Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in the Mainarde Mountains (central-southern Apennine, Italy).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: New documentation of the uses of plants in the popular medicine of the Mainarde Mountain, a protected area of the central-southern Apennine characterised by a high floristic richness, is here reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Field data were collected through semi-structured and open interviews with native People between 2011 and 2014. The plants were identified and vouchers specimens were scanned to create a Virtual Herbarium. The Ethnobotanicity Index (EI), the Relative Importance Index (RI) and the Fidelity Level Index (FL) were calculated. The plant uses surveyed in the study area were compared with those described in medical and ethnobotanical literature. RESULTS: Seventy-one interviews were conducted, the age range of the informants was between 21 and 98 years. The inventory included 106 taxa belonging to 45 families; among these, 87 were wild species and 20 were cultivated species. The uses recorded were 429, among these, 69.1% of the uses concerned internal applications to treat digestive system disorders, infections and respiratory system disorders mainly, while 31.9% concerned external applications, especially to treat skin/subcutaneous cellular tissue disorders and injuries. In particular, 17 new uses and 16 unusual and rarely mentioned plants are documented. CONCLUSION: The data collected support evidence on traditional uses for plant in the Apennine. Findings from medical flora and from new or rare medical uses reinforce the usefulness of such research efforts.

Wild food plants used in traditional vegetable mixtures in Italy.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Mixtures of wild food plants, part of the Mediterranean diet, have potential benefits for their content in bioactive compounds, minerals and fibers. In Italy, wild plants are still consumed in various ways, for their taste, effects on health and nutritional value. In this paper, we provide a list of wild plants used in vegetable mixtures, indicating their phytochemical and nutritional profile, highlighting those not yet studied. AIM OF THE STUDY: We provide a first complete review of traditional uses of wild food plants used as vegetables and their preparations (e.g., salads, soups, rustic pies). We also highlight their phytochemical constituents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out an extensive literature review of ethnobotanical publications from 1894 to date for finding plants used in traditional vegetable mixtures. We also performed an online search for scientific papers providing the phytochemical profile of plants that were cited at least twice in recipes found in the literature. RESULTS: We list a total of 276 wild taxa used in traditional vegetable mixtures, belonging to 40 families. Among these, the most represented are Asteraceae (88), Brassicaceae (33), Apiaceae (21), Amaranthaceae (12). Many plants are cited in many recipes across several Italian regions. Among the most cited plant we note: Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth, Sanguisorba minor Scop., Taraxacum campylodes G. E. Haglund, Urtica dioica L. Tuscany is the region with the highest number of food recipes that incorporate wild plants used as vegetables. We also list the phytochemical constituents and some pharmacological activities of the plants cited at least twice. Finally, we discuss topics such as the taste of plants used in the recipes. CONCLUSIONS: Nineteen edible wild plants, such as Asparagus albus L., Campanula trachelium L., Hypochaeris laevigata (L.) Benth. & Hook f., Phyteuma spicatum L., Scolymus grandiflorus Desf., are not yet studied as regards their phytochemical and nutritional profile. Some plants should be avoided due to the presence of toxic compounds such as Adenostyles alliariae (Gouan) A. Kern or Ranunculus repens L.

Perceived health properties of wild and cultivated food plants in local and popular traditions of Italy: A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Many wild and cultivated plants are rich in mineral elements and bioactive compounds and are consumed for health purposes. Studies have demonstrated the curative properties of many of these food plants. In this paper, we discuss the properties of several plants with potential health benefits that have previously received little attention. AIM OF THE STUDY: This review provides an overview and critical discussion of food plants perceived by informants (emic view) as healthy or used as 'food medicine' in Italy. Pharmacological activity of these plants is explored, based upon published scientific research (etic view). Preparation methods, taste perception, toxicity and various potentialities of some food plants are also discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present review includes literature available from 1877 to 2012. The information was collected from books, scientific papers, and abstracts that reported any plants used as food medicine in Italy. The perceived health properties were analyzed in the framework of recent international phytochemical and phytopharmacological literature. RESULTS: A total of 67 edible wild plants and 18 cultivated vegetables, distributed into 20 families, were reported by informants (in literature). Several plants were highly cited (e.g., Taraxacum officinale Webb., Crepis vesicaria L., Allium cepa L., Allium sativum L.). The most frequent health properties attributed to edible plants by the informants were: laxative (22 species), diuretic (15), digestive (11), galactagogue (8), antitussive (cough) (8), hypotensive (7), tonic (7), sedative (7), hypoglycemic (6). CONCLUSIONS: Some edible plants are promising for their potential health properties, such as Crepis vesicaria L., Sanguisorba minor Scop. and Sonchus oleraceus L. Several wild species were perceived by informants to maintain health but have never been studied from a phytochemical or pharmacological point of view: e.g., Asparagus albus L., Crepis leontodontoides All., Hyoseris radiata L. subsp. radiata, Phyteuma spicatum L.

Contribution to the knowledge of the folk plant medicine in Calabria region (Southern Italy).

A series of research on plants used in Calabria (Southern Italy) in the folk plant medicine was carried out in the last twenty years. The use of 104 taxa distributed into 42 families are described. Among the major findings: Ceterach officinarum as hypotensive; Heliotropium europaeum in the case of urinary inflammations; Silybum marianum for haemorrhoids; Arundo donax for pertussis and cystitis; Allium cepa for sties and flu; Laurus nobilis as galactagogue; Passiflora incarnata for burns, haemorrhoids and skin inflammations; Scrophularia canina for rhagas and wounds; Urtica membranacea for tussis and tonsillitis.

Traditional antihelmintic, antiparasitic and repellent uses of plants in Central Italy.

The uses of 51 plants of Marche, Abruzzo and Latium, distributed in 28 families, are listed here. Memories and news of continued use of the plants in these sectors were collected from farmers and shepherds in person (mostly old people). The plants most frequently used as antiparasitics and repellents are Juglans regia, Lupinus albus, Ruta graveolens, Fraxinus ornus, Datura stramonium, Artemisia absinthium, Allium cepa, while R. graveolens, Cucurbita maxima, A. absinthium, Allium sativum are the most commonly used as antihelmintics.