Some Less Unknown Application of Perennial Plants from Romania

Introduction Necessity of increasing food production a direct consequence to global population growth imposed emergence of development of an intensive agriculture had a rapid deterioration of the environment and consequently affected the soil and thus limiting wide world food supply. The consequences was resulted an impoverishment of the soil nutrient which implicitly reverberate on quality of food supply. Also, the increased food demand led to the emergence solutions such as: a) reduced food cost; b) introducing chemicals that increase the shelf life of food; c) artificial food dyes and additives; d) antibiotics and hormones from industrial livestock producers; e) even genetically modified or chemical treated fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown that food nutrients play an important role in preventing or even as adjutants in treatment of certain diseases. For this reason, researches have proven that is necessary to fill human needs minerals and vitamins from dietary supplements. Many experts agree that the people health condition decrease continuous [1]. It is well known that there is a direct link between the amount of nutrients in the soil and human health. In last century quality the nutritional value of food nutritional value of foods has decreased dramatically as direct consequence to climate changes and population growth [1]. In this context, there are considerable efforts worldwide toward the design and development of innovative strategies competitive scientifically and economically to increase the quality of life through health status preservation [1]. In this context, is more even it becomes even more stringent to identify new sources of cheap, natural food with high nutritional value. And nature has always been a resource for mankind, virtually inexhaustible. From ancient time people was discovered that nature offers practically countless possibilities for human survival. Phytotherapy had a major influence in human evolution. And studies on botanical active principles have contributed essentially to the current development of modern pharmacology. Synthetic drugs have proven many times numerous side-effects and even less clinical effective than botanical products. Currently, many people from different parts of the world use often healing herbs for treatment of various diseases. In Romania, nature is presented as a special living being interconnected with humans throughout their entire existence. Romanian spontaneous flora is extremely diverse. And many of these are well-known as healing herbs but also as ingredients, flavor or as food. Moreover, besides the amazing therapeutic effects on human body, by their stunning scent, vivid and highly diverse colorful, these plants offer almost miraculous cures for health, for the soul and for human wellbeing.


Introduction
Necessity of increasing food production a direct consequence to global population growth imposed emergence of development of an intensive agriculture had a rapid deterioration of the environment and consequently affected the soil and thus limiting wide world food supply. The consequences was resulted an impoverishment of the soil nutrient which implicitly reverberate on quality of food supply. Also, the increased food demand led to the emergence solutions such as: a) reduced food cost; b) introducing chemicals that increase the shelf life of food; c) artificial food dyes and additives; d) antibiotics and hormones from industrial livestock producers; e) even genetically modified or chemical treated fruits and vegetables.
Studies have shown that food nutrients play an important role in preventing or even as adjutants in treatment of certain diseases. For this reason, researches have proven that is necessary to fill human needs minerals and vitamins from dietary supplements. Many experts agree that the people health condition decrease continuous [1]. It is well known that there is a direct link between the amount of nutrients in the soil and human health. In last century quality the nutritional value of food nutritional value of foods has decreased dramatically as direct consequence to climate changes and population growth [1]. In this context, there are considerable efforts worldwide toward the design and development of innovative strategies competitive scientifically and economically to increase the quality of life through health status preservation [1]. In this context, is more even it becomes even more stringent to identify new sources of cheap, natural food with high nutritional value. And nature has always been a resource for mankind, virtually inexhaustible.
From ancient time people was discovered that nature offers practically countless possibilities for human survival. Phytotherapy had a major influence in human evolution. And studies on botanical active principles have contributed essentially to the current development of modern pharmacology. Synthetic drugs have proven many times numerous side-effects and even less clinical effective than botanical products. Currently, many people from different parts of the world use often healing herbs for treatment of various diseases. In Romania, nature is presented as a special living being interconnected with humans throughout their entire existence. Romanian spontaneous flora is extremely diverse. And many of these are well-known as healing herbs but also as ingredients, flavor or as food. Moreover, besides the amazing therapeutic effects on human body, by their stunning scent, vivid and highly diverse colorful, these plants offer almost miraculous cures for health, for the soul and for human wellbeing.
This paper aims to become aware for the modern man over the special properties of plats on human health and wellness. The nature always represented the cradle of human life. Therefore, it is essential for us to learn again to cherish nature, to explore the power of plants to cure or relax us. We must understand that only through a sustainable development we will be able to avoid the irrecoverable destruction of natural wildlife, basically, the only real legacy for the next generations. A special part is devoted to a very special plants from Romanian flora with less unknown applications: as food supplements or special culinary recipes.
Unfortunately, it is less known that black locust flowers represent an effective cure for several ailments. It is demonstrated their benefic effect on most diverse and stronger pains. One of which is stress, the main problem with which modern man confronts daily can caused serious effects: insomnia, cancer, obesity, diabetes, depression, and cardiac diseases, and sometimes even suicide or mutilations.
Black locust flowers are used in Romania for different culinary preparations: the famous donuts, salads, syrup, sherbet, pancakes, jam, wine, brandy (tuica), liqueur, tea. The flowers are also used as flavoring and for perfumes.

Elder Plant
Elder plant or Sambucus nigra, one of the harbingers of spring, belongs to the family Adoxaceae and is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. Across the globe there are more species of elder and among the best known are: i) Sambucus nigra, European elder called "Black elder", ii) Sambucus canadensis, the American black elderberry is an ornamental tree with white flowers and dark purple fruit and iii) Blue elder called Mexican Elderberry (Sambucus nigra cerulea) with cobalt-blue flowers [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].
The healing properties of elder plant are known for a very long time. The flowers were used in cosmetic treatments by the Egyptians, the Greeks used the root to prepare laxative teas and Indian tribes used the fruits and elderflower to prepare various medicinal potions. For this purpose, they use the elder fruits, flowers, leaves or the bark of stem [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]14].
In Romania, the elder grows as a medium-sized tree and is found most often on the edge of forests, in lowland and hills. It is grown mainly for its flowers and fruits. The parts of the elder (root, stem, leaves, and flowers) contain a toxic sap which is why it is used with caution in dosages well controlled after drying, boiling or special treatment, when they become a real natural panacea. But a special attention must be given to the fruit administration as a laxative because uncontrolled quantities can generate adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn, shortness of breath, convulsions [2,3].
The sambucus fruits and flowers are often used in culinary preparations. In Romania elder flowers are used to prepare true delicacies such as juice (socata), wine or sparkling wine, tea. And the fruits are used to obtain soup, fruit cakes, jam, jelly, food colorants, liqueurs, brandy, etc.

Ramsons
Besides snowdrops and other spring perennials, Ramsons (Allium ursinum) or wild garlic (bear's garlic) is a perennial plant that occurs in the first days of spring in the hill and mountain forests. It has strong green fleshy leaves, with small white flowers arranged in umbrella shape [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]15,16]. From botanical point of view, Ramsons is related to garlic, the leaves and stems have its taste and smell. but less strongly, and from a therapeutic standpoint the action of Ramsons is stronger than garlic, proven scientifically, fact explained in that being of wildlife, free grown, uninfluenced by human intervention thus keeping the native attributes. Ramsons could not be naturalized or cultivated being a wild species. It grows only in the forests of oak, beech or ash from Central Europe, including Romania. And the highest quality is to purify the body starting from the stomach and intestines, liver and gallbladder, blood vessels, which is why it is called the human body "Soap" [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]15,16,18,19].
In Romania, there are several varieties of sorrel. Most valuable for culinary and therapeutic purposes are cultivated species Rumex acetosa (big sorrel) and the spontaneous Rumex acetosella (petty sorrel or rabbit sorrel), Rumex crispus (curly dock, or curly stevia), Rumex alpestris (shepherd sorrel) and Rumex scutatus. There are no major differences between these species. Their tastes are quite identical and they have practically the same chemical content [2,3]. There are used mainly the sorrel leaves, contain large amount of: vitamins (A, C, K, E, H, PP and B complex), oxalic acid, essential oils and acids, minerals (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur and silicon), proteins, sugars, tannins, fibers [2-12,15-19].
All components of the plant (flower, root, leaves) are used for culinary preparations. Most common are leaves for salads, root for coffee substitute and flower for dandelion oil. In Romanian kitchen dandelion are used to prepare: syrup, jam, salad, honey, soups, dandelion flower in dough, salad, tea and smoothie. Also from can be obtain oil dandelion for cosmetic use and different kind of pain (breast, muscle, etc)
Unfortunately, nowadays the red clover had only few culinary applications. Romanians consume it as: honey, salads, juice, tea, jelly, wine, cakes. Food supplements based on red clover are very appreciated on Romanian market.

Conclusions
Studies on phytotherapeutic properties of healing herbs used for very long time in folk medicine still continues to represent a top subject in order to identify new natural bioactive compounds with high pharmacological activity. Another important reason consists in fact that most of perennial plants considered by modern humans as simply worthless weeds, due to their high nutrient value could represent an efficient, available and cheep alternative to processed foods. It should not be forgotten that, there are a synergic interdependence between a balanced nutrition and human health which represent an integrant part of food security concept.