13 The traditions and culture of the Kyrgyz are closely linked to the use of medicinal plants in daily life. Medicinal plants can be found all over the country in different climatic zones and on different altitude levels from foothills to alpine pastures. It is well known that plants which grow in the mountains have a pre-potent drug-induced effect. (Rogova N.A., Soodonbekov I.S. 2009). The diversity of the flora is seen in nectarous, feeding, aethereus oil-bearing, tinctorial, tannic and other useful characteristics. Medicinal plants of Kyrgyzstan are widely used in traditional and academic medicine for the production of a variety of phytogenic medications and various drugs. Most of the plants are used in traditional medicine however many are not registered in official sources and have not been properly studied or researched. Ethnomedicine contains inexhaustible information about medicinal plants and humanity successfully used this knowledge for centuries for treatment of various diseases. (Kengebaeva N.V. Ganybaeva M.A 2009). RCE Kyrgyzstan realises the necessity of recovering traditional knowledge. Kyrgyz people were historically nomads and in order to survive in difficult mountain conditions they use traditions and knowledge that has been passed from generation to generation. From the Soviet era up to present time botanical researchers from National Academy of Science, Biological-soil Institute Flora Laboratory, Center of Innovative Phyto-technologies, and the E. Gareev Botanic Garden have conducted academic research of the medicinal plants. There are also commercial structures that are involved in growing and gathering medicinal plants for future sale at market. In Kyrgyz traditional medicine there are many examples where medicinal plants are used for anesthetisation and treatment of sickness as well as for body and hair care, as cosmetics. Likewise Kyrgyz have used plants in daily life as a natural dye for wool and other materials. For instance, 92 currant and beet-root has a deep red color, onion aril can vary from light yellow to light brown, rhubarb has a green color, walnut cortex could be from green to brown, and poplar cortex has deep black and brown color. As such Kyrgyz used red clay (josho) as a dye for house walls and cheegrass. As a result of this study, RCE Kyrgyzstan extracted a list of medicinal plants as well as a number of diseases that could be treated with particular plants. This chapter presents only a few medical plants that are commonly used in the Kyrgyz Republic. (Box 1). Chinese traditional medicine is very popular around the world, it uses phyto and animal-based biological resources. Since Kyrgyzstan opened borders with the rest of the world, Chinese business entrepreneurs have established businesses in the country. Currently Chinese entrepreneurs are procuring medicinal plants from the local population who are gathering biological resources of flora and fauna and selling it at a low price. This uncontrolled collection of medical plants, excavation of the plants roots, and cutting of bushes is leading to depletion of the unique botanical stocks of the country. In the framework of the project on the study of traditional knowledge of the Kyrgyz on medicinal plant use, RCE Kyrgyzstan conducted sociological research among the local population of Naryn Oblast in 2010. In order to implement the study quantitative analyses were undertaken, including public opinion polls and individual interviews. In total 100 interviews took place with respondents age 45 to 86. The confidentiality level Monitori ng, docume ntation, pr otection, and edu cation Melitean butterfly on the flower in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan
Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity
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