The use of medicinal plants by the population from the Protected Landscape of "Serra de Montejunto", Portugal

Ethnobotanical Inventory of Plants Used by Mountainous Rural Communities in NW Portugal

Mountains matter. Rural subsistence communities living in areas with high biodiversity, such as mountains, are hotspots of ecological knowledge. However, modern lifestyles may threaten this unique cultural heritage. Our study aimed to document and analyze information on plants used to fulfill the everyday needs of the people in three rural communities in NW Portugal. Fieldwork was carried out for a period of one year and information was collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. A total of 98 species, belonging to 46 families, were identified, and 142 vernacular names were recorded. Ethnobotanical richness was similar among the studied communities. The five most frequently cited species were: Pterospartum tridentatum, Erica arborea, Ruta graveolens, Zea mays and Chamaemelum nobile. Phanerophytes and hemicryptophytes comprise nearly 81% of the list. The top three uses categories (total 14) were: medicine, fuel and ritual. Digestive, skin and respiratory symptoms were the most often conditions treated with plants. Medicinal plants were used fresh and dried, mostly as infusions. The insights gathered here are important for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the local communities. Moreover, the data are of considerable scientific interest because it provides the fundaments for future studies that aim to validate/invalidate specific uses.

Exploring Iberian Peninsula Lamiaceae as Potential Therapeutic Approaches in Wound Healing

Skin tissue has a crucial role in protecting the human body from external harmful agents, preventing wounds that frequently demand proper healing approaches. The ethnobotanical knowledge of specific regions with further investigation on their medicinal plants has been paramount to create new and effective therapeutical agents, including for dermatological purposes. This review attempts, for the first time, to investigate the traditional applications of Lamiaceae medicinal plants that are already used by local communities in the Iberian Peninsula in wound healing. Henceforward, Iberian ethnobotanical surveys were reviewed, and the information about the traditional wound healing practices of Lamiaceae was comprehensively summarized. Afterwards, the scientific validation of each Lamiaceae species was exhaustively checked. From this, eight out of twenty-nine Lamiaceae medicinal plants were highlighted by their wound-related pharmacological evidence and are in-depth presented in this review. We suggest that future studies should focus on the isolation and identification of the active molecules of these Lamiaceae, followed by robust clinical trials that may confirm the security and effectiveness of such natural-based approaches. This will in turn pave the way for more reliable wound healing treatments.

Ethnomedicine survey on folk dermatology in Transylvania, Romania

From the beginning of recorded history through the present day, dermatologic disorders have been treated with ethnomedicine remedies. We present the ethnodermatologic practices in Transylvania, Romania. We conducted ethnomedicine surveys in 35 villages in Transylvania (2007-2019). The 650 people interviewed were questioned about the treatment of dermatologic disorders by drugs derived from plant, animal, human, or other origins. Collected data were compared to earlier records of the regions and other European countries, completed with relevant pharmacologic studies of some plants. A total of 180 drugs were documented for 45 skin problems, including 112 plants, 1 fungus, 19 animals, 5 humans, and 43 other materials used in 11 preparation forms. Among these, 144 drugs were mentioned in humans, 10 in veterinary medicines, and 26 included in both therapies with overlapping human/animal (eg, Petroselinum crispum) and specific uses (eg, Daphne mezereum, Scrophularia nodosa). Compared to data from other countries, the local use of 32 plants and various animals and minerals was described only in the study area. The present study demonstrates that ethnomedicine practices are a valuable source of knowledge for skin diseases and highlight the relevance of fieldwork in the selected regions of Transylvania.

Bioactive Compounds from Cardoon as Health Promoters in Metabolic Disorders

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) is a Mediterranean plant and member of the Asteraceae family that includes three botanical taxa, the wild perennial cardoon (C. cardunculus L. var. sylvestris (Lamk) Fiori), globe artichoke (C. cardunculus L. var. scolymus L. Fiori), and domesticated cardoon (C. cardunculus L. var. altilis DC.). Cardoon has been widely used in the Mediterranean diet and folk medicine since ancient times. Today, cardoon is recognized as a plant with great industrial potential and is considered as a functional food, with important nutritional value, being an interesting source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, minerals, inulin, fiber, and sesquiterpene lactones. These bioactive compounds have been vastly described in the literature, exhibiting a wide range of beneficial effects, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, lipid-lowering, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, antihemorrhoidal, cardiotonic, and choleretic activity. In this review, an overview of the cardoon nutritional and phytochemical composition, as well as its biological potential, is provided, highlighting the main therapeutic effects of the different parts of the cardoon plant on metabolic disorders, specifically associated with hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and antidiabetic activity.

Use Patterns, Knowledge Diversity and Drivers for the Cultivation of the Miracle Plant [Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach & Thonn.) Daniell] in Benin and Ghana

Despite the growing interest in the miracle plant worldwide due to its numerous applications, the threats and the wild harvest of the species hamper its sustainable utilisation. Moreover, traditional knowledge so far documented on the species is limited to a narrow geographical coverage of its natural distribution range, which is West and Central Africa. This study analysed the use variation and knowledge acquisition pattern of the miracle plant among West African sociolinguistic groups and deciphered the drivers of populations’ willingness and readiness to engage in cultivating the species. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 510 respondents purposively selected from nine sociolinguistic groups in Benin and Ghana using the snowball sampling approach. Information was collected on respondents’ socio-demographic profile, miracle plant ownership, plant parts used and preparation methods, knowledge of the species bioecology, perceived threats on the species, willingness to cultivate, maximum acreage to allocate to the species and maximum price to pay for a seedling. Descriptive statistics, generalized linear models, classification and regression tree models were used for data analysis. The miracle plant ownership mode depended on the age category. Sociolinguistic affiliation, level of schooling, migratory status and religion significantly affected the number of trees owned. We recorded 76 uses belonging to six use categories. The overall use-value of the miracle plant significantly varied according to the respondent sociolinguistic affiliation, main activity and religion. Men were the main source of knowledge and knowledge is mainly acquired along the family line. Knowledge related to food and social uses was mostly acquired from parents and people of the same generation, while magico-therapeutic and medicinal use-related knowledge were inherited from parents and grandparents. Sociolinguistic affiliation, awareness of taboos and market availability were the most important drivers of respondent willingness to cultivate the miracle plant. While the respondent’s level of schooling and perception of plant growth rate determined the maximum acreage they were willing to allocate to the species in cultivation schemes, their main activity, sociolinguistic affiliation and knowledge of the species time to fruiting drove the maximum purchase price they were willing to offer for a seedling of the species. Our findings provide key information for the promotion of miracle plant cultivation in the study area.

Prunus avium L. (Sweet Cherry) By-Products: A Source of Phenolic Compounds with Antioxidant and Anti-Hyperglycemic Properties—A Review

Prunus avium L. (sweet cherry) is one of the most appreciated fruit due to its organoleptic and nutritional value. Interestingly, cherry leaves, stems, and flowers are agri-food by-products rich in bioactive compounds that are mostly still unexploited. Stems and leaves have been used in folk medicine since ancient times. Recently, cherry flowers have also proved to be an interesting source of compounds with therapeutic properties. Phenolic compounds, namely hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, are the most present phytochemicals in P. avium fruits and their by-products. These compounds have shown a good antioxidant potential to prevent oxidative stress-related diseases and glycemic control, fundamental in preventing and controlling diabetes mellitus. The present review summarizes the main phenolics found in P. avium stems, leaves, and flowers as compared to their fruits and describes their antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties. Thus, these by-products are an accessible and low-cost source of bioactive constituents with interesting health-promoting properties, making their use promising in diabetes therapy.

Phytochemical properties, biological activities and medicinal use of Centaurium erythraea Rafn

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Centaurium erythraea is an important medicinal plant in many countries, e.g. Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and countries of Balkan Peninsula. It is used in folk medicine to treat various illnesses. It is also used as an antiapoplectic, anticoagulant, anticholagogue, antipneumonic, hematocathartic, and as a hypotensive agent.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

In this review, previous reports on the taxonomy, botanical description, geographic distribution, ethnomedicinal applications, phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, and toxicity of Centaurium erythraea were critically summarized.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Scientific search engines including PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online, SciFinder, and Google Scholar were consulted to collect data on C. erythraea. The data presented in this work summarized the main reports on C. erythraea phytochemical compounds, ethnomedicinal uses, and pharmacological activities.

RESULTS

C. erythraea is used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases such as diabetes, fever, rhinitis, stomach ailments, urinary tract infections, dyspeptic complaints, loss of appetite, and hemorrhoids, and as diuretic. The essential oils and extracts of C. erythraea exhibited numerous biological properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, antileishmanial, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, diuretic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, dermatoprotective, neuroprotective, and inhibitory agent for larval development. Phytochemical characterization of C. erythraea revealed the presence of several classes of secondary metabolites such as xanthonoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnomedicinal studies demonstrated the use of C. erythraea for the treatment of various disorders. Pharmacological reports showed that C. erythraea especially its aerial parts and roots exhibited potent, and beneficial activities. These findings confirmed the link between the traditional medicinal use and the results of the scientific biological experiments. Considering these results, further investigation using diverse in vivo pharmacological assays are strongly recommended to validate the results of its traditional use. Toxicological tests and pharmacokinetic studies are also required to validate the safety and efficacy of C. erythraea and its bioactive contents.

Uso tradicional de especies de plantas en trece provincias de Ecuador

Se valida la hipótesis que el uso tradicional de plantas introducidas y nativas es análogo en Ecuador. Ciento veinticuatro entrevistas se desarrollan en 13 provincias de Ecuador, a 99 mujeres y 25 hombres, 107 del total son mestizos y 17 son indígenas, mayoritariamente comerciantes con estudios primarios y constan de 1 a 60 años de experiencia, que adquirieron el conocimiento del uso tradicional de las plantas de sus padres o madres principalmente. Se registra el uso de 274 especies, 138 (50,36%) del total son introducidas y 136 (49,63%) son nativas, 3 de las cuales son endémicas (1,09%); pertenecientes a 224 géneros incluidos en 88 familias botánicas, originarias de América (61,85%), Asia (15,68%), Europa (10,45%), África (9,58%) y Oceanía (2,44%). Se presentan 28 usos generales, particularmente como medicinal (71 usos terapéuticos), destacando el uso como antiinflamatorio, analgésico, antibiótico, antiespasmódico, diurético, sedante y antigripal. El conocimiento tradicional de las plantas no varía significativamente entre etnias y género; lo opuesto ocurre a nivel de edad y entre especies nativas e introducidas. Existe gran concordancia entre los informantes sobre los usos etnomedicinales de las plantas con un valor del Factor de Consenso de los Informantes (FIC) de 0,98.

An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Mersin (Turkey)

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.

Cactus: Chemical, nutraceutical composition and potential bio-pharmacological properties

Cactus species are plants that grow in the arid and semiarid regions of the world. They have long fascinated the attention of the scientific community due to their unusual biology. Cactus species are used for a variety of purposes, such as food, fodder, ornamental, and as medicinal plants. In the last regard, they have been used in traditional medicine for eras by the ancient people to cure several diseases. Recent scientific investigations suggest that cactus materials may be used as a source of naturally-occurring products, such as mucilage, fiber, pigments, and antioxidants. For this reason, numerous species under this family are becoming endangered and extinct. This review provides an overview of the habitat, classification, phytochemistry, chemical constituents, extraction and isolation of bioactive compounds, nutritional and pharmacological potential with pre-clinical and clinical studies of different Cactus species. Furthermore, conservation strategies for the ornamental and endangered species have also been discussed.

Berries, greens, and medicinal herbs-mapping and assessing wild plants as an ecosystem service in Transylvania (Romania)

BACKGROUND

Wild edible plants as well as medicinal herbs are still widely used natural resources in Eastern Europe that are frequently accessed by the local population. Ethnobotanical studies rarely give insight to the specific ecosystems in which wild food and medicinal plants grow in a spatially explicit way. The present work assesses the potential of different ecosystems to provide wild plants for food and medicinal use based on 37 selected plant species, gives an estimate on the actual use of wild plants, and allows insights into the motivation of local people to collect wild plants.

METHODS

A number of interdisciplinary methods were used: participatory stakeholder workshops with experts scoring the provisioning capacity of ecosystem types, GIS for representing results (capacity maps), basic data statistics for actual use assessment, and interviews for analysing motivations.

RESULTS

Capacity to provide wild edible plants was assessed highest in broad-leaved forests and wetlands, while for medicinal herbs, orchards were rated best. We could find a multitude of motivations for gathering that could be grouped along four main lines corresponding to major dimensions of well-being (health, habit/tradition, nutrition/income, pleasure/emotional), with health reasons dominating very clearly the range (59% of answers), which can be interpreted as a combination of modern "green" values with a traditional lifestyle. We detected some distinct patterns of motivations between the different social groups analysed with more fundamental needs associated with lower level socio-ecological background.

CONCLUSION

This case study provides an example on the importance of wild plants for locals from several points of view. We emphasize the relevance of these local stakeholder views to be included in decision-making and ecosystem management, which can be achieved by the presented workflow for mapping and assessment of ecosystem services which is also compatible with EU-suggested Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES).