The use of plants for foods, beverages and narcotics

Includes bibliographical referenceshttps://digitalrepository.unm.edu/unm_bulletin/1026/thumbnail.jp

Use Of Plants To Remediate Soil Polluted With Oil

In the present investigation the growing and development ability of various annual and perennial plants to grow on model peat substrate artificially polluted with oil products in the range of concentrations from 1 to 5% was evaluated. The highest tolerance towards peat contamination by oil products has been demonstrated by three annual crops (maize, oat and lupine). These plants were tested for phytoremediation of polluted black soil from the area of oil refinery plant (Mazeikiai, Lithuania), which was treated by association of oil oxidizing bacteria up to residual concentration of the oil products of 4.5 %. The maize plants revealed the highest remediation ability: oil content in the soil decreased by ~ 1.5 times in one month plant vegetation

Local knowledge held by farmers in Eastern Tyrol (Austria) about the use of plants to maintain and improve animal health and welfare

Background The sustainable management of animal health and welfare is of increasing importance to consumers and a key topic in the organic farming movement. Few systematic studies have been undertaken investigating farmers’ local knowledge related to this issue. Ethnoveterinary medicine (EVM) is a discipline focusing on local knowledge and folk methods in veterinary medicine, however most ethnoveterinarian studies primarily address the treatment of animal diseases. Very few studies have explored prophylactic methods. Methods An ethnoveterinary research project in Eastern Tyrol (Austria) was conducted in 2004 and 2005 to gather information about local knowledge of animal husbandry from 144 informants, with the emphasis on plants that maintain livestock health and welfare. Results Informants mentioned a total of 87 plants and 22 plant-based generic terms in the context of maintaining and improving livestock health and welfare. The most important preventive measures for maintaining and improving animal health and welfare were practices related to “fodder” and “feeding”. In this category the plants mentioned could be grouped according to three different perceptions about their effect on animals: “Good or bad fodder”, “Functional fodder” and “Fodder medicine”. In addition to fodder, environmental management, the human-animal relationship, household remedies and cultural/religious activities were also mentioned. When asked about practices in the past that maintained animal health and well-being, interviewees mentioned, for example, the importance of the diversity of sources that used to be available to obtain feed and fodder. Conclusions The informants’ approach that feeding is central to livestock welfare is in line with the standard scientific literature on animal health, including in organic farming. Various scientific studies into common fodder evaluate the nutritive and dietary value, efficiency and safety of fodder. Future studies also have to consider the evaluation of traditional, local fodder resources. In fact, the value of ‘food as medicine’ for humans in the context of local knowledge has been widely assessed, but the potential health benefits of fodder and nutraceuticals in local and traditional ethnoveterinary methods require further attention

USE OF PLANTS AS TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN SWAMEDICATION IN PIDIE COMMUNITIES

Self-medication is an act of self-healing using plants as traditional and modern medicine without the intervention of professional medical personnel. Availability of natural materials and affordable prices encourage people to return to using traditional medicines. The purpose of this study is to find out the types of plants used by the community Pidie, plant parts and reasons for using plants as traditional medicine in self-medication. The type of research used is non-experimental with the survey method and PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal), by interviewing 1280 respondents. Parameters of this study are the types of plants used, plant parts and reasons for using plants as traditional medicine in self-medication. The results showed that there were 38 tribes and 53 types of plants. The most widely used plant parts were leaves (44.3%), the least were roots (0.7%), and the reason for using plants as traditional medicine in self-medication was easily obtained (53.8%)

The use of plants to improve indoor air quality in small office space

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) can cause a series of effects towards human health. VOC is also associated with Sick Building Syndrome and other building related illnesses. Common materials found in every home and place of business may cause elevated exposure to toxic chemicals. The aim of this study was to examine the best indoor plants that could be used to improve indoor air quality in a small office space. In this study, the concentration of VOC inside a room was monitored before and after the test, using Aeroquol Model S500 VOC Gas Detector and by using oil-based paint painted on a panel measuring 0.05 x 0.05 m in order to create a minimum of 3ppm of VOC. Three types of tropical indoor plants were used in this study; Nephrolepis exaltata, Rhapis excelsa and Dracaena fragrans. Data were monitored for eight hours at 10 minutes interval. The results showed no significant differences between the number of pots and the type of plants used in reducing VOC content in the real room environment. This was probably due to several factors, such as the interference of outside air and the condition of the experimental room. This experiment suggests that further experiments should be carried out in a controlled environment to improve our knowledge of how indoor plants can improve indoor air quality, and thus improve human health and well-being