Vasilev, V.

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Varna Medical University Press: Journals

USE OF T H E MEDICINAL PLANTS OF F A M I L Y " U M B E L L I F E R O U S " IN BULGARIAN POPULAR MEDICINE IN COMPARISON WITH ANCIENT AND CONTEMPORARY PHYTOTHERAPY V. Vasilev Key words: umbelliferous plants, phytotherapy, Bulgarian popular medicine, ancient medicine Working on the therapeutics in Bulgar ian popular medicine ( B P M ) we found numerous materials from investigations of plants of family "Umbell i ferous". As for some representatives of that family it is known they were applied even during the Ancient centuries and Ancient Thraeia (1). I n the "Shestodnev" of Joan E k z a r k h we found also some representatives of this family. The plants of the family Umbelliferous have about 300 genera wi th 3000 specieses. Their outer structure differs them easily from the other plants. These plants can be found in the temporary cl imatic zones in North and South hemisphe-res. They are mainly annual or polyannual grass plants, but also, even rarely, can be found in the form of a tree or bush (2). I n our country such plants of this family are presented in 70 specieses (3). Concerning the phytochemistry of Umbelliferous plants they consist of: ether oils, bitter compounds, higher fatty and aromatic acids, alcohols, aldehy-des, ketones, phlavonoids, glycosides, alkaloides, starch, fatty oils, sacharides, cumarinic derivatives, saponines, etc. Their components are wi th various phar-macologic ac t iv i ty . I n our report we try to compare different sources from B P M , Dioscuridis who is the most famous pharmacologist and therapeutist from the ancient centu-ries (discussed in our previous reports) and some other sources. The materials concerning Dioscuridis are gathered from various places only by us, whereas the other sources are found in different books, people's rumours, papers from B P M , works of other authors such as B . Bachvarov, I . Urumov, etc. (4, 5, 6, 7) . We also analyse some modern publication on phytotherapy from -Bulgarian authors: D . Jordanov, P . Nikolov, A . Boichinov (1970), Soviet: N . G . Kovalyova , German: G . Madaus, etc. Also we get certain information from the French investigator A . Leucleur (1976). When comparing the different sources we have in mind: 1) Number of the applied plants, 2) Indications for application, 3) Forms of usage. The biggest number of applied plants reports Dioscuridis — 36. Some of them even can not be found in our curative flora. However, certain plants from his depiction can not be identified due to the unclear meaning of the ancient Greek language in the text. I n B P M the number is 28, somewhat l ike that of the above author, including several foreign plants too. I n the modern phytotherapy the number is l ike that: Madaus uses 23, B u l -garian investigators — 17, A . Leucleur — 15, N . G . Kovalyova — 6. Madaus gives examples from al l cl imatic zones, whereas Leucleur — only from the French Use of the medicinal plants of. 127 flora. As for Kovalyova , she analyses only definite diseases such as gastrointesti­nal , urethral, l iver and bile, haemopoietic, which as a whole decreases the num­ber of the applied plants. The question of indications for usage has its various aspects. F i r s t of a l l there are certain differences in the nomenclature and classification of the diseases according to the time: ancient, nowadays, etc. There are, however, definite s i ­milarit ies between Dioscuridis and B P M concerning some indications and syn­dromes, i . g. so similar terms: haematuria, l i thiasis, asthma, etc. As for the indica­tions there are same ones in Dioscuridis, in B P M and in modern phytotherapy: for the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urethro-genital disorders, stimula­tion of lactation, etc. A l l this proves that the experience of Dioscuridis was included in the B P M and later in the modern phytotherapy, a process cf development and additional knowledges of application of medicinal plants. The form of usage and application of these plants shews also definite simi­lar i ty between Dioscuridis, B P M and the modern phytotherapy: l iquid extracts, tea, inhalations, infusions, etc. Precise doses and technology of such prescriptions can be found, however, only in the modern phytotherapy. There is also difference in application of the buchinish, which being a poisonous plant in B P M has only external usage, whereas in the modern phytotherapy is applied also internally. Here are some examples for various applications of some plants: anise: B P M — for spasms and pains in gastrointestinal tract, lactagogue, insom­nia, expectorant; Dioscuridis — for gastrointestinal diseases, diuretic, lactago­gue, sweatting; Modern phytotherapy — same as both before. buchinish: B P M — wounds, external application; Dioscuridis — oedema, exter­na l ly ; Modern phytotherapy — pains, antispastic effect wi th bronchitis, organic diseases of nervous system. kimion: B P M — stomach, expectorant, emenagogue; Dioscuridis — stomach, diuretic effect; Modern phytotherapy — stomach. parsley: disuria, lactagogue, throat pains; Dioscuridis — diuretic, emenagogue; Modern phytotherapy — diuretic. Our study enlighted the question of the ancient knowledges for the appli­cation and curative properties of the plants of family Umbelliferous in our B P M , as wel l as in the modern phytotherapy. Therefore, it is obvious that there is a constant process of scientific exchange between centuries — an example for cul­tural inheritance in the field of medicine. R E F E R E N C E S 1. В а с и л е в, В. В: Медицината в древна Тракия. С , 1975, с. 50. — 2.* * * Ura­nia, Pflanzenreich. Leipzig, 1976, p. 160. — З. С т о я н о в , H . , Б . К и т а н о в . В: Диворастящи полезни растения в България . С , 1960, 254—276. — 4.* * * Материали по Българска народна медицина. — В: Сборник за народни умотворения. 1907, т. 5, с. 189; т. 9. т. 21, т. 23, дял З, природонаучен. — 5. У р у м о в , И. Българска народна меди­цина. С , 1935. — 6. Б ъ ч в а р о в , Б . Лечение на кожните болести в народната ни меди­цина. С , 1963. — 7.* * * Pedanii Dioscurides de materia medica l ibr i . V . E d . Wellmann t. 1 - 3 . 1907, p. 14. 1 128 v - Vasilev П Р И М Е Н Е Н И Е Л Е Ч Е Б Н Ы Х Р А С Т Е Н И Й С Е М Ь И « С Е Н Н И К О Ц В Е Т Н Ы Е » В Б О Л Г А Р С К О Й Н А Р О Д Н О Й М Е Д И Ц И Н Е ПО С Р А В Н Е Н И Ю С ИХ П Р И М Е Н Е Н И Г М В А Н Т И Ч Н О Й И С О В Р Е М Е Н Н О Й Ф И Т О Т Е Р А П И Я Х Вл. Василев Р Е З Ю М Е В работе рассматривается применение лечебных растений «сенникоцветные» в болгар­ской народной меедицине и проводится сопоставление их показаний, формы и способа приме­нения, как и их общее число с соответствующими сведениями в труде Диоскурида «О лечеб­ной материи», а т акже и с данными современных болгарских и заграничных руководств по фитотерапии. Конкретнее рассматриваются некоторые лекарственые растения — анис, цмин, петрушка И Д р . В их показателях устанавливается много общего. Приведенные приме­ры отражают культурное наследие античной медицины и болгарской народной медицины. 

USE OF THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF FAMILY "UMBELLIFEROUS" IN BULGARIAN POPULAR MEDICINE IN COMPARISON WITH ANCIENT AND CONTEMPORARY PHYTOTHERAPY

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USE OF THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF FAMILY "UMBELLIFEROUS" IN BULGARIAN POPULAR MEDICINE IN COMPARISON WITH ANCIENT AND CONTEMPORARY PHYTOTHERAPY

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