Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 15 (1986) 121-132 121

Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.

Review Paper

BULGARIAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE: A SOURCE OF IDEAS FOR

PHYTOPHARMACOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

VESSELIN PETKOV

Institute of Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St., bl. 23,
1 I1 3 Sofia (Bulgaria)

(Accepted November 15,1985)

Summary

Some data about the use of medicinal plants in Bulgarian traditional

medicine in the Middle Ages and in modern times are presented and the
results of 40-year-long experimental-pharmacological investigations on
many medicinal plants used in Bulgarian traditional medicine are reviewed.
In-depth discussion is presented on the investigations of garlic (Allium
satiuum L.), a plant widely used by Bulgarian people for treating different
diseases. Data from studies on a large number of plants used for treatment
of hypertension, infectious diseases and as diuretic and spasmolytic reme-
dies are summarized.

In June 1763, Edward Stone from Chiping Norton, Oxford caused a sensa-
tion among scientific circles in Western Europe by his report to the Royal
Society in London in which he described the healing properties of an
extract of willow rind in a case of acute febrility. Two centuries later, in
1899 in Germany, Dreser offered a new drug, aspirin, a derivative of salicylic
acid contained in willow rind in the form of different compounds. Soon
aspirin proved to be one of the most efficient drugs and now its annual
production exceeds one hundred million kilograms; in the United States
more than one hundred million aspirin tablets are consumed daily.
However, if in the middle of the 18th century the report on the healing
properties of willow made a sensation in Western Europe and if in the 20th
century aspirin has established itself as one of the most efficient drugs
known by contemporary medicine, it should be said in the interests of truth
that the healing effect of willow was described nine centuries ago in the
Glossary included in the HexaZmeron of John the Exarch, a distinguished
Bulgarian scholar.
This Glossary (kept at the British Museum) refers also to hellebore

0378-8741/86/$04.55 0 1986 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.

Published and Printed in Ireland
122

(Heileborus odorus W.K.) as a medicinal plant which is now known to con-

tain cardiotonic glycosides of the digitalis group. One of the few dates which
students of medicine and pharmacy learn in the course of their education is
1785. This is the year in which the classic monograph of William Withering
from Edinburgh appeared, entitled An Account of the Foxglove and Some
of Its Medical Uses: with Practical Remarks on Drupsy and Other Diseases,
Ivan RiIsky , who lived at the end of the 9th and the first half of the
10th century and was later made a saint by the Bulgarian people, was a well-
known traditional healer curing various diseases with different herbs. Vassilii
Vratch, the leader of Bogomils (Bogomil movement - a progressive anti-
feudal national movement in Mediaeval Bulgaria), burnt to death in 1114 in
Const~tinople, was a famous traditional healer. Evidence for the role of the
Bogomils as tmdition~ healers is provided by chronicles where they are
described as preachers who went about the country carrying bread in one
bag and herbs in another. A valuable historical-medical source is the Bogomil
work “Zeleinik” written in the 10th or the 11th century, which contains
abundant data about healing with herbs, honey and other remedies.
In addition, the 3rd volume of Cu~~ect~~nof Folklore, Science and Litera-
ture {published in 1890) entitled Something on Bulgar~n ~ad~t~onal Medi-
cine (Ginchev, 1890) presents information carefully gathered by the
Bulgarian teacher Tsani Ginchev about 187 medicinal plants used in tradi-
tional medicine. In this book, besides the numerous interesting facts, Tsani
Ginchev related of how in 1870 during his lesson on the action of the “old
herb” (A tropa belladonna), one of the school boys told a story about his
grandmother who being bedridden for a long time was given a deco&ion of
“old herb” which caused madness as well as dilatation of the pupils, but she
soon recovered. At that time a certain old man called Alexander, from
Gabrovo, healed the sick with some herb which led to temporary madness
followed by recovery. Most probably, this herb was belladonna which in
some districts of this country, not a~ciden~y, was given the name of “mad
herb”. Several decades later the method of the traditional healer Ivan Raev
for healing Parkinson’s disease with a wine decoction of belladonna roots
achieved world fame. In the period 1928-1933 Raev’s method was tested
in many clinics in West European countries. After the efficiency of this
healing was proved to excel the efficiency of all other remedies used in the
therapy of Parkinson’s disease at that time, Raev’s method was univers~y
recognized under the name of Cura bulgara (Bulgarian healing).
The great rationality in the use of medicinal plants in Bulgarian traditional
medicine has its roots in the Thracian and Slavonic heritage from which
13 centuries ago the Bulgarian State was created by the merging and unifica-
tion of the three tribal communities - Thracians, Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians.
In the nine volumes left by Theop~~tes, a Hellenic naturalist and philoso-
pher, titled Studies of Plants, it is mentioned that Thrace was the region
richest in medicinal plants in the world of that time. In his outstanding book
of medical botany written in Greek, the Roman army surgeon Dioscurides
 123

(of Greek origin) describes a large number of plants used by the Thracians
for healing purposes. The data of Dioscurides were widely used by Galen,
Avizena and by almost all doctors of the Middle Ages and thus the experi-
ence of the Thracians for the use of medicinal plants was passed on to
medicine throughout Europe and in a certain sense had a dominant role till
the 17th century.
Through the heritage of the Slavs came the use of the poppy (cont~ning
morphine) and hemp (containing hashish) as narcotics.
The five-century long Ottoman domination which isolated the Bulgarian
people from world civilization was a factor which forced this hardy people
to solveelmost all its own problems. Thus, Bulgarian empirical medicine of
that time abounds in original elements,
Folklore represents a rich source of knowledge in the field of traditional
medicine. Considering folklore as an art created by the people, one cannot
fail to notice the frequent intertwining in folk poetry of motifs from tradi-
tional medicine reflecting folk customs, legends, tales, songs and proverbs.
We would like to mention that in Bulgarian folklore there are some elements
of plant healing which at fit glance might be considered as an expression of
mysticism or as an attempt to conceal ignorant helplessness in explaining the
natural phenomena. Thus, for instance, we will find in Bulgarian folk songs
and tales that the magic of a herb might appear only if the herb is gathered
in “the dead of night”, at dawn, at cock-crowing, or from a “hidden shady
spot”. Other herbs should have been collected on a definite day of the year
(e.g. midsummer Day, the Day of the Holly Cross, the Day of Virgin Mary,
etc.) or from strictly limited areas. Today, there are abundant data to show
that sunlight, temperature, diurnal periods, stages in plant development and
the properties of the soil are of great importance for plant metabolism and
particularly for the biosynthesis of biologically active compounds as well as
cyclic changes in the distribution of these compounds in the different parts
of the plants - roots, leaves, blossoms and fruits.
Indicative of the healing effects of some plants might also be their popular
names. It is a duty of contemporary medicine to utilize the great wealth of
traditional medicine accumulated for many years. However, the rationale
of traditional medicine should be revealed just as restorers reveal the
unfading beauty of the sooty ancient icons and frescoes coated with plaster
for years on end. Patiently, carefullly, with much love and respect for the
creative work of thousands of ordinary unknown workers, today we should
take off the crust of time layer by layer and remove the “contaminations”
in order sometimes to reveal real masterpieces.
One of the greatest difficulties in decoding traditional medicine’s indications
for one or another healing process is their insufficient specificity. For
instance, it is said that this herb is helpful in hydropsy, i.e. in oedema. How-
ever, the causes of development of oedema might be heart, kidney, liver,
endocrine, metabolic or other diseases. Or, for instance, some herb is recom-
mended for the treatment of women’s diseases, which however, represent a
124

branch of medicine, gynecoIogy, which includes dozens of different diseases

requiring different treatments. It might be assumed that in many cases the
traditional healers had known when and what to use for curing. However,
time obliterated the details, hence the rationality of the treatment applied.
At the same time the “specification” of the indications of using traditional
healing methods which some modem authors do without hesitation accord-
ing to the present-day cl~si~cation of the diseases, should be considered a
doubtful service. This is one of the most fatal ways of additional obliteration
of the data of traditional medicine. The necessary concreteness of the indica-
tions of the healing properties of the remedies and the methods of tradi-
tional medicine will be achieved by the joint use of two basic approaches -
reaching as close as possible to the primary sources through the above-
mentioned restoration activity and through experimental verification of the
data using various experimental models.
The results from our 40-year-long pharmacological investigations on a
large number of medicinal plants are only a poor illustration of the utiliza-
tion of the wealth that the keen intellect of the Bulgarian people has
revealed in medicinal plants and maintained in tmditional medicine. In most
cases a starting point for these investigations was the data of traditional
medicine.
One of the medicinal plants which we have studied thoroughly is garlic
(Allium satiuum L.) (Petkov, 194$,1950,1951,1953,1962,1965a,b, 1966,
1979; Petkov and Donev, 1960; Petkov and Stoev, 1960; Petkov and
Nikolov, 1961; Petkov et al., 1965a,b Petkov and Kushev, 1966; Petkov
and Genov, 1968; Petkov et al., 1969a,b,c,d; Petkov et al., 1976a,b). Garlic is
widely used in Bulgarian traditional medicine. Ginchev (1890) and Vatev
(1905) write in their memoirs that in 1848 when a cholera epidemic broke
out in Bulgaria, garlic was used as a basic remedy against this disease. This
led to a sharp rise in the price of garlic. There is a folk manuscript entitled
Book of remedies from O&rid (Ochridski Le~~enik~ which also recom-
mends garlic for the treatment of abdominal typhus. In Bulgarian traditional
medicine, garlic was used for healing of fever and malaria, as an efficient
antihelminthic as well as for chronic bronchitis with abundant expectoration
of mucus and pus, chronic arthritis (in the form of cataplasms for external
application}, some skin diseases as a keratolytic, etc. However, garlic was
mostly used by tradition medicine and still remains in practice for pro-
phylaxis and therapy of atherosclerosis and hypertension.
Our year-long investigations confirmed experimentally and clinically many
of the healing properties of garlic asserted by Bulgarian traditional medicine
and revealed some new and so far unknown positive effects of this plant.
Almost 40 years ago, we found that garlic prevents to a certain degree the
~pe~en~ly-induct sharp increase of blood cholesterol and prevents to a
large degree the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits
(Petkov, 1948). In those first experiments we made use of fresh garlic juice,
obtained by pressing, which was introduced through a probe directly into
 125

the rabbit stomach in a dose of 1 ml in each rabbit. When the garlic juice
was administered simultaneously with cholesterol (0.25 g/kg body wt)
dissolved in olive or cod-liver oil it prevented the development of such a
highdegree cholesterolemia as that in the rabbits which were given food
supplemented with cholesterol only. The rabbits which were given choles-
terol for 64 days showed an increase of cholesterol level from 70.6 to
923.8 mg% (mean values) while in the rabbits given food supplemented with
cholesterol and garlic juice the blood cholesterol increased from 70.8 to
548.5 mg% (mean values). This effect of garlic was confirmed in some
patients whose cholesterol level decreased sharply 2.5 h after taking 2 ml
of garlic juice (dissolved in 50 ml water).
We ascribe this effect of garlic to its stimulant action of the reticulo-
endothelial system, or broadly speaking, on the active mesenchyme. This
conclusion about the stimulant effect of garlic on the functional activity
of the reticula-endothelial system, based on studies of the changes in the
index of fixation of colloid stain into the tissue (Petkov, 1948), was later
confirmed by experiments where we evaluated the effect of garlic on the
decorporation and cumulation of the macromolecules of radioactive colloid
gold (19’Au) (Petkov and Kushev, 1966).
Morphologic investigation of the aorta of the rabbit fed on cholesterol-
containing diet for more than 2 months showed the development of pro-
nounced atherosclerosis, while in rabbits given garlic in addition to cho-
lesterol, this process was much less pronounced when observed macro- and
microscopically (Petkov, 1948).
In experiments on rabbits, garlic juice (1.5-2 ml/rabbit) was found to
decrease blood sugar by nearly 10% (Petkov, 1948). This effect of garlic was
related to the high amounts of active sulfuric compounds contained in it.
The sulfuric compounds accounted also for the changes produced by
garlic and by some garlic preparations in the rabbit thyroid gland (increased
blood-filling, groups of interfollicular cells, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of
the epithelium, decreased size of the follicles and slight vacuolization of the
colloid). These changes were analogous to those occurring under the effect
of thioureic derivatives with antithyroideic action. This led us to believe that
garlic possesses a thyroid function-~hibit~g action (Petkov, 1948,1953).
A moderate hypotensive effect of garlic was observed in acute experi-
ments on anaesthetized normotonic cats upon intravenous injection of garlic
preparations as well as in chronic experiments on wakeful dogs with experi-
mental hypertension (induced through ligation of three of the four main
brain arteries) upon oral administration of a native garlic preparation
{Petkov, 1950,1953,1966,1965a,b, 1979; Petkov et al., 1965b; Petkov et al.,
1969b). This effect was confirmed in patients with initial forms of hyper-
tension who were given a native garlic preparation in the form of tablets
prepared by special technology. When the preparation Satal was applied in a
dose of 2 tablets three times a day for 30 days (each tablet contained 0.25 g
Allium satiuum recens) to 20 patients with initial hypertension it decreased
126

the systolic pressure from 153 f 2.6 to 129 f 3.3 .mmHg (mean values) and
the diastolic pressure from 90 f 2.6 to 75 + 0.49 mmHg. The hypotensive
effect was found to increase upon longer storage of the garlic preparations.
This finding is in agreement with the requirements of traditional medicine
that the plum/grape brandy extracts of garlic should be used not earlier than
2 or 3 weeks after garlic had been soaked in the brandy.
The great amount of active sulfuric compounds in garlic gave us grounds
to examine it as a remedy in the prophylaxis and therapy of chronic lead
poisoning. Our first experiments were performed with ramson (Allium
ursinum L.), a garlic-related plant also rich in sulfuric compounds (Petkov,
1957a). It was found that the alcoholic-aqueous extract of ramson prevented
the occurrence of the toxic effects observed upon repeated application of
lead acetate in guinea-pigs (decrease in weight, erythrocytes and hemoglobin).
In the subsequent experiments, we made use of rabbits which were given
twice daily such a dose of lead acetate that led to death within 4 days.
Garlic juice dissolved in water was employed as a possible protector against
the induced severe, lead poisoning. The most interesting result from these
experiments was the almost doubled survival of the rabbits which were given
garlic juice in addition to lead acetate (Petkov and Donev, 1960).
With these preliminary experimental data in hand, we began to examine
the effect of a garlic preparation obtained by special technology in the form
of tablets on a large contingent of workers endangered by chronic lead
poisoning or with evidence of presaturnism (Petkov and Stoev, 1960; Petkov
et al., 196513). Clinical-pharmacological tests, some lasting for 3 months and
others 1 month, showed the following. Under the effect of the garlic pre-
paration, the number of workers with evidence for presaturnism (punctured
erythrocytes and porphyrin in the urine) decreased by 83%. Furthermore,
the amount of porphyrin still remaining in the urine of some of the workers
treated with the garlic preparation was much decreased. In the workers with
evidence for presatumism, the garlic preparation caused a statistically signifi-
cant increase in the number of erythrocytes and in the amount of hemo-
globin. The slightly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures signifi-
cantly decreased at the end of observation. On the other hand, in 28% of the
workers endangered by chronic lead poisoning but without evidence for
presatumism at the beginning of observation, we established punctured
erythrocytes or porphyrin in the urine at the end of the 3-month observa-
tion, while in only 3% of the same contingent of workers who were given the
garlic preparation, punctured erythrocytes or porphyrin in the urine were
found at the end of observation.
The favorable effect of garlic in the case of chronic lead poisoning might
be explained by the fact that a part of the lead powder in the gastrointestinal
tract reacts with the active sulfur components in garlic and is then excreted
by the feces in the form of insoluble sulfides without being resorbed. The
evacuation of a part of garlic polysulfides with respiratory air maybe also
restricts the resorption the fine lead powder in the respiratory tract, trans-
 127

forming it partially into insoluble and hence unresorbable lead sulfides.

The chemical interaction between the resorbed sulfide compounds in garlic
and the resorbed lead is also likely to play a certain role in the antitoxic
effect of garlic.
In Bulgarian traditional medicine garlic was used as a remedy not only
against cholera and abdominal typhus but also against other infectious
diseases of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. The results from our
microbiological studies (Petkov and Nikolov, 1961; Petkov et al., 1969c)
have shown that garlic juice even in large dilutions has a strong bactericidal
action against many pathogenic microorganisms - Shigellu Flexneri, Shigellu
Sonne, Salmonella typhymurium, Salmonella cholerae suis, pathogenic
Escherichia coli, B. paracoli, dispeptic Bact. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
Of particular interest is the anthihelminthic effect of garlic. In a large
number of children infected with Enterobius vermicularis, garlic preparation
applied in the form of tablets for 20 days proved to be very helpful (Petkov
and Genov, 1968).
We have also data to show that in small dilutions (up to 1: lOOO), garlic
juice kills the seeds (experiments on oats) while in large dilutions
(1: 100,000) it accelerates their.germination and growth (Petkov, 1948).
Analogous results were obtained from experiments on paramecia. In small
dilutions garlic juice killed these protozoa while in dilutions of the order
of 1: 100,000 it stimulated the division processes in them.
Our data about the stimulant action of garlic on the growth of pigs and
calves are also interesting. In experiments on pigs (Petkov et al., 1965a) fed
on a diet supplemented with 1 g garlic per 10 kg body weight for 71 days
we established that the mean 24-h weight growth was 13.2% higher com-
pared with that of the controls. Furthermore, very important from an eco-
nomical viewpoint, is the fact that the higher increase in the weight of the
pigs which were given food supplemented with garlic was achieved by con-
sumption of smaller amounts of chow. The consumption of less nutrient
units and digestible protein for 1 kg weight growth speaks for a better
utilization of the food.
The results from the experiments on calves were analogous (Petkov et al.,
1976b). The experiments were carried out in the course of 128 days. The
calves were fed on a diet supplemented with garlic, 2 g garlic per 10 kg
body weight. At the end of the experiments the mean weight of the calves
given garlic was 26 kg (12.2%) higher than that of the controls. Here again
an increase of 1 kg in the weight of the calves fed on a diet supplemented
with garlic was obtained by consumption of less nutrient units. Obviously,
the growth-stimulating effect of garlic should be related to its antimicrobic,
antiparasitic and antitoxic action as well as to its regulatory influence on
gastric motility and on some metabolic processes in the organism.
In addition to the effects of garlic, discussed above, we would like to
summarize some of our most interesting pharmacological investigations of
a large number of plants growing or cultivated in Bulgaria, which are used
in traditional medicine.
128

Many of our investigations were directed to experimental-pharmacological

verification of the favorable effects of some plants used in traditional
healing of hypertension. Thus, extracts from different parts of more than
100 plants were studied. With some of the plants we tested isolated biologi-
cally active fractions or chemically pure products. Screening experiments
were carried out under acute conditions on anaesthetized cats in which the
extracts tested were injected intravenously. In single cases the extracts were
administered intraduodenally (also in anaesthetized cats) or orally in wakeful
dogs with experimentally-induced hypertension (Petkov, 1962,1965a,b, 1979;
Petkov et al., 1959, 1969a,b, 1972, 1974a; Petkov and Tsonev, 1962a,b;
Petkov and Manolov, 1972; Nastev et al., 1966; Rainova et al., 1966,
1968a,b, 1969; Todorov et al., 1984).
Significant or much pronounced long-lasting effect was exerted by some
extracts and purified flavonoid fractions from crane’s bill (Geranium macror-
rhizum L.), the iridoid oleuropein isolated from olive leaves (Oleu europueu)
and the alkaloid-free extracts from fumitory (Fumuriu officinulis L.).
The alkaloids isolated from false hellebore (Verutrum lobelianum Bemh),
wide-spread in Bulgaria, had very potent hypotensive effects. Marked hypo-
tensive effect was also exerted by some extracts from Symphytum officinule
L., Pueoniu unomulu, Verbuscum thapsiforme Schrad., Curlinu acanthifolia
All., Geranium Robertiunum L., Geum urbunum L., Helichrysum urenurium
L., Hierucium pilosellu L., Solidago virga aureu L., Geranium sanguineum L.,
Rhus cotinus L., Asurum europeum L., Cannabis sutivu L.
The iridoids and flavonoids studied by us exhibited various effects. Thus
the iridoid oleuropein, isolated from the olive leaves was characterized not
only by hypotensive action but also by coronary dilating and marked anti-
arrhythmic action (Petkov et al., 1972; Petkov and Manolov, 1975,1978).
Oleuropein also acted as a spasmolytic. The biologically active fractions
isolated from the valerian roots and composed of iridoids of the valepotriat
group, in addition to clear-cut tranquilizing action, also exerted a moderate
positive inotropic and a negative chronotropic effect on the activity of the
heart, as well as some coronary dilating and anti-arrhythmic action (Petkov
and Manolov, 1973,1975,1978; Petkov et al., 1974; Manolov and Petkov,
1976). The flavonoid fractions isolated from. geranium, besides their hypo-
tensive action, also had pronounced spasmolytic and tranquilizing effects
and the flavonoid hyperoside isolated from hawthorn leaves and blossoms
(Crutuegus monogyna) caused dilatation of coronary vessels, increase in
coronary flow and decrease in permeability of the vascular wall (Petkov
and Manolov, 1978; Manolov and Petkov, 1977; Manolov et al., 1980;
Petkov et al., 1983).
Many of the plants studied by us were characterized by a spasmolytic
action on smooth muscle. Particularly pronounced myorelaxant and
spasmolytic effects were exerted by extracts from basil (Ocimum basilicurn
L.) (Petkov and Penova, 1962), violet (Viola odor&u L.), blue bottle (Centu-
urea cyanus L.) and Scutelluriu altissima (Petkov et al., 1969a).
 129

In vitro studies of the effects of different extracts from 172 medicinal

plants used in Bulgarian traditional medicine on a large number of patho-
genic microorganisms revealed a strong bacteriostatic or bactericidal action
of many of these plants (Petkov et al., 1969c, 1976a). Only some of the
results obtained are mentioned here. The aqueous extract of garlic bulbs
(Allium satiuum L.) strongly inhibited the growth of almost all test-microbes.
Extracts from essential oil-free sage leaves (Salvia officinalis L.) inhibited
the growth of almost all Shigellu dysenteriae and coli test-microbes. Elecam-
pane (Inulu helenium L.), red (wild) germander (Z’eucrium chamuedris),
wood betony (Betonicu officinulis), agrimony (Agrimoniu euputoriu L.),
horse-radish (Armoruciu rusticunu Gaertn), celandine poppy (Chelidonium
mujus L.) and buckhorn (Rhumnus frungulu L.) had marked inhibitory
action on the growth of Staphylococcus uureus and of the alpha-hemolytic
streptococci.
Aqueous extracts from rue (Rutu gruueolens L.), plantain (Pluntugo
lunceolutu L.) and field horstail (Equisetum uruense L.) exerted significant
inhibitory effects on the growth of Proteus uulguris. The alcoholic extract of
avens root (Geum urbanurn L.) strongly inhibited the growth of Pseudo-
monas pyocyuneu and of Staphylococcus uureus.
Extracts from female flowers of hop (Humulus lupulus L.), as well as from
Fungus cynosbuti of rose (Rosa cunina L.), exerted a pronounced bacteri-
cidal effect on Staphylococcus uureus. The fruit of wild strawberry (Fruguriu
uescu L.) had a strong bacteriostatic effect on Pseudomonas ueruginosu, Sh.
Sonne, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus uureus. The flower of
Rosa dumascenu Mill., var. trigintipetulu Dick showed such an effect on
Sh. Sonne.
Our results from studies on more than 70 extracts from different parts of
Danewort, D&f-elder (Sumbucus ebulus L.), obtained in different phases of
its vegetation, confirmed the data of Bulgarian traditional medicine on
diuretic action of this plant (Petkov et al., 1979; Ognyanov et al., 1979;
Petkov and Markovska, 1981). In experiments on rats, some of the
extracts showed tranquilizing effects and exerted a pronounced hypotensive
action. Of special interest are the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of
some of the extracts on a large number of pathogenic microorganisms and
particularly on microorganisms which cause uroinfections (Pseudomonas
ueroginosu, B. subtilis, B. mesentericus, B. coli, Str. fecium, etc.) and which
are somewhat resistant to the modern chemotherapeutic drugs.
This is only a part of our year-long experimental-pharmacological investi-
gations of medicinal plants used in Bulgarian traditional medicine. The
results from these investigations provide new convincing evidence for the
rationality of much of the empirical data of traditional medicine about
the medicinal properties of a large number of plants growing in Bulgaria.
However, many of the herbs studied by us did not reveal the healing proper-
ties ascribed to them by traditional medicine and others were found to be
even harmful. Thus, it is the human duty of every physician to oppose the
130

unfounded use of the traditional remedies and methods. The latter should
only be applied after experimental and clinical verification.

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action. The American journal of Chinese Medicine, Compa~tiue Medicine East and
West 7, 3, i97-237.
Petkov, V. and Donev, N. (1960) Garlic as a protective remedy against lead poisoning.
Higiena 6, 11-14 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V. and Genov, G. (1968) The treatment of enterobiosis with the Bulgarian pre-
paration Satal. Bulletin of NIEM 2, 153-160 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V, and Kushev, V. (1966) The effect of garlic on the decorporation and cumula-
tion of 19*Au in some organs. Rentgenologia i Radiologia 4, 2, 89-93 (in Butgarian),
Petkov, V. and Mandov, P. (1972) Pharmacological analysis of the iridoid Oleuropein.
Arzneimittel-Forschung 22, %,1476-3.486.
 131

Petkov, V. and Manolov,P,(1973) Pharmacological studies on a vaiapotriat isolated frum

V&&ma officinalis. Third NatiumzI Conference of Pharmlrcology and Clinic of New
B&g&an Drugs I, 55-58 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V. and Manolov, P. (1975) To the pharmacology of iridoids. Agressologie 16,
B; 25-30.
Petkov, V. and Manoiov, P. (1978) Pharmacological studies on substances of plant origin
with coronary dilating and anti-arrhythmic action, Comparative Medicine 6, 2,123-
139.
Petkov, V. and Markovska, V, (1981) L’effet diuretique de Sambucus e&&us L. (Capri-
foliacees). Plantes Medicmales et Phytotherapie 15, 3, 172-182.
Petkov, V. and Nikolov, N. (1961) Studies on the phytoncide activity of different
fractions from garlic. Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical Institute 8,1, 97-104.
Petkov, V. and Penova, M. { 1962) Pharmacological study of a basil (Ocimum basilicurn
L.) preparation. Farmazia 12,1, 30-36 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V. and Stoev, V. (1960) Prophylaxis and therapy with garlic of the lead poisoning
in the industry. Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical Insfitu&? 7, 4, 73-84 {in
Bulgarian ).
Petkov, V. and Tsonev, Iv. (1962a) Experimental studies on the cardiovascular action of
two aikaloid complexes isolated from Veratrum Eobelianum. Proceedings of the
Postgraduate Medical Institute 9, 2,7-25 (in Buigarian).
Petkov, V. and Tsonev, Iv. (1962b) Bxperimentalle Untersuehungen Uber die kardiovas-
k&ire Wirkung der vun Vera&urn ~obe~ianum isofierten Alkaioidkomplexe der Proto-
veratrin und Germerin-Reihe, Actu Biotogica et Medica Germanka, Supplementband
II, 257-626.
Petkov, V., Popov, St. and Tsonev, Iv. (1959) Experimental studies on the cardiovascular
action of the Veratrum lobeliunum alkaloids. Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical
Institute 6, 2, 109-132 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V., Kadiiski, E, and Nikolov, N. (1965a) Garlic as a stimulator of the growth of
pigs. ~i~o~o~dni Nauki 2,1,105-109 (in 3ulgarianS.
Petkov, V., Stoev, V., Bakalov, D. and Petev, L. (1965b) Bulgarian preparation Satf as a
remedy against lead poisoning in industry. Higiena Truda i Profesionalnie ~aboIeuanic
9, 4, 42-49 (in Russian).
Petkov, V., Tsonev, Iv., Rajnova, .L. and Penova, M. (1969a) Pharmacological studies on
some Bulgarian plants with hypotensive and smooth-muscle action, Proceedings of the
Postg~d~te Medical Institute 15, 3,169-174.
Petkov, V., Tsonev, Iv., Rajnova, L, and Penova, M. (1969b) Screening studies on some
Bulgarian plants with hypotensive action. Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical
Institute.16, 1, 105-112 (in BuIgarian).
Petkov, V., Penova, M., Paparkova, K. and Jekov, S. (1969c) Screening studies on the
antimicrobial action of plants growing in Bulgaria. Proceedings of the Postgraduate
Medicai Institute 16, 2,11-30.
Petkov, V., Rainova, L., Tsonev, I,, Marinov, M., Penova, M. and hantscheva, S. (1969d)
Recherches pharmaculogiques sur I’action hypotensive d’une centaines de plantes
medicinaIes bufgares. Archives de I’Union Medicale Baikanique 7,6,695-702.
Petkov, V., Rainova, L., Tsonev, I,, Ivancheva, S. and Marinov, M. (19’70) Phytochemical
and pharmacological investigations of the biologically active ingredients of Geranium,
Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical Institute 17, 2,33-37.
Petkov, V., Ivancheva, S., Ognyanov, I., Tsonev, I., Rainova, L. and Titova, E. (1972)
Chemistry and pharmacology of flavonoid fractions with hypotensive action isolated
from geranium. ~xperimenta~na Medizina i Morfologia 11, 2, 45-54 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V,, Ivancheva, S., Tsonev, I., Klouchek, E. and Rainova, L. (1974a) Chemistry
and pharmacology of flavonoid fractions with hypotensive action isolated from
geranium. II Communication. Experimen’talna kfedizina i Morfologia 13, 1, 29-36
(in Bulgarian).
132

Petkov, V., Manolov, P., Markov, M., Popov, S. and Handjieva, N. (1974b) Pharmacologi-
cal studies on a mixture of valepotriats isolated from Valeriana officinalis. Comptes
Rendus de l’Aca&?mie Bulgare dss Sciences 27, 7, 1007-1010.
Petkov, V., Penova, M. and Paparkova, K. (1976a) Screening studies on the antimicrobial
action of plants growing in Bulgaria. II Communication. Farmazia 26, 5, 49-55 (in
Bulgarian).
Petkov, V., Georgiev, E. and Borissov, A. (1976b) Garlic as a stimulator of the growth of
calves. Mesopromishienost-Bulletin 9, 314, 59-64 (in Bulgarian).
Petkov, V., Manolov, P. and Paparkova, K. (1979) Screening pharmacologique de
Sambucus abulus L. Plantes Mbdicinales et PhytothCrapie 13, 2,134-138.
Petkov, V., Todorov, S.B., Nikolov, Z., Zamfirova, R.N. and Krusteva, S. (1983) On the
hypotensive effect of Crataegus monogina, Saluia officinalis and Melissa officinalis
extracts. Comptes Rendus de 1’Acade’mie Bulgare des Sciences 36, 5, 689-692.
Rainova, L., Tsonev, I., Petkov, V. and Penova, M. (1966) Plants with hypotensive action.
Farmazia 16, 5, 52-50 (in Bulgarian).
Rainova, L., Tsonev, I. and Petkov, V. (1968a) On the hypotensive action of Fumaria
officinalis. Experimentalna Medizina i Morfologia 7, 2, 107-113 (in Bulgarian).
Rainova, L., Tsonev, I., Petkov, V., Ivancheva, S. and Marinov, M. (1968b) On the hypo-
tensive action of geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum L.). Farmaria 18, 5, 11-18
(in Bulgarian).
Rainova, L., Tsonev, I., Petkov, V., Penova, M., Ivancheva, S. and Marinov, M. (1969) On
the active principles and pharmacodynamics of Fumaria officinalis and Geranium
macrorrhizun. Proceedings of the Postgraduate Medical Institute 16,1, 119-125.
(in Bulgarian).
Todorov, S., Philianos, S., Petkov, V., Harvala, C., Zamfirova, R. and Olimpiou, H. (1984)
Experimental.pharmacological study of three species from genus Saluia. Acta Physio-
logica et Pharmacologica Bulgarica 10, 2, 13-20.
Vatev, S. (1905) Materials on Bulgarian traditional medicine, Collection of Folklore.
Nauka i knijnina, kn. XXI, Sofia (in Bulgarian),