Wild medicinal plants and their usage in traditional human therapy (Southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, W. Balkan)

Abstract

Both Mediterranean and Sub-Mediterranean regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina are known for very prominent traditional usage of wild medicinal and aromatic plants for the treatment of various diseases. Ethno botanical interview method was used to collect information from the sample population comprised of 55 adults, of different religious background (Catholics, Muslims, and Orthodox), with an average age of 63. This resulted in the collection of 96 wild plants from 46 different plant families. These plants are used in preparation of up to 200 different ethno pharmaceuticals and used for 430 different treatments, mainly of chronic diseases: respiratory system (63 species), stomach and intestinal system (55 species), liver and gall bladder (60 species), urinary system (33 species), genital system (42 species), nervous system (30 species), cardiovascular system (27 species), skin conditions (56 species). 60 species are being used for the treatment of some other health disorders. In ecological sense, 40% of these species are constituents of meadow and rock debris communities, 34% of termophilous forest and shrub communities, while 20% of species are constituents of abandoned places.   Key words: Biodiversity, botanical medicine, ethno therapy, ethno biology, ethno pharmacology, herbal anthropology, pharmaceutical ethno botany, preparations of traditional medicines.