Medicina (Kaunas). 2003 ; 39(4): 411-6.

The cumulation of Wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) accessions: the possibility of species preservation and usage in medicine.

Rimkiene S, Ragazinskiene O, Savickiene N.

Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. [email protected]

Wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) has a history in folk medicine of helping respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and cold symptoms. The drugs and extracts are prepared from raw material of pansy; it is a component of some prepared antitussives, cholagogues, dermatological medicines, roborants and tonics, alternatives, and anti-phlebitis remedies. Wild pansy is indigenous to or naturalized in large parts of Europe and the Middle East as far as Central Asia, also found through the United States. In the Lithuanian flora wild pansy habitats areas have been fast reducing; this not only limits the availability of the reserves of medicinal raw materials for pharmacy and therapy needs but also causes a menace to survival of species. The reasons of reduction of natural habitats and areas of wild pansy are not only unfavorable meteorological conditions (including summer droughts) but also the competition of different herbs and irrational human activities. The opportunities of preservation of the species wild pansy need to be cultivated and the most exhaustive adaptation research should be performed.