Turkish medicinal and aromatic plants for the treatment of skin diseases both human and animals

Medicinal and aromatic plants used in traditional medicine to cure skin disorders in different provinces of Turkey have been updated by scanning 60 literatures based on their medicinal importance. This study determined the use of 61 families and 142 plant taxa in folk medicine. Leaves (as powdered, poultice or decoction) were the most widely used for wound, haemorrhoids, callus, abscess, hair loss, eczema, wart, psoriasis and cellulite in human and foot health as antimycotic in animals. Secondly, flowers (as infusion, essential oil or mixture with olive oil or combination with other plants) are taken for acne, wounds, rash or anti-inflammatory in human and antiparasitic on skin's animals. Roots (boiled, dried or powdered, mixture with barks) are applied for fast wound closure and treatment of burn in human while anti-inflammatory in animals. In addition to these, seeds are generally used (as essential oil, gel, extract, with a root or fruit) for hair loss, antibacterial and antifungal in human [1]. Essential oils are mostly antiviral (HSV-2 etc) in human or antiseptic for animals in medical uses. Moreover, hesperidin is important against skin stains but gallic acid and glabridin have antithyrosinase effect and arbutin is antiseptic to people while linalool, 1,8-cineole, carvacrol, limonene are allergic or irritant in human skin, [2 – 3]. As a conclusion, conscious use of herbs for dermatological diseases and their clinical or veterinary studies on human or animal should be enhanced through the public education.

[1]Tuzlacı E, Şifa Niyetine. Türkiye'nin Bitkisel Halk İlaçları, İstanbul: Alfa Yayınları; 2006: 15 – 400.

[2] Başer KHC, Franz C, Handbook of Essential Oils. Science, Technology and Applications, USA: CRC Press; 2010: 881 – 894.

[3] Burlando B, Verotta L, Cornara L, Bottini-Massa E, Botanical Compounds and Their Dermatologic and Cosmetic Uses, USA: CRC Press; 2010: 9 – 27.