[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/8944\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESaving Europe\u2019s medicinal plants from extinction\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOverexploitation of land in combination with climate change poses a never-before experienced threat to ecosystems and their inhabitants. Among the casualties are the plants that make up the rich biodiversity in the mountains of south-east Europe along the Balkan Peninsula.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the heart of this region lies the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.uoa.gr\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational and Kapodistrian University of Athens\u003C\/a\u003E where Professor Nektarios Aligiannis and his team are working to reverse the plight of the unique flora found on the uplands of southern Europe, especially those used over the centuries in traditional medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EThe Balkan region is appreciated for its richness in indigenous medicinal plants and has a long tradition of using them for human health.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Nektarios Aligiannis, project coordinator of EthnoHERBS\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EProf. Aligiannis and his colleagues are working with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/823973\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEthnoHERBS\u003C\/a\u003E project to preserve plant biodiversity in these mountain ecosystems. The issue is not just conservation. \u2018The Balkan region is appreciated for its richness in indigenous medicinal plants and has a long tradition of using them for human health,\u2019 explained Prof. Aligiannis.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaving nature\u2019s pharmacy \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team has a list of renowned medicinal plants used for medicinal purposes over the centuries. These include Plantago, or plantain, used to calm inflammation, Hypericum, known as St\u0026nbsp;John\u2019s Wort, to treat depression, and Calendula, from the daisy family for wound healing.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETraditionally, the sap was collected, or plant parts dried and used as a poultice and placed over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed or painful part of the body. Alternatively, plants were boiled and used as an antiseptic wash for affected areas. Natural products were used as solvents \u2013 water, olive oil, wine and wine vinegar.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are systematically surveying the plants in this region and linking them to traditional knowledge and customs by conducting ethnobotanical surveys. Then, using cutting-edge technologies in natural product chemistry, the team is exploiting the therapeutic potential of the plants.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESelected plants will be grown organically to ensure the conservation of biodiversity. The most promising of these species will be cultivated to produce the required quantity of the final products.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir plan makes use of the resources at the university as well as partners\u2019 expertise in the expanding field of cosmeceuticals\u0026nbsp;- a hybrid of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. When they are not doing fieldwork in the mountains, they are researching and collaborating with the other 14 consortium members of EthnoHERBS to understand the biological activity behind the healing properties of the herbs.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EAll herbal extracts and compounds we separate will be subjected to a battery of tests for their biological activity. This includes antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties. Also on the list of healing abilities are skin whitening and wound healing.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Nektarios Aligiannis, project coordinator of EthnoHERBS\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom mountain to lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018All herbal extracts and compounds we separate will be subjected to a battery of tests for their biological activity. This includes antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties. Also on the list of healing abilities are skin whitening and wound healing,\u2019 Prof. Aligiannis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESkin diseases can also be caused by a variety of microorganisms, and most current antibiotics available have considerable limitations in terms of antimicrobial spectrum as well as side-effects. Moreover, the advent of ever-increasing resistant bacteria and fungal strains has been matched by a rise in the universal demand for natural antimicrobial therapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor safety, the researchers are using computer models to predict possible toxicity or irritation. The most promising products will be evaluated extensively for their biological activity and safety using cell-based assays and tested on zebrafish for toxicity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u2018Clean\u2019 technologies for \u2018green\u2019 extracts\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EConventional extraction techniques require the correct use of solvent and heat to increase the solubility of the compounds. Safety hazards linked to organic solvents in industrial processing have led to pressure for the use of \u2018clean\u2019 technologies to produce \u2018green\u2019 extracts.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/applications.emro.who.int\/imemrf\/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci\/Pak_J_Pharm_Sci_2019_32_1_223_230.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMicrowave-assisted extraction\u003C\/a\u003E provides efficient heat distribution to cut down on heat used and requires less solvent and time, saving energy and operational costs. Another new extraction technology the EthnoHERBS team has harnessed is pressurised liquid extraction that operates under constant pressure to provide consistent quality and herbal composition of the extract.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003EWe are developing a model to predict the risk, where and when a species will become extinct.\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Spyros Theodoridis of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Germany, fellow with the BEEP project\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EEuropean researchers are also enlisting satellite and big data technologies to mitigate the high extinction risk for plants. \u2018We are developing a model to predict the risk, where and when a species will become extinct,\u2019 said Dr Spyros Theodoridis of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre in Germany.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Reasons for this continuing journey to extinction despite conservation efforts for many species are due to the high cost of technology for monitoring nowadays and lack of collaboration between conservation groups and decision makers,\u2019 outlined Dr Theodoridis, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/research\/mariecurieactions\/node_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMarie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions programme\u003C\/a\u003E fellow and scientific investigator of the project \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/890201\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBEEP\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESatellites and sequencing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Work is underway on the hills of the Balkan Peninsula to remedy this situation,\u2019 said Dr Theodoridis. The team is looking specifically at four widely used species of the herb Sideritis, known as ironwort.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMade into tea, the dried plant is extremely sought after for its benefits, which include treating cough and mild stomach upset. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ema.europa.eu\/en\/committees\/committee-herbal-medicinal-products-hmpc\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECommittee on Herbal Medicinal Products\u003C\/a\u003E suggest that the plant has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial action as well as an effect in protecting the stomach and reducing contractions of gut muscles.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We are using a large archive of satellite data to show the shift in vegetation dynamics over the last four decades on the Balkan Peninsula mountains as a response to rising temperatures and extended droughts.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, genetic change in populations of mountain tea over the same time span is being monitored by comparing the DNA of a total of 200 herbarium specimens collected before 1980 with that of present-day samples in the Senckenberg research centre,\u2019 Dr Theodoridis explained. State-of-the-art technologies for high-throughput sequencing deal with a massive amount of genetic data. \u2018Over a billion of genetic fragments are sequenced simultaneously,\u2019 he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThreats to this herb\u2019s survival include the direct and indirect effects of climate change, as well as over-exploitation. Rising temperatures allow more competitive vegetation, such as trees and shrubs, to go farther up the mountain taking over the ironwort\u2019s natural habitats. The ever-increasing extended drought periods in the mountains during spring also inhibit the herb\u2019s flowering and thus its reproductive capacity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe BEEP project is close to confirming there is a simple correlation between climate change and decrease in the biodiversity of ironwort. This will predict how fast the plant is travelling on its path to extinction.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EEnvironmental organisations such as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eea.europa.eu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEuropean Environment Agency\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iucn.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInternational Union for Conservation of Nature\u003C\/a\u003E will be able to use this modelling framework to guide them in their efforts to ensure species do not die out before our eyes, despite numerous monitoring initiatives. Showcasing the plight of endangered species will raise public awareness to change people\u2019s behaviour.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDr Theodoridis pointed out: \u2018Collecting a few plants for individual use is probably fine and also legal, but sometimes sacks are used to bring down many plants from the mountainside. This is over-collection and in combination with climate change leads to a rapid decline in plant populations.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth teams think their models for conservation of traditional medicinal herbs can be applied more broadly. Prof. Aligiannis said: \u2018Our model of conservation and exploitation could also be used for marine and animal products.\u2019 Dr Theodoridis agreed: \u2018I see our model being applied to many medicinal plants such as various species of oregano, orchids and primroses under pressure from climate change and over-collection, contributing to the protection of Europe\u2019s unique and invaluable medicinal ecosystem services.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. 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