Medicinal plants as the research object in ethno culture and professional medicine of Lithuania

Abstract

Introduction. Ethnobotanics is a scientific study of human-plant interaction that analyzes the relationship between ethnocultures of different countries and continents with customs and the environment. This is an important issue for solving WHO problem "Health for everyone in the 21st century in all the EC countries. Currently, innovative technologies, programs and methodologies are being applied to the research. Dealing with the problem of the preservation of medicinal plant diversity, the preservation of the herbal prescription ethno heritage and the issue of the World Health Organization "Health for everyone in the 21st Century" the research and extension of the diversity of medicinal (aromatic) plants, their biologically active substances and their conservation and rational use of biodiversity and their historical heritage are of great importance. Research object. Medicinal aromatic plants (MAPs) of Lithuanian ethno culture which are now widely used in medicine, pharmacy, food industry, veterinary and other fields. The aim of this study is to analyse the history of herbalism in Lithuania and introduce the latest MAPs research methodology; their preservation methods and possibilities of application in various fields. Methods. Descriptive historical analysis and comparative analysis of historical sources and archival material. Analysis of secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity of MAPs are carried out using integrated sample preparation, spectrophotometric, chromatographic and microanalysis techniques. Results. Herbalism is an integral part of Lithuanian traditional medicine and cultural heritage. The folk experience is interesting and useful today as a subtle method of establishing harmonious human-nature relations, and all calendar events are as closely as possible related to phenomenological phenomena.[...]