International Journal of Academic and Applied Research (IJAAR) ISSN: 2643-9603 Vol.4 Issue 5, May – 2020, Pages: 78-87 Ethnomedicinal Uses of Araceae Taxa in Turkish Traditional Medicine Mustafa Eray Bozyel1*, Elif Merdamert-Bozyel2, Atakan Benek3, Dilay Turu4, Mustafa Ali Yakan4, Kerem Canlı4 1Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey 2COVID-19 Diagnostic Center, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Education and Research Hospital, Health Institutes of Turkey (TÜSEB), İstanbul, Turkey 3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, Turkey 4Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Dokuz Eylül University, Buca, Izmir, Turkey *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract: The Araceae family is one of the large families of Angiosperms. The family contains 105 genera and 3300 species. About 90% of the genera and about 95% of the species are found in tropical areas. It contains species of medical value and used as food among the public. Arum, Biarum, Dracunculus, Eminium, and Arisarum are the most important genera in Turkey. As a result of the study, the authors found that eleven Arum, one Biarum, and one Dracunculus taxa are used as herbal medicine in Turkish Traditional Medicine. One of them is endemic: Arum rupicola var. rupicola Boiss. It has been determined that taxa of the family are mostly used by local people for hemorrhoid, eczema, rheumatism, and cancer. Keywords: Araceae; Arum; Biarum; Dracunculus; Ethnomedicinal uses; Turkish Traditional Medicine terms of endemic species. According to the most recent data, the total number of plant species is 11707 (together with 1. INTRODUCTION subspecies taxa), the number of endemic species is 3035 and the rate of endemism is 1.12 [6, 7]. Plants have been considered as integral parts of humanity throughout history. In addition to being consumed In Turkey, there are plants used by local people for primarily as food, plants have many different uses, especially ornamental plants, spices, vegetables, and medicinal for therapeutic purposes. According to the World Health purposes, as well as plants that are cultured and exported. Organization (WHO), approximately 80% of the developing The number of medicinally used plants in Turkey is world population uses traditional herbal medicines. In estimated to be around 500 and it is stated that there is an developing countries, traditional herbal medicines are seen export potential of about 200 medicinal and aromatic plants and used as inexpensive and alternative sources for primary [8, 9, 10]. health care services. However, the use of traditional herbal medicines in treatment has rapidly become popular in Medicinal use of plants is a tradition that has been going developed countries [1]. According to the results of the on for centuries in Anatolia. These uses that have survived to research conducted by WHO, the number of herbal drugs the present day should be continued traditionally and the used and traded is 1,900 [2]. structures and medicinal properties of plants should be revealed using modern techniques. In recent years in Turkey, Turkey, which is located in the temperate zone and has the importance given to plants used for medicinal purposes rich vegetation is quite different from neighboring countries. and studies on ethnomedicinal uses has increased [11, 12, 13, The rich vegetation of the country differs in terms of the 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, number of species compared to all European countries [3, 4]. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41]. Europe's total area is fifteen times as much as Turkey's total area. Despite this, there are 12,000 plant species (together 1.1 The Araceae Family with ferns and seed plants) and 2750 endemic species in the European Continent, while there are approximately 12,000 Geophytes are perennial plants that spend most of the plant species and more than 3000 endemic plant species in year under the ground as onions, tubers, and rhizomes and our country [5]. Turkey's plant diversity is due to its bloom when suitable climatic conditions occur. Geophytes, topographic, geological, geomorphological features, the mostly blooming in spring, some in autumn and winter, presence of different wetland types, elevation differences create a unique harmony of color in nature with their that create microclimate areas even at very short distances, beautiful and showy flowers [42]. With this aspect, deep canyons, and very different ecosystem types [4]. geophytes are among the most preferred plant groups in the Turkey, one of the rare countries in the world dominated by landscape. Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae, Colchicaceae, three different floristic regional climates (Euro-Siberian, Mediterranean, and Irano-Turanian), has a different place in Iridaceae, Liliaceae, Orchidaceae, Asparagaceae, Araceae, Ixioliriaceae and Xanthorrhoeaceae are the main important http://www.ijeais.org/ijaar 78 International Journal of Academic and Applied Research (IJAAR) ISSN: 2643-9603 Vol.4 Issue 5, May – 2020, Pages: 78-87 geophyte families in Turkey. Apart from these, dicotyl areas. Aroids are one of the most structurally and families containing geophytes are as follows: Primulaceae ecologically diverse groups of monocotyls. Its habitat is (Cyclamen L.), Papaveraceae (Cotydalis Medik.), widely diverse. It has taxa that include geophyte, climber, Ranunculaceae (Eranthis Salisb., Anemone L., Ranunculus epiphyte, halophyte, and aquatic life forms [48]. The family L.), Asteraceae (Dahlia Cav.), and Geraniaceae (Geranium contains poisonous plants. The vast majority are indoor L.). Ornamental plant production in Turkey consists of cut ornamental plants. It contains species of medical value and flowers (48%), outdoor plants (47%), indoor plants (3%), used as food among the public. Arum, Biarum, Dracunculus, and flower bulbs (2%) [43]. Eminium, and Arisarum are the most important genera in Turkey. Turkey is also very rich in the bulbous, rhizome, and tuberous plant species, which are called geophyte and are of In this study, the authors have examined recent studies to great importance economically. About 1000 of the species compile the ethnomedical uses of Araceae taxa in Turkish that make up Turkey's flora richness are geophytes. About Traditional Medicine. 35% of these species are also endemic [7, 44, 45, 46]. The Araceae family was introduced to the world of 2. RESULTS science in 1789 by the French botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu. Araceae is one of the large families of Angiosperms. As a result of the study, the authors found that eleven The family is distributed in the pantropical environment, Arum, one Biarum, and one Dracunculus taxa are used as several species are found in the temperate zone. The family herbal medicine in Turkish Traditional Medicine. One of contains 105 genera and 3300 species [47]. About 90% of them is endemic: Arum rupicola var. rupicola Boiss. (Table the genera and about 95% of the species are found in tropical 1). Table 1. Araceae taxa are used as herbal medicine in Turkish Traditional Medicine Plant species* Local name* Parts Usage form Intended use References Arum sp. Yılan yastığı Flowers Prepared as soup Dewormer [49] Fruits Directly Hemorrhoid [50] Swallowed Hemorrhoid [49] Cut into pieces and Hemorrhoid [51] swallowed Ingested Prostate [52] Roots Sliced (eaten) Stomachache, Hemorrhoid [50] Pounded fresh root Rheumatism [49] is applied to affected extremity Pounded with flour Abscess [51] Fruits, Seeds, - Eczema, Rheumatism, [53] Leaves, Roots Snakebite, Hemorrhoid Arum dioscoridis Sm. Tirşik pancarı Fruits Infusion, Hemorrhoid [12] Suppository, Covered with dough and ingested Cut in halves Scorpion bite [54] Swallowed Hemorrhoid [55] Mash Wart [55] Swallowed Hemorrhoid [56] Seeds Swallowed Hemorrhoid, Fungal diseases [54] Crushed and placed Cracked heels [54] in shoe heel Leaves Boiled (low Digestive disorders, Diuretic, [57] temperature long Antitussive, Tranquilizer time) Heated in the Tonsillitis [54] embers or cooked in the ash Infusion Antiurolithiatic, Stomachache, [58] Heartburn Juice Eczema [58] Roots Dried and Hemorrhoid [54] swallowed - Paste, Mixture (with Enuresis [59] http://www.ijeais.org/ijaar 79 International Journal of Academic and Applied Research (IJAAR) ISSN: 2643-9603 Vol.4 Issue 5, May – 2020, Pages: 78-87 honey) - Medicinal uses [53] Arum dioscoridis var. dioscoridis Tirşik pancarı Fruits Infusion Hemorrhoid [56] Sm. Seeds Decoction Hemorrhoid [56] Arum dioscoridis var. syriacum - Fruits Swallowed Hemorrhoid [55] Engl. Mash Wart [55] Matured Raw eaten Hemorrhoid [13] fruits - Paste, Mixture (with Enuresis [59] honey) Arum elongatum Steven Yılan cücüğü Fruits Raw eaten Hemorrhoid [14] Mixed with olive oil Hemorrhoid [14] Swallowed Hemorrhoid [14]; [55]; [60] Mash Wart [55] Leaves Boiled Goiter, Diabetes, Rheumatism, [61] Abdominal pain, Afterpains Infusion Rheumatism, Cancer, Goiter, [62] Cardiac disorders Boiled, Infusion Goiter, Diabetes, Abdominal [63] pain, Rheumatism, Hypertension, Afterpains Aerial parts Boiled Diabetes, Cancer [62] Tubers Boiled in water, Hemorrhoid [14] crushed with honey Swallowed with Hemorrhoid [56] bread Raw eaten Cancer [64] Roots Grated and honey Hemorrhoid [60] added Grated Abdominal pain [60] Grated Hemorrhoid [60] Roots, Tubers Powdered Hemorrhoid [65] - - Colon cleansing, Dewormer, [66] Diarrhea Arum maculatum L. Yılan ekmeği Fruits Raw eaten Hemorrhoid [56] Crushed with flour Hemorrhoid [56] Leaves Infusion (Compress)