Ethnobotanical studies in the Maldan Village (Province Manisa, Turkey)

Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal 17: 21-25, 2013. DOI: 10.12991/201317388 ORIGINAL RESEARCH Ethnobotanical studies in the Maldan Village (Province Manisa, Turkey) Yurdanur Akyol1, Yasin Altan2 ABSTRACT: Village of Maldan (400 m) lies in the north of Manisa on the Yunt Mountain (1075 m). According to Davis’ Grid system the area is in the B1 square. In this study plants were collected from Maldan (Manisa) village between 2002–2003 years. At the end of flora studies 468 taxa belonging 70 families and 276 genera were identified. Ethnobotanical surveys were made in the same village. The researchers interviewed people in village. A total of 77 different usages of wild plants were recorded in the study area. Out of 468 plant taxa commonly present, 68 plant taxa (14,5%) are used for medicinal, foodstuff, fodder, dye and miscellaneous purposes. Most used families were Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Brassicaceae and Apiaceae. These plants are mainly used against for the stomach and digestive disorders (24,6 %), as food (10,4 %), for preventing cancer (10,4 %), against the skin diseases and injurie (7,8 %). KEY WORDS: Ethnobotany, Maldan, Manisa, Turkey. AFFILIATIONS 1Manisa İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü, Bilim ve Sanat Merkezi, Biyoloji, Manisa, Türkiye 2Celal Bayar Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Biyoloji Bölümü, Botanik, Manisa, Türkiye CORRESPONDENCE Yurdanur Akyol E-mail: INTRODUCTION Turkey is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of plant diversity. Up to date approximately 10,500 plant species have been identified within its borders and 30 % of these are endemic (1, 2, 3). Previous research has identified about 423 plant taxa, of which 3,78 % are endemic, in Manisa province at Yunt Mountain, (4). Yunt Mountains surrounded north of Manisa. The province of Manisa is located in the western part of Aegean region in Anatolia and phyto-geographycally located on the Mediterranean region and falls within the B2 grid square according to the grid classification system developed by Davis. Maldan village is situated on Yunt Mountain which is between İzmir and Manisa province (38˚ 50’ 43.14” N, 26˚ 16’ 48.52”E). The elevation of its land varies from 325 to 617 m (Figure 1). Although the annual mean temperature is 16,8 °C’, temperatures may vary from 10,7 °C to 34,7 °C. It represents “cool temperate, sub-humid”, Mediterranean climate types, with annual drought summer periods, between May-September. Its total population was 1100 in the year 2002. The main occupations of the villagers are farming and animal husbandry. Traditional ethnobotanical knowledge, pharmacopoeia and prevalance of medicinal plants has been investigated in different areas of Turkey (5, 6, 7,8, 9). Some ethnobotanical studies were carried out in regions close to the research area (10, 11, 12,13, 14,15). Uğurlu and Seçmen (10) studied medicinal plants of Yunt mountain villages. But Maldan village wasn’t explored. Received: 23.09.2012 Revision: 15.12.2012 Accepted: 16.12.2012 The aim of this ethnobotanical study is to collect systematic information about the still existing ethnobotanical usages in Manisa province, Maldan village before they are completely lost. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collecting plant materials The study was carried out during 2002-2003 years. Field study was carried out over a period of approximately two years. During this period, a total of 468 vascular plant specimens were col21 Akyol et al., Marmara Pharm J 17: 21-25, 2013. FIGURE 1.* The map of the study area lected in Maldan village. The plants were pressed in the field and prepared for identification. Plants were identified by using the standard text, ‘’Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands” (1,2) and were compared with the specimens in Ege University Herbarium (EGE). Identified plants were retained in EGE. Then interviewing were done with local people. seven species. These are followed by Rosaceae, Brassicaceae and Apiaceae. At studies in close regions have reached similar conclusions. In previous studies Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae (10), Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae in Alaşehir (14), Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae at İzmir province (13) were more. Interviewing with local people A questionnaire was administered to the local people, through face to face interview. It was asked for the person’s name, surname and age. It also asked for them “ What is the local name of the plant used? For which diseases do you use the plant? Which parts of the plant do you use? How do you prepare the plant for use ?” Information was collected from both the elderly and the young and from both men and women. Furthermore, the participants were asked to show the researchers these wild plants in the field. Maldan village has a wide range of local food culture. Some plants are used as food, that are sold in Manisa markets. These plants: Lepidium sativum L. subsp. spinescens (DC.) Thell, Portulaca oleracea L., Rumex tuberosus L. subsp. tuberosus, Malva sylvestris L., Scolymus hispanicus L , Urtica urens L. Tamus communis L. subsp. communis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION As a result of the study, 468 vascular plants were collected in te Maldan village. According to the interview with local people, 68 plant taxa (14,5%) used to for various purpose were identified. These plants are presented in Table 1 arranged in botanical names, with the relevant information such as family, local name, parts used, use application and uses. According to table plants belonging to Asteraceae family have got the highest use (8 species). Lamiaceae is represented by 22 Some plants are sold as a dried. These plants can be consumed as tea. Some of these are Anthemis cotula L., Stachys cretica L. subsp. smyrnaea Rech., Origanum onites L., Thymus zygioides Griseb. var. lycaonicus (Celak.) Ronniger, Mentha suaveolens Ehrh., Salvia tomentosa Miller. At six different areas close to our study area local plant names and uses are compared with our study in Table 2. According to table there are similarity at local plant names and uses. As a result of the species usages, 19 species (24,6 %) are used against the stomach and digestive disorders, 8 species (10,4 %) as food, 8 species (10,4 %) as prevent cancer, 6 species (7,8 %) against the skin diseases and injuries, 4 species (5,1 %) against the short- Akyol et al., Marmara Pharm J 17: 21-25, 2013. TABLE 1. Useful Plants in Maldan Village Family and Scientific names Local name Preparation Uses Flowers Infusion To cure cough Nizamettin otu Whole plant Decoction Against poisoning Badem Fruits The oil obtained by crushing and filtering Shortness of breath Alcea pallida Waldst. & Kit. (Malvaceae) Alyssum murale Waldst. & Kit. var. murale (Brassicaceae) Amygdalus communis L.(Rosaceae) Amygdalus webbi Spach (Rosaceae) Parts used Çalı Stem Decoction Diarrhea Anthemis cotula L. (Asteraceae) Papatya Flowers Infusion Getter and emenagog Aristolochia hirta L. (Aristolo (...truncated)