MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC COMMERCIAL NATIVE PLANTS IN THE EASTERN BLACK SEA REGION OF TURKEY

Mahir KÜÇÜK, şaban ÇETİNER & Fahrettin ULU
Eastern Black Sea Forestry Research Institute,
Trabzon TURKEY

Summary

Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey has a rich floristic composition, of which, a very large percentage belongs to aromatic, medicinal, tuberous and bulbous plant species. This study, done by inquiry, communicating with other people or organisations interested in this subject showed that there are some 150 plant species in the Region. But the trade of these plants (approx. half million US$) is not enough.

Much of the trade belongs to some 30 species. Exported to foreign countries are Alchemilla spp., Cyclamen coum, Primula elatior, P. veris, Tilia spp., Vaccinium myrtillus, V. arctostaphylos, Galanthus spp., Arum italicum, Berberis vulgaris, etc. Bought by food factories we have Cornus mas, Rosa canina, Morus alba, Rubus spp., Orchis spp., Ophrys spp., Dactylorhiza spp., etc. Used for folk medicine are Tussilago farfara, Centaurium erythraea, Urtica dioica, Equisetum spp., Alkanna orientalis, Achillea millefolium, Hypericum perforatum, Zea mays, etc. Used for herbal tea and taste (or spice) in meals are Thymus spp., Tilia rubra, T. platyphyllos, Bellis perennis, Rosa canina, etc. Many of the herbalists (rarely in the region) can prepare only 15–20 species for trade, naturally grown.

Some of the species are endangered because they have been collected without controls for a long time. To solve this problem new structures and laws are necessary by Turkish Ministry of Forestry. Encouragement and direction of the local people is necessary. Applicable research for production of these species is also necessary.

Introduction

Turkey, with its location, topography and different climate types, has an intricate floristic composition and complex vegetation. Research mainly on flora showed that there are 10 300 flowering plants and ferns, of which, 30% are endemic species (Özhatay, et al, 1997). According to Anşin (1980), Eastern Black Sea Region has approximately one fourth of the Turkey's flora and 23% of them are endemic. The Region, where there are some 60 evergreen woody plants, has more than 40 forest tree species of 20 m or more in height (Küçük, 1995).

Medicinal, aromatic, tuberous and bulbous plants are a very important percentage of the regional native plants. They are exported to foreign countries, used by food factories of folk medicine in the region or in other parts of the country.

The aims of the study are:

1. Determination of the medicinal and aromatic plants or plant drugs used for folk medicine, which depends on the knowledge from generations of human history.
2. Determination of the plant species grown naturally or cultivated in the region.
3. Determination of the quantities sold to herbalists, to some food factories or to exporter firms.
4. Determine the total income of the regional people from these plants.

Finally, as work permitted other questions would be addressed.

Material and Method

After the literature search, we communicated with herbalists, food factories and exporter firms to collect data on medicinal, aromatic, tuberous and bulbous native plant species harvested from natural growth or grown artificially.

Genera and species were identified. Table 1 was prepared.

Many of the herbalists, village collectors, food factories and exporter firms were visited. Information was collected on plants of commercial value regionally, nationally or internationally. The plant parts used, the production quantities, the units of measure and estimated total sale prices were noted.

There has not been an organisation in Turkey controlling trade of the commercial aromatic, medicinal and bulbous plants. Since many of these plants have been collected without permission and controls, many of the people we contacted were troubled during our inquiry. So, they have claimed a quantity of plant collection that is less than their normal annual quantities. As a result, it is estimated that, the plant species and their numbers in the region are accurate but reported production volume is less than the real quantity.

Findings

We have used the literature, data and verbal communication of herbalists, exporters and other people interested in these plants' trade in the region. The names of commercial aromatic, medicinal, tuberous and bulbous plants (collected from nature or cultivated), the parts used, production volumes, and sales income were accumulated and given in the following tables.

Since there are no certain standards for harvesting these plants and their sales, the unit sale price for same species is very different from one herbalist to another. Therefore, there are no average sales prices in Tables 1 and 2.

In the Black Sea Region some 150 plant species (see Tables 1 and 2) have been sold commercially. Although very rich in plant species, the trade (at least 500 000 US$) is not enough.

These plants, in addition to their cited commercial value, have many functional characteristics (not accounted by money) that were not studied. For example, hydrologic regulation, preventing erosion, absorbing air pollution and noise, oxygen production, forage for bees, silkworms and other animals, nonwood fire material (cone, bark, small branches), etc.

There are more than 150 commercial aromatic and medicinal plant taxa in the region (seen tables) but many herbalists sell only 15–20 native regional plant or plant drugs. Much of the trade volume is in a few plants exported to foreign countries, used for folk medicine, herbal tea, or spices.

Species exported for medicinal or other purposes:

• Alchemilla spp.
• Cyclamen coum
• Galanthus spp. and other tuberous or bulbous plants
• Primula veris, P. elatior
• Arum italicum
• Zea mays
• Berberis vulgaris
• Vaccinium myrtillus, V. arctostaphylos

Plant species used for folk medicine, herbal tea and taste (or spice) in meals:

• Equisetum spp.
• Alkanna orientalis
• Achillea millefolium
• Hypericum perforatum
• Centaurium erythraea
• Tussilago farfara
• Thymus spp.
• Tilia rubra, T. platyphyllos
• Urtica dioica
• Vaccinium myrtillus, V. arctostaphylos
• Rosa canina

Plant species bought by food factories:

• Rosa canina
• Cornus mas
• Morus alba
• Rubus idaeus, R. discolor, R. hirtus, R. caucasicus, etc.
• Dactylorhiza spp.
• Ophyrys spp.
• Orchis spp.

Table 1. Native or Cultivated Medicinal, Aromatic, Tuberous and Bulbous Plants Sold from Black Sea Region to Foreign Countries or in Turkey

In the Black Sea Region, some species are endangered. They have been collected excessively as root, tuberous or bulbous crops. For example, for each kg powdered root of salep, 2620 tubers are necessary; 2620 plants are killed (Özhatay, et al, 1997). Therefore, natural production of the following species must be limited or forbidden in the region:

• Dactylorhiza spp., Ophrys spp., Orchis spp.
• Cyclamen coum var. coum
• Centaurium erythraea
• Lycopodium clavatum, C. selago
• Primula veris, P. elatior
• Galanthus spp. and other tuberous or bulbous plants (Scilla, Allium, Crocus, Iris, Tulipa, Gagea, Ornithogalum, Muscari, Colchicum spp., Lilium spp., Arum spp, etc).

Table 2 gives a very comprehensive list of native plants of the region with commercial demand by foreign firms. Because of low wages and difficulty with laws many foreign orders have not been filled.

Table 2. Native Plant Species of the Region Demanded Periodically by Foreign Countries

Many plants have been sold in local bazaars of cities and towns of Black Sea Region (Table 3).

Table 3. Native Plant Species Sold Periodically in Local (Public) Bazaars in Cities and Towns of the Eastern Black Sea Region

Results and Discussion

1. Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey has a very rich medicinal, aromatic, tuberous and bulbous plants potential. Some 150 species are used commercially. At least US$ 500 000 is earned in trade of these plants. Because we could not personally contact all information sources, some of them have not given us full and correct data. It should be understood that the plant names and species are the nearest to reality but the income results are probably low.

2. Many species have been requested by foreign countries but demand has not been met because of low wages, prohibition of some species, etc.

3. Many exported plants of Turkey are collected from natural growth or cultivated in Aegean and Mediterranean Regions. Whereas, in the Eastern Black Sea Region many of these species grow naturally.

4. If the regional people are conscious, encouraged and supported by practical research by government, they will have important economic income from this rich plant potential.

5. A control organisation must be completed, supported by laws and technology to protect these plants and to prevent the extinction of these species. Actually, General Directorate of Afforestation (A.G.M.) of Ministry of Forestry may support cultivation of these plants but not have authority. Same as A.G.M., General Directorate of Forest Enterprises (O.G.M.) of Ministry of Forestry has many sites and is partly responsible for production of these plants, but it does not have full authority and facilities (laws, staff, equipment, etc.). For solving this problem, Turkish Ministry of Forestry should have botanists, pharmacists, and other plant experts as staff or advisers.

6. Additionally, Government may support cultivation. New “Regulation of Afforestation”, declared in Official Newspaper dated 23.02.1998 and numbered 23267, may support firms or villagers. If they have projects on cultivation of medicinal and aromatic species as secondary plants under an industrial tree afforestation or the main plants are completely in unsuitable lands for afforestation then the government (Turkish Ministry of Forestry) may give credits and technical assistance. There are some sample firms in Aegean and Mediterranean Regions, but not in the Eastern Black Sea Region.

7. Practical research on production of some species, which have important commercial and economic potential, must be done quickly so that credits and other encouragement for villagers or firms by Ministry of Forestry will be more useful.

References

Anon., 1998 External Trade According to Materials, between 1996 and 1997, State Institute of Statistic Prime Ministry, Ankara.

Anşin, R., 1980 Flora of the East Black Sea Region and the Floristic Compositions of the Main Vegetation Types, Technical University, Faculty of Forest, Trabzon.

Baytop, T., 1984 Therapy with Medicinal Plants in Turkey, Past and Present, Publication of the Istanbul University, No: 3255, Istanbul.

Baytop, T., 1994 A Dictionary of Vernacular Names of Wild Plants of Turkey, Publication of the Turkish Language Society No: 578, Ankara.

Davis, P. H., 1965–1988 Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol I–X, Edinburgh.

Küçük, M.; Var, M., 1995 Floristic and Ecological Studies and Economical Aspects of Some Evergreen Woody Taxa of Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey, IV. Plant Life in Southwest Asia and Central Asia Symposium, 21–28 May 1995, İzmir.

Özhatay, N.; Koyuncu, M.; Atay, S.; Byfield, A., 1997 A Study on Natural Medicinal Plants Trade of Turkey, Society for Protection of Natural, İstanbul.

PLANTES INDIGÈNES DE LA RÉGION DE LA MER NOIRE DANS L'EST DE LA TURQUIE, COMMERCIALISÉES COMME PLANTES MÉDICINALES ET AROMATIQUES

MM. Mahir KÜÇÜK, şaban ÇETINER et Fahrettin ULU
Institut de recherche en foresterie de la mer Noire, TRABZON
Turquie

RÉSUMÉ

La région orientale de la Turquie, au bord de la mer Noire, a une flore riche composée en majorité de plantes aromatiques, médicinales, tubéreuses et bulbeuses. L'étude, établie à l'aide des résultats obtenus par des recherches, en correspondant ou en communiquant avec d'autres personnes ou organisations intéressées par la question, a montré qu'il existait environ 150 espèces de plantes dans la région. Toutefois, le commerce (qui correspond à environ un demi-million de dollars des États-Unis) n'est pas suffisamment développé.

L'essentiel du commerce représente une trentaine d'espèces qui sont exportées à l'étranger (Alchemilla spp., Cyclamen coum, Primula elatior, P. veris, Tilia spp., Vaccinium myrtillus, V. arctostaphylos, Galanthus spp., Arum italicum, Berberis vulgaris, etc.), achetées par des industries alimentaires (Cornus mas, Rosa canina, Morus alba, Rubus spp., Orchis spp., Ophrys spp., Dactylorhiza spp., etc.), utilisées pour la médecine traditionnelle (Tussilago farfara, Centaurium erythraea, Urtica dioica, Equisetum spp., Alkanna orientalis, Achillea millefolium, Hypericum perforatum, Zea mays, etc.), pour la confection de tisanes et comme plantes aromatiques culinaires (épices) (Thymus spp., Tilia rubra, T. platyphyllos, Bellis perennis, Rosa canina, etc.). Généralement les herboristes (rarement dans la région) ne savent préparer aux fins de commercialisation que 15 à 20 espèces, qui poussent naturellement.

L'avenir de certaines espèces est menacé parce qu'elles ont été cueillies pendant très longtemps sans le moindre contrôle. Pour arrêter cette exploitation sauvage, il est nécessaire que le Ministère turc des forêts mette en place de nouvelles structures et adopte une nouvelle législation. Il faut aussi encourager les habitants de la région et leur donner des instructions et faire des recherches appliquées en vue de la production de ces espèces.