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Krstin L, Katanić Z, Benčić K, Lončar L, Pfeiffer TŽ. Ethnobotanical Survey of Culturally Important Plants and Mushrooms in North-Western Part of Croatia. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1566. [PMID: 38891374 PMCID: PMC11175058 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The Republic of Croatia is spread in geographical and climatic conditions that support a great diversity of habitats and associated plant taxa, many of which can be used for food or medicine. However, urbanization, loss of natural habitats, as well as changes in people's dependence on the natural resources from the surrounding environment may lead to the loss of valuable knowledge about the use of plants and mushrooms. With the aim of studying and preserving this knowledge in the continental north-western part of Croatia, an ethnobotanical survey was undertaken at the two study areas-Valpovo and Đurđevac, which included a total of 17 settlements. A total of 103 informants, 65% female and 35% male, aged between 22 and 83 years, participated in an interview using pre-planned questionnaires. The informants reported 131 plants belonging to 55 families and 17 mushroom taxa. The largest number of plants belonged to the families of Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae. In both areas, the informants cultivate and also gather wild plants, but these practices are better preserved in the area of Đurđevac where 109 taxa from 47 families were recorded. In addition to cultivated and gathered plants, informants from the Valpovo area also reported the use of purchased plants. Plants and mushrooms are mostly used as food (21 plant taxa and 17 mushrooms), but plants also serve as medicine (68 taxa), as both food and medicine (35 taxa), feed for cattle (11 taxa), repellent (four taxa), and/or space freshener (two taxa). The most frequently used wild plants are Chamomilla recutita, Mentha x piperita, and Urtica dioica, while Boletus edulis, Agaricus campestris, and Macrolepiota procera are the most often used mushrooms. The results indicate that the local people in the studied north-western part of Croatia still nurture the practice of cultivating and gathering plants and that herbal remedies are considerably important among the informants. The study should be further extended to broaden and preserve valuable ethnobotanical knowledge and encourage the protection of culturally important plants of the studied area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Tanja Žuna Pfeiffer
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (L.K.); (Z.K.); (K.B.); (L.L.)
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Jarić S, Kostić O, Miletić Z, Marković M, Sekulić D, Mitrović M, Pavlović P. Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal research into medicinal plants in the Mt Stara Planina region (south-eastern Serbia, Western Balkans). JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2024; 20:7. [PMID: 38200599 PMCID: PMC10782642 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-024-00647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethnobotanical research in Southeast Europe-one of the most important European hotspots for biocultural diversity-is significant for the acquisition of Traditional Ecological Knowledge related to plants as well as for encouraging the development of local environments. The current ethnobotanical research was conducted in the region of Mt Stara Planina (south-eastern Serbia), which is characterised by rich phytodiversity with a large number of endemic and relict plant species. The aim of the study was to document the diversity of uses of medicinal plants and of traditional knowledge on their therapeutic uses. METHODS Ethnobotanical data was collected through both open and semi-structured interviews with locals. Fifty-one inhabitants were interviewed (26 men and 25 women), aged 30-91, and data was analysed by means of use reports, citation frequency, use values (UV), and the informant consensus factor (ICF). RESULTS The study identified 136 vascular medicinal plant taxa and one lichen species belonging to 53 families and 116 genera. Lamiaceae (19), Rosaceae (18), and Asteraceae (17) had the highest species diversity. The plant parts most commonly used to make a variety of herbal preparations were the aerial parts (54 citations), leaves (35 citations), fruits (20 citations), flowers (18 citations), and roots (16 citations), while the most common forms of preparation were teas (60.78%), consumption of fresh tubers, leaves, roots, and fructus (6.86%), compresses (5.88%), juices (5.39%), decoctions (3.92%), 'travarica' brandy (3.92%), and syrups (2.45%). Of the recorded species, 102 were administered orally, 17 topically, and 18 both orally and topically. The plants with a maximum use value (UV = 1) were Allium sativum, Allium ursinum, Gentiana asclepiadea, Gentiana cruciata, Gentiana lutea, Hypericum perforatum, Thymus serpyllum and Urtica dioica. The highest ICF value (ICF = 0.95) was recorded in the categories of Skin and Blood, Blood Forming Organs, and Immune Mechanism. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that medicinal plants in the research area are an extremely important natural resource for the local population as they are an important component of their health culture and provide a better standard of living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snežana Jarić
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Olga Kostić
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorana Miletić
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Marković
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dimitrije Sekulić
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Miroslava Mitrović
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Pavle Pavlović
- Department of Ecology, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11108, Belgrade, Serbia
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Hussain ST, Muhammad S, Khan S, Hussain W, Pieroni A. Ethnobotany for food security and ecological transition: wild food plant gathering and consumption among four cultural groups in Kurram District, NW Pakistan. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2023; 19:35. [PMID: 37658453 PMCID: PMC10472554 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-023-00607-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In traditional food systems, especially those of rural populations around the world, wild food plants remain crucial. These resources need to be urgently documented to lay the foundations for sustainable livelihoods and food security. METHODS In the present field study, we gathered information about wild food plants and mushrooms consumed by four ethnic groups (Turis, Khushis, Hazaras, and Christians) living in Kurram District, NW Pakistan, by conducting semi-structured interviews and holding group discussions. RESULTS A total of 57 wild edible plants and mushrooms were reported, with the documented taxa belonging to 50 genera and 34 families. Turis reported the highest number of wild food plants (41), followed by Hazaras (37), Khushis (35), and then Christians, who reported only 11 plants. The most dominant families were Rosaceae, followed by Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Moraceae, and Plantaginaceae. The comparative analysis we conducted with the pre-existing Pakistani ethnobotanical studies revealed that 23 wild edible plants have not been previously reported as food items in the area under study, which included Fragaria nubicola, Lepidium draba, Pinus wallichiana, Podophyllum emodi, Prunus jacquemontii, Sambucus nigra, Sideroxylon mascatense, and Thymus linearis. Four wild edible mushrooms are also reported for the area for the first time: Calvatia gigantea, Morchella esculenta, Pisolithus albus, and Tulostoma squamosum. The cross-cultural analysis of wild edible plants and their uses revealed remarkable similarity between Khushis and Hazaras. The overlapping pattern of wild edible plant use among these two groups, as well as Turis, confirms the existence of cross-cultural interactions among these communities, which have shared the same environmental and socio-cultural space for several decades. Food heritage and some unique dishes are linked to wild edible plants in the area, such as Zamda, prepared by Turis, and Saba, famous among Khushis and Hazaras. CONCLUSION This study suggests that some wild edible plants could be cultivated to protect a few threatened species from overexploitation, while the overall wild food plant heritage should be promoted and revitalized; for example, within educational platforms aimed at improving the wellbeing of local communities and the global ecological transition we must deal with.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Taufiq Hussain
- Department of Botany, GPGC Parachinar, Parachinar, 26300 Kurram District, KP Pakistan
| | - Sayed Muhammad
- Department of Botany, GPGC Parachinar, Parachinar, 26300 Kurram District, KP Pakistan
| | - Sheharyar Khan
- Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, KP Pakistan
| | - Wahid Hussain
- Department of Botany, GPGC Parachinar, Parachinar, 26300 Kurram District, KP Pakistan
| | - Andrea Pieroni
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy
- Department of Medical Analysis, Tishk International University, Erbil, 44001 Iraq
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Motti R, Paura B, Cozzolino A, de Falco B. Edible Flowers Used in Some Countries of the Mediterranean Basin: An Ethnobotanical Overview. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11233272. [PMID: 36501312 PMCID: PMC9736219 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Edible flowers are becoming an essential component of people's nutrition in the Mediterranean basin. In the last decades, many researchers also have focused their attention on the nutritional composition of the edible flowers, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, including studies on their safety issues. Despite the growing interest in the use of flowers in human nutrition, the ethnobotanical literature is lacking coverage of some important issues, particularly those which concern the use of flowers in the folk tradition. Only recently, a review regarding the contribution of 32 edible flowers to the Mediterranean diet was published. The aim of the present review is to document the plant lore regarding the wild and cultivated edible flowers consumed in the Mediterranean basin. Based on the 112 studies reviewed, we documented 251 taxa as being used in the Mediterranean basin as edible flowers. The plant species belong to 45 families and 141 genera. Asteraceae (54 taxa) is the most frequently cited family. Sambucus nigra L. is the most cited species. This study can be the basis for future research on the supposed bioactivity and toxicity of wild and cultivated flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Motti
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università, 100 Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Bruno Paura
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Alessia Cozzolino
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università, 100 Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy
| | - Bruna de Falco
- Spanish Bank of Algae, Marine Biotechnology Center, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Muelle de Taliarte s/n, 35214 Telde, Spain
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Tsioutsiou EE, Amountzias V, Vontzalidou A, Dina E, Stevanović ZD, Cheilari A, Aligiannis N. Medicinal Plants Used Traditionally for Skin Related Problems in the South Balkan and East Mediterranean Region—A Review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:936047. [PMID: 35865952 PMCID: PMC9294246 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.936047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A review research was conducted to provide an overview of the ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants and traditional medical practices for the treatment of skin disorders in Albania, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. The geographical and ecological characteristics of the Balkan Peninsula and Mediterranean Sea, along with the historical connection among those countries, gave rise to the development of a distinct flora and to the uses of common medicinal plants against various skin ailments, respectively. The review focuses on the detailed study of 128 ethnobotanical surveys conducted in these areas and the species used for skin ailments were singled out. The analysis showed that 967 taxa belonging to 418 different genera and 111 different families are used in the treatment of skin related problems. The majority of the plants belong to the families of Asteraceae (11.7%), Lamiaceae (7.4%), Rosaceae (6.7%), Plantaginaceae (5.4%), and Malvaceae (3.8%). Their usage is internal or external to treat ailments such as wounds and burns (22.1%), hemorrhoids (14.7%), boils, abscesses, and furuncles (8.2%). Beside specific skin disorders, numerous species appeared to be used for their antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiseptic activity (9.1%). Literature evaluation highlighted that, the most commonly used species are Plantago major L. (Albania, Turkey), Hypericum perforatum L. (Greece, Turkey), Sambucus nigra L. (Cyprus, Greece), Ficus carica L. (Cyprus, Turkey), Matricaria chamomilla L. (Cyprus, Greece), and Urtica dioica L. (Albania, Turkey), while many medicinal plants reported by interviewees were common in all four countries. Finally, to relate this ethnopharmacological knowledge and trace its expansion and diversification through centuries, a comparison of findings was made with the use of the species mentioned in Dioscorides’ “De Materia Medica” for skin disorders. This work constitutes the first comparative study performed with ethnobotanical data for skin ailments gathered in the South Balkan and East Mediterranean areas. Results confirm the primary hypothesis that people in Albania, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey are closely related in terms of traditionally using folk medicinal practices. Nevertheless, more field studies conducted, especially in remote places of these regions, can help preserve the traditional medical knowledge, aiming at the discovery of new phytotherapeutics against dermatological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthymia Eleni Tsioutsiou
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vaios Amountzias
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Argyro Vontzalidou
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evanthia Dina
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Antigoni Cheilari
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Antigoni Cheilari,
| | - Nektarios Aligiannis
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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El Mihyaoui A, Esteves da Silva JCG, Charfi S, Candela Castillo ME, Lamarti A, Arnao MB. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.): A Review of Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Uses. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12040479. [PMID: 35454969 PMCID: PMC9032859 DOI: 10.3390/life12040479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Matricaria chamomilla L. is a famous medicinal plant distributed worldwide. It is widely used in traditional medicine to treat all kinds of diseases, including infections, neuropsychiatric, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and liver disorders. It is also used as a sedative, antispasmodic, antiseptic, and antiemetic. In this review, reports on M. chamomilla taxonomy, botanical and ecology description, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, biological and pharmacological properties, possible application in different industries, and encapsulation were critically gathered and summarized. Scientific search engines such as Web of Science, PubMed, Wiley Online, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar were used to gather data on M. chamomilla. The phytochemistry composition of essential oils and extracts of M. chamomilla has been widely analyzed, showing that the plant contains over 120 constituents. Essential oils are generally composed of terpenoids, such as α-bisabolol and its oxides A and B, bisabolone oxide A, chamazulene, and β-farnesene, among other compounds. On the other hand, M. chamomilla extracts were dominated by phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and coumarins. In addition, M. chamomilla demonstrated several biological properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, insecticidal, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. These activities allow the application of M. chamomilla in the medicinal and veterinary field, food preservation, phytosanitary control, and as a surfactant and anti-corrosive agent. Finally, the encapsulation of M. chamomilla essential oils or extracts allows the enhancement of its biological activities and improvement of its applications. According to the findings, the pharmacological activities of M. chamomilla confirm its traditional uses. Indeed, M. chamomilla essential oils and extracts showed interesting antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-pyretic, anti-allergic, and analgesic activities. Moreover, the most important application of M. chamomilla was in the medicinal field on animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina El Mihyaoui
- Department of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.E.M.); (M.E.C.C.)
- Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco;
- CIQ(UP)—Research Center in Chemistry, DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- CIQ(UP)—Research Center in Chemistry, DGAOT, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Saoulajan Charfi
- Biology and Health Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco;
| | - María Emilia Candela Castillo
- Department of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.E.M.); (M.E.C.C.)
| | - Ahmed Lamarti
- Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco;
| | - Marino B. Arnao
- Department of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.E.M.); (M.E.C.C.)
- Correspondence:
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Bussmann RW, Paniagua Zambrana NY, Ur Rahman I, Kikvidze Z, Sikharulidze S, Kikodze D, Tchelidze D, Khutsishvili M, Batsatsashvili K. Unity in diversity-food plants and fungi of Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2021; 17:72. [PMID: 34972527 PMCID: PMC8719402 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00490-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Republic of Georgia is part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, and human agricultural plant use dates back at least 6000 years. Over the last years, lots of ethnobotanical research on the area has been published. In this paper, we analyze the use of food plants in the 80% of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces. We hypothesized that (1) given the long tradition of plant use, and the isolation under Soviet rule, plant use both based on home gardens and wild harvesting would be more pronounced in Georgia than in the wider region, (2) food plant use knowledge would be widely and equally spread in most of Georgia, (3) there would still be incidence of knowledge loss despite wide plant use, especially in climatically favored agricultural regions in Western and Eastern Georgia. METHODS From 2013 to 2019, we interviewed over 380 participants in all regions of Georgia not occupied by Russian forces and recorded over 19,800 mentions of food plants. All interviews were carried out in the participants' homes and gardens by native speakers of Georgian and its dialects (Imeretian, Rachian, Lechkhumian, Tush, Khevsurian, Psavian, Kakhetian), other Kartvelian languages (Megrelian, Svan) and minority languages (Ossetian, Ude, Azeri, Armenian, Greek). RESULTS The regional division was based primarily on historic provinces of Georgia, which often coincides with the current administrative borders. The total number of taxa, mostly identified to species, including their varieties, was 527. Taxonomically, the difference between two food plant groups-garden versus wild-was strongly pronounced even at family level. The richness of plant families was 65 versus 97 families in garden versus wild plants, respectively, and the difference was highly significant. Other diversity indices also unequivocally pointed to considerably more diverse family composition of wild collected versus garden plants as the differences between all the tested diversity indices appeared to be highly significant. The wide use of leaves for herb pies and lactofermented is of particular interest. Some of the ingredients are toxic in larger quantities, and the participants pointed out that careful preparation was needed. The authors explicitly decided to not give any recipes, given that many of the species are widespread, and compound composition-and with it possible toxic effects-might vary across the distribution range, so that a preparation method that sufficiently reduces toxicity in the Caucasus might not necessary be applicable in other areas. CONCLUSIONS Relationships among the regions in the case of wild food plants show a different and clearer pattern. Adjacent regions cluster together (Kvemo Zemo Racha, and Zemo Imereti; Samegrelo, Guria, Adjara, Lechkhumi and Kvemo and Zemo Svaneti; Meskheti, Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli; Mtianeti, Kakheti, Khevsureti, Tusheti. Like in the case of the garden food plants, species diversity of wild food plants mentioned varied strongly. Climate severity and traditions of the use of wild food plants might play role in this variation. Overall food plant knowledge is widely spread all-across Georgia, and broadly maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer W. Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Narel Y. Paniagua Zambrana
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
- Herbario Nacional de Bolivia, Instituto de Ecología-UMSA, Campus Universitario, Cota Cota Calle 27, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Inayat Ur Rahman
- Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, 21300 KP Pakistan
| | - Zaal Kikvidze
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Shalva Sikharulidze
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - David Kikodze
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - David Tchelidze
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Manana Khutsishvili
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Ketevan Batsatsashvili
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany and Bakuriani Alpine Botanical Garden, Ilia State University, Botanikuri St. 1, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
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Vitasović-Kosić I, Kaligarič M, Juračak J. Divergence of Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Slovenians on the Edge of the Mediterranean as a Result of Historical, Geographical and Cultural Drivers. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10102087. [PMID: 34685896 PMCID: PMC8541409 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
State boundaries limit human contacts in a homogenous context of a landscape and its natural features, including plants. After nine centuries of separation, finally the two territories in Slovenia share the same political history. In this paper we tried to answer the question to which extent the past political borders, geographical and cultural drivers affect today's traditional knowledge on wild plants use of Slovenians, living unified in the same political entity. Data were collected using 60 in-depth semi-structured interviews, from March to August 2019, in two municipalities: Komen at Karst and Izola in Istria concerning food, medicinal, economic use, and local customs. The results indicate a quite large divergence in ethnobotanical and ecological knowledge between the two studied areas. In the Komen area, many people still use wild plants daily for various purposes (Taraxacum officinale, Melissa officinalis, Urtica dioica, Cornus mas, and Sambucus nigra). In contrast, this is limited to fewer people in the Izola area and mainly to seasonal use of specific plants (Asparagus acutifolius, Rosa canina, Salvia officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare and Rubus caesius). Unusual for the Mediterranean is the use of young shoots of Clematis vitalba, in the Izola area prepared as omelettes. We can assume that these differences are partly due to minor differences in climatic conditions and partly due to the influence of different cultures and cuisines. In the first place, the impact of Austro-Hungarian eating habits and cuisine can be seen on the area around Komen. Moreover, temporal "layers of knowledge" across the time scale are additionally mixed by the immigration of people from other parts of Slovenia or abroad, or with the influence of local herbal specialists. At last, we conclude Komen area knowledge is alive and homogeneous, and more connected to their local identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Vitasović-Kosić
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Mitja Kaligarič
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
| | - Josip Juračak
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
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Traditional herbal medicines used in obesity management: A systematic review of ethnomedicinal surveys. J Herb Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2021.100435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Emre G, Dogan A, Haznedaroglu MZ, Senkardes I, Ulger M, Satiroglu A, Can Emmez B, Tugay O. An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Mersin (Turkey). Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:664500. [PMID: 34305586 PMCID: PMC8294455 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.664500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive ethnobotanical study carried out in Mersin province, which is located in the southern part of Anatolia, east of the Mediterranean Sea, compiles details on plants used in folk medicine and ethnopharmacological information obtained through face-to-face interviews. The aim was to collect and identify plants used for therapeutic purposes by local people and to record information on traditional herbal medicine. Plant specimens were collected in numerous excursions. Additionally, informant consensus factor and use value (UV) were calculated for information gathered. This study identifies 93 plant taxa belonging to 43 families and records their usage in folk medicine; 83 taxa are wild and the remaining 10 are cultivated. The most commonly used plants belong to Lamiaceae, representing 15.0% of the total, while the Rosaceae, Malvaceae, Hypericaceae, Asteraceae and Cupressaceae families each represented another 5.4%. As a result of this investigation, we determine 189 medicinal usages of 93 taxa. The UV values indicate that the most important medicine plants are Hypericum perforatum (0.80), Cedrus libani (0.78), Quercus coccifera (0.77), Arum dioscoridis (0.76) and Juniperus drupaceae (0.74). We observed that most of the drugs are prepared using the infusion method (27.6%). As a conclusion, the study finds that traditional folk medicine usage is still common, especially among the rural population of Mersin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizem Emre
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Basibuyuk-Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Dogan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Basibuyuk-Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Zeki Haznedaroglu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Cigli-Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ismail Senkardes
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Basibuyuk-Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mahmut Ulger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mersin University, Yenisehir-Mersin, Turkey
| | - Aysen Satiroglu
- Department of Sociology, Faculty of Letters, Istanbul University, Fatih-Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Berivan Can Emmez
- Department of Turkish Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Adana Alparslan Turkes University, Adana, Turkey
| | - Osman Tugay
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Selcuk University, Selcuklu-Konya, Turkey
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A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Wild Food Plants and Food System of Tribal Cultures in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; a Way Forward for Balancing Human Nutrition and Food Security. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13095258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The tribal belt of the Hindu Kush mountains is famous for its unique culture, ethnography, wild food plants, food systems, and traditional knowledge. People in this region gather wild plants and plant parts using them directly or in traditional cuisine, or sell them in local markets. However, there is a huge lack of documentation of the food system, particularly that related to wild food plants (WFP). In the current study, we focus on the uses and contributions of WFPs in the traditional tribal food system of the Hindu Kush valleys along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Ethnobotanical data were gathered through questionnaire surveys of 84 informants, including 69 men and 15 women, belonging to 21 different villages of the chosen area. In tribal societies men and women rarely mix and thus very few women took part in the surveys. We documented 63 WFP species belonging to 34 botanical families, of which 27 were used as vegetables, 24 as fruits, six in different kinds of chutneys (starters), and six as fresh food species. Fruits were the most used part (41%), followed by leaves (24%), aerial parts (24%), seeds (7%), stems (3%), and young inflorescences (1%). The reported uses of Carthamus oxyacantha, Pinus roxburghii seeds, and Marsilea quadrifolia leaves are novel for the gastronomy of Pakistan. The results reveal that WFPs provide a significant contribution to local food systems and play a role in addressing human nutritional needs, which are usually not met through farming practices. The tribal peoples of the Hindu Kush use WFPs for their nutritional value, but also as a cultural practice—an inseparable component of the tribal community’s lifestyle. This important traditional knowledge about the gathering and consumption of WFPs, however, is eroding at an alarming rate among younger generations due to the introduction of fast-food, modernization, and globalization. Therefore, appropriate strategies are imperative not only to safeguard traditional plants and food knowledge and practices, as well as the cultural heritage attached to them, but also to foster food security and thus public healthcare via local wild foods in the region.
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Sargin SA. Plants used against obesity in Turkish folk medicine: A review. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 270:113841. [PMID: 33460757 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.113841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Obesity is one of the growing public health problems in Turkey, as well as all over the world, threatening people of almost all ages. Turkey has a large potential for research on this topic due to owning broad ethnomedicinal experience and the richest flora (34% endemic) of Europe and the Middle East. Herbs that they have utilized for centuries to treat and prevent obesity can provide useful options to overcome this issue. AIM OF THE STUDY This survey was carried out to disclose the inventory of plant taxa that the people of Turkey have been using for a few centuries in treating obesity without any side effects or complications, and to compare them with experimental studies in the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS The research was achieved in two phases on the matter above by using electronic databases, such as Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, HighWire Press, PubMed and Google Scholar. Both results were shown in separate tables as well as the regional comparative analysis. RESULTS 117 herbal taxa belonging to 45 families were identified among the selected 74 studies conducted in the seven regions of Turkey. However, only 49 (41.9%) of them were found to be subjected to worldwide in vitro and in vivo research conducted on anti-obesity activity. Quercetin (9.1%), gallic acid (6.1%) and ferulic acid and epigallocatechin gallate (4.5%) have been recorded as the most common active ingredients among the 66 active substances identified. Prunus avium (32.4%) and Rosmarinus officinalis (25.7%) were identified as the most common plants used in Turkey. Also, Portulaca oleracea and Brassica oleracea emerged as the most investigated taxa in the literature. CONCLUSION This is the first country-wide ethnomedical review conducted on obesity treatment with plants in Turkey. Evaluating the results of the experimental anti-obesity research conducted in the recent years in the literature, it was determined that forty-nine plants were verified. This clearly shows that these herbs have a high potential to be a pharmacological resource. Moreover, 68 (41.9%) taxa, which haven't been investigated yet, are likely to be a promising resource for national and international pharmacological researchers in terms of new natural medicine searches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyid Ahmet Sargin
- Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Faculty of Education, Alanya, Antalya, 07400, Turkey.
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On the Trail of an Ancient Middle Eastern Ethnobotany: Traditional Wild Food Plants Gathered by Ormuri Speakers in Kaniguram, NW Pakistan. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10040302. [PMID: 33917500 PMCID: PMC8067455 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An ethnobotanical field study focusing on traditional wild food botanical taxa was carried out in Kaniguram, South Waziristan, Pakistan, among Ormur (or Burki or Baraki) peoples, which represent a diasporic minority group, as well as among the surrounding Pashtuns. Through sixty semi-structured interviews, fifty-two wild food plants (taxa) were recorded, and they were primarily used raw as snacks and cooked as vegetables. Comparative analysis found a remarkable overlap of the quoted plant uses between the two studied groups, which may reflect complex socio-cultural adaptations Ormur speakers faced. Ormur people retain a rich knowledge of anthropogenic weeds and the phytonyms reveal important commonalities with Persian and Kurdish phytonyms, which may indicate their possible horticultural-driven human ecological origin from the Middle East. Some novel or rare food uses of Cirsiumarvense, Nannorrhops ritchiana, Periploca aphylla, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Viscum album,Oxalis corniculata and Withania coagulans were documented. Since the Ormuri language represents a moribund language, still spoken by only a few thousand speakers in NW Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is recommended that the traditional bio-cultural and gastronomical heritage of this minority group be appropriately protected and bolstered in future rural development programs.
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Papageorgiou D, Bebeli PJ, Panitsa M, Schunko C. Local knowledge about sustainable harvesting and availability of wild medicinal plant species in Lemnos island, Greece. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2020; 16:36. [PMID: 32560660 PMCID: PMC7304145 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-00390-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Europe and the Mediterranean, over-exploitation and destructive harvesting techniques have been identified as two critical threats affecting the sustainable harvesting of wild medicinal plant (WMP) species. However, unsustainable harvesting is not an issue everywhere and localized assessments are needed. Local knowledge has been praised for its potential for local short-term assessments. In this study, we aimed to register the known, harvested, and locally utilized WMP species and understand local knowledge of harvesters about the ecological sustainability of WMP harvesting and the perceived changes of WMP availability. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted on Lemnos island, Greece, in July and August 2018. Sixteen harvesters knowledgeable about gathering and using WMP were chosen through purposeful and snowball sampling. Successive free-lists provided insights on the taxa known, harvested, and utilized by harvesters and subsequent semi-structured interviews served to understand harvesting practices and perceived changes of WMP availability. Participant observation during seven harvesting walks allowed for additional insights and facilitated the collection of voucher specimens. RESULTS In total, 144 different plant taxa were listed as useful and 81 had been harvested in the prior 4 years. Medicinal applications were mainly related to digestive and respiratory system issues. A number of favorable harvesting practices suggested a high potential towards an ecologically sustainable harvest. Although, a decreased availability for certain plant taxa and harvesting sites was reported and mainly attributed to external factors such as pollution, unusually dry weather, intentional pastureland burning or chemicals in agriculture, but also destructive harvesting by less knowledgeable harvesters. CONCLUSIONS Knowledgeable harvesters of Lemnos gather and use a considerable number of WMP taxa and possess local knowledge that supports an ecologically sustainable harvest. However, certain plant taxa and areas of the island were indicated to be under pressure from harvesting, unusual climatic conditions, and agricultural practices. Our approach confirmed that local knowledge should be taken into account for assessing the sustainability of WMP harvesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Papageorgiou
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Penelope J Bebeli
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Panitsa
- Division of Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504, Patras, Greece
| | - Christoph Schunko
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria.
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Petran M, Dragos D, Gilca M. Historical ethnobotanical review of medicinal plants used to treat children diseases in Romania (1860s-1970s). JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2020; 16:15. [PMID: 32204715 PMCID: PMC7092505 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-00364-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Romanian ethnopediatrics has a long history of medicinal plant use. The main objective of the present review was to identify, collect, systematize, and prioritize the available bibliographical data related to medicinal plants traditionally used to treat various pediatric diseases in Romania during the 1860s-1970s. METHODS Information was mainly obtained by manual systematic search in various relevant historical works focused on the traditional use of medicinal plants in Romania (1860s-1970s), found in the Archives of Romanian Academy Library and National Romanian Library. RESULTS A total of 153 medicinal plants belonging to 52 families were identified as having ethnopediatric significance. The plant traditional indications, targeted body systems, parts used, and way of administration were provided. We have also proposed one index (expressed as percentage) in order to assess the ethnopediatric applicability area of species: ethnopediatric relative therapeutic versatility (ERTV), which was calculated on the basis of the number of distinct uses mentioned for a species. The species identified to have the highest ERTV scores were Dryopteris filix-mas (100%), Gratiola officinalis (85.71%), Allium sativum (71.42%), Eryngium planum (71.42%), Juglans regia (71.42%), Matricaria chamomilla (71.42%), Plantago major (71.42%). CONCLUSIONS The present study exposed for the first time to the international scientific community important ethnopediatric information contained in several local Romanian bibliographical resources that could guide the local and international researchers towards new directions of plant valorization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalina Petran
- Department of Functional Sciences I- Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Dorin Dragos
- Nephrology Clinic, University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, 050098, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Medical Semiology, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marilena Gilca
- Department of Functional Sciences I- Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
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Kiss AK, Michalak B, Patyra A, Majdan M. UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and HPTLC profiling of ash leaf samples from different commercial and natural sources and their in vitro effects on mediators of inflammation. PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS : PCA 2020; 31:57-67. [PMID: 31286597 DOI: 10.1002/pca.2866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In European traditional medicine, common ash leaf infusion is recommended by European Medicines Agency to treat minor articular pain and to increase the amount of urine for flushing minor urinary complaints. However, a comprehensive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) analysis of this pharmacopeial plant material has never been performed. Moreover, the number of biological and pharmacological investigations proving the usefulness of this plant material in recommended traditional uses is surprisingly small. OBJECTIVE Phytochemical profiling of ash leaf samples from different commercial and natural sources and the determination of the in vitro effects on inflammatory mediators in a model of human neutrophils. METHODS Ash leaf samples were characterised by total hydroxycinnamic acid content and by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS methods. The effects of leaf infusions on reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 8 (IL-8), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) production by neutrophils were measured using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS In ash leaf samples 64 compounds were identified or partly identified together with four unknown compounds. The major compounds detected belong to different structural groups, including phenolic acid derivatives, phenylethanoids, flavonoids, iridoids, secoiridoids and lignans. The major compounds detected in ash samples were chlorogenic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, verbascoside, oleuropein and ligstroside. However, one sample contained coumarin derivatives. This finding suggested adulteration with other Fraxinus species and/or plant parts. All infusions were able to inhibit ROS, cytokine and chemokine production. CONCLUSIONS The performed phytochemical and biological analyses contribute to the knowledge about this pharmacopeial plant material and supports its traditional use to treat minor inflammatory complaints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Kiss
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Michalak
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Patyra
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Majdan
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Pereira Carneiro JN, da Cruz RP, da Silva JCP, Rocha JE, de Freitas TS, Sales DL, Bezerra CF, de Oliveira Almeida W, da Costa JGM, da Silva LE, Amaral WD, Rebelo RA, Begnini IM, Melo Coutinho HD, Bezerra Morais-Braga MF. Piper diospyrifolium Kunth.: Chemical analysis and antimicrobial (intrinsic and combined) activities. Microb Pathog 2019; 136:103700. [PMID: 31472258 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.103700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The secular use of plants in popular medicine has emerged as a source for the discovery of new compounds capable of curing infections. Among microbial resistance to commercial drugs, species such as Piper diospyrifolium Kunth, which are used in popular therapy, are targets for pharmacological studies. With this in mind, antimicrobial experiments with the essential oil from the P. diospyrifolium (PDEO) species were performed and its constituents were elucidated. The oil compounds were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The broth microdilution method with colorimetric readings for bacterial tests (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and spectrophotometric readings for fungal tests (Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis), whose data were used to create a cell viability curve and calculate its IC50 against fungal cells, were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of the oil and its combined action with commercial drugs. The oil's minimal fungicidal concentration and its action over fungal morphological transition were analyzed by subculture and microculture, respectively. Chemical analysis revealed Z-Carpacin, Pogostol and E-Caryophyllene as the most abundant compounds. Results from the intrinsic analysis were considered clinically irrelevant, however the oil presented a synergistic effect against multiresistant E. coli and S. aureus strains when associated with gentamicin, and against the standard and isolated C. tropicalis strains with fluconazole. A fungicidal effect was observed against the C. albicans isolate. Candida spp. hyphae inhibition was verified for all strains at the highest tested concentrations. The P. diospyrifolium essential oil presented a promising effect when associated with commercial drugs and against a fungal virulence factor. Thus, the oil presented active compounds which may help the development of new drugs, however, new studies are needed in order to clarify the oil's mechanism of action, as well as to identify its active constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Pereira da Cruz
- Universidade Regional do Cariri, URCA, Cel Antônio Luis, 1161, 63105-000, Pimenta, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Janaína Esmeraldo Rocha
- Universidade Regional do Cariri, URCA, Cel Antônio Luis, 1161, 63105-000, Pimenta, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Thiago Sampaio de Freitas
- Universidade Regional do Cariri, URCA, Cel Antônio Luis, 1161, 63105-000, Pimenta, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Débora Lima Sales
- Universidade Regional do Cariri, URCA, Cel Antônio Luis, 1161, 63105-000, Pimenta, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | - Camila Fonseca Bezerra
- Universidade Regional do Cariri, URCA, Cel Antônio Luis, 1161, 63105-000, Pimenta, Crato, CE, Brazil
| | | | | | - Luiz Everson da Silva
- Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR, XV de Novembro, 1299, 80.060-000, Centro, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Wanderlei do Amaral
- Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR, XV de Novembro, 1299, 80.060-000, Centro, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Andrade Rebelo
- Universidade Regional de Blumenau, FURB, Antônio da Veiga, 140, 89030-903, Itoupava Seca, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Ieda Maria Begnini
- Universidade Regional de Blumenau, FURB, Antônio da Veiga, 140, 89030-903, Itoupava Seca, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
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Quantitative ethnopharmacological profiling of medicinal shrubs used by indigenous communities of Rawalakot, District Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bjp.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants Used in Central Macedonia, Greece. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:4513792. [PMID: 31057648 PMCID: PMC6463668 DOI: 10.1155/2019/4513792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This work provides the ethnobotanical data concerning the traditional use of medicinal plants in Macedonia region (Northern Greece), which has, up to now, been poorly investigated. The aim of the present study was to collect, analyze, and evaluate information on the use of medicinal plants among different population groups living in Central Macedonia. The study was carried out in the area of two small cities, Edessa and Naoussa, and nearby villages. The ethnobotanical data were gathered through extensive and semistructured interviews. The informants belonged to different population groups living in the study areas and were involved, at least partially, in agriculture. Together with detailed reports on each species, data were also summarized by some indices, such as Fidelity Level (FL) and Informant Consensus Factor (Fic). A group of 96 informants was interviewed and 87 plant taxa with medicinal uses were cited. Medicinal plants are used to treat a wide range of diseases, in particular ailments of the respiratory tract and skin disorders. The importance of the traditional use of plants to cure and prevent common and some uncommon diseases had been highlighted. About 55% of medicinal plants mentioned by the informants had been previously reported to be sold in Thessaloniki herbal market as traditional remedies. Medicinal uses of some endemic taxa had been reported, e.g., Satureja montana subsp. macedonica, a member of the S. montana group restricted to Northern Central Greece, Origanum dictamnus, an endemic species of Crete, and six Balkan endemics, i.e., Achillea holosericea, Digitalis lanata, Helleborus odorus subsp. cyclophyllus, Sideritis scardica, Thymus sibthorpii, and Verbascum longifolium. Several differences in Traditional Ethnobotanical Knowledge (TEK) were observed in relation to social and cultural components of the population. Only 7 species (Crataegus monogyna, Hypericum perforatum, Matricaria chamomilla, Rosa canina, Sambucus nigra, Sideritis scardica, and Tilia platyphyllos) were commonly reported by all population groups, whereas 30 out of 87 taxa (34%) were exclusively mentioned by a single group. All groups are incorporated in the local society and do not identify themselves as members of different ethnic groups, although they try to preserve their distinctiveness by keeping their traditions and dialects. Nevertheless, our data show that the knowledge regarding the medicinal plant use was rarely accompanied by preservation of linguistic diversity concerning the plant names. This work contributes to improve the knowledge on the traditional use of plants in the folk medicine of a region like Central Macedonia where different population groups live together, partially maintaining their traditions. A part of data of this paper has been presented as posted at 112° Congress of Italian Botanical Society (IPSC), Parma 20-23 September 2017.
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Halophytic herbs of the Mediterranean basin: An alternative approach to health. Food Chem Toxicol 2018; 114:155-169. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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