Determination of Nutritive Value and Analysis of Mineral Elements for Wild Edible Stachys Lavandulifolia Vahl. Var. Lavandulifolia Growing in Eastern Anatolia

Abstract

The genus Stachys (Lamiaceae) is represented by about 300 species found in the world. Turkey is one of the richestcountries in Stachys diversity being represented by 83 species with a level of 48% endemism. In this study, Stachyslavandulifolia Vahl. was collected from Alacabük mountain of Tatvan in Eastern Anatolia. S. lavandulifolia Vahl. subsp.lavandulifolia, known as “dağ çayı, tüylü çay”, is widely consumed in Anatolia as herbal tea. Stachys species belong toone of the oldest medicinal plants that are used both for pharmaceutical purposes and in folk medicine; It is used for thetreatment of gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders, and is known as an appetizer, carminative, stimulant, digestive,diuretic, and throat pain reliever. Wild plants gathered from nature are cheaper food and important for human health.Thus, in the present study, nutritional value and mineral composition of used parts of selected S. lavandulifolia Vahl. var.lavandulifolia was investigated.In laboratory analysis, total ash, % N, crude protein, crude fiber and pH were examined as nutritional value. Usefulminerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S and Zn) and some heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr and Pb) that are hazardouselements for livings were also determined. The total ash, total nitrogen and crude protein, pH and crude fiber content ofthe plants were identified as 7.00%, 1.31%, 8.03%, 6.53% and 38.40%, and respectively. Mineral analysis showed thatthe wild plants samples contained considerably high amounts of potassium (17.46g/kg), phosphorus (4.70g/kg), calcium(17.25g/kg), magnesium (2.47g/kg), iron (241.37mg/kg), manganese (22.95mg/kg) and zinc (18.56mg/kg). This workcontributed to the nutritional properties of some wild plants, and the results may be useful for the evaluation of dietaryinformation.