A general account of the medicinal and aromatic plants from Istanbul: Past, present, and future perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53992/njns.v10i4.289Keywords:
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Traditional Knowledge, Istanbul, TurkiyeAbstract
Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are widely used globally as potential natural resources. However, issues like safety, quality, and efficacy of herbals have become a matter of public concern. The traditional knowledge and awareness about MAPs play an important role in the discovery of natural plant resources. Lately, challenges like urbanization, industrialization, habitat fragmentation, and invasive plants, together with the latest climate change scenarios, are hindering their conservation. Istanbul, as a highly populated city of Turkiye, is among the potential cosmopolitan cities; as such, the use has emerged as a challenge for its conservation. The state as a whole is represented by Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean phytogeographical regions, which are responsible for a rich plant diversity of MAPs. This manuscript covers the data related to the list of potential vascular plants of Istanbul as a possible source of MAPs. The difficulties that may arise in their protection in the province are discussed, and alternative protection strategies are evaluated in the light of recent trends and prospects.
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