Use of medicinal plants in the folk medicine in northwest Croatia

U ovom radu literaturno je istražen i prikazan pregled upotrebe ljekovitih biljaka i njihove primjene na području sjeverozapadne Hrvatske gdje je uočen nedostatak sistematiziranog pregleda postojećih istraživanja koja se odnose na etnobotaniku i farmakologiju, a kojima se nastoji dokumentirati tradicionalno znanje o upotrebi samoniklog i kultiviranog bilja te na taj način ublažiti trajni gubitak tradicionalnog znanja. Posljednja dva desetljeća lokalno stanovništvo se sve više vraća prirodi i liječenju uz pomoć recepata narodne medicine svojih predaka koji su se prenosili usmeno, s koljena na koljeno. Srednjovjekovna medicina razvija se u samostanima gdje su svećenici sastavljali ljekaruše – rukopisne zbirke recepata s ljekovitim drogama često biljnog porijekla. Tradicionalna upotreba ljekovitih biljaka naziva se još i travarstvo, a iz njega se razvila farmaceutska industrija i medicina. Krajem 19. stoljeća na području sjeverozapadne Hrvatske razvija se farmaceutska industrija koja se temelji na otkupu biljnih sirovina. Pretražene su povijesne zabilješke o istraživanjima kao i literatura novijeg datuma o upotrebi i primjeni ljekovitih biljaka na području sjeverozapadne Hrvatske. Najčešće upotrebljavane biljke na području sjeverozapadne Hrvatske su kamilica (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauscher), kopriva (Urtica dioica L.), velelisna lipa (Tilia platyphillos L.) i divlja ruža (Rosa canina L.) u svrhu medicinskih i ljekovitih čajeva. Biljke neven (Calendula officinalis L.) i gavez (Symphytum officinale L.) koriste se za pripravu ljekovitih macerata za kožu, a od pelina (Artemisia absinthium L.), oraha (Juglans regia L.) i drijena (Cornus mas L.) rade se ljekoviti likeri. Crna bazga (Sambucus nigra L.) je poznata po sirupu za osvježavajući sok kojemu se pripisuju ljekovita svojstva. U 18. stoljeću značajne su osobe poput Adolfa Thierrya i Rudolfa Viktora Fellera, koji su počeli razvijati ljekarništvo u Hrvatskoj. Adolf Thierry je osnovao poznatu ljekarnu u Pregradi, a Rudolf Viktor Feller u Donjoj Stubici. Daljnjim razvitkom ljekarništva u Hrvatskoj stvorena je i najpoznatija hrvatska tvornica lijekova – Pliva.In this master thesis, the literature was researched and an overview of the use of medicinal plants and their application in nortwestern Croatia was presented. The thesis is of the review type in which the target unit is systematically processed by finding relevant and recent literature. The region of northwest Croatia lacks a systematic review of existing research related to ethnobotany and pharmacology, which seeks to document traditional knowledge about the use of wild herbs and cultivated plants and thus alleviate the permanent loss of knowledge. In the last two decades, the population is increasingly returning to nature and healing with the help of the folk medicine recipes of their ancestors, which were passed down from generation to generation. Medieval medicine was developed in monasteries where priests compiled “ljekaruša” - handwritten collections of prescriptions with medicinal drugs often of herbal origin. The traditional use of medicinal plants is also called herbalism and the pharmaceutical industry and medicine developed from it. At the end of the 19th century the pharmaceutical industry developed, which is based on the purchase of plant raw materials developed around of northwestern Croatia. Historical notes on research as well as more recent literature on the use of medicinal plants and their application in northwestern Croatia were searched. The most used plants in northwestern Croatia are chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauscher), nettle (Urtica dioica L.), linden (Tilia platyphillos L.) and wild rose (Rosa canina L.) for medicinal teas. Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) are used to make medicinal macerates for the skin, and medicinal liqueurs are made from wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.), walnut (Juglans regia L.) and dogwood (Cornus mas L.). Black elder (Sambucus nigra L.) is known for its syrup for refreshing juice, which is attributed medicinal properties. In the 18th century, there were significant figures such as Adolf Thierry and Rudolf Viktor Feller, who started developing pharmacy in Croatia. Adolf Thierry founded a well-known pharmacy in Pregrada, and Rudolf Viktor Feller in Donja Stubica. The further development of pharmacy in Croatia led to the creation of the most famous Croatian drug factory - Pliva