Mehmet Temel

Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in Afyonkarahisar-Turkey

BackgroundThe traditional knowledge about plants and their uses in Turkey is disappearing in recent years because the new generations of villagers migrate to big cities for a better life. Afyonkarahisar located at the intersection of roads and phytogeographical regions (Mediterranean, Iran-Turan, and Euro-Siberian) has more than 2500 plant species. This richness of plant diversity promotes the indigenous commuity for the traditional use of wild plants. The aim of the study is to show wild plants’ ethnobotanical usages associated with medicinal, food, fodder, and household goods in 31 settlements within the boundaries of Afyonkarahisar province.MethodsThe ethnobotanical data were collected from 46 informants by means of semi-structured interviews from 2012 to 2014. Ethnobotanical uses of plants of the study area were conducted in the vicinity of Afyonkarahisar (5 districts, 8 towns, 15 villages, and 3 neighborhood centers).ResultsOne hundred and thirty plant taxa belonging to 39 families were recorded and collected. Hundred and seventy-eight different uses of these plants were documented and used generally for medicinal (84), food (68), fodder (16), household goods (3), dyes (3), handicrafts (3) and religious (1).ConclusionThis study provides interesting uses of plants in the local community of Afyonkarahisar and its surrounding area, in what purpose they make use of plants, how they make use of them and obtained results will contribute to economy of villagers. Since the local people, especially in villages, are poor and do not have health care, they use the plants to treat illnesses, food, fodder, household goods and other uses (evil eye). Also this study will light the way for posterity for next generations.

Traditional Tar Production from the Anatolian Black Pine [ Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe var. pallasiana ] and its usages in Afyonkarahisar, Central Western Turkey

BackgroundTar is one example of a plant product used in folk medicine and it is obtained from Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe, which is very common in the West Anatolian Region. Old trees that are good for kindling and have thick trucks are preferred to obtain tar. Tar is used not only as traditional medicine but also for protection against both endoparasites and ectoparasites. The objective of this study was to record the traditional method of obtaining tar and its usages in Afyonkarahisar which is located in the Western Anatolian Region of Turkey.MethodsIn order to record the traditional methods of obtaining tar, we visited the villages of Doğlat, Kürtyurdu and Çatağıl in Afyonkarahisar (Turkey) June-July, 2012. Ethnobotanical data about the method of collection and traditional usages of tar were obtained through informal interviews with 26 participants (16 men and 10 women). Data concerning the method of tar collection and its traditional usages were recorded and photographed.ResultsThe traditional method for obtaining tar from Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana by local people was recorded and the local usages (curing ear pain in children, osteomyelitis, wounds, ulcers, eczema, acne, alopecia, fungus, foot-and-mouth disease in animals, mouth sores in sheep and goats, protection against endo- and ectoparasites, repellent for snakes, mice, flies (Tabanus bovinus) and ticks, and the prevention of water leakage from roofs) of tar are described.ConclusionIn this study, the traditional method for obtaining tar and the traditional usages of tar are explained. Documentation of the method of obtaining tar and its traditional usages may contribute to scientific research on the benefits and usages of tar in medicine, veterinary medicine, as well as other fields.

Düzağaç Akdeğirmen Barajının Bazı Fiziko-Kimyasal Özellikleri

Anahtar kelimeler Akdegirmen; Baraj; Fiziko-kimyasal; Parametreler; Su kalitesi Ozet Duzagac Akdegirmen baraji Afyonkarahisar’da bulunan Afyonkarahisar’in icme suyu ihtiyacini karsilayan bir barajdir. Akdegirmen barajindan Mart, Nisan, Eylul ve Aralik 2011 aylarinda alinan su orneklerinde fiziko-kimyasal parametreleri mevsimsel olarak incelenmis, su kalitesi, ve bazi organizmalar icin yasam kosulu yonunden degerlendirilmistir. Analiz sonuclari, Su Kirliligi Kontrol Yonetmeligi (SKKY), icme sularinin kullanilma standartlari ile (WHO, EC, EPA ve TS 266) karsilastirilmasi yapilarak degerlendirilmis, baraj suyunun 1.sinif su kalitesine sahip oldugu degerlendirilmistir. Otrofikasyon ile ilgili degerleri sinirlari asmadigi tespit edilmistir. Ayrica suyun kalitesi bazi organizmalarin yetistiriciligine de elverislidir.

Antibacterial Activity of Turkish Endemic Sideritis Akmanii (Lamiaceae)

Antibacterial activity of Sideritis akmanii Z. Aytac, M. Ekici and A. Donmez extracts was investigated by disc diffusion methods against Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Different concentrations of Sideritis akmanii oil posses a significant antibacterial acitivity against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but have no effect on yeasts. This plant can be used as a food additive and traditional medicine. ABSTRACT