Objectives: Folk medicines in Kızılcıhamam has not been investigated in detail so far. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a comprehensive investigation of folk medicine in the Kızılcahamam district.
Materials and methods: Nine scientific field trips were organized to Kızılcahamam between April 2007 and July 2008. Data were obtained by field interviews with local people using open and semi-structured questionnaires. Results were evaluated statistically with the "use-value", "informant consensus factor" and cultural importance index.
Results: Sixty-five species (69 taxa) that belong to 58 genera of 31 families were determined to be used as folk medicines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to record four of these species as folk medicines. Plants from Compositae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae families were used most frequently as folk medicines in Kızılcahamam. Plants in the study area are mainly used for gastrointestinal system problems, respiratory disorders, and urinary tract diseases. Residents from 41% of the villages where the scientific trips were carried out, declared that they are not using or interested in folk medicines.
Conclusion: This study highlights once again the gradual reduction of folk medicinal knowledge and the urgent need for folk medicine investigations in all parts of Turkey.
Keywords: Ankara; Kızılcahamam; ethnobotany; folk medicines; medicinal plants.