The use of wild medicinal plants in the traditional therapy of respiratory diseases in high mountain region of W. Balkan

Due to various disturbances in the environment is increasing the proportion of patients with respiratory diseases. A very high proportion are obstructive lung disease in relate to climate changes [1]. Especially children suffer from asthma and bronchitis. In chronic respiratory disease than the classic drugs, often used in various herbal medicines. Many of them used since ancient times in traditional phytotherapy, particularly in high altitudes [2, 3].

In order to find effective herbal means in the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases are carried out ethno-botanical research in high mountain region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been use of classical ethno-botanical interview with 52 adults informants in various locations (SE Herzegovina; mountains Maglic, Zelengora and Volujak in SE Bosnia and mountains in surrounding of Sarajevo). It has been determined 35 plant species used in traditional treatment of respiratory disorders. Most commonly cited species are: Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach., Primula intricata Gren. & Gordr and P. veris L., Plantago reniformis G. Beck, Pinus mugo Turra, Picea abies (L.) H.Karst., Abies alba Mill., Allium ursinum L., Telekia speciosa (Schreb.) Baumg., Thymus balcanus Borb., Malva moschata L., Orchis sp. (several species), Dactylorhiza sp. (several species) and others.

Most used were aerial part of plants in the flower, then leaves, root, bulb and rhizome. Those plants use to make infusions, decoctions, wraps, and „cigarettes.“

Many of the plants should be identified and examined through various laboratory pharmacological tests in order to put some of them in the use as an official phytotherapeutics.

References: 1. Frumkin H et al. (2008) Am J Public Health 98: 435–445.

2. Redzic SS (2007) Coll Antropol 31: 869–890.

3. Redzic S (2006) Proc.1st IFOAM Intern. Conf. Organic Wild Production, 117–141