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Organizing of Plantation Production and Processing of Medicinal Herbs
BUSINNES INCKUBATOR BANJA LUKA making on projects of stimulating of agriculture
production, started very important project in cooperation with the Ministry of Science
and Technology of Republic of Srpska and Administrative Office of City of Banjaluka.
Therefore, it is a project of Technology of Production and Primary Processing of
Perennial Aromatic, Spice and Medicinal Herbs.
Plantation Production is started on territory of City of Banjaluka, exactly
on Manjaca Mountain, and micro experimental lots on territory of Municipalities
of Teslic, Celinac, Prnjavor, Laktasi and Gradiska. Experimental lot on Manjaca
Mountain is currently the biggest on territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its
area is 4 hectares. On this area is planted five perennial aromatic, spice and medicinal
herbs, which are technological and scenically observing: Garden Sage - Salvia officinalis,
Lovage - Hyssopus officinalis , Thyme - Thymus vulgaris, Echinacea - Echinacea angustifolia,
and Garden Balm - Melissa officinalis.
We think that this approach of Plantation Production is important turn in
sector of agriculture on our territories. Unavoidable is mentioned, that Bosnia
and Herzegovina of total sum of spending of teas and spices, about 90% introduce
from abroad. If we take into consideration geographical location of Republic of
Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, we will get to conclusion that without much investment
of resources we can not start this form of production and hiring of many numbers
currently unemployed.
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Medicinal Herbs
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SAGE - Salvia
officinalis
Sage generally grows about a foot or more high, with wiry stems. The leaves are
set in pairs on the stem and are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, stalked, oblong, rounded
at the ends, finely wrinkled by a strongly-marked network of veins on both sides,
greyish-green in colour, softly hairy and beneath glandular. The flowers are in
whorls, purplish and the corollas lipped. They blossom in August. All parts of the
plant have a strong, scented odour and a warm, bitter, somewhat astringent taste,
due to the volatile oil contained in the tissues.
Stimulant, as tringent, tonic and carminative. Has beenused in dyspepsia, but is
now mostly employed as a condiment. In the United States, where it is still an official
medicine, it is in some repute, especially in the form of an infusion, the principal
and most valued application of which is as a wash for the cure of affections of
the mouth and as a gargle in inflamed sore throat, being excellent for relaxed throat
and tonsils, and also for ulcerated throat. The gargle is useful for bleeding gums
and to prevent an excessive flow of saliva.
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Hyssop - Hyssopus
officinalis
Hyssop is cultivated for the use of its flower-tops, which are steeped in water
to make an infusion, which is sometimes employed as an expectorant. There are three
varieties, known respectively by their blue, red and white flowers, which are in
bloom from June to October, and are sometimes employed as edging plants. Grown with
catmint, it makes a lovely border, backed with Lavender and Rosemary. As a kitchen
herb, it is mostly used for broths and decoctions, occasionally for salad. For medicinal
use the flower-tops should be cut in August.
Expectorant, diaphoretic, stimulant, pectoral, carminative. The healing virtues
of the plant are due to a particular volatile oil, which is stimulative, carminative
and sudorific. It admirably promotes expectoration, and in chronic catarrh its diaphoretic
and stimulant properties combine to render it of especial value. It is usually given
as a warm infusion, taken frequently and mixed with Horehound. Hyssop Tea is also
a grateful drink, well adapted to improve the tone of a feeble stomach, being brewed
with the green tops of the herb, which are sometimes boiled in soup to be given
for asthma. In America, an infusion of the leaves is used externally for the relief
of muscular rheumatism, and also for bruises and discoloured contusions, and the
green herb, bruised and applied, will heal cuts promptly.
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Thyme - Thymus
vulgaris
The stems are numerous, round, hard, branched, and usually from 4 to 8 inches high,
when of the largest growth scarcely attaining a foot in height. The leaves are small,
only about 1/8 inch long and 1/16 inch broad, narrow and elliptical, greenish-grey
in colour, reflexed at the margins, and set in pairs upon very small foot-stalks.
The flowers terminate the branches in whorls. The calyx is tubular, striated, closed
at the mouth with small hairs and divided into two lips, the uppermost cut into
three teeth and the lower into two. The corolla consists of a tube about the length
of the calyx, spreading at the top into two lips of a pale purple colour, the upper
lip erect or turned back and notched at the end, the under lip longer and divided
into three segments. The seeds are roundish and very small, about 170,000 to the
ounce, and 24 OZ. to the quart: they retain their germinating power for three years.
The plant has an agreeable aromatic smell and a warm pungent taste. The fragrance
of its leaves is due to an essential oil, which gives it its flavouring value for
culinary purposes, and is also the source of its medicinal properties. It is in
flower from May to August.
The pounded herb, if given fresh, from 1 to 6 OZ. daily, mixed with syrup, has been
employed with success as a safe cure for whooping cough. An infusion made from 1
OZ. of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water, sweetened with sugar or honey,
is also used for the same purpose, as well as in cases of catarrh and sore throat,
given in doses of 1 or more tablespoonsful, several times daily. The wild plant
may be equally well used for this. Thyme tea will arrest gastric fermentation. It
is useful in cases of wind spasms and colic, and will assist in promoting perspiration
at the commencement of a cold, and in fever and febrile complaints generally. In
herbal medicine, Thyme is generally used in combination with other remedies
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Echinacea
- Echinacea angustifolia
The flowers are a rich purple and the florets are seated round a high cone; seeds,
four-sided achenes. Root tapering, cylindrical, entire, slightly spiral, longitudinally
furrowed; fracture short, fibrous; bark thin; wood, thick, in alternate porous,
yellowish and black transverse wedges, and the rhizome has a circular pith. It has
a faint aromatic smell, with a sweetish taste, leaving a tingling sensation in the
mouth not unlike Aconitum napellus, but without its lasting numbing effect.
Echinacea increases bodily resistance to infection and is used for boils, erysipelas,
septicaemia, cancer, syphilis and other impurities of the blood, its action being
antiseptic. It has also useful properties as a strong alterative and aphrodisiac.
As an injection, the extract has been used for haemorrhoids and a tincture of the
fresh root has been found beneficial in diphtheria and putrid fevers.
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Balm - Melisa
officinalis
The root-stock is short, the stem square and branching, grows 1 to 2 feet high,
and has at each joint pairs of broadly ovate or heart-shaped, crenate or toothed
leaves which emit a fragrant lemon odour when bruised. They also have a distinct
lemon taste. The flowers, white or yellowish, are in loose, small bunches from the
axils of the leaves and bloom from June to October. The plant dies down in winter,
but the root is perennial.
Carminative, diaphoretic and febrifuge. It induces a mild perspiration and makes
a pleasant and cooling tea for feverish patients in cases of catarrh and influenza.
To make the tea, pour 1 pint of boiling water upon 1 oz. of herb, infuse 15 minutes,
allow to cool, then strain and drink freely. If sugar and a little lemonpeel or
juice be added it makes a refreshing summer drink. Balm is a useful herb, either
alone or in combination with others. It is excellent in colds attended with fever,
as it promotes perspiration . Used with salt, it was formerly applied for the purpose
of taking away wens, and had the reputation of cleansing sores and easing the pains
of gout.
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