Ethnobotanical study on traditional use of local fruit varieties in Gargano Promontory (Apulia, Italy)

Author(s):  
Nello Biscotti ◽  
Daniele Bonsanto ◽  
Gaetano Laghetti
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (S1) ◽  
pp. S191-S196
Author(s):  
A. Mouhaddach ◽  
A. El-hadi ◽  
K. Taghzouti ◽  
M. Bendaou ◽  
R. Hassikou

Opuntia ficus-indica(the cactus or prickly pear) is a cactus belonging to the Opuntiae family. Several Opuntiae plant parts have been used in traditional Moroccan medicine. In this study, we investigated its most common use as an analgesic. An ethnobotanical study ofOpuntia ficus-indicawas first conducted in 10 areas in Morocco. Extracts fromOpuntia ficus-indicacladodes were obtained using a decoction method and its analgesic activity in mice was investigated by the hot plate and tail flick methods. Cladode extracts had significant (p<0.05) analgesic activity at intraperitoneal doses of 300, 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight. Both methods revealed significantly increased latency at all three doses (p<0.05) compared to controls. These data suggest that the traditional use of this plant as an analgesic is valid; in fact, perhaps it may be a centrally-acting analgesic.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efthymia Eleni Tsioutsiou ◽  
Paolo Giordani ◽  
Effie Hanlidou ◽  
Marco Biagi ◽  
Vincenzo De Feo ◽  
...  

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.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulaiman ◽  
Sikandar Shah ◽  
Sheharyar Khan ◽  
Rainer W. Bussmann ◽  
Maroof Ali ◽  
...  

The current study on the traditional use of medicinal plants was carried out from February 2018 to March 2020, in Gokand Valley, District Buner, Pakistan. The goal was to collect, interpret, and evaluate data on the application of medicinal plants. Along with comprehensive notes on individual plants species, we calculated Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Use Report (UR), Fidelity Level (FL), Informant Consensus Factor (FCI), as well as Family Importance Value (FIV). During the current study, a total of 109 species belonging to 64 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various ailments. It included three families (four species) of Pteridophytes, 58 families (99 species) of angiosperm, one family (three species) of Gymnosperms, and two families (three species) of fungi. The article highlights the significance of domestic consumption of plant resources to treat human ailments. The UV varied from 0.2 (Acorus calamus L.) to 0.89 (Acacia modesta Wall.). The RFC ranged from 0.059 (Acorus calamus L. and Convolvulus arvensis L.) to 0.285 (Acacia modesta Wall.). The species with 100% FL were Acacia modesta Wall. and the fungus Morchella esculenta Fr., while the FCI was documented from 0 to 0.45 for gastro-intestinal disorders. The conservation ranks of the medicinal plant species revealed that 28 plant species were vulnerable, followed by rare (25 spp.), infrequent (17 spp.), dominant (16 spp.), and 10 species endangered. The traditional use of plants needs conservation strategies and further investigation for better utilization of natural resources.


2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Alberto Lara Reimers ◽  
Eloy Fernández Cusimamani ◽  
Eduardo Antonio Lara Rodríguez ◽  
Juan Manuel Zepeda del Valle ◽  
Zbynek Polesny ◽  
...  

Despite the fact that Mexico has vast biocultural biodiversity, there are numerous regions where the traditional medicinal use of plants has not yet been studied. We aimed to document, analyze quantitatively, and preserve medicinal plant knowledge among local people living in over 40 communities in the state of Zacatecas. Ethnobotanical information was collected by semistructured interviews with 132 informants. Data were analyzed using standard quantitative indices such as relative frequency of citation, family importance value, cultural importance index, and informant consensus factor. We recorded 168 medicinal plant taxa belonging to 151 genera and 69 botanical families and used to treat 99 health disorders. The most medicinally important plant families were Asteraceae (20 species), followed by Fabaceae and Lamiaceae (12 species) and Cactaceae (five species). The most culturally important species was <em>Matricaria chamomilla</em> L., mentioned 140 times, followed by <em>Arnica montana</em> L. (62 times) and <em>Artemisia ludoviciana</em> Nutt (48 times). The highest consensus for use was for diseases of the reproductive system. The type of disorder for which there was the highest number of references for use (389; 25% of all uses) and plant species (67) were diseases of the digestive and gastrointestinal system. The present study represents the first quantitative medical-ethnobotanical documentation and analysis of the traditional use of medicinal plants in Zacatecas state. Despite the semiarid climate, this region is botanically highly diverse, and its flora have versatile medicinal uses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 112-124
Author(s):  
N. Merouani ◽  
H. Boukhebti ◽  
R. Belhattab

Aristolochia longa L. (Aristolochiaceae) is used in Algerian traditional medicine. The ethnobotanical study conducted in the region of Setif (East Algeria) has as an objective of evaluating the potential of the region of Aristolochia longa L. used in the treatment of different diseases. A questionnaire was used which consisted of the diseases treated by this plant, the part of the plant used in the treatment and how to use this plant. The survey targeted 100 people from the local population. We also evaluated the phytochemical composition of the aerial parts (stems and leaves), fruits and tubers. Our results showed that A. longa is widely used to treat several ailments such as cancer (43%), diabetes (17%), and treatment of wounds in cattle (12%), and intestinal and stomach diseases (9 and 7%), the most used part is tubers by 70%.Crushed tubers are commonly mixed with honey(44%), milk(24%), water (8%). Results of the phytochemical screening revealed that A. longa contained various bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, and Alkaloids. In addition, there is very little information concerning the anatomical and morphological structure of this species of Setif region (Algeria), a preliminary study on anatomy of this plant is therefore reported in this paper. These preliminary results could be used to justify the traditional use of this plant and their bioactive substances could be exploited for therapeutic purposes such as antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, and may be considered as a promising source of new drugs for treating cancer. Keywords: Aristolochia longa L., ethnobotany Setif(Algeria), anatomical study of plant, phytochemical screening.


Revista Fitos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-177
Author(s):  
Kelly Davis ◽  
Danielly de Oliveira Guimarães ◽  
Timothy Davis ◽  
Cristine Amarante Bastos do

Nearly all cultures use medicinal plants as a vital dietary resource, the ingredients collected from their surroundings being used for food and medicine. This study will provide the basis for further ethnopharmacological research by documenting the use of medicinal plants traditionally employed by the communities along the Aruanã River to treat malaria and related symptoms. While this is the first ethnobotanical study in this region, the socio-economic profile will also be evaluated as part of this study. We also aimed to review literature on traditional use of the cited species for comparison. Ethnobotanical data was collected using semi-structured interviews with 23 participants, which cited 29 species used to prevent and/or cure malaria and related symptoms. The interviewees ranged in age from 14 to 83, with 73.91% women, and 47.83% illiterate. Medicinal plants gathered from the wild and cultivated in gardens have been traditionally used to treat malaria and related symptoms among riverine communities. Documenting this local knowledge to compare with reviewed literature regarding efficacy and toxicity would be an essential part in the search for a new antimalarial agent.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1347
Author(s):  
Matthew Saive ◽  
Manon Genva ◽  
Thibaut Istasse ◽  
Michel Frederich ◽  
Chloé Maes ◽  
...  

This work follows an ethnobotanical study that took place in the island of Mayotte (France), which pointed out the potential properties of Litchi chinensis Sonn. roots when used to enhance skin health and appearance. Through in vitro testing of a crude methanolic extract, high anti-tyrosinase (skin whitening effect) and antioxidant activities (skin soothing effect) could be measured. HPLC successive bio-guided fractionation steps allowed the purification of one of the compounds responsible for the biological activities. The isolated compound was characterized by UV, IR, MS and 2D-NMR, revealing, for the first time in Litchi chinensis Sonn. roots, an A-type proanthocyanidin and thus revealing a consensus among the traditional use shown by the ethnobotanical study, in vitro biological activities and chemical characterization.


Author(s):  
Yeter Yeşil ◽  
Mahmut Çelik ◽  
Bahattin Yılmaz

Abstract Background The Yeşilli district (Mardin) is located in the southeastern of Turkey and hosts different cultures. The objective of this study was to record the traditional knowledge of wild edible plants used by indigenous people in Yeşilli, where no ethnobotanical studies have been conducted previously. Methods An ethnobotanical study was carried out in Yeşilli district in March 2017–March 2019 to document the traditional knowledge of wild edible plants. The data were collected by interviewing 62 informants. Additionally, the data were analysed based on the cultural importance index (CI) and factor informant consensus (FİC) to determine the cultural significance of wild edible plants and knowledge of wild edible plants among the informants. Results We documented 74 wild edible taxa belonging to 31 families and 57 genera in the present study. The richness of the wild edible taxa was highest for vegetables (46 taxa), followed by medicinal plants (17 taxa) and fruit (14 taxa). The most important families were Asteraceae (ten taxa), Rosaceae (seven taxa) and Fabaceae (six taxa). The most culturally important taxa (based on the CI index) were Ficus carica subsp. carica, Lepidium draba, Anchusa strigosa, Rhus coriaria, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Sinapis alba, Gundelia tournefortii, Notobasis syriaca, Onopordum carduchorum, Malva neglecta, Mentha longifolia, Juglans regia and Urtica dioica. The maximum number of use reports was recorded for vegetables (1011). The factor informant consensus index (Fic) varied between 0.95 and 0.98 for preserved vegetables, beverages and spices and processed fruits have the highest Fic (0.99). We reported for the first time the ethnobotanical usage of 12 taxa as food. We also recorded the use of Allium wendelboanum, an endemic species in the study area. Conclusion The obtained data were compared with data from other wild edible and ethnobotanical studies conducted in Turkey and particularly those conducted in eastern Turkey. Furthermore, the data were compared with data from studies conducted in the bordering countries of Iraq and Armenia. The present study reflects the cultural diversity of the region, and it is necessary to conduct more studies since it is thought that this diversity will contribute to the economy. This study will enable the traditional use of wild plants as food sources to be passed on to future generations.


Author(s):  
Jayasimha Rayalu Daddam ◽  
Peddanna Kotha ◽  
Umamahesh Katike ◽  
Sreenivasulu Basha ◽  
Muralidhara Rao Dowlathabad

Abstract Ethnopharmological relevanceAnantapuram district is known for rich plant source and their traditional practices from long time by certain tribes for different diseases. Despite of increase in acceptance of traditional medicines in India, this rich indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants of Anantapuram district is not adequately documented previously.MethodsExtensive was done for past three years and a total of 66 plants from 66 species and 64 genera of 42 families were recorded. Interviews, Observations and guided talks with 415 participants were conducted to obtain ethno botanical data on medicinal plants grown and maintained in Anantapuram District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The names of plant species, their local name, mode of administration and parts used for different diseases are gathered with FIC and FL values.ResultsPlants widely used to cure the common symptoms of Intestinal disorders has highest agreement of FIC, followed by Toothache, Fever, Snake bite, Eye drops, Dermatological, Headache (0.88%), Hair shampoo (0.87%), Cut and Wounds (0.85%), Boils and Burns (0.84%), Bronchitis/cough (0.83%), Earache (0.82%), Pain (0.82%), Antihelmintic (0.81%), Diabetes (0.81%) and Stress (0.63%).ConclusionThis ethano botanical survey noticed that in Anantapuram very few medicinal plants were reported with their traditional use, can be an important economic source to develop this region and also planned exploitation is needed to make tribal people to continue folk medicine.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Son Nguyen ◽  
Nian He Xia ◽  
Tran Van Chu ◽  
Hoang Van Sam

Traditional markets in Vietnam are considered as important places for trading medicinal plants and also play a social role of exchanging traditional use of herbal medicine among different cultural and social groups at the local level. This study aims to identify and document medicinal plants used in 32 traditional markets of Son La province. Data were obtained through interviews and field observation method. A total of 167 informants include 13 herbalists, 49 herbal sellers, and 105 local people were interviewed. The study collected a total of 99 plant species belonging to 88 genera and 57 families. Identified plant species are used by local people for the treatment of 61 different diseases. Leaves, stems and roots are most commonly used either fresh, dried or by decocting the dried parts in water. In the study, the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) ranged from 0.02 to 0.44; the Use Value (UV) ranged from 0 to 0.84; the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) ranged from 0.84 to 1; the Fidelity Level (FL) ranged from 44.44% to 100%. Villagers view and our observations confirmed that knowledge about the number of medicinal plants available in the study area and used by interviewees positively correlated with the threats on medicinal plants in the wild habitats. Illegal and unsustainable exploitation by the local people is a major cause of their depletion from nature.


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