ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN AĞRI PROVINCE, TÜRKİYE: EXPLORING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to systematically document the use of plants, plant parts and preparation methods used by people in eight districts and sixty villages in Ağrı province. Material and Method: The medicinal plant species employed by the indigenous population for therapeutic purposes were systematically gathered and identified. Comprehensive data on traditionally utilized information were compiled, and herbarium materials were prepared. These materials have been deposited at the Iğdır National Wild Life Museum (INWM), affiliated with Iğdır University. Result and Discussion: This research identified a total of 58 taxa of medicinal plants belonging to 31 families. Among these, 50 species were found to grow naturally, while 8 species were cultivated. The predominant plant families included Asteraceae (8), Apiaceae (4), Lamiaceae (4), and Rosaceae (4). Infusion emerged as the most widely employed preparation method. The practice of traditional medicine remained prevalent among the population in Ağrı. Nevertheless, with the increasing availability of health services in the region, herbal medicine appeared to be more closely associated with healthcare and illness prevention than with curative purposes. The influx of new immigrants also contributed to the erosion of traditional knowledge. Notably, there is a discernible decline in traditional knowledge regarding the use of medicinal plants, both among younger generations and due to migration. Furthermore, this research serves as a foundational resource for prospective scientific inquiries aimed at the development of novel commercial drugs derived from plant sources.

Keywords

• Ağrı
• ethnobotany
• medicinal plants
• Türkiye

TÜRKİYE'NİN AĞRI İLİNDE TIBBİ BİTKİLERİN ETNOBOTANİK ÇALIŞMASI: GELENEKSEL BİLGİ VE TEDAVİ POTANSİYELİNİN KEŞFEDİLMESİ

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırma, Ağrı ilinin 8 ilçesi ve 60 köyünde yaşayan insanların yararlandıkları tıbbi bitkilerin kullanımı, bu bitkilerin kullanılan kısımlarını ve hazırlanma yöntemlerini kayıt altına almak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Yöre halkının tedavi amacıyla kullandığı şifalı bitki türleri toplanarak, tanımlanmıştır. Geleneksel olarak kullanılan tüm bilgiler kayıt altına alınmış olup, herbaryum materyalleri hazırlanmış ve herbaryum örnekleri Iğdır Üniversitesi yaban hayatı müzesinde (INWM) depolanmıştır. Sonuç ve Tartışma: Bu araştırmada 31 familyaya ait toplam 58 tıbbi bitki taksonu tanımlanmıştır. Bunlardan 50 türün doğal, 8 türün ise kültür bitkisi olduğu tespit edilmiştir. En çok rastlanılan bitkilerin Asteraceae (8), Apiaceae (4), Lamiaceae (4), Rosaceae (4) familyalarına ait olduğu gözlenmiştir. En yaygın hazırlıklama şekli infüzyondur. Ağrı'da halk arasında geleneksel tıbbın kullanımı hâlâ yaygındır. Bununla birlikte, bölgedeki artan sağlık tesisleri sayesinde, bitkisel ilaçların daha çok sağlık bakımı ve hastalıkların önlenmesinde kullanıldığı tespit edilmiştir. Bölgede yeni göç ve genç nufüsun artıığı gözlenmiştir. Hem genç nesillerde hem de göç nedeniyle şifalı bitkilerin kullanımına ilişkin geleneksel bilgide kademeli bir kayıp olduğu gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca, bu araştırma, bitkisel kaynaklı yeni ticari ilaçlar geliştirmeyi amaçlayan gelecekteki bilimsel araştırmalar için temel bir kaynak görevi görecektir.

Keywords

• Ağrı
• etnobotani
• tıbbi bitkiler
• Türkiye

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