Volume XIV of Medicinal Plants of Turkmenistan
The edition of the 14th volume of Medicinal Plants of Turkmenistan became a remarkable gift of Hero Arkadag to Turkmen physicians for their professional holiday, to all Turkmen people and the world scientific community.
The encyclopedic work of the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of the Milli Gengesh, Academician of the Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is designated for a wide range of readers, interested in the rich flora of our country and ancient traditions of national medicine.
I would like to underline the special importance of the new volume, which is the continuation of the fundamental scientific work, over which the Hero Arkadag started to work in 2009.
In the basis of this large-scale scientific research, the best experience of treatment is transferred from generation to generation of both outstanding scientists-founders of the Eastern medicine and the Turkmen doctors-healers constantly referring to «natural pharmacy».
In the 14th volume of Medicinal Plants of Turkmenistan is presented with extensive and comprehensive information about national and medical heritage, a detailed description of 118 medicinal plants growing on the Turkmen land. The author notes that in the folk medicine uses more than 2000 medicinal plants growing on Turkmen land, more than 500 of them are considered endemic to the flora of Turkmenistan.
The healing properties of medicinal plants are explained by the fact that the fauna and people have evolved in close proximity for millions of years connections with plants that were the main food source. Therefore, the cells of plants, animals and humans have many common functions and properties. However, only plants can create a variety of organic compounds from minerals substances, water and solar energy. As part of plants, contain biologically active substances cause a certain therapeutic effect in the human body. Every medicinal plant contains one or more active principles and substances.
There are many methods for identifying a new medicinal plant. One of them is the study of the experience of folk and traditional medicine. It is known that almost all plants used in modern scientific medicine, were borrowed from tradition medicine. Manifestation of attention to traditional medicine often has a significant effect on research for medicinal plants. Initial stage the study of traditional medicine is the collection of information about plants of a certain area. On the pages of a book “Medicinal plants of Turkmenistan” you can find a detailed description of the healing properties of plants, including number of endemics, possibilities of their use in scientific and traditional medicine, accordingly, this scientific and encyclopedic work serves as a valuable base to identify plants of local flora.
One of the priority tasks of national economy is to study geographical distribution and identification of wild medicinal plants in the territory of Turkmenistan. This has not only theoretical, but also great practical value for medicinal preparation of raw materials for medical purposes.
At the present development of the science of medicinal plants, it is important to direct further research on the creation of new effective drugs.
Medicinal products, including herbal raw materials used in medical practice, must meet all modern safety requirements for humans and be effective in treatment of various diseases.
Nowadays, drugs produced in our country are based on plants with complex pharmacological action and minimal side effects.
As it mentioned, on the pages of the book, it is possible to find the detailed description of curative properties of herbs, including endemics, possibilities of their use in scientific and national medicine. Hero Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has devoted many years of his life to their deep study.
This encyclopaedia is a real treasure of knowledge of curative properties of plants growing on the Turkmen land and used throughout centuries for efficient treatment of various illnesses.
Representing the original encyclopaedia of the Turkmen flora, the book “Medicinal plants of Turkmenistan” became the invaluable guide on herbal medicine not only for domestic pharmacologists and physicians, but also for the foreign experts having possibility to familiarize with its translation into many languages. Thus, in turn, it creates further advance for medical diplomacy and a wide opportunity for foreign scientists and specialists to gather rich information about Turkmen national medicine and exchange experience.
A great number of the scientific work of Hero Arkadag, like the previous ones, is provided with colourful photos of picturesque corners of our country, the Russian-Latin-Turkmen dictionary of names of plants and calendar of gathering of medicinal raw materials.
Development and reached successes of domestic public health services during the New Epoch of Revival of the Powerful State testify to the large scale transformations occurring in the system of healthcare within the State Program “Health”.
Taking an opportunity, I would like to express deep gratitude to Hero Arkadag and Esteemed President for the huge attention given to healthcare of the Turkmen nation and for the created conditions for their happy and peaceful life.
Aygozel OVEZOVA,
a postgraduate student at the Institute of International Relations
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.