Abstract

JUNCACEAE PLANTS OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE – UNIQUE PHYTOCHEMISTRY BUT INTENSE RESEARCH IS NEEDED

Abdullatif Azab*

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Abstract

The Juncaceae family is represented in the reviewed region by ten species, where they distributed in all landscapes. Some of these species were and still being used by traditional societies, and part of these uses is well documented. Modern research of these plants is strangely very limited, and some species were not published for any medicinal activity. This lack applies also for the knowledge of these plants chemical compositions. Despite this, the limited knowledge of their chemistry reveals very interesting phenanthrenes and few other compounds. Interestingly, these plants are reported for phytoremediation activity, and this will be presented in the discussion section of this minireview article. So, in addition to presenting the very limited medicinal knowledge of these plants, the main objective of this article is to draw the attention of scholars to future research opportunities. Finally, it is important to mention that some of these plants are endangered in the reviewed region between the Mediterranean sea and the Jordan river.

Keywords: Juncaceae, Juncus, basket weaving, Juncus acutus, Juncus maritimus, chemical composition, ethnobotany, antimicrobial activity, phenanthrenes, phytoremediation.