This document discusses several medicinal herbs commonly found in the Pavlikeni region of Bulgaria, including their descriptions, where they are found, which parts are used, and their medicinal properties. It provides details on 14 different herbs: basil, yarrow, hawthorn, dandelion, rest harrow, plantain, centaury yellow, geranium, aesculus, nettle, chamomile, lime, melissa, and marigold. It also discusses principles of herbalism, such as only harvesting what is needed and leaving plants to reproduce. Bulgarian folk medicine has a long tradition of using herbs, and Bulgaria exports many herbs due to its climate supporting a large variety.

1. Herbs in our region
Medical plants in
Pavlikeni area
Проект „IT’S FUN TO BE IN AND GREEN”
по Европейската секторна програма Коменски на програмата
„Учене през целия живот” - Многостранни партньорства

2. Herbs
Herbs, also called medicinal herbs, comprise a
large group of plants which are used in
medical and veterinary practice for the
prevention and treatment of diseases.

3. Principles of Herbalism
When herbs are collected, processed and
used, some principles should be observed:
 When you need only the leaves of the plant,
do not pluck its fruits and flowers, do not
hurt the plant unnecessarily in order not to
lose their ability to reproduce.

4. Principles of Herbalism
 Do not spoil all the herbs (one type) of a
given territory, but to keep copies for further
propagation.
 Scrutinize herbs in the descriptions and
illustrations in the literature, especially when
herbs have useless or toxic drug
counterparts.

5. Principles of Herbalism
 The herbs are harvested only in dry weather
(when they do not have even dew on them)
and dried in the shade and in well-ventilated
areas.
 The use of herbs should only be prescribed
by a specialist phytotherapeutist.

6. Basil( Ocimum basilicum)
Description: Herbaceous
plant with a distinctive flavor.
The flowers are white, rarely
pink. It flowers from June to
August.
Distribution: Cultivated in
the gardens as an
ornamental plant and spice.
Usable part: Flowering
aerial parts, cut about 20 cm
from the top.
Action: Anti-inflammatory,
antispasmodic, appetite,
etc., due to the essential oil.

7. Yarrow( Achillea millefolium)
Description: Herbaceous
plant with straight unbranched
stem. On top of the stem
colored baskets are collected
in a thick plate. It blooms from
June to September.
Distribution: It grows in
grassy places, in meadows,
the bushes throughout the
country and over 1000 m
altitude.
Usable part: For healing
purposes using colorful
baskets and aerial parts.
Action: Yarrow has an
astringency, refreshing and
analgesic action. It normalizes
the motor and digestive
function of the stomach .It has
inflammatory action, too.

8. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Description: Branched tree or
shrub. The flowers are white,
gathered in clusters peltates.
The fruit is red, fleshy, knobby
with one stone.
Distribution: It grows in the
forests and bushes all over the
country up to 1500 m altitude.
Usable part: Leaves are used
with flowers or just flowers or
fruits only.
Action: It is used in diseases
of the cardiovascular system. It
increases the energy of
cardiac contractility and calms
the heart. Expanding acting on
the blood vessels and
improves blood flow of heart
and brain. It lowers the
cholesterol content in the
blood.

9. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Description: It blooms in
early May, herbal plant.
Distribution: Occurs often in
meadows and wetlands.
Usable part: Leaves for
salads
Action: For digestive
disorders.

10. Rest Harrow (Ononis spinosa)
Description: Herbaceous
thorny plants growing dark
brown rhizome passing in
root. Stem is up to 70 cm,
with many spines. Flowers
are single or double.
Distribution: Grows
throughout the country in
arid, grassy and sandy areas
on the banks of rivers up to
1500 m altitude.
Usable part: Root,
harvested in the autumn after
ripening of fruits.
Action: Diuretic and anti-
inflammatory.

11. Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
Description: Herbaceous
plant with bare, leafless
flowering stem 10-15 cm high.
Leaves have short stalks.
Distribution: Growing through
grassland in dry grassy and
sandy places. It is found
throughout the country.
Usable part: leaves, seeds
and fresh juice.
Action: Anti-inflammatory,
antimicrobial, laxative, anti-
ulcer and diuretic.

12. Centaury yellow (Hypericum perforatum)
Description: Herbaceous
plant. The colors are yellow,
gathered at the top of the
stem. It blooms from May to
September.
Distribution: Growing through
grassland in dry grassy and
sandy places.
Usable part: upper leafy floral
stem parts of the plant.
Action: reduces anxiety,
antidepressant, soothes the
nervous system, helps restore
mucous membranes,
astringent action, anti-
inflammatory effect

13. Geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)
Description: The leaves are
large, slightly sticky to the touch,
highly aromatic. It blooms from
June to July with pink flowers.
Distribution: It grows in semi-
shaded places, rocks and bushes.
Usable part: For therapeutic
purposes using the leaves and
roots of geranium.
Action: There is astringent action
prevents the release of liquids,
slows the absorption of iron and
other elements , increased blood
clotting, reduce nasal bleeding,
heal stomach and intestinal
bleeding and bleeding in the
mouth.

14. Aesculus (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Description: A large tree with a
conical crown. The stem is covered
with gray-brown bark. The leaves
are opposite, complicated. The
flowers are collected in large,
upright panicles up cluster. The fruit
is spherical, green, covered with
thorns box. Blooms in April and
May. Fruits ripen in September and
October.
Distribution: It grows as a landrace
tree in Preslav mountain, 380 to 500
m altitude. Aesculus is a protected
plant species. As an ornamental
tree ,it occurs everywhere in our
country parks and gardens.
Usable part: bark of younger
branches and stems and fruit.
Action: venotonic, anti-
inflammatory, and analgesic ,
strengthens capillaries, reduces the
increased tendency to coagulation
and clotting - blood clots.

15. Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Description: Herbaceous
plant, up to 150 cm long with a
creeping rhizome. The leaves
are oblong, heart-shaped. The
whole plant is covered with
stinging hairs.
Distribution: Widespread
plant across the country.
Usable part: Leaves and
roots. Leaves are collected
from May to September and
the roots from September to
November.
Action: hemostatic, diuretic,
smoothing, antianemic

16. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla )
Description: Herbaceous plant.
The stem is erect, to 50 cm.The
whole plant, especially the color
petals have authentic pleasant
odor and pungent, bitterish taste.
It blooms from May to August.
Distribution: It grows in lawns,
meadows, pastures, around
settlements throughout the
country.
Usable part: For healing purposes
using colorful baskets .. They are
removed with stalk not longer than
3 cm.
Action: Anti-inflammatory,
antiseptic, analgesic,
antispasmodic, sedative,
diaphoretic .

17. Lime (Tilia cordata)
Description: The leaves are
heart-shaped . The flowers are
collected in bunches. Clusters are
small.
Distribution: Lime-tree is
widespread in the country. Is also
occurs as an ornamental tree.
Usable part: Inflorescences with
and without bracts, collected
during the flowering season.
Action: Lime blossom possesses
diaphoretic, mild disinfectant,
anti-inflammatory and diuretic

18. Melissa – lemon grass) (Melissa officinalis)
Description: Herbaceous plant
with a pleasant lemon scent. The
stem is branched, 30-80 cm high,
covered with a cloth. The leaves
are broadly ovate rhombic or
oblong. It blooms from June to
September.
Distribution: It grows in scrub
and rare woods in grassy and
rocky areas throughout the
country.
Usable part: Leaves and
flowering tops of the stems before
flowering.
Action: Calms nervous system,
has antispasmodic, antispastic,
analgesic and anticonvulsant
action. Stimulate appetite and
digestion process suppresses
nausea and vomiting.

19. Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
Description: Light green herb.
The stem is 30-50 cm high,
erect. Leaves are consistent.
Flowers are as yellow-orange
baskets. It flowers from June
until late autumn.
Distribution: Grown as an
ornamental plant.
Usable part: For healing
purposes using colorful
baskets.
Action: It has antimicrobial
activity and ability to
accelerate wound healing.

20. Sumac ( tetra) (Cotinus coggygria)
Description: Shrub, up to 2 m
tall or small tree reaching up to
4 m. Leaves are consecutive,
3-8 cm long, ovate with long
handles. The flowers are
greenish, collected in
inflorescence panicle. It
blooms from May to June.
Distribution: It grows in scrub
and oak forests in dry and
stony places almost all over
the country to 800 m altitude.
Usable part: Leaves
harvested during flowering.
Action: Astringent, anti-
inflammatory and promote
wound healing.

21. Canker rose (Rosa canina)
Description: Shrub with straight
or curved stems, reaching a length
of 3 meters and covered with hard
spiny, curved spines. The flowers
are pink or white. Fruits are bright
red. It blooms from May to July
and the fruits ripen in autumn.
Distribution: It grows in scrub
and rare woods, along rivers, in
grassy slopes and headlands in
the plains and mountains up to
2000 m altitude.
Usable part: Hips.
Action: Improving oxidation
processes in cells, sealed
capillaries acting diuretic.

22.  Herbalism is as old as humanity itself.
The experience gained in the use of
herbs has been passed and
enriched by thousands of healers.
Bulgarian people have
old traditions in the use of medicinal
plants.
Many plants used in folk medicine
are actively applied in the official one.
Lots of medicinal remedies are
produced of herbal raw materials in
our country.
 Example: Nivalin - Obtained from
summer snowflake and use to heal
polio.
 In Bulgaria 650 plant species are
used as herbs. Despite the small size
of our country, we have immeasurable
variety of herbs. Furthermore, they
contain large amounts of active
substances. This is due to the specific
climatic conditions of our country.
Some of the widely used herbs are:
blackberry, hazelnut, walnut, field
horsetail, birch, tarragon, marjoram,
chamomile, locust tree, hawthorn,
yarrow, wild poppy, primrose, nettle,
lily, shepherd's purse, etc..
Bulgaria is the largest exporter of
herbs in Europe, according to the
Association of herbs and mushroom in
the country.