Five Decades Of Research In The Field Medicinal And Aromatic Plants At The University Of Agricultural Sciencesand Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (After Year 1970)

The University of Agricultural Sciences And Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, has an outstanding tradition in research on hop-, medicinal- and aromatic plants. Beginning in 1993, research in this field at the University Of Agricultural Sciences And Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca has been carried out within the Research Centre on Hop- and Medicinal Plants founded at this institution and it is quoted as <> by the University’s Senate. There follows that this acceptance be granted by the respective national authorities. The results obtained within the Centre are published in “Hop and Medicinal Plants”, a publication started in 1993 by the University of Agricultural Sciences And Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca in cooperation with the Association of Hop – Plants growers of Romania and the Faculty of Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, as well as Plafar units at Cluj-Napoca and Bra?ov. The report introduces the main research fields as well as the results obtained by the Centre.

The concept of rural development, it stems from many factors and variables circumstantial of area as rural tourism, agritourism, products of territory, in our case the medicinal and aromatic plants. In this paper we estimate the land fund by purpose and destination of use is grouped into three categories, where the third, with about 53 thousand hectares, is less fertile, affected by erosion, and should be used with priority. Their expansion results to be 67% in mountain areas, 31% in hilly areas and only 2% in lowland areas. The more effective alternative according to our agriculture theory and practice is that of the aromatic and medicinal plants (medicinal and aromatic plants) that have multi-dimensional cultivating interests for our country, conditioned by the climatic and soil conditions as well as the economic and organizational conditions of a range of stakeholders related to the aromatic and medicinal plants, such as their growers, collectors, aggregators, processors and traders (exporters). In terms of our country the aromatic and medicinal plants have two main situations: From the wild, outdoor and, b) Cultivated, in increasingly growing areas, in different areas and with differentiated practices. Among the the aromatic and medicinal plants in complexity, sage, thyme and oregano have obvious superiority in area planted and the production realized out of their total. The advantage of the aromatic and medicinal plants results in full use of agricultural land, in a broader employment of free labor force (mainly women), increase of income, increase of their exports, which currently account for about 52-54 % of the total that agriculture as a whole realizes in the last years, etc.

The use of aromatic and medicinal plants in developing countries has been widely observed. The increasing human population and demands in the late decades has led to over exploitation of land in many areas thus reducing the biodiversity of medicinal plants. Aromatic and medicinal plants possess odorous volatile substances and the characteristic aroma is due to a variety of complex chemical compounds. This study was carried out in order to contribute aromatic and medicinal plants knowledge of Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. This investigation included twenty medicinal or aromatic plant specimens collected and photographed from Bingol provinces during the vegetation seasons 2016. With this study some medicinal and aromatic plants recorded and photographed; that might be useful for health-care programme, aromatic and medicinal plants knowledge, aromateraphy, phytoteraphy, economic agricultural policy development, alternative food programme, ethnobotany and development of drug sector.

Renewed interest in medicinal and aromatic plants during the past 20 years has brought surging markets and production opportunities for these plant species. To enhance and maintain market growth, however, MAP production systems, whether cultivated or collected, will need to ensure sustainable production of quality plant materials that have been wholesomely grown and processed. The growing familiarity of western consumers with medicinal and aromatic plants places a premium on standardized plant materials that are organically produced and meet expectations for efficacy. Currently, market demand for MAP is nurtured by consumer demographics and by favorable impressions of bioactivity, but this demand remains susceptible to myths, traditions, and science reports associated with the plant materials. By addressing the problems of standardization and verifiable marker compounds along with issues such as plant domestication, conservation, biotechnology, and others that affect plant cultivation, producers and processors can assure acceptable products reach the marketplace and crop production opportunities will continue to grow. Introduction A recent resurgence of interest in medicinal plants in many Western nations, the continued dependence of people in much of the world on these species, and the advent of a globalized economy has brought sustainability challenges to the medicinal plant trade. The modern market for medicinal plants has, in general, grown over the past 15 years (Fig. 1), but remains fragile, subject to governmental regulations, research findings, and media publicity along with the usual factors associated with supply and demand. Indeed, many challenges to the continued growth of the market exist, including appropriate education of consumers, assurances of high quality products, and availability of a sustainable supply of plant material. The development of patentable, synthetic pharmaceuticals in the 1930s and 1940s in America and other Western countries (Table 1) resulted in the active abandonment of medicinal plants in health care, leaving new generations of both health care practitioners and the general populace with only a limited history, culture, and understanding about the appropriate use of medicinal species for preventing and treating human ailments (Craker and Gardner, 2003). Consumer confidence in pharmaceutical drug development, enhanced by the discovery of antibiotics and vaccinations that prevent or treat many diseases has lately decreased as drug costs escalate and major health problems, such as cancer, AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and numerous other problems continue to exist. An array of interests from medical professionals essentially committed to “modern” pharmaceuticals, consumers seeking alternative health care options, and herbalists promoting the use of medicinal and aromatic plants can convert challenges to market opportunities if growers and processors provide safe, useful plant products and educate consumers and health care professionals on benefits of medicinal plant products. Education of consumers and healthcare practitioners about the correct use of medicinal and aromatic plants and plant extracts will help ensure the continued recognition of the value of these products. For example, Western consumers accustomed Proc. WOCMAP III, Vol 2: Conservation Cultivation & Sustainable Use of MAPs Eds.: A. Jatisatienr, T. Paratasilpin, S. Elliott, V. Anusarnsunthorn, D. Wedge, L.E. Craker and Z.E. Gardner Acta Hort. 676, ISHS 2005 26 to taking a pharmaceutical drug and experiencing the effect of the drug within minutes to hours must learn that an herbal product that may take much longer to exhibit noticeable activity. Similarly, consumers and producers must replace the concept of taking drugs to treat pre-existing conditions with the concept of taking medicinal plants to improve general health and to treat both clinical and sub-clinical conditions. If consumers and health care providers are unfamiliar with the concepts of medicinal herb use, they cannot be expected to seek, recommend, or use these plants as medicine. Consumer Demographics As with any commodity, sales and use of medicinal plant products are influenced by the type of people that use these products. Indeed, a good share of the growth in sales of medicinal and aromatic plants and other natural products over the past 15 years can be attributed to the growth of certain demographic groups. Immigrants from Asia and Latin America have popularized a new palette of herbs and spices in restaurants and homes in the United States. This popularization has been such that U.S. spice consumption grew from 2 pounds per capita in 1976 to 3.2 pounds per capita in 1995 (Anonymous, 1998) (Fig. 2). Contributing to the increase in spice consumption is a change in lifestyle in many industrialized nations. The movement of women, historically the people responsible for meal preparation, from the home to workplace has altered traditional roles, requiring easier food preparation within the limited time available after work. In these instances, spices are frequently used to enhance the flavor of homemade and prepared meals. A highly significant trend among consumers is the increase in consumers interested in environmental issues, the so-called “green” consumers (Roper, 2002). Such consumers are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products, including organic foods, recycled products, and herbal remedies. These consumers value natural alternatives to conventional products including foods and medicines, thus medicinal plant products and natural food flavorings are favored by these consumers. Media Influences Media stories featuring medicinal plants appear highly influential in consumer demand and acceptance of medicinal plants. While medicinal plants were featured positively in several highly publicized stories in the late 1990s (Greenwald, 1998; Johnson et al., 1997), many of the more recent stories have been negative with concerns focused on several plant species (such as kava and ephedra) (Burros, 2002; Strugatch, 2002), with few headlines highlighting the benefits or proper use of medicinal plants. Most of the negative stories are concerned with the lack of standardization of dose or with reports of results from poorly designed research studies (Brody, 1999). Product Quality The popularization of medicinal plants in Western nations during the 1990s encouraged the formation of numerous new companies producing herbal medicines. Unfortunately, the quality of the plant materials (including differences due to natural variation, cultivation practices, and post harvest handling) and processing vary among companies, and thus the quality of oils and other extracts is highly variable. Surveys by independent laboratories have demonstrated significant variation in the quality and reported content of packaged herbal remedies (Anonymous, 2001; ConsumerLab, 2002). News reporting of such variation undoubtedly lowers consumer and health care provider confidence in medicinal plant products. Standardization of herbal products is the most commonly suggested solution for overcoming the natural variation of constituents in plant material. While standardization can help ensure product quality, recognized drawbacks to standardization exist. For example, in many plant species the active constituents of the species are not fully known. Secondly, a combination of plant constituents may be responsible for biological action of the plant or plant extract. Yet, if standard guidelines for marker compounds can be recognized and if plant selection, cultivation methodology, and processing can be

The effects of nutrients on the growth and quality of medicinal and aromatic plants, affecting athletic abilities

Since thousands years back approximately around 900 BC, medicinal plants are considered as a source of many biomolecules with therapeutic potential. Herbal medicines are considered as safer, better, physiologically compatible and costeffective. The oldest evidence of medicinal and aromatic plants depicts that with the emergence of human civilization, plants have been considered as the main source to heal and cure various serious ailments. It has been proven that the secondary metabolites e.g. alkaloid, glycosides, flavonoides, steroids etc present in the medicinal plants possesses ability to prevent occurrence of some of the diseases, means medicinal plants acts as a “preventive medicine”. Medicinal plants have a paramount importance and a great interest due to its pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutritional values. Some plants are also considered as an important source of nutrition and are known to have a variety of compounds with potential therapeutic properties. India is the principal repository of large number of medicinal and aromatic plants or we can say India is one of the rich mega-biodiversity countries of the world. Medicinal plants are “backbone” of traditional medicinal system (TMS). Crude drugs are usually dried parts of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) such as roots, stems, wood, bark, seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, rhizomes, whole plant etc. that form the essential raw material for the production of medicines in various systems of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Tibatian, Tribal and Homeopathy. According to the survey of the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80% of the world population are using herbs and other traditional medicines for their primary healthcare and have established three kinds of herbal medicines: raw plant material, processed plant material, and herbal products. Now days, variety of available herbs are used throughout the world and they continue to promote good health. As the benefits from medicinal and aromatic plants are recognized, these plants will have a special role for humans in the future. The present review on medicinal and aromatic plants revealed similar combination of studies.

Medicinal and aromatic plants are offered in a wide variety of products on the market. At least every fourth flowering plant is used. The enormous demand in botanicals results in a huge trade from local to international level. In the 1990s, the reported annual world-wide importation of pharmaceutical plants amounted on average to 400,000 t valued at USD 1,224 million. The international trade is dominated by only few countries. About 80 % of the world-wide imports and exports are allotted to only 12 countries with the dominance of temperate Asian and European countries. Whereas Japan and the Republic of Korea are the main consumers of pharmaceutical plants, and China and India are the world’s leading producing nations, Hong Kong, the USA and Germany stand out as important trade centres. Until now, the production of botanicals relies to a large degree on wildcollection. However, utilization and commerce of wild plant resources are not detrimental in themselves, but, for example, the increasing commercial collection, largely unmonitored trade, and habitat loss lead to an incomparably growing pressure on plant populations in the wild. World-wide an estimated 9,000 medicinal plant species are threatened. Conservation concepts and measures which have to meet future supply and the provisions of species conservation range from resource management, cultivation, shifting processing from consumer to source countries, species conservation to trade restrictions or even trade bans. Medicinal and aromatic plants are of high priority for conservation action, as wild-crafting will certainly continue to play a significant role in their future trade: the sustainable commercial use of their biological resources may provide a financial instrument for nature conservation. INTRODUCTION Phytopharmaceuticals, also some pharmaceuticals, herbal remedies, dietary supplements, homeopathics, medicinal and herbal teas, liqueurs, spirits, sweets, aromas and essences, perfumes, cosmetics, colouring agents, varnishes, fireworks, and detergents – plant-based products offered in a wide variety on the market. Whereas in some goods the herbal ingredients are evident, e.g. in teas or in herbal remedies where they are declared on the packaging, in other products the botanically source is more secret: the bitter taste of Campari is based on the Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea), and the fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) contains steroid-saponins which are extracted for use in oral contraceptives. The use of botanical raw material is in many cases much cheaper than to use chemical alternative substances. As a consequence, there is an enormous demand in botanicals resulting in a huge trade, on local, regional, national and international level for domestic use and for commercial trade. Different aspects are associated with the trade in medicinal and aromatic plant material, the trade structure, trade volumes and values, the herbs used and their production, the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the trade, and the management of the botanical resources. Proc. XXVI IHC – Future for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Eds. L.E. Craker et al. Acta Hort. 629, ISHS 2004 Publication supported by Can. Int. Dev. Agency (CIDA) 178 MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN USE Species in Use World-wide, it is estimated that up to 70,000 species are used in folk medicine (Farnsworth and Soejarto, 1991). The WHO reports over 21,000 plant taxa used for medicinal purposes (Groombridge, 1992). Unfortunately, there is no idea how many species are used in the other areas of use, like cosmetics, spirits or aromas which makes determining exactly the number of all medicinal and aromatic plant species used worldwide impossible. However, it can be stated, that at least every fourth plant is in use, a calculation based upon the estimated total number of 300-350,000 flowering plants. The number of medicinal and aromatic plant species used in some regions are impressive: In India, which is said to have probably the oldest, richest and most diverse cultural traditions in the use of medicinal plants, about 7,500 species are used in ethnomedicines (Shankar and Majumdar, 1997) which is half of the country’s 17,000 Indian native plant species. In China, the total number of medicinal plants used in different parts of the country add up to some 6,000 species according to Xiao (1991) and to over ten thousand according to He and Sheng (1997). Of these, approximately 1,000 plant species are commonly used in Chinese medicine, and about half of these are considered as the main medicinal plants (He and Sheng, 1997). In Africa, over 5,000 plant species are known to be used for medicinal purposes (Iwu, 1993). In Europe with its long tradition in the use of botanicals, about 2,000 medicinal and aromatic plant species are used on a commercial basis (Lange, 1998). In Germany, Lange (1996) identified not less than 1,500 taxa as sources of medicinal and aromatic plant material. In Spain, it is estimated that 800 medicinal and aromatic plant species are used of which 450 species are associated with commercial use (Blanco and Breaux, 1997; Lange, 1998). Geographical Origin of the Species in Use Herbs used in a country can be either indigenous or native to other regions or even continents. The share of both plant groups depends on the country’s cultural preferences, importance of traditional medicines, history, trade relations, and of course of the wealth or poverty of a country. Traditional medicines are playing an important role in many parts of the world. In south and southeast Asia, the Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicines are widely distributed and based on not less than 400, 500 respective 1,800 native Indian plant species (Shankar and Majumdar, 1997). The TCM, the traditional medicine of eastern Asia, relies in most cases on indigenous plant species. Traditional healers in many African countries rely on local or at most regional plant material (Marshall, 1998). In Bulgaria, about 750 native plant species, or 20 % of the total flora, are used in folk medicine. Of these, 200300 species are most commonly used (Hardalova, 1997). Further, in Albania, 205 native plant species are used as sources of botanicals (Vaso, 1997; Lange, 1998). In Hungary, some 270 native medicinal and aromatic plant taxa are used, 180-200 of which are officially recognised by the Hungarian Pharmacopoeia (Bernath, 1996). Ozhatay et al. (1997) list a total of 337 native taxa that have been commercially traded in Turkey since at least 1990 (Lange, 2001). From the French pharmacopoeia and lists of medicines Goi et al. (1997; Lange, 1998) noted some 900 taxa, of which almost half are native to Europe. This means, that many countries rely on a major part on their own plant diversity. Many of them cannot afford to import foreign botanicals, finished herbal products or even phytopharmaceuticals and the country’s own “biodiversity” is mainly offered in a crude form or at most as little processed products on the market. On the other side, there are the developed countries which use besides indigenous plant species a lot of non-native species and process them in their well developed pharmaceutical, cosmetic and extract-producing industry. Accordingly, the plant material is offered to the consumers as mainly packed and finished products, and the crude material plays a minor role in the retail trade. This features apply above all to the highly

DOI: 10.15414/afz.2015.18.04.83–89 Received 7. July2015 ǀ Accepted 30. September 2015 ǀ Available online 7. December 2015 Two types of molecular markers based on randomly amplified DNA by RAPD-based assay and amplified microRNA by miRNA-based assay were applied for the genotyping of five accessions of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. It was also verified the effectiveness of the isolation of genomic DNA by three commercially available isolation kits and two similar complex methods and their applicability for this medicinal herb. None of the commercial isolation kits provided the genomic DNA of sufficient quality and quantity. Applied originally designed CTAB method and modified CTAB method for purpose of DNA isolation from medicinal plants allowed to isolate DNA of required quality and of sufficient yield. RAPD-based DNA fingerprints, allowed to distinguish the individual genotypes of Silybum marianum. MicroRNA-based markers showed the cross-genera transferability potential and displayed sufficient level of polymorphism. Both types of molecular markers could be used as suitable tool for genotyping of milk thistle. However, because of the size of miRNA amplicons is the efficiency of miRNA-based markers PCR amplifications preferred and consequently less DNA quality-dependent which may be advantageous in view of the content of undesirable secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. Keywords : molecular markers, RAPD, miRNA, Silybum marianum References ABENAVOLI, L. et al. (2010). Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future. In Phytother Res, vol. 24, no.10, pp. 1423-1432. BARVKAR, V. T. et al. (2013). Genome-wide identification and characterization of microRNA genes and their targets in flax (Linum usitatissimum): Characterization of flax miRNA genes. In Planta, vol. 237, pp. 1149-1161. BEJ, S. and BASAK, J. (2014). MicroRNAs: The potential Biomarkers in Plant Stress Response. 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Optimization of DNA isolation and PCR protocol for RAPD analysis of selected medicinal and aromatic plants of conservation concern from Peninsular India. In African Journal of Biotechnology, vol. 5, pp. 230-234. RAFIEIAN-KOPAIE, M. and NASRI, H. (2012). Silymarin and diabetic nephropathy. In J Renal Inj Prev, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3-5. RAINODE, F. (2005). Milk thistle. In American Family Physician, vol. 72, no. 7, pp. 1285-1288. ROGERS, S. and BENDICH, A.. (1994). Extraction of DNA from plant, fungal and algal tissues. In Plant Molecular Biology Manual, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 193-190. SHARAF, A. A. et al. (2010). Biochemical and genetic characterization of 12 Silybum marianum accessionscollected from Borg El-Arab, an Egyptian habitat. In Functional Plant Science and Biotechnology, vol. 5, Special Issue 1, pp. 22-29. SUCHER, N. J. and CARLES, M. C. (2008). Genome-based Approaches to the authentication of medicinal plants. In Planta Med, vol. 74, pp. 603-623. SUNKAR, R. (2010). 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Monitoring the species diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants contributes to the conservation of the gene pool of natural resources and their rational use. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have been the only source of medicinal raw materials. Despite the intensive development of chemical synthesis, plant resources are in great demand both in the pharmaceutical industry and in the national economy. They serve as a raw material for the production of medicines, pharmaceutical substances, cosmetics and biologically active additives. They are also sources of biologically active substances, objects of introduction and stimulus for the development of medicinal plant breeding and import substitution of drugs of natural origin. The need for medicinal raw materials of plant origin is constantly increasing. Separately, it should be noted that some medicinal and aromatic plants cannot be cultivated due to their biological characteristics. Meeting the needs of the country's population and the needs of the pharmaceutical industry is an important strategic issue. The Belgorod branch of the All-Russian Institute of medicinal and aromatic plants carries out many years of research, which made it possible to carry out ecological and phytocenotic evaluation of the natural plant community and analyze it on the basis of species systematics, to identify the natural potential of the local flora with selection of the most promising species for cultivation under regulated conditions. The raw material base of medicinal and aromatic plants in Belgorod region consists of a fund of raw materials harvested from wild-growing plants and a fund of raw materials collected at the expense of cultivated medicinal plants. Medicinal plants are harvested not only for the pharmaceutical industry and direct sale through pharmacies, but also for the needs of the population.

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPS) represent a consistent part of the natural biodiversity endowment of many countries in Africa. The role and contributions of medicinal plants to healthcare, local economies, cultural integrity and ultimately the well-being of people, particularly the rural poor, have been increasingly acknowledged over the last decade. The demands of the majority of the populace for medicinal plants have been met by indiscriminate harvesting of spontaneous flora, including those in forests. This has resulted in severe loss of habitat and genetic diversity. The utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) as a source of fuel, building material, food, fodder, and fibre, in African countries has, however, led to a resurgence of natural product- based industries and pharmaceutical products. This had been spurred by the interests of the developed countries for traditional medicine and natural products. Furthermore, many African medicinal plants are well-known in the international markets, e.g. Ancistrocladus abbreivatus, a Cameroun plant with anti-HIV potential. Therefore, sustainable management and conservation of these endangered medicinal plant species are important not only because of their value as potential therapeutics, but also due to worldwide reliance on traditional medicinal plants for health. Effective conservation strategies for medicinal plant should take place within four main areas: in-situ andex-situ conservation, education and research. Saving Africa’s medicinal plant resources from extinction calls for intensive management and conservation, more research and increased level of public awareness about our vanishing heritage. Key words: African, health care delivery, medicine, harvesting.

Bu çalışmada, Covid-19 (Kovid-19) pandemisine karşı sağlık çalışanları tarafından, geleneksel olarak kullanılan tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma tanımlayıcı modelde tasarlanmış olup 10 Temmuz-31 Aralık 2021 tarihleri arasında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Türkiye’deki sağlık çalışanları araştırma evrenini oluşturup basit rastgele örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında, alan uzmanlarınca hazırlanan yarı yapılandırılmış anket formu kullanılmıştır. Demografik bilgiler ve tıbbi ve aromatik bitkiler olmak üzere iki kısımdan oluşan anket, Google forms üzerinden online olarak uygulanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde SPSS 24 paket programı kullanılmış, yüzdelik ve frekans hesaplamaları yapılmıştır. Araştırmaya, Türkiye genelinde 1320 sağlık çalışanı katılmış olup, katılımcıların %55’i kadın, %45’i erkektir, meslek gruplarına göre dağılımı; %18’i hemşire, %16’sı sağlık memuru, %12’si hekim, %10’u ATT, %9’u paramedik, %9’u ebe, %8’i tıbbi sekreter, %7’si eczacı, %6’sı psikolog ve %5’i diğer (sosyal çalışmacı, müdür, diş hekimi vs.) şeklindedir. Çalışma sonucuna göre; sağlık çalışanlarının %77’si Covid-19 pandemisinde tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin tamamen ve kısmen etkili olduğuna inandığını belirtmiş ve bunların %63’ü şifalı bitkileri kullanmıştır. Kullanılan bitkiler içinde kekik/Origanum sp. (%99), narenciye/Citrus sp. (%94) ve sarımsak/Allium sativum (%93) en yüksek düzeyde tercih edilmiştir. Tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin kullanımı hakkındaki bilgilerin en çok sosyal medya (%99) aracılığıyla elde edildiği görülmüştür. Katılımcıların %94’ü bitkileri aktardan temin etmiştir. Bitkiler daha çok demlenerek (%99) ve çiğ gıda (%91) şeklinde tüketilmektedir. Bu süreçte tıbbi ve aromatik bitki kullananların %63’ü Covid-19’a yakalanmadığını bildirmiştir. Sonuç olarak, Covid-19 sürecinde sağlık çalışanlarının büyük çoğunluğunun tıbbi ve aromatik bitkilerin etkisine inandığı ve şifalı bitkileri kullanmayı tercih ettikleri ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Bu çalışma modern tıp ilmi almış bireylerin tamamlayıcı tıbba olan bakışını yansıtması açısından önemli bir değere sahiptir.

Sudan has large area, with multi- culture, habits rich biodiversity and medicinal plants, although was divided in 2011 into two countries still rich with valuable medicinal plants. The objective of the present mini review is to indicate and document some medicinal plants from Sudan and reflect their valuable uses in treating some indigenous and tropical diseases. The present mini- review gave a look at some of these plants, mentioning their families, distribution, their local names, their habits, the plant part used for treating diseases and mode of treatment. The medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Institute (MAPRI) of the National Centre for Research (NCR) plays major role in medicinal and aromatic plants investigation, determination, valuation and documentation in Sudan and contributes with local healers in different regions of Sudan, the rediscovering of these plants is highly needed with contribution of overseas pharmaceuticals companies as natural products have less side effects than industrial drugs.

Background: Harike Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) is a natural bank of medicinal plants and native flora; therefore regular monitoring is required to maintain such diversity. The objective of the present study is to document the medicinal plants used by local people settled around HWS besides to develop a systematic record of traditionally used medicinal plants. Methods: The data was collected with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire following the snowball sampling method. People with some knowledge of medicinal plants were targeted for gathering information. To confirm the plant availability and identification, various field surveys were conducted along with informants across the habitat types within Harike Wildlife Sanctuary. Besides the harvest time of different wild plants mentioned by informants and the database is prepared for useful medicinal plants. Results: A total of 85 species from 79 genera and 51 families were mentioned by informants for the treatment of 40 types of health ailments. Leaves (25% species) are the most used plant part and decoction (19 species) is the most used method for the preparation of the drug, while the most frequent administration of the drug is oral (85% species). The ethnobotanical indices like Use Value, Relative Importance and Fidelity Level (FL) of each species have been derived from the primary dataset. Conclusion: Even though the study area also has access to contemporary healthcare services, the study found that numerous species are utilized to treat a wide range of medical conditions. By creating an effective plan, the current study may help to preserve medicinal and aromatic plants. Keywords: Harike-wetland, Ethnobotany, Fidelity Level, Medicinal plants, Use Value, Punjab

Headspace (HS)-solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has assumed an ever increasing importance as a technique for HS sampling to study the composition of the HS of medicinal and aromatic plants. HS-SPME has mainly been applied for (a) studying the composition of the volatile fraction, including in addition to or as an alternative to other sampling techniques; (b) monitoring the biological phenomena involved with the volatile fraction of a plant; (c) discriminating between species, subspecies, varieties, cultivars, or chemotypes; and (d) quality control of plant samples. A review of 108 articles published during 2000-2005 is presented covering the use of HS-SPME in the field of aromatic and medicinal plants, selection of the most effective fiber and sampling conditions, comparison of HS-SPME and other volatile fraction sample preparation techniques, and the advantages and limits of HS-SPME when applied to medicinal and aromatic plants.

The Himalayan region is the treasure house of natural wealth, particularly of medicinal and aromatic plants. These plants are used by the Indian traditional healers for the past many centuries to treat various ailments such as skin disorders, asthma, diabetes, snake bite, fever, pain, eye diseases, diarrhoea, indigestion, jaundice, burn, wound, liver disorder, CNS disorders and urinary tract infection. The indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and therapies of various local communities has been lost due to changes in traditional culture and the introduction of modern technologies. Therefore, it is essential to explore the traditional knowledge of the indigenous medicinal plants mainly in such areas where there is a severe threat to natural vegetation owing to human inhabitation. The present study aimed to explore the medicinal plants of Chakrata region (Jaunsar–Bawar Hills), Uttarakhand, India used in the folk medicine for the management of diabetes by Jaunsari Tribe. In a comprehensive field survey, the information about the medicinal plants have been mainly collected from the traditional healers and other elderly people belong to the tribal community. All the information about the medicinal plants of the study area was documented in a field book. Various tools have been used to collect the samples for identification purpose and the authentication of the plants was done with the help of taxonomists. The literature on these plants was also searched from online (PubMed and Scopus) as well as from some textbooks and Ayurvedic classical texts. The present survey-based work described a total of 54 plants belonging to 47 genera and 30 families used in the traditional medicine for the management of diabetes in Chakrata region. The information gathered from the local community revealed that the plants are effective in diabetes and one can use most of them without consulting a practitioner or traditional healer. The literature revealed that most of the surveyed plants are already used in the preparation of various antidiabetic formulations such as Chandraprabha vati, Nishamalaki chunra, Amritamehari churna and Nisakathakadi kashayam along with various patent drugs which are frequently prescribed by the Ayurvedic practitioners in India. The present study explored the traditional as well as scientific knowledge on the antidiabetic plants used by the tribal community. The documented information on these plants can be further used by the scientific community to develop new drugs/formulations with the help of modern techniques.