Macedonian pharmaceutical bulletin, 68 (Suppl 2) 77 - 78 (2022) Online ISSN 1857 - 8969 DOI: 10.33320/maced.pharm.bull.2022.68.04.033 Short communication *bujar.qazimi@ubt-uni.net S1 PP 24 Comparison of mineral content between spontaneous and cultivated flowering stems of Sideritis scardica Bujar Qazimi *1 , Trajče Stafilov 2 , Katerina Bačeva-Andonovska 3 , Krsto Tašev 4 , Shpend Dragusha 1 , Hyrije Koraqi 1 , Vesel Qazimi 5 , Valon Ejupi 1 1 Faculty of Pharmacy, UBT- Higher Education Institution, Lagjia Kalabria, 10000 Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo 2 Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University Ss. Сyril and Methodius, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia 3 Research Center for Environment and Materials, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Bul. Krste Misirkov 2, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia 4 State Phytosanitary Laboratory, Bul. Aleksandar Makedonski bb, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia 5 Medical High School, “Nikola Shtejn”, Ilinden street. N.n., 1200 Tetovo, North Macedonia Introduction Sideritis scardica Griseb. is an endemic species in the Balkan Peninsula. It is used in traditional medicine as a loosening agent in bronchitis and bronchial asthma; against the common cold and lung emphysema; in the treatment of inflammation, gastrointestinal disorders, and coughs; and as an active constituent of dietary supplements for the prevention of anemia (Todorova and Trendafilova, 2014). For this reason, it is a subject of intensive exploitation. The important role of Sideritis scardica as a traditional remedies tea and its conservation status has required its cultivation as market production. S. scardica is cultivated very difficultly; as it grows in high mountains up to 1200 m (Kostadinova et al., 2008). Various extracts of S. scardica are rich with phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids (Petreska et al., 2011), diterpenes, hydrocarbons, and complex mineral composition (Karapandzova et al., 2013), as well volatile monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (Qazimi et al., 2014). S. scardica is very popular and widely advertised herb in Europe. In addition, the toxicity and the side effects from the usage of S. scardica as well as clinical trials need attention. For the practice, it is important to improve cultivation conditions in order to increase the accumulation of biologically active compounds and to obtain herbs with permanent and good quality (Todorova and Trendafilova, 2014). Several wild and aromatic herbs are used for medicinal and traditional phytotherapeutic purposes since they are considered as important source of essential minerals. Spontaneous herbs are also a potential link to the transfer of contaminants and heavy metals from the environment to humans through the food chain (Volpe et al., 2015). The aim of this work was to determine the mineral content in spontaneous and cultivated flowering stems of mountain tea (Sideritis scardica Griseb.). Materials and methods Plant material The flowering stems of S. scardica were collected in four different localities in North Macedonia. The spontaneous samples were collected from Ljuboten (Shara Mountain), Gurgurnica (Suva Gora), and Lazaropole (Bistra). One cultivated sample was collected from Dren (near Prilep). The plant material was air-dried, packed in paper bags, and kept in a dark and cold place until analysis. Digestion and Chemical Analysis Samples were digested in a microwave system by