The medicinal properties of ‎Bulgarian plants featured in a new encyclopedia

Bulgaria is the leader in Europe in the export of medicinal ‎plants

published on 6/24/23 5:15 AM

Photo: pixabay

A few days before the magical night of the traditional feast of Enyovden ‎‎(Midsummer’s Day ) when the stars descend low above the earth and ‎endow the herbs with healing power, the premiere of the book ‎‎Medicinal Plants took place in Sofia. It is the work of the Bulgarian ‎Encyclopedia Research Centre at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In ‎it, readers can find information about more than 270 plants growing ‎throughout Bulgarian lands and used for centuries in folk medicine.‎

The encyclopedia is intended for a wide range of readers - from herb ‎lovers to specialists, therefore the information in it is presented in an ‎accessible language. It can be both a valuable reference for doctors and ‎pharmacists, as well as a practical helper for every patient, thanks to the ‎tried and tested recipes. ‎

The volume provides basic knowledge about medicinal plants, about ‎the biologically active substances contained in them, about the ‎distinguishing marks by which they can be easily recognized. It also ‎contains advice on how to collect, dry and store herbs, as well as recipes ‎for home use. And in order to enjoy this natural wealth in the future, ‎there is information on how to take care of it and preserve it.‎

‎"Bulgaria takes the first place in Europe and one of the first in the world ‎in the export of medicinal plants”, Victoria Lazova, director of the ‎scientific research centre at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, told BNR. “Half of them are cultivated, i.e. ‎consciously grown by man. Indeed, Bulgaria is very rich in medicinal ‎plants, but the interesting thing is that scientists continue to discover ‎new species."‎

According to Dr. Radka Yosifova, leading scientific editor of the ‎encyclopedia, interest in medicinal plants in Bulgaria and internationally ‎is growing and they are increasingly used in the treatment and ‎prevention of many diseases independently or as a supplement to ‎conventional therapy.

‎"The interest is really very high among Bulgarians”, Victoria Lazova ‎also points out. “Today there is more and more talk about living in ‎harmony with nature, and medicinal plants are part of this ‎understanding, because they are a remedy that we can use for a long time ‎at home without harming our body. Especially for this purpose - to ‎make it accessible to the mass reader, we have not included in the book ‎very powerful plants that must be taken under a doctor's prescription."‎

Although quite new to the book market, the encyclopedia is in high ‎demand, which means that people trust the experts in the field.‎

‎"I think that Bulgarians are interested not only in the so-called granny’s ‎recipes”, adds Victoria Lazova. “Of course, the recipes of our ‎grandmothers are also included in our book - those that have been tested ‎in practice and have been applied for centuries. However, Bulgarians are ‎also interested in the latest scientific information, such as is published in ‎the encyclopedia - what herbs are, what their composition is."‎