EMPETRUM NIGRUM IN NATIONAL PARK - SHAR MOUNTAIN: ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE, PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILE AND MEDICINAL APPLICATIONS

Empetrum nigrum, commonly referred to as crowberry, is a low-growing evergreen shrub, growing in the National Park Sar Mountain, with notable ecological, medicinal, and economic significance. This review highlights its unique adaptations to circumboreal and alpine environments, emphasizing its role in nutrient-poor ecosystems and its contributions to biodiversity and soil stability. The plant's phytochemical profile, including chalcones, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, underpins its medicinal properties, with demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Additionally, its allelopathic effects influence plant community dynamics and ecosystem processes. Despite its limited domestication, E. nigrum presents significant economic opportunities in health, wellness, and sustainable land management. With climate change affecting its distribution, integrating ecological and economic strategies is critical for its conservation and exploitation. This review provides an interdisciplinary synthesis of E. nigrum botany, ecology, phytochemistry, and economic prospects, offering a foundation for future research and application.