plants in Turkey has been established
from Turkish Plants Data Service (TÜBİVES). For
determining endemic plants’ uses, book of Baytop
"Treatment with Plants in Turkey", and other
ethnobotanical studies from literature also several
books have been obtained.
Research results are presented on the table in the
results section.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
126 endemic plant remedies have been determined from
30 plant families are reported with used parts, methods
of preparing remedies and therapeutic uses. These
endemic plants are used for respiratory system
disorders (39); cough, shortness of breath, common
cold, asthma, bronchitis, gastrointestinal disorders
(47); gastric symptoms, stomach ache, ulcers,
indigestion, hemorrhoids, constipation, urinary
disorders (27); diuretic, kidney stone/or sand, urinary
sand, urinary inflammations, inflammatory disorders
(7); allergy, pain, gynecological problems (5);
menstrual pain, uterine inflammations, dermatological
problems (30); wound healing, abscess maturation,
hairloss, infections (12); tuberculosis, anthelmintic,
agricultural parasites, oral infections, cardiovascular
(12); hypertension, blood purifying, rheumatism (8),
diabetes (9), lung and liver diseases (7); jaundice,
nerve relaxing (11), malaria (4), tumors (2), and
cancers (4) without specifying the type. Results are
shown on the table.
CONCLUSIONS
Endemic plants are the richness of a country. These are
not only important for flora, but also for folk medicine.
Folk medicine is a tradition for Turkish people and this
knowledge should be transferred to the young
generations. In addition to this, protecting biodiversity
and endemic plants should not be forgotten.
REFERENCES (A part of it)
1. Özhatay, N., Kültür, Ş., Aslan,S., Check-list of
Additional Taxa to the Supplement Flora of Turkey
IV, Turkish Journal of Botany 2009, 33, 191–226.
2. Kılınç, M., Kutbay, H. G., Bitki Coğrafyası, Palme
Yayıncılık, Ankara 2007.
3. Davis, P. H. (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East
Aegean Islands, Vol 1-9, Edinburgh Univ. Press,
Edinburgh 1965-1985.
4. Davis, P.H., Mill, R.R. and Tan, K. (eds), Flora of
Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, (Supplement),
University Press, Edinburgh, Vol 10, 1988.
5. Güner, A., Özhatay, N., Ekim., T., Baser, K. H. C.
(ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands
(Supplement 2), Vol. 11, Edinburgh Univ. Press,
Edinburgh, 2000.