American Journal of Ethnomedicine

Investigations on some medical plants from Northern Cyprus

6^th Edition of International Conference on Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants
April 16-17, 2018 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ali Hikmet Mericli and Filiz Mericli

Near East University, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Am J Ethnomed

DOI: 10.21767/2348-9502-C1-006

Abstract

Cyprus is the third largest island of the Mediterranean Sea and the point of the encounter of several different eco-systems. Flora of Cyprus is represented with 1800 plants and 22 of them are endemic plants in Northern Cyprus. Besides a rich plant diversity, Cyprus is also very rich in cultural variation depend on historical situations. The plant and cultural diversities in Cyprus provide very rich traditional treatments and folk medicines. The active principles of some medicinal plants growing wildly in Northern Cyprus and their uses as sources of herbal medicinal products have been investigated by our research group. Ceratonia siliqua, Matricaria recutita, Prunus dulcis, and Thymus capitatus are the widespread medicinal plants used traditionally in Northern Cyprus. On the other hand, Mediterranean fever disease is a serious health problem in the island and colchicine containing medicinal plants are valued for treatment. Colchicum pusillum is widespread in Northern Cyprus, the active principles of the bulbs and aerial parts of C. pusillum are investigated. The anticancer activity of the bulb extract is also determined. Our researches on some medicinal plants from Northern Cyprus and their possibility of herbal medicines production will be summarized.

Biography

Ali Hikmet Meriçli graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Pharmacy. He entered as an Assistant at the Faculty of Pharmacognosy at Istanbul University. He has contributed to the education and development of New Century University Faculty of Pharmacy between February 2012 and August 2013 and served as the Senator of New Century University Faculty of Pharmacy. By 2015, he has published 141 original scientific articles, 3 books, 3 books in chapter books, 40 compilations and current writings. He is working on isolation and structure elucidation of natural compounds and biological activities of medicinal plants and also herbal medicines.

E-mail: ali.mericli@neu.edu.tr