Status of medicinal and aromatic plants in - Inia

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WORKING GROUP ON MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS: FIRST MEETING
Use of MAPs by processing industries
The MAP processing industry in Romania started in 1948 with the establishment of the
National Society "Plafar" (Pharmaceutical Plants). The main objective of this institution is the
sustainable exploitation of the medicinal, aromatic and drug plants from the wild flora of
Romania. The National Society "Plafar" has nine inter-district branches (Botosani, Iassy,
Bucarest, Cluj, Brasov, Timisoara, Constanta, Mures and Maramures). There are also five
processing companies which process and produce medicine only from medicinal and
aromatic plants: Vitasana, Brasov; Herborium, Cluj; Vorel, Piatra Neamt; Digitalis, Orastie;
and Naturavit, Oradea.
The quantities of raw materials gathered in the wild and processed in 2001 are presented
in Table 2.
Table 2. Quantities of raw materials gathered in the wild and processed in 2001
Harvested organs Quantity (tonnes) No. of species gathered
Flowers 1680 27
Leaves 3500 36
Stems, leaves 5000 63
Roots, tubers, bulbs 1000 18
Seeds and fruits 100 10
Sustainable use of MAPs in Romania
This is accomplished in the following ways:
1. MAP breeding
2. Research on biology and cultivation of new MAP species
3. Foundation of a genetic centre of medicinal, aromatic and tinctorial plants and their
use in herbal medicine.
1. MAP breeding is carried out in Romania out by the Central Research Station Fundulea.
The species being bred include Cynara scolymus, Digitalis lanata, Dracocephalum moldavica,
Foeniculum officinale, Hyssopus officinalis, Coriandrum sativum, Lavandula angustifolia,
Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha piperita, Ocinum basilicum, Papaver somniferum, etc. The
research activity during 1980-2002 resulted in 27 advanced cultivars of Cynara scolymus,
Ocimum basilicum, Thymus vulgaris, Coriandrum sativum, Digitalis lanata, Calendula officinalis,
Datura innoxia, Lavandula angustifolia, Mentha piperita and Matricaria chamomila. In
addition, 31 local landraces were certified (Pimpinella anisum, Capsicum annuum, Silybum
marianum, Satureja hortensis, Tagetes patula, Digitalis purpurea, Foeniculum vulgare, etc.).
2. Cultivation of new MAP species: during the period 1995-2000 the researchers from
Central Research Station Fundulea introduced into cultivation five species (Aconitum
napellus, Artemisia abrotanum, Gentiana lutea, Leonurus cariaca and Lychnis coronaria), taking
into consideration their mode of use, pharmacodynamic action, chemical composition and
environmental requirements (Paun 1998).
3. The foundation at the Agricultural University Iassy of a genetic centre for medicinal,
aromatic and tinctorial plants and their use in herbal medicine was carried out through
the following activities:
- Inventory of MAPs from the wild and cultivated flora;
- Establishment of a biological collection conserved in the Iassy Genebank;
- Foundation of a herbal medicine library;
- Development of some complex therapeutic prescriptions;
- Testing of the efficacy of the elaborated products;
- Organization of a network of collaborators interested in herbal medicine.