Volatile Constituents of Some Selected Plant Species Traditionally Used as Tea in the Sharri Mountains (Kosovo).

The study evaluates the chemical composition of the volatile constituents of ten plant species traditionally used as herbal tea in the Sharri Mountain regions (Kosovo and North Macedonia). Volatile constituents responsible for the flavour and fragrance of selected species (, , , , and ) were separated and then identified using GC-MS, whereas GC-FID is employed for the quantitative analysis. Experimental data revealed different patterns of volatile constituents depending on plant species.

Erratum: A phylogenetic analysis of the wild species (Liliaceae) of Kosovo based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequence.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100016.

The concentration of phthalates in toys and children's care items in Kosovo.

In this study, one hundred and twenty-eight toys and children's care items available in the Kosovo market were analyzed to determine the presence of phthalates and evaluate if the analyzed samples meet the national and EU standards. Toys and children's care items were imported from twelve countries, most of them from China. Phthalates were extracted and then analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

A phylogenetic analysis of the wild species (Liliaceae) of Kosovo based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequence.

In Kosovo, the genus is represented by eight taxa, most of which form a species complex surrounding . To investigate the phylogenetic relationship of these species a Bayesian analysis was undertaken using the ITS nuclear marker and , and plastid markers. The resulting phylogenetic trees show that Kosovarian species consistently group into two main clades, the subgenera and .

Phytochemical Study of Eight Medicinal Plants of the Lamiaceae Family Traditionally Used as Tea in the Sharri Mountains Region of the Balkans.

In the present study, eight plant species belonging to Lamiaceae family were identified as ingredients for herbal teas in the region of Sharri Mountains: , , , , , , and respectively. Chemical composition of essential oils obtained from these species was analyzed using GC-MS and GC-FID with the aim of examining their volatile compound profiles, responsible for their respective flavors and fragrance. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed with the aim of grouping plant species under study on the basis of their chemical composition.

The Chemical and Antibacterial Evaluation of St. John's Wort Oil Macerates Used in Kosovar Traditional Medicine.

L. (Hypericaceae), or St. John's Wort, is a well-known medicinal herb often associated with the treatment of anxiety and depression.

Phytochemical composition, anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxic effects of essential oils from three Pinus spp.

Context: Inflammation and cell differentiation lead to a number of severe diseases. In the recent years, various studies focused on the anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity of essential oils (EOs) of numerous plants, including different Pinus species.

Objective: The phytochemical composition, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity of EOs from needles and twigs of Pinus heldreichii Christ (Pinaceae) and P.

Traditional food uses of wild plants among the Gorani of South Kosovo.

A food ethnobotanical field study was conducted among the Gorani of South Kosovo, a small ethnic minority group that speaks a South-Slavic language and lives in the south of the country. We conducted forty-one semi-structured interviews in ten villages of the Kosovar Gora mountainous area and found that seventy-nine wild botanical and mycological taxa represent the complex mosaic of the food cultural heritage in this population. A large portion of the wild food plant reports refer to fermented wild fruit-based beverages and herbal teas, while the role of wild vegetables is restricted.

Essential Oil Composition of Pinus peuce Griseb. Needles and Twigs from Two National Parks of Kosovo.

The principal aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition and qualitative and quantitative variability of essential oils obtained from seven naturally grown populations of the Pinus peuce Grisebach, Pinaceae in Kosovo. Plant materials were collected from three populations in the Sharri National Park and from four other populations in the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, in Kosovo. Essential oils were obtained by steam distillation and analyzed by GC-FID (Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry).

Chemical composition and in vitro antibacterial activity of Pistacia terebinthus essential oils derived from wild populations in Kosovo.

Background: Plant material from different organs of Pistacia terebinthus L., (Anacardiaceae) were collected in Kosovo with aim to analyze the chemical variability of the essential oils among native populations and to test them for potential antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Methods: Essential oils obtained from leaves, pedicels, fruits and galls were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS.

Essential oil composition variability among natural populations of Pinus mugo Turra in Kosovo.

Pinus mugo Turra, is a native pine species in central and southern Europe, growing in high mountains area (altitudes 1.800-2.300 m.

Chemical Composition of Juniperus communis L. Cone Essential Oil and Its Variability among Wild Populations in Kosovo.

Ripe cones of Juniperus communis L. (Cupressaceae) were collected from five wild populations in Kosovo, with the aim of investigating the chemical composition and natural variation of essential oils between and within wild populations. Ripe cones were collected, air dried, crushed, and the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation.

An ethnobotanical perspective on traditional fermented plant foods and beverages in Eastern Europe.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fermented food and beverages represent an important part of the worldwide foodscape, medicinal food domain and domestic strategies of health care, yet relevant traditional knowledge in Europe is poorly documented.

Methods: Review of primary ethnographic literature, archival sources and a few ad-hoc ethnobotanical field studies in seven selected Eastern European countries (Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, and Poland) were conducted.

Results: Current or recently abandoned uses of 116 botanical taxa, belonging to 37 families in fermented food or medicinal food products were recorded.

A cross-cultural comparison of folk plant uses among Albanians, Bosniaks, Gorani and Turks living in south Kosovo.

Background: Kosovo represents a unique hotspot of biological and cultural diversity in Europe, which allows for interesting cross-cultural ethnobotanical studies. The aims of this study were twofold: 1) to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local (esp. wild) plant uses for food, medicine, and handicrafts in south Kosovo; and 2) to examine how communities of different ethnic groups in the region (Albanians, Bosniaks/Gorani, and Turks) relate to and value wild botanical taxa in their ecosystem.

Of the importance of a leaf: the ethnobotany of sarma in Turkey and the Balkans.

Background: Sarma - cooked leaves rolled around a filling made from rice and/or minced meat, possibly vegetables and seasoning plants - represents one of the most widespread feasting dishes of the Middle Eastern and South-Eastern European cuisines. Although cabbage and grape vine sarma is well-known worldwide, the use of alternative plant leaves remains largely unexplored. The aim of this research was to document all of the botanical taxa whose leaves are used for preparing sarma in the folk cuisines of Turkey and the Balkans.

Resilience at the border: traditional botanical knowledge among Macedonians and Albanians living in Gollobordo, Eastern Albania.

Background: Ethnobotany in South-Eastern Europe is gaining the interest of several scholars and stakeholders, since it is increasingly considered a key point for the re-evaluation of local bio-cultural heritage. The region of Gollobordo, located in Eastern Albania and bordering the Republic of Macedonia, is of particular interest for conducting ethnobiological studies, since it remained relatively isolated for the larger part of the 20th Century and is traditionally inhabited by a majority of ethnic Macedonians and a minority of Albanians (nowadays both sharing the Muslim faith).

Methods: An ethnobotanical survey focused on local food, medicinal, and veterinary plant uses was conducted with 58 participants using open and semi-structured interviews and via participant observation.

Plants used for making recreational tea in Europe: a review based on specific research sites.

This paper is a review of local plants used in water infusions as aromatic and refreshing hot beverages (recreational tea) consumed in food-related settings in Europe, and not for specific medicinal purposes. The reviewed 29 areas are located across Europe, covering the post-Soviet countries, eastern and Mediterranean Europe. Altogether, 142 taxa belonging to 99 genera and 40 families were reported.

One century later: the folk botanical knowledge of the last remaining Albanians of the upper Reka Valley, Mount Korab, Western Macedonia.

Background: Ethnobotanical surveys of the Western Balkans are important for the cross-cultural study of local plant knowledge and also for obtaining baseline data, which is crucial for fostering future rural development and eco-tourism initiatives in the region. The current ethnobotanical field study was conducted among the last remaining Albanians inhabiting the upper Reka Valley at the base of Mount Korab in the Mavrovo National Park of the Republic of Macedonia.The aims of the study were threefold: 1) to document local knowledge pertaining to plants; 2) to compare these findings with those of an ethnographic account written one century ago and focused on the same territory; and 3) to compare these findings with those of similar field studies previously conducted in other areas of the Balkans.

Biodiversity conservation status in the Republic of Kosovo with focus on biodiversity centres.

This paper presents the most recent results on Kosovo biodiversity conservation efforts with focus on two main biodiversity centers of Kosovo: Sharri mountain (already declared as National Park) and Bjeshket e Nemuna mountains in process of designation as a National park. The study presents collection of up to date publications on biodiversity of Kosovo. Of course, there is still to be investigated particularly in the field of lower plants as well invertebrate fauna species.

Medical ethnobotany of the Albanian Alps in Kosovo.

Background: Ethnobotanical studies are crucial in South-Eastern Europe for fostering local development and also for investigating the dynamics of Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) related to plants in one of the most crucial European hotspots for biocultural diversity. The current medico-ethnobotanical survey was conducted in rural alpine communities in Kosovo. The aims of the study were twofold: 1) to document the state of TEK of medicinal plants in these communities; 2) to compare these findings with that of similar field studies previously conducted among local populations inhabiting the Montenegrin and Albanian side of the same Alpine range.

Variability of essential oils of Betonica officinalis (Lamiaceae) from different wild populations in Kosovo.

The aerial parts and roots of Betonica officinalis were collected from three localities characterized by different ecological conditions to study the natural variability of the chemical composition of the essential oils in this plant. The leaves and inflorescences were collected during the flowering time, whereas the roots were collected at the end of the vegetative period. The plant material was dried at room temperature.