Nazim A. Mamedov

MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA FOR THE TREATMENT OF SELECTED SKIN CONDITIONS

ABSTRACT Russia and Central Asia are geographically located in the heart of the Eurasian continent. The Russian landscape is generally composed of hardwood and softwood forests, while in the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tadjikstan, and parts of Mongolia and China, mountains, steppes, and deserts are the primary landforms. The flora of Russia and Central Asia contains approximately 300 species of plants that have been used in prescription and non-prescription pharmaceutical preparations, while nearly 2500 plants are known to have been used in traditional medicine. This paper reviews the plants used in both traditional and non-prescription pharmaceutical remedies for the treatment of allergic rashes, skin irritations, boils, wounds, dermatitis, and pyoderma.

Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Bronchial Asthma in Russia and Central Asia

ABSTRACT Over 200 different species of plants from the former Soviet Union have been used in the traditional or conventional treatment of bronchial asthma. This paper reviews crude plant extracts and botanical drug formulas used in the former Soviet Union for the treatment of bronchial asthma and other respiratory allergic diseases.

Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Medicine of the Caucasus and North America

Medicinal plants and preparations derived from plants in the Caucasus and North America regions have for a long time been used for the treatment and prevention of virtually all human afflictions. Even today, countries and people of these areas continue to test and use plants as medicine. Indeed, the study and application of medicinal plants and plant extracts has formed the basis for treatment of several diseases, pain, and other afflictions. Research has revealed that many plants synthesize and accumulate natural constituents that have active physiological and psychological effects on the human body. A number of plant extracts that have been used as medicines over hundreds of years are constituents in most modern prescription drugs. The arrays of environments within the Caucasus Mountains and North America have produced a diverse flora with an assortment of medicinal properties. Due to curative powers, a number of these plant species continue to be used in folk medicines.

An Alternative Potential Natural Genetic Resource: Sea Buckthorn [Elaeagnus rhamnoides (syn.: Hippophae rhamnoides)]

Elaeagnus rhamnoides (syn.: Hippophae rhamnoides), also known as sea buckthorn, is a member of the Elaeagnaceae family. Every part of the plant is used as medicine, nutritional supplement, fuel and fence, and therefore sea buckthorn is popularly known as ‘Gold Mine’, ‘Wonder Plant’ or ‘Golden Bush’. This plant contains a series of chemical compounds, possessing various biological as well as therapeutic activities including hepato-protective, antitumoural and immunumodulatory properties. The fruits of sea buckthorn have been used as a raw material for foods and medicines for decades in various regions of the world including China, Russia, North America and Europe. Berry products of sea buckthorn are nowadays becoming popular foods in the United States, Canada, Finland, Germany, and some other European countries. During the last decade sea buckthorn has attracted special attention and became an important subject for domestication in many countries as it is one of the most interesting plants for human use. However, the commercial cultivation and exploitation of sea buckthorn berries using its secondary compounds such as flavonoids, vitamins and carotenes for high quality food products or even to produce basic products such as juices is differently developed in Europe, Asia and Russia/NIS. Industrial cultivation, medicinal use, and processing of sea buckthorn berries need to be aligned according to different purposes, e.g. direct consumption, processing, juice or oil production, juice yield or composition of active compounds, seed oil or pulp oil, compounds to be enriched, etc. The medicinal and/or nutritional components of berries will provide very cheap raw material for national and international pharmaceutical industries, benefiting humanity worldwide. That’s why, sea buckthorn is one among the R&D subjects of the pharmaceutical industries all over the world. For this purpose, this chapter highlights the latest information about the sea buckthorn with an emphasis on its morphological features, taxonomic status, ecological and ecophysiological characteristics, biomorphological characteristics of some cultivars, phytochemical contents, traditional uses, potential medicinal characteristics, and other potential economical uses.

Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Medicinal Plants from Uzbekistan: A Review

Medicinal plants are a reservoir of biologically active compounds with therapeutic properties that over time have been discovered and used by diverse groups of people for treatment of various ailments. In this regard, Uzbekistan has an excellent historic research base of herbal medicines with about 70% of Uzbek households using medicinal plants to meet their health needs for several centuries. The flora of Uzbekistan includes more than 4500 species of vascular plants and over 600 of these plants are used in traditional or conventional medicines, significantly surpassing other areas by the absolute number of endemics and the percentage of endemism. The plants are a reservoir of secondary metabolites, suitable for use in pharmacological studies with a high possibility of observing biologically active constituents. The present review provides an up-todate a report on the phytochemicals and pharmacological activity of the medicinal plants widely used in Uzbekistan. As a country, Uzbekistan appears to be a source of novel herbal drugs that have not yet been fully evaluated. We trust the present report will be useful for further investigations on the medicinal activity of indigenous plant species in

Medicinal Plants from Countries of Former USSR Used for Treatment of Depression

Flora of ex-Soviet Union countries contains more than 17,600 higher plants species, and 260 of them are used in conventional medicine. Twenty five plant species are used conventionally and traditionally for the treatment of depression. Here, we summarize the information on the antidepressant effects of Hypericum perforatum L., Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim, Leonurus cardiaca L., Leonurus turkestanicus V.I. Kreczetovicz & Kuprianova, Nepeta cataria L., Oplopanax elatus Nakai, Patrinia intermedia (Hornem.) Roem et Schult., and Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin.

Potential Use of Licorice in Phytoremediation of Salt Affected Soils

The salinisation of lands has become a major environmental issue and has been recognized as the most important economic, social and environmental problem in many regions of the world. Salt and drought tolerant halophytes may help to restore abandoned saline lands for sustainable use for crop production. Licorice has been considered as salt tolerant plant which could be used for remediation of abandoned salt affected soils. Phytoremediation of saline soils with nitrogen-fixing leguminous licorice can improve the soil nitrogen content, increase the soil organic matter, stimulate soil biological activity and improve soil water-holding capacity. This paper focuses on the potential use of licorice for the phytoremediation of salt affected soils.