Folk medicine in Düzce Province (Turkey)

Authors : İlhan GÜRBÜZ, Ayşe Mine Gençler ÖZKAN, Galip AKAYDIN, Ece SALİHOĞLU, Tuğba GÜNBATAN, Fatih DEMİRCİ, Erdem YEŞİLADA

Pages : 769-784

View : 16 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The present study was conducted to collect, record, and document local knowledge of medicinal practices in Düzce, a northwestern Anatolian province. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive ethnobotanical study has been reported from this province. Information was acquired through semistructured interviews and personal conversations using a questionnaire and numerous guided field trips with local knowledgeable people. For quantitative analyses and comparisons, recorded data such as informant consensus factor insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FIC); and use value insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(UV); were calculated, respectively. As a result of extensive field studies, 122 taxa were determined as folk medicines; 76 of were wild and 46 were cultivated. The identified medicinal plants were mainly from the family Rosaceae, followed by Compositae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae, respectively. Among the preparations used, liquid forms such as infusions insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(30.2%); or decoctions insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(16.4%); represented the most favored ways to administer medicinal plants. Dermatological disorders had the highest FIC score with a value of 0.75 followed by skeletomuscular insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FIC = 0.7466);, gastrointestinal insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FIC = 0.6666);, immunological insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FIC = 0.6615);, and respiratory insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FIC = 0.6292); system disorders, among others. The most prominent medicinal plants were Urtica dioica insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(UV = 0.4352);, Plantago major insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(UV = 0.3056);, Rubus ulmifolius insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(UV = 0.2279);, and Sambucus ebulus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(UV = 0.2279);. According to the present study, the number of people who recognize and use the wild plants of Düzce, and those of the rest of Anatolia, is steadily decreasing. The ethnobotanical knowledge cannot be passed to the next generation in its entirety if it is not properly recorded. In addition to this gradual loss of knowledge, modern information pollution and contamination via the popular media highlight the urgent need to record this precious knowledge before it is lost.
Keywords : Folk medicine, Düzce, ethnobotany, Turkish medicinal plants, Turkey