Traditional Herbal Medicinal Foods in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan and its neighbours in Central Asia is where many of the wild species that have become important crops around the world (such things as apples, apricots, alfalfa, flax, garlic, almonds, pistachios, sesame, numerous types of beans come originally from the region). It is an extremely important place in terms of plant species diversity. Breeders still go there to find disease resistant, cold tolerant species due to the unique assemblage of endemic plant and animal species, it has amongst the most diverse area for many medicinally and chemically relevant groups of plants such as Allium, Artemisia, Astragalus, Ferula and Oxytropis.

Scientists in the region have since Medieval times studied the medical benefits of plants.  In the 10^th–11^th centuries Abu Rayjon Beruni and Abu Ali ibn Sino (Avicenna) made great contribution to herbal medicine. Abu Rayhan Beruni (973–1048) famously wrote “Kitob as Saidana fit-t-tib” where edible plants were detailed and Abu Ali ibn Sino (980–1037) “Canon,” which contains five volumes, two volumes have been dedicated to medicinal plants. He described about 1,500 drugs and almost 1,000 species of medicinal plants, among them 20 species had been known from the ancient period as food plants. Since that time many other scientists have made their contribution by researching medicinal plants. In the 20^th and 21^st centuries, extensive research of the chemical and pharmacological properties of local medicinal plants has been conducted.

Uzbekistan has some 4,500 species of plants the following have been identified for medicinal purposes in Uzbekistan. (Main Source: Medicinal Plants of Central Asia: Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, published by Science Direct )

Botanical name                   Uzbek                            Function
Family Alliaceae
Allium barsczewskii Lipsky	Piez		Bulbs and pounded leaves are applied at the head against colds and flu, headache, fever, and toothache. Seeds are eaten with bread in order to increase appetite also used for treatment of skin diseases.
A. jodanthum Vved	Yovoj piozi		Leaves and bulbs without stems are used against toothache and mumps, alcohol  extracts for disinfections of wounds.
A. karataviense Regel	Chuchka piez		Aerial parts a vitamin source. Used against pneumonia and lung problems.
A. majus Vved.	Piez		Bulbs provide a vitamin Source
A,motor.Kam et Levichev	Mador		Young leaves are eaten in soups and 'somsa' which owns a specific activity as tonic.
A. praemixtum Vved.	Piez		Bulbs provide a vitamin Source
A. pskemense B.Fedtsch.	Pskom piozi		Bulbs and leaves used against colds and flu, headache, fever, and toothache. Seeds are eaten with bread in order to increase appetite.
Allium severtzovioides R.M. Fritsch	Tosh motor		Fresh leaves and bulbs without stems are locally applied against stomach and duodenum diseases.
A. suworowii Regel	Anzur piozi		Bulbs used as a vitamin source. Pickled bulbs are eaten against tuberculosis and bronchitis.
Family Anacardiaceae
Pistacia vera L.	Pista		Nuts - Cardiac, respiratory diseases
Rhus coriaria L.	Tatum		Fruits - Hypertension, gastric ulcer
Family Apiaceae
Bunium persicum L.	Zira		Seeds - Stomach diseases, spice
Ferula foetida (Bunge) Regel	Sassik kovrak		Leaves -Wounds, diabetes, tuberculosis
Mediasia macrophilla (Regel and Schmalh.) M. Pimen.	Alqor ut		Aerial parts - Spice, preservative
Family Asphodelaceae
Eremurus regelii Vved.	Shirach		Young leaves are a vitamin source
E. robustus (Regel) Regel	Shirach		Young leaves are a vitamin source
E. turkestanicus Regel	Shirach		Young leaves are a vitamin source
Family Asteraceae
Taraxacum officinalle Web.	Koki		Leaves  Vitamin Source, skin diseases
Family Berberidaceae
Berberis integerima Bunge	Zirk		Bark - Liver and kidney diseases
B.oblonga (Rgl.) Schneid.	Korazirk		Fruits - Liver and kidney diseases
Family Brassicaceae
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic.	Jag-jag		Aerial parts - blood coagulant, vitamin source
Family Capparacea
Capparis herbaceae L.	Kavor		Fruits - Rheumatism, liver diseases
Family Caryophyllaceae
Allochrusa gypsophiloides (Regel) Schischk.	Bekh		Roots - Saponin
Family Cupressacea
Juniperus seravshanica Kom.	Archa   Urik archa		Fruits - Kidney, liver, urinary bladder diseases
J. turkestanica Kom.			Fruits - Rheumatism
Family Elaegnaceae
Elaegnus angustifolia L.	Jida Chakanda		Fruits – Treatment of bruises and wounds.
Hippophae rhamnoides L.			Fruits - Uterine cervical erosion, for burn
Family Juglandaceae
Juglans regia L.	Yongok		Nuts - Diabetes, skin, tuberculosis
Family Moraceae
Morus alba L.	Tut				Fruits – Diabetes
Family Punicaceae
Punica granatum L.                                   Anor				Fruits - Stomach diseases
Family Rhamnaceae
Ziziphus jujuba Mill.	Unabi					Fruits - Anaemia, asthma, kidney, hypertension
Family Rosaceae
Amygdalus communis L.	Bodom					Oil. Seeds - Asthma, cough, anaemia
A.spinossima Bunge	Bodomcha					Oil - Anaemia
Crataegus pontica C. Koch. Crat. et Mesp.	Dulana					Fruits -Cardiac diseases, hypertension, sleeplessness
C. turkestanica Pojark.	Qizil dulana					Fruits -Cardiac diseases, hypertension
Rubus idaeus L.	Parmanchak					Fruits - vitamin source
Rosa canina L.	Itburun					Fruits - vitamin source
R. fedlshenkoana Regel	Namatak					Fruits - vitamin source
Sorbus tianschanica Rupr.	Chetani					Fruits - vitamin source
Family Urticaceae
Urtica dioica L.	Gazanda ut					Aerial parts - Blood coagulant, Vitamin Source