The wild raspberry in Serbia: an ethnobotanical study

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey of the traditional use of the wild raspberry (Rubus ideaus) was conducted on nine sites in the regions of southwest (SWS) and southeast (SES) Serbia. The regions studied belong to mountainous rural areas in Serbia, mainly populated by Serbian people of the Orthodox faith. In total, 93 respondents were interviewed about the medicinal, food and cosmetic uses of the wild raspberry. In terms of plant parts in traditional use, the leaf and fruit are known to be used frequently. The dry leaf is more commonly used in the SES (78%) than in the SWS (25%) region. In the SWS region, the most frequent use of the wild raspberry leaf is linked to gastrointestinal disorders and prostate inflammation. In the SES region, the leaves are mostly used for the prevention and healing of gynecological disorders during both pregnancy and lactation. The local population of the SWS region uses the fruits mainly for the preparation of syrup juice (92%), fruit preserves (42%) and in desserts (62%), while in the SES area the fruits are most frequently used for the preparation of nonalcoholic (97.4%) and alcoholic beverages (35.9%). Our results provide some novel information on the use of the wild raspberry in Serbia and in the Balkans, such as for the treatment of prostate inflammation, use during breastfeeding and to alleviate inflammation of the eyes.